Understanding breeding preferences among small-scale cattle producers: implications for livestock improvement programmes

Livestock production provides a pathway for improving livelihoods and reducing poverty in semi-arid tropical regions. However, this contribution has been affected by low livestock productivity. Most livestock programmes have also failed due to, among other things, the inability to understand the dynamics in smallholder breeding preferences. Using data from the sub-humid region in Zimbabwe, this paper sought to provide evidence on smallholder cattle breeding preferences and the implication on livestock improvement programmes. It applies the choice experiment approach to model farmer preferences for selected cattle breeding attributes. The results show three attributes that significantly affect breeding preferences. The attributes ‘cow body condition score’ and the ‘useful life of a bull/semen’ have a positive influence while ‘artificial insemination/bull maintenance cost’ negatively affects farmer preferences. This means farmers prefer breeding strategies which improve the nutrition of their cows, have a longer lifespan for the bull/semen and whose cost of breeding services is low. However, access to education and income affected these preferences. Education made farmers to make informed choices while higher incomes increased the propensity of investing in livestock breeding technologies. The findings also show that existing institutional arrangements in animal management and community grazing do not promote investment in livestock improvement. Thus, more attention should be given to improving animal nutritional management which includes promoting sustainable grazing schemes. There is also a need to provide affordable livestock breeding services through recruiting and training more artificial insemination service providers. Strong and effective institutions that provide incentives for collective participation are integral to any community-based livestock breeding programme. There is also a need to promote access to information and enhance farmers’ knowledge and capacity in improved livestock management practices.     

The grass megagametophyte and its possible phylogenetic implications

The structure of the grasses megagametophyte is considered to be characteristic enough as to deserve a particular place in the megagametophyte typology. Furthermore, it is compared with those of other Monocotyledonous families to point out embryological affinities.Both are members of the Carrera del Investigador (Conicet, Argentina).     

Population genetics of cancer cell clones: possible implications of cancer stem cells

Background  

The population dynamics of the various clones of cancer cells existing within a tumour is complex and still poorly understood. Cancer cell clones can be conceptualized as sympatric asexual species, and as such, the application of theoretical population genetics as it pertains to asexual species may provide additional insights.     

居群遗传学原理及其在珍稀濒危植物保护中的应用

居群遗传学在珍稀濒危植物保护研究中有着重要的应用价值。本文首先介绍了居群遗传学中的几个重要概念——有效居群大小、近交繁殖、遗传漂变和基因流,然后详细叙述了居群遗传学原理在珍稀濒危植物保护中的应用途径和前景。     

Molecular genetics of the cyanobacteriumSynechocystis sp. PCC 6803: Principles and possible biotechnology applications

The cyanobacteriumSynechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is readily amenable to targeted mutagenesis: Foreign DNA is taken up spontaneously, and after uptake DNA can be integrated into the organism's genome by homologous recombination. Using appropriate DNA constructs for transformation, specific genes in the organism can be interrupted, deleted, or replaced by modified gene copies. The organism can grow under a number of different conditions, ranging from photoautotrophic to fully heterotrophic modes, making genetic modifications that alter fundamental processes such as photosynthesis and/or respiration feasible. For example, deletion of photosystem I leads to an obligate (photo)heterotrophic strain in which photosystem II-generated electrons appear to be consumed by respiratory processes, whereas deletion of photosystem II leads to an obligate (photo)heterotrophic strain in which cyclic electron flow around photosystem I appears to remain active. A major advantage ofSynechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is that its entire genome has been sequenced (by S. Tabata and co-workers), opening many avenues to address basic and applied research problems. For example, genes can be introduced, modified or deleted, and hypotheses regarding the function of an open reading frame can be tested by deletion of this open reading frame. Methods to modify genes are numerous. In addition to site-directed mutagenesis, novel molecular genetic approaches including targeted random mutagenesis, combinatorial mutagenesis and introduction of hybrid genes have come of age and have proven to be very powerful tools in protein engineering. These approaches have been utilized primarily in this strain to study photosynthesis, but applications of this technology, including pathway engineering, alterations of substrate specificity of enzymes and introduction of tolerance to a variety of stresses, are equally feasible in relation to more applied aims. For optimal utilization of the potential of theSynechocystis sp. PCC 6803 system, however, an increased emphasis toward understanding the biochemistry and molecular physiology of cyanobacteria will also be critically important.     

Investigating cognitive genetics and its implications for the treatment of cognitive deficit

Cognitive impairment in the elderly, caused by either normal ageing process or dementia, is an increasing problem in developed countries that has enormous social and economic considerations. Research investigating the genetic basis of cognition is a new and rapidly developing field that may aid in the development of new treatments for age-related cognitive deficit. Over the past 6 years, a number of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) have been associated with cognitive functioning in humans including loci within the genes catechol- o -methyltransferase, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, muscle segment homeobox 1, serotonin transporter 2A (HTR2A), cholinergic muscarinic receptor 2, cathepsin D, metabotrophic glutamate receptor and most recently the class II human leukocyte antigens. Unfortunately, inconsistency within the literature, which is a hallmark of almost all association studies investigating complex diseases and traits, is casting doubt as to which genes are truly associated with cognition and which are a result of Type 2 error. This review will highlight implicated intelligence QTLs, examine the probable reasons for the current discrepancies between reports and discuss the potential advantages that may be procured from the study of cognitive genetics.