A comparative genetic study of two groups of chukar partridges (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Alectoris chukar</Emphasis>) from Cyprus and Argentina,using microsatellite analysis

The aim of the present work is to estimate the usefulness of microsatellite genetic markers analysis to characterize and analyze the possible differences between a captive reared population and a wild one from the same species. The first sample consists of 27 chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar) bred in one farm in Argentina. The second one is composed of 31 chukar partridges coming from a wild Cyprus population (A. chukar cypriotes). We analyzed seven microsatellite loci: MCW135, MCW225, MCW276, MCW280, MCW295, LEI31, and ADL0142. The Argentina group showed higher genetic variation than the Cyprus did. Significant global F _IS value was found in the Argentina sample. Significant genetic differentiation exists between both groups (F _ST=0.394; p<0.01). The Argentina group did not show any signs of bottleneck. Results from Factorial Correspondence Analysis (FCA) suggest that the 58 partridges could be split into two distinct genetic clusters (Cyprus and Argentina). Nevertheless, in the light of PARTITION results, three Argentina individuals might be related to Cyprus. STRUCTURE is unable to assign these three animals to any of the two groups. This could be due to a single or repeated introduction of external individuals into the original Argentina group, so that these results would point to more than one origin for this population. This admixture of individuals could explain the high genetic variation observed in the Argentina farm. Global F _IS value would probably be higher without these immigrations; on the other hand, these admixtures could have prevented bottlenecks.     

Bayesian DNA copy number analysis

Background  

Some diseases, like tumors, can be related to chromosomal aberrations, leading to changes of DNA copy number. The copy number of an aberrant genome can be represented as a piecewise constant function, since it can exhibit regions of deletions or gains. Instead, in a healthy cell the copy number is two because we inherit one copy of each chromosome from each our parents.     

Cytogenetic screening of livestock populations in Europe: an overview

Clinical animal cytogenetics development began in the 1960's, almost at the same time as human cytogenetics. However, the development of the two disciplines has been very different during the last four decades. Clinical animal cytogenetics reached its 'Golden Age' at the end of the 1980's. The majority of the laboratories, as well as the main screening programs in farm animal species, presented in this review, were implemented during that period, under the guidance of some historical leaders, the first of whom was Ingemar Gustavsson. Over the past 40 years, hundreds of scientific publications reporting original chromosomal abnormalities generally associated with clinical disorders (mainly fertility impairment) have been published. Since the 1980's, the number of scientists involved in clinical animal cytogenetics has drastically decreased for different reasons and the activities in that field are now concentrated in only a few laboratories (10 to 15, mainly in Europe), some of which have become highly specialized. Currently between 8,000 and 10,000 chromosomal analyses are carried out each year worldwide, mainly in cattle, pigs, and horses. About half of these analyses are performed in one French laboratory. Accurate estimates of the prevalence of chromosomal abnormalities in some populations are now available. For instance, one phenotypically normal pig in 200 controlled in France carries a structural chromosomal rearrangement. The frequency of the widespread 1;29 Robertsonian translocation in cattle has greatly decreased in most countries, but remains rather high in certain breeds (up to 20-25% in large beef cattle populations, even higher in some local breeds). The continuation, and in some instances the development of the chromosomal screening programs in farm animal populations allowed the implementation of new and original scientific projects, aimed at exploring some basic questions in the fields of chromosome and/or cell biology, thanks to easier access to interesting biological materials (germ cells, gametes, embryos ...).     

Optimization of mycophenolic acid production in solid state fermentation using response surface methodology

Mycophenolic acid (MPA) can be produced in solid state fermentation. An isolate of Penicillium brevi-compactum ATCC 16024 grown on moist wheat bran produced a titre of 425 mg per kg of wheat bran. Central composite rotatable design and response surface methodology were employed to derive a statistical model for media optimization towards production of mycophenolic acid. Five levels with a five factorial design were adopted. The correlation coefficient was 0.82, ensuring a satisfactory adjustment of the model to the experimental values. This statistical design was very effective in improving the titre of mycophenolic acid up to 3286 mg per kg of wheat bran. Received 24 July 1998/ Accepted in revised form 4 December 1998     

Chromosome homology between chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) and the red-legged partridge (Alectoris rufa); evidence of the occurrence of a neocentromere during evolution

Chromosome-specific paints from macrochromosomes 1-9 and Z of the chicken were hybridised to metaphases of the red-legged partridge and revealed no inter-chromosomal rearrangements. The results from chromosome painting are similar to previous studies on the Japanese quail but different from findings in guinea fowl and several species of pheasant. The difference in centromere position in chicken and partridge chromosome 4, previously assumed to be the result of an inversion, was confirmed. However, FISH mapping of BAC clones from chicken chromosome 4 revealed that the order of loci was the same in both species, indicating the occurrence of a neocentromere during divergence.     

Mapping and characterization of the dominant black colour locus in sheep

Dominant black pigment synthesis in sheep is caused by alterations of the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1-R) coding sequence. Using five bovine microsatellite markers we have mapped the sheep MC1-R gene to chromosome 14, corresponding to the location in other mammalian species. The existence of two independent mutations, both causing an amino acid substitution, in distantly related breeds of sheep, support the hypothesis that the observed black pigment synthesis is caused by a mutual effect of the two mutations. As similar mutations are found separately at both locations in dominant black variants of other animal species, it is also possible that any of the two mutations could be sufficient for a partial pigment switch.     

Emission analysis of RE3+ (RE = Sm,Dy):B2O3‐TeO2‐Li2O‐AlF3 glasses

This article reports on the optical properties of 0.5% mol of Sm³⁺, Dy³⁺ ion‐doped B₂O₃‐TeO₂‐Li₂O‐AlF₃ (LiAlFBT) glasses. The glass samples were characterized by optical absorption and emission spectra. Judd‐Ofelt theory was applied to analyze the optical absorption spectra and calculate the intensity parameters and radiative properties of the emission transitions. The emission spectra of Sm³⁺ and Dy³⁺:LiAlFBT glasses showed a bright reddish‐orange emission at 598 nm (⁴G_5/2 → ⁶H_7/2) and an intense yellow emission at 574 nm (⁴F_9/2 → ⁶H_13/2), respectively. Full width at half maximum (FWHM), stimulated emission cross section, gain bandwidth and optical gain values were also calculated to extend the applications of the Sm³⁺ and Dy³⁺:LiAlFBT glasses. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Detection of Legionella spp. and Legionella pneumophila in water samples of Spain by specific real-time PCR

Legionella pneumophila is the primary cause of the legionellosis diseases (90 %) (Yu et al. in J Infect Dis 186:127–128, 2002; Doleans et al. in J Clin Microbiol 42:458–460, 2004; Den Boer et al. in Clin Microbiol Infect 14:459–466, 2008). In this study, methodologies based on molecular biology were developed in order to provide a quick diagnosis of the bacterial presence in water samples of Spain. Multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction assays were realized to target the 16S rRNA and macrophage infectivity potentiator (mip) genes of, respectively, Legionella spp. and L. pneumophila including in the design of an internal control. The results obtained by the culture and the gene amplification methods agreed in 94.44 % for the 16S rRNA gene, and a concordance of 66.67 % of the cases was obtained for the mip gene.