Study of fertilising capacity of spermatozoa after heterospermic insemination in rabbit using DNA markers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the fertilising capacity of males belonging to a rabbit line selected for growth rate using heterospermic insemination and genetic markers. Semen from five males was used to make pools of three of them, and to perform homospermic insemination. Insemination was carried out in receptive multiparous lactating does with 6 million spermatozoa per insemination dose. DNA from 360 young rabbits born from heterospermic insemination, 5 sires and 42 does were amplified to nine microsatellite loci for determination of the offspring rate per male. Although each female was inseminated with the same number of spermatozoa from each male (2 million from a total dose of 6 million), sperm from one male was always dominant, notable differences being observed in the offspring among the males with similar semen quality (83-68% from dominant male versus 31-0% from non-dominant, P<0.05 ).     

Effect of insemination timing on the fertilizing capacity of frozen/thawed equine spermatozoa

A breeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of insemination timing on the fertility of mares bred with frozen/thawed equine semen. One stallion and 60 reproductively sound, estrous-synchronized mares were included in the study. Mares were assigned to one of three groups (n = 20): 1) insemination with fresh semen every other day during estrus from detection of a 35-mm follicle until ovulation, 2) insemination with frozen/thawed semen every day during estrus from detection of a 35-mm follicle until ovulation or 3) insemination with frozen/thawed semen once, within 6 h after ovulation. Single-cycle 18-d pregnancy rates resulting from insemination with fresh semen (70%), preovulation insemination with frozen/thawed semen (60%) and postovulation insemination with frozen/thawed semen (55%) were not different (P > 0.05). Possibly, equivalent pregnancy rates could be achieved with frozen/thawed semen using either daily inseminations until ovulation occurs or frequent ovarian palpations with a single post-ovulation insemination. Further studies regarding the effect of insemination timing on stallion fertility are needed since the present investigation included only one stallion and a small number of mares.     

Effects of exposing boars to different artificial light regimens on semen plasma markers and "in vivo" fertilizing capacity

This study was designed to assess the effects of exposing boars to an artificial photoperiod on semen quality in terms of sperm concentration, sperm vitality, sperm motility and acrosome integrity. We also determined biochemical semen plasma variables, such as total protein concentration, phosphorylated tyrosine residues and fructose, glucose and sorbitol contents, along with their effects on the fertility, prolificacy and libido of the boars. Three groups of 10 males were kept for 3 months under experimental conditions of 24, 12 and 0 h of artificial light, and a constant temperature of 21 +/- 1 degrees C and 60-75% humidity. The animals were fed a nutritious diet and subjected to semen collection twice per week. Semen samples were analyzed throughout the entire experimental period. Our results indicate that, while the extreme photoperiods (0 and 24 h of light) affected semen quality in terms of sperm concentration, acrosome integrity and semen volume, its fertilizing capacity was only significantly reduced under conditions of absolute darkness. Sperm motility was found to be a poor indicator of fertilizing ability, while other sperm factors, such as acrosome integrity or other functional variables seemed to behave better. The photoperiod was found to affect the production of accessory sex gland secretions more than their composition. In addition, light effects on fertility, prolificacy and libido seemed to be achieved through independent mechanisms.     

东北虎微卫星DNA遗传标记的筛选及在亲子鉴定中的应用

利用18个家猫微卫星基因座，在东北虎(Panthera tigris sibilia)DNA中扩增结果有4个基因座没有产物，8个基因座为单态，6个基因座为多态性。同时利用苏门答腊虎的微卫星序列设计了8对引物，在东北虎DNA中有4对具有多态性。微卫星基因座的多态性百分率为38．5％。在供试的27只东北虎中，发现等位基因间的变异均为偶数碱基长度变化，对有准确谱系记录的个体研究表明，这10个微卫星DNA遗传标记符合孟德尔遗传规律，所以这些微卫星DNA可以有效的应用于东北虎的亲子鉴定。利用这10对多态性引物，我们成功地鉴定了7个父子关系不清的后代。收集的样品包括23只毛发样品和4只血液样品，实验结果表明，毛发和血液样品均可以得到清晰的微卫星条带[动物学报49(1)：118—123．2003]。     

The analysis of paternity and maternity in the marine hydrozoan Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers

For organisms in which direct observation of mating and subsequent dispersal of offspring and relatives is impossible, patterns of reproductive success and genealogical relationship can only be established using genetic markers. The ideal genetic assay would (1) employ highly polymorphic genetic markers for distinguishing among individuals; (2) use little tissue for analysing early life-history stages; and (3) require minimal investment in time and money for population level studies. From this perspective, DNA polymorphisms revealed by PCR amplification using random ten-base primers [Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA (PCR-RAPD) or Arbitrarily Primed DNA (AP-PCR)] have great potential. However, the evidence that RAPD/AP markers are both heritable and can be repeatably amplified remains controversial. This study characterizes patterns of inheritance and polymorphism of RAPD markers in the free-spawning, colonial marine hydrozoan Hydractinia symbiolongicarpus. In all cases, the amplification products were identical among extractions from the same clone. Of 56 primers screened, 13 had sufficient polymorphism and scoreability for an analysis of parentage and higher-order genetic relationships in three matings. These primers generated 156 unique amplification products (putative loci), of which 133 were polymorphic. All but four of these loci were inherited as dominant mendelian markers. Our study suggests that the presence of a marker represents a single allele at a locus; however, what appear to be single null alleles may actually comprise several segregating alleles. When the identity of neither parent was known a priori, inclusion (unique markers present in offspring and only one of the potential parents) proved to be more efficient than exclusion for assigning offspring to parents. The most powerful approach, however, was cluster analysis of all presence/absence information for the marker bands. Clustering avoided the pitfalls caused by the appearance of occasional nonparental bands, and constructed a hierarchical framework that correctly reflected all genealogical relationships.     

The fertilizing capacity of ram testicular spermatozoa,freshly collected and after storage in cauda epididymal fluid

Epididymal fluid may contain substances which promote development of the fertilizing capacity of testicular spermatozoa under in vitro conditions, provided that the spermatozoa are exposed to such substances for long periods of time. In an attempt to resolve this question, the fertilizing capacity of testicular spermatozoa was assessed before and after storage in cauda epididymal fluid and comparisons made with ejaculated spermatozoa from the same rams. Of the 13 eggs examined from the group of ewes inseminated with ejaculated spermatozoa 61.5% were found to be in the 2-to 8-cell stage. No fertilized eggs were recovered from ewes impregnated with freshly collected testicular spermatozoa. Nor were any cleaved eggs obtained from the group of ewes inseminated with testicular spermatozoa stored in cauda epididymal fluid at 4°C for 7 to 11 days. We suggest there-fore, that in order to develop maximal fertilizing capacity, mammalian spermatozoa must be exposed to specific concentrated testicular and epididymal secretions in a sequential order and within strict time limits.     

Transuterine transport of spermatozoa after artificial insemination in heifers

Eight heifers were artificially inseminated with frozen-thawed semen during heat. Semen was deposited in one of the uterine horns. The animals were slaughtered 2 h after insemination and the genital tract was flushed. Sperm concentration in the flushing fluid was estimated by haemocytometric counting.There was a considerable transport of spermatozoa from the site of semen deposition to the uterine horn and oviduct on the opposite side. Spermatozoa were recovered from all parts of the oviduct (infundibulum, ampulla and isthmus) and distal and proximal parts of the horn on the non-inseminated side. In 7 out of 8 heifers more spermatozoa were recovered from the side of the tract opposite to insemination than from the inseminated side, although the differences were small in 2 animals. No clear relationship could be seen between ovarian activity and distribution of spermatozoa.     

Identification of strain specific markers in Bacillus anthracis by random amplification of polymorphic DNA

Classification and differentiation of Bacillus anthracis isolates by genetic markers play an important role in anthrax research. We used a PCR based method--Random Amplification of Polymorphic DNA (RAPD)--to identify genetic markers in B. anthracis strains. Twenty-five differential genetic markers were identified which divided the strains into five different groups. Three selected RAPD-markers were cloned and sequenced. The five RAPD-derived genotypes could be defined by integration of these three markers. This system offers a simple non-expensive method to classify B. anthracis strains in laboratories involved in the research of this bacterium.     

Probability of paternity in paternity testing using the DNA fingerprint procedure

For the purpose of applying DNA fingerprinting to paternity testing, we established a general formula to calculate the probability of paternity and evaluated the ability of DNA fingerprinting to determine paternity.     

Characterization of Zebu cattle breeds in Tanzania using random amplified polymorphic DNA markers

A total of 141 short primers, of arbitrary nucleotide sequence, were used singly in poly-merase chain reactions to amplify DNA fingerprints in pools of DNA representing three Zebu cattle breeds. Two primers, which discriminated between the breed-specific DNA pools were used further to amplify individual pool components in order to establish band frequencies of the amplified fingerprints. One of the primers (ILO 1127) amplified a RAPD fingerprint in 61%of TSZ animals but less than 6% in the other breeds, while another primer (ILO 1065) revealed a DNA sequence common to 89% of the Boran animals and less than 30% in the other two breeds. Bandsharing and mean average percentage difference calculated within and between the three breeds using RAPD fingerprint data showed a higher degree of homogeneity within than across the breeds and indicated measurable divergence between the three breeds. It is concluded that RAPD polymorphisms are useful as genetic markers for cattle breed differentiation.     

Identification and genetic mapping of random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers to the sheep genome

The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assay utilizes the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and short primers of arbitrary nucleotide sequence to amplify DNA. In this study, the RAPD assay was used to identify and map polymorphic markers in the AgResearch International Mapping Flock (IMF) sheep pedigrees. Sires and dams of eight of the full-sib IMF pedigrees were screened with 131 different 10-mer oligonucleotide primers. An average of 85 RAPD polymorphisms was identified between each parental pair, and 53 markers were contributed to the AgResearch IMF collaboration. Forty-five of the RAPD markers were mapped in the AgResearch IMF genetic linkage map, and at least one marker was located on 17 of the 26 autosomes and both sex chromosomes. Three lines of evidence were used to check for the homology of scored polymorphisms in different pedigrees, pedigree evaluation, segregation analysis, and Southern blot analysis. These results demonstrate that the RAPD assay is a powerful approach for identifying polymorphisms that can be used as markers for constructing a sheep genetic linkage map. Received: 5 October 1995 / Accepted: 16 April 1996     

Transient transgene transmission to piglets by intrauterine insemination of spermatozoa incubated with DNA fragments

An efficient and low-cost production of transgenic pigs has significant applications to the pig industry and biomedical science. Generation of transgenic pig by sperm-mediated gene transfer (SMGT) was inexpensive and convenient, and reported with high efficiency. To test the method of SMGT in pigs, we employed deep post-cervical intrauterine insemination of incubated spermatozoa in this study. A test of sperm motility of semen from nine Landrace boars after incubation with radioactively labeled DNA construct indicated that DNA uptake of the sperm was highly correlated with sperm motility at the time of collection. DNA concentration of 50 and 300 microg per one billion sperm was incubated with washed high-motility sperm at 17 degrees C for 2 hr. Twenty one hybrid gilts and sows of Meishan crossed with Large White were inseminated with transgene-incubated sperm and produced 156 piglets. Transgene DNA sequences were identified in 31 piglets by PCR amplification of genomic DNA isolated from piglet ears at the age of 3 days. The deep intrauterine insemination had a higher rate of positive transgenic piglets than regular insemination (29.6% of 98 piglets vs. 3.4% of 58 piglets). However, the exogenous transgene DNA was not detected in any piglets at the age of 70-100 days. Therefore, the results further demonstrated that transgene through incubation with spermatozoa was mostly transiently transmitted to the offspring at early growing stage and lost in adulthood, which may result from episomal DNA replications during cell divisions only at the early stage of development.     

Influence of caffeine on movement characteristics, fertilizing capacity and ability to penetrate cervical mucus of human spermatozoa

When added to frozen-thawed human semen, the 3 doses of caffeine tested (2, 5 and 10 mM) induced a significant increase in the percentage of motile spermatozoa but did not influence the quality of movement. Considerable variability was noted between samples in their responsiveness to caffeine which, at the 5 and 10 mM doses, was significantly correlated with the degree of motility lost during cryostorage. Caffeine treatment of frozen-thawed human spermatozoa also increased the number of spermatozoa penetrating cervical mucus in unit time, by increasing the frequency rather than the success of collisions between spermatozoa and the cervical mucus interface. When caffeine-stimulated spermatozoa were washed free of seminal plasma containing this compound they were no longer at an advantage with respect to their motility or fertilizing ability. When 2 mM-caffeine was added to washed suspensions of capacitated spermatozoa it failed to stimulate motility but did significantly enhance the fertilizing ability of the spermatozoa, indicating a possible clinical role for this compound in in-vitro fertilization therapy.     

Identification of restriction fragment length polymorphism and random amplified polymorphic DNA markers linked to downy mildew resistance genes in lettuce, using near-isogenic lines.

Near-isogenic lines were used to identify restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers linked to genes for resistance to downy mildew (Dm) in lettuce. Two pairs of near-isogenic lines that differed for Dm1 plus Dm3 and one pair of near-isogenic lines that differed for Dm11 were used as sources of DNA. Over 500 cDNAs and 212 arbitrary 10-mer oligonucleotide primers were screened for their ability to detect polymorphism between the near-isogenic lines. Four RFLP markers and four RAPD markers were identified as linked to the Dm1 and Dm3 region. Dm1 and Dm3 are members of a cluster of seven Dm genes. Marker CL922 was absolutely linked to Dm15 and Dm16, which are part of this cluster. Six RAPD markers were identified as linked to the Dm11 region. The use of RAPD markers allowed us to increase the density of markers in the two Dm regions in a short time. These regions were previously only sparsely populated with RFLP markers. The rapid screening and identification of tightly linked markers to the target genes demonstrated the potential of RAPD markers for saturating genetic maps.     

Identification of highly polymorphic DNA regions in tomato

Summary This paper describes the use of oligonucleotide probes to reveal highly polymorphic DNA regions in pomato. With a (GATA)₄ probe the level of polymorphism detected is high enough to identify all 15 tomato cultivars used in this study. Individual plants of one cultivar all showed the same cultivar-specific DNA-finger-print. In an F₂-population of self-fertilized cv. Sonatine, GATA-containing loci segregated in a Mendelian (31) fashion. Experiments with in-vitro propagated plant material showed that the DNA-fingerprints are not affected by tissue-culture procedures. This indicates that changes in the genetic integrity, which often accompany in-vitro propagation (somaclonal variation), are not extended to the DNA detected with the (GATA)₄ probe. The relative high stability and the Mendelian segregation of (GATA)₄-derived DNA-fingerprints make them ideally suited for identification of tomato cultivars.