Studies of gel with immobilized semen by intrauterine endoscopy post-artificial insemination

An extended lifespan of spermatozoa following artificial insemination (AI) can make the timing of insemination less critical, as previously demonstrated with immobilized spermatozoa that are gradually released from an alginate gel. The purpose was to examine the in vivo dissolution of SpermVital (SV) alginate gel over time by endoscopy and secondly to assess spermatozoa quality after incubation of the gel. In vivo endoscopy showed SV gel in the uterus 3, 6, 20 and 24 hr after AI, demonstrating the potential release of spermatozoa to the uterus during this period. In utero ex vivo incubation of the semen demonstrated that high motility and viability of sperm cells was sustained following overnight incubation.     

Partitioning of exogenous delta-tocopherol between the triacylglycerol and membrane lipid fractions of chicken muscle

The partitioning of exogenous delta-tocopherol, added dissolved in ethanol, between the neutral triacylglycerols and membranes of chicken leg muscles was investigated. The two lipid fractions were separated using differential ultracentrifugation techniques. Triacylglycerols were obtained after high-speed centrifugation of the minced muscle at 130000 g for 30 min. Membranes were collected from a muscle-buffer homogenate (pH 7.5) between 10000 g for 20 min and 130000 g for 30 min. The triacylglycerols collected represented from 15 to 80% of the total triacylglycerols of the minced muscle, the yields increasing with increasing muscle triacylglycerol content. The phospholipids in the isolated membrane fraction represented from 20 to 35% of the total phospholipids of the muscle. At low muscle total lipid contents (3-5%), the added delta-tocopherol was present in approximately the same concentration in both muscle lipid fractions. At higher total lipid contents, achieved by adding exogenous triacylglycerols, the delta-tocopherol concentration in the membranes increased relative to that in the triacylglycerols.     

Sequence variants in the RNF212 gene associate with genome-wide recombination rate

The genome-wide recombination rate varies between individuals, but the mechanism controlling this variation in humans has remained elusive. A genome-wide search identified sequence variants in the 4p16.3 region correlated with recombination rate in both males and females. These variants are located in the RNF212 gene, a putative ortholog of the ZHP-3 gene that is essential for recombinations and chiasma formation in Caenorhabditis elegans. It is noteworthy that the haplotype formed by two single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the highest recombination rate in males is associated with a low recombination rate in females. Consequently, if the frequency of the haplotype changes, the average recombination rate will increase for one sex and decrease for the other, but the sex-averaged recombination rate of the population can stay relatively constant.     

Microsatellite analysis of Icelandic populations of the poplar fungal pathogen Melampsora larici-populina shows evidence of repeated colonization events

The basidiomycete Melampsora larici-populina causes foliar rust on Populus species from the sections Aigeiros and Tacamahaca, causing reduction in biomass production and economic losses. In the present study, samples of Icelandic M. larici-populina were collected for analysis of genetic diversity and population structure. A total of 439 isolates, collected at 15 locations, and analysed using 22 microsatellite markers were compared to data from French M. larici-populina populations. Twenty-one of the loci analysed were polymorphic, with an average of 3.4 alleles per locus. The mean observed and expected heterozygosities for all populations were 0.35 and 0.38. Evidence was found for a substructure within the Icelandic population with three subpopulations being the most likely scenario with low levels of gene flow. The population structure seen here is most likely shaped by both isolation and genetic drift as well as repeated events of colonization. In the future it can therefore be expected that regional poplar rust genotypes in Iceland change by two different modes; on one hand by transport of spores within the country and on the other hand by repeated colonization events. The results reported here underline the importance of closely monitoring the development of fungal diseases in Iceland, and to carefully select for resistance in Icelandic plant breeding programs.