The Sequence Variations of Intron-3 of the α-Amylase Gene in Adzuki Bean

This study describes variation of intron-3 of a-amylase gene from 156 breeds of adzuki beansusing SSCP(single-strand conformation polymorphism)analysis. Based on a-amylase gene structure and se-quence, A pair of PCR primers, F (CCTACATTCTAACACACCCT) and R (GCATATTGTGCCAGTACAAT)were designed to amplify intron-3 fragments of a-amylase gene. 14 variant types were detected, including 13,9, 10, 4 variant types in the wild, weed, locally cultivated and modern brought-up adzuki beans respectively,9, 8, 7 variant types of the wild adzuki beans from Japan, China and Korea respectively, and some other va-riant types in the local adzuki beans from China and Bhutan. 60 % of subjects of cultivated races were found tobe EE type in the experiment. In addition, sequence analysis of intron-3 of α-amylase gene from 8 varianttypes reveals the evolution process of various variant types in adzuki beans.     

Seasonal changes in nutritional status and reproductive performance of Zebu cows kept under a traditional agro-pastoral system in Tanzania

The objectives of this study were to assess changes in nutritional status/body condition score, percentage pregnancy and calving rate in Zebu cows and to establish the relationship between body condition score loss and postpartum interval to resumption of ovarian activity. A total of 198 cows and postpubertal heifers of the Tanzanian Shorthorn Zebu kept under a traditional management system were randomly selected from 200 smallholder herds. Factors investigated during bi-weekly visits include body condition score (BCS), heart-girth circumference, milk yield and reproductive status of the animals, pregnancy/non-pregnancy and cyclicity/non-cyclicity. Local weather conditions and dates of occurrence of other reproductive events such as calving were also recorded. Calvings occurred all year round but with a strong seasonal distribution characterized by annual peaks observed between April and July. The annual calving pattern was closely related to rainfall, with peak precipitation occurring a few months before peak calving. The overall percentage pregnancy varied from 30% to 50% throughout the year. Postpartum cows exhibited minimum mean BCS and heart-girth circumference 12–14 weeks after calving, and cows with BCS loss >1 point exhibited the longest time interval from calving to onset of ovarian activity.     

小豆种内α-淀粉酶基因第三内含子的变异

 用SSCP法对 15 6份小豆种质DNA的α 淀粉酶基因第三内含子变异进行了分析。根据第三内含子设计 1对引物 ,引物 (F)为CCTACATTCTAACACACCCT ,(R)为GCATATTGTGCCAGTACAAT。共检测到 14种变异类型 ,其中野生小豆有 13种、半野生小豆有 9种、地方品种小豆 10种 ,近代育成的小豆品种中只检出 4种变异类型。分别从日本、中国和韩国的野生小豆种质资源中检出 9、8、7种 ,在中国和不丹的小豆地方品种中检出的变异类型较多 ,6 0 %的小豆栽培品种供试材料聚集在变异类型EE中。还对α 淀粉酶基因第三内含子的 8种变异类型碱基序列进行了分析 ,根据检测出的碱基突变的数量及位置初步推测了各变异类型的演化过程。