Reproduction and breeding最新文献

Cardiomyopathy is a severe cardiac condition characterized by complex immune regulatory mechanisms. While the role of immune genes is recognized, the specifics of their regulation in cardiomyopathy are not fully understood. Recent studies highlight the significance of transposable elements (TEs) in various diseases, particularly their potential to modulate immune responses. This paper utilizes publicly available databases to explore the role of TEs in myocarditis: RNA Seq data and single-cell sequencing data were analyzed, with a focus on the mouse model of experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). The RNA-Seq analysis revealed substantial upregulation of a range of immune genes in cardiac tissue. Further investigation using single-cell sequencing of cardiac immune cells identified specific expression of certain transposable elements (TEs) across different types of immune cells in the heart. Additionally, there was an overall increase in the expression of the ERVB7-1. LTR-MM transposon across various cells in the EAM model, suggesting a widespread impact of this transposon on the immune response in this disease context. The findings of this study highlight the intricate interplay between transposable elements and the immune system in cardiomyopathy, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying this condition. The discovery of specific TEs expression in cardiac immune cells and the overall increase in ERVB7-1. LTR-MM expression across the EAM model underscore the potential of these elements in modulating immune responses and contribute to our understanding of cardiomyopathy's pathogenesis. These observations open avenues for further research into the role of TEs in cardiac disases and may lead to novel therapeutic strategies.

Microbial infection can pose a great threat to health of farmed fish. This study aimed to investigate the probiotic characteristics of Bacillus cereus strain fkW8-1-2 isolated from intestine of WCC and its anti-biofilm activity against pathogenic bacteria. The strain fkW8-1-2 showed a high resistance to low pH, bile salt and lysozyme during long-term incubation. The strain fkW8-1-2 displayed a gradual increase of cell surface hydrophobicity with various forms of hydrocarbons. The strain fkW8-1-2 showed the remarkable autoaggregation and coaggregation activity with A. hydrophila L3-3 and E. tarda 1l-4. The culture medium (CM) and cell-free supernatants (CFS) of strain fkW8-1-2 at 48 h cultivation could attenuate biofilm formation of A. hydrophila and E. tarda with the maximum inhibition rates. In addition, the intact cells of strain fkW8-1-2 exhibited the strong antioxidant activity for DPPH removal and superoxide anion clearance. These results indicated that strain fkW8-1-2 possessing probiotic characteristics can pose a protective role in health of farmed fish.

Genetic diversity enhancement to select Bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea [L.] Verdc. 2x = 2n = 22) breeding lines with economic traits is imperative to improve the crop's utilization in Sub-Saharan Africa. Gamma radiation is a vital mutagenic agent to create novel allelic combinations required for developing climate-smart Bambara groundnut varieties to contribute to food production and nutrition security in drier regions, including Namibia. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to identify optimal gamma radiation doses to enhance genetic diversity in Bambara groundnut genotypes. The present study was conducted in root boxes under a custom-made shade-net house at Mannheim Crop Research Station, Tsumeb, Namibia. Three Bambara groundnut genotypes (Uniswa Red, Dip C and KFBN 9709) were gamma irradiated at six doses (0, 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 Gy) were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on days to emergence (DTE), emergence percentage (%EM), seedling survival percentage (%SS), seedling length (SLT), and shoot weight (STW). A non-significant interaction of genotype × gamma radiation dose was detected, showing stable responses indicating that genotypes require varying gamma radiation doses for mutagenesis. A significant (p < 0.01) genotype effect was found on days to emergence, emergence percentage, seedling length and shoot weight, indicating that gamma radiation doses requirements for individual genotypes varied. Significant (p < 0.05) effects of gamma radiation doses revealed that the traits could be used to select optimum doses to be upscale in induced mutation breeding programs of Bambara groundnut. Seedling length was the only trait with higher growth reduction that resulted in a negative trends. A linear regression model predicted LD₅₀s for Uniswa Red, Dip C and KBFN 9709 at 428.1, 523.7 and 712.5 GY, respectively. These doses were higher than test gamma radiation doses, indicating the need for higher doses resulting in LD₅₀s. Therefore, the doses identified in these studies are useful for use in induced mutation breeding for the tested Bambara groundnut genotypes.

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) improvement is necessary to increase its contribution to food and nutrition security in the impoverished regions such as the Sub-Saharan African Region. Genetic variability is fundamental to selecting parental genetic resources with agronomic and economic important traits for recombination. Gamma radiation is one of the valuable mutagens for creating novel mutant populations with allelic combinations needed to develop varieties with the desired traits. In this study, we determined the optimum dosage of gamma irradiation to use in breeding programs to enhance high yield and tolerance to field pests, including Maruca pod borers (Maruca vitrata) in locally adapted cowpea varieties. Seeds of two locally adapted cowpea genotypes (NkR1P3 and NamCp201) were treated with six gamma irradiation doses – 0 (un-irradiated), 75, 150, 300, 450, and 600 Gy. Consequently, the radio-sensitivity test was conducted in seed trays under net house conditions at the experimental field of Ogongo Campus, University of Namibia, Namibia. The study was arranged in a completely randomized design with three replications. Significant interactions (p < 0.001) of genotype and gamma irradiation dosage were found on percentage emergence (%E) and seedling survival percentage (%SS). This revealed that optimum gamma irradiation doses for tested cowpea genotypes where genotypic and dose depended. The significant effect (p < 0.001) of dose on all tested traits revealed the need to identify highly responsive traits for large-scale mutagenesis. Seedling survival rate and shoot length were the most responsive and were consequently used to determine the optimum dose for mutagenesis. The optimum dosage of gamma radiation for genotypes NkR1P3 and NamCp201 ranged between 382 and 427 Gy and 324 and 335 Gy, respectively. These optimal doses can be used to generate genetic variation to improve yield and tolerance to local stresses including tolerance to M. vitrata pod borers.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides, LB) is an important aquaculture and fishing species in the world. LB has been introduced into China since 1983, and its aquaculture production has increased year by year. The total yield of LB in China reached 802,486 tons in 2022, ranking seventh in China's freshwater fish aquaculture. However, the LB is facing threats such as degradation of germplasm resources and disease susceptibility due to limitations in the scale of introduction, coupled with the effects of high-density aquaculture, inbreeding, and species hybridization. This paper summarizes the current status of LB germplasm resources, variety genetic improvement, nutrition and fodder, aquaculture mode and diseases, and circulation and processing. This paper also provides recommendations on how to fully explore and utilize the existing germplasm resources of LB; culture new LB germplasm that combines excellent resistance and growth characteristics through innovations in breeding techniques; reduce the morbidity rate and improve the efficiency of cultured LB through the optimization of fodder formulations and innovation of aquaculture modes; and shift the processing of LB toward standardization, efficient nutrition and safety through the integration of high-tech and large-scale production. This paper provides a reference for the sustainable and healthy development of the LB industry.

Lipin 1 regulates lipid metabolism in mammary glands. Genetic variation in lipin 1 gene is thought to effect milk production in dairy animals. This study aimed to investigate the association of SNPs in the exon 6 and 8 of the lipin 1 gene with milk yield in Azikheli buffalo from Swat, Pakistan. Azikheli buffaloes raised in a farm were selected based on their milk yield records. Three buffaloes were selected from the high milk yielding group with an average production of 12.96 ± 0.83 liters per day, and three from low yielding group producing 6.12 ± 0.28 liters of milk per day. Genomic DNA was extracted from the blood samples of these buffaloes, which were used to amplify exon 6, 8 the adjacent introns (6, 7 and 8) of the lipin 1 gene. The PCR products was sequenced through sanger sequencing. A total of 45 SNPs were found in the targeted regions of the lipin 1 gene in both high and low yielding buffaloes. Overall, four missense variants (g.62048T>C; Met399Thr and g.62069C>A; Pro406His) were found in the exon 8 of lipin 1 gene in Azikheli buffalo. Milk yield was positive correlated with SNP g.62048T>C; Met399Thr that was more frequent (0.83 vs 0.33) in high milk yielding buffaloes compared to the low yielding group. SNP g.62069C>A; Pro406His was unique to low milk yielding buffaloes suggesting its negative association with milk yield. Moreover, the visualization of 3D structure of the lipin I protein constructed using Phyr2 web server and the Missense 3D analysis identified no structural damages caused by the reported SNPs on the target protein. In conclusion, SNPs g.62048T>C; Met399Thr and g.62069C>A; Pro406His could serve as potential genetic markers for increasing milk productivity in buffaloes.

Phenotypic differences between diploid parents and their allotriploid offspring are common in aquaculture breeding. Some allotriploid populations exhibit rapid growth rates and increased body weight, which are significant for supporting fisheries development. Understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying these traits is crucial for implementing diverse breeding strategies to achieve high production in fish farming. Here, we collected the following fish species for our study: red crucian carp (Carassius auratus red var., 2nRR), common carp (Cyprinus carpio L., 2nCC), and two allotriploids (3nR₂C and 3 nRC₂). These allotriploids were obtained through backcrossing an allotetraploid of C. auratus red var. × C. carpio L. (4nR₂C₂, ♂) with C. auratus red var. and C. carpio L. (♀), respectively. These allotriploids demonstrated faster growth rates compared to their diploid inbred parents, contributing to the Chinese fisheries industry for several decades. We conducted a systematic comparison of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers in the liver and muscle tissues of 2nRR, 2nCC, 3nR₂C, and 3 nRC₂ under different seasons. When entering winter (low water temperature: 13 °C), the triploid fish (3nR₂C and 3 nRC₂) exhibited lower mtDNA copy numbers in the muscle, indicating a reduction in individual activity and energy expenditure to facilitate weight maintenance when food availability is limited. Furthermore, we analysed the expression levels of three nuclear-regulated mitochondrial genes (tfam, tfb1m, and tfb2m) and observed an imbalance of allelic expression in tfam and tfb1m in the two triploid fish. These findings enhance our understanding of the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying growth trait differences among fish with different ploidy levels.

The production of hybrid progeny through distant hybridization holds great significance in enriching germplasm resources for fish breeding. In this study, a hybridization experiment was conducted between female KOC (Cyprinus carpio haematopterus) and male GR (Gobiocypris rarus), resulting in the production of two distinct types of hybrid offspring. These progenies were classified as allodiploid and allotriploid based on their DNA content and chromosome numbers, hereafter referred to as CG and CCG. Subsequently, a comprehensive comparative analysis was performed between the CG and CCG hybrids and their parents, focusing on countable traits, measurable traits, erythrocyte morphology, as well as karyogene and mitochondrial gene composition. The majority of the examined countable and measurable traits in both CG and CCG exhibited similarities predominantly with GR, except for the ratios of body length (BL) to body height (BH) and head length (HL). Moreover, observing erythrocytes revealed the presence of dumbbell-shaped nuclei in CCG, a characteristic not observed in CG hybrids or the parents. Sequencing alignment revealed that the homeobox (Hox) genes and 5S RNA in CG and CCG were inherited from both KOC and GR, signifying their status as allodiploid and allotriploid organisms. The mitochondrial genes in CG and CCG showed substantial similarity to KOC, albeit with a few sites displaying paternal leakage inheritance from GR. In comparison to CG, the growth rate of CCG was found to be significantly faster, which could be attributed to the upregulation of growth hormone 1 (gh1) and the downregulation of myostatin b (mstn). This study successfully produced two hybrid offspring with distinct growth characteristics but similar genetic backgrounds, making them ideal subjects for future investigations into growth traits. The findings of this research established a fundamental basis for investigating the growth mechanism of fish and provided significant implications for the advancement of fish breeding through hybridization.

The fecundity of women decreases significantly beginning approximately at age 35 and decreases more rapidly after age 40. Age affects not only the size of the oocyte pool but also the quality of germ cells. Despite the continuous advancement of assisted reproductive technology, infertility remains a challenge for women of advanced maternal age. Here, we present a case of a woman in her forties who had two successful live births after treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine. At her initial visit (at age 43), the patient presented with a short menstrual cycle and signs of a diminished ovarian reserve (FSH: 26.2 mIU/mL; AMH: 0.23 ng/mL). Three years after her first delivery (at age 47), the patient showed signs of further diminished ovarian reserve (FSH: 27.1 mIU/mL; AMH: 0.07 ng/mL). Notably, after five months of Chinese herbal medicine treatment, she achieved another successful pregnancy, and resulted in a live birth. This case demonstrates that Chinese herbal medicine can have a positive clinical impact on improving hormonal balance and fecundity. Further research is needed to investigate the pharmacokinetics of Chinese herbal medicine in improving fecundity for women of advanced maternal age.

Aeromonas hydrophila is an opportunistic pathogen of fishes and aquatic animals. A. hydrophila has a strong ability to disrupt gut integrity and cause inflammation and septicemia in fish, however, the mechanism is not fully understood. In this study, we identified the function of a galactosaminogalactan (GAG) synthase (named WbuB) in the pathogenic A. hydrophila CCL1. WbuB belongs to the family 4 of glycosyltransferases (GT4) and is composed of 407 amino acids (aa). For virulence analysis, the mutant which has an in-frame deletion of the WbuB gene in CCL1 was created (named ΔWbuB). ΔWbuB had the decreased biofilm formation, as well as adhesion ability and cytotoxicity. Animal infection study in crucian carps showed that, compared to CCL1, ΔWbuB caused the decreased expression levels of ASC, NLRP3, caspase-1 and IL-1β in gut. Moreover, the expression levels of ZO-1 and Occludin were increased by ΔWbuB infection. In line with the results, the intestinal permeability and tissue dissemination capacity of ΔWbuB were attenuated significantly. These lost virulence capacities of ΔWbuB were restored by complementation with the WbuB gene. Taken together, these results indicate that WbuB is essential for the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and is a novel virulent factor for tight junction barrier during A. hydrophila infection.