Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Osteochondrosis in Standardbred Horses Using RNA Arbitrarily Primed PCR

The aim of this study was to investigate genes for differential expression in cartilage of foals predisposed to osteochondrosis (OC). Tissue was sampled from the cranial part of the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia in the tarso-crural joint. Foals were considered predisposed to OC when parents had OC at the distal intermediate ridge of the tibia. RNA was isolated and subjected to arbitrarily primed PCR (RAP-PCR) followed by fingerprinting to screen for differentially expressed genes. By verification of results from the RAP-PCR fingerprint screening using real-time RT-PCR, we identified two genes not previously correlated with OC as differentially expressed. The two genes, which were identical to TLK2 and an equine EST, are good targets for future research on OC.     

Space availability influence laterality in donkeys (Equus asinus)

Cerebral lateralization is the portioning of the cognitive functions between the two cerebral hemispheres. Several factors, like embryological manipulations, light exposure, health conditions, sex and age can influence the left-right brain asymmetries and contribute to increasing the variability in the strength and direction of laterality within most species. We investigated the influence of an environmental constraint, namely space availability, as a new source of variation on laterality in an adult vertebrate model, the donkey. In a baseline condition we tested whether donkeys show a motor lateralization bias at population level, while in an experimental condition we manipulated space availability to verify if a reduction in this parameter could represent a new source of variation in laterality. Results show that donkeys are lateralized at population level with a strong bias to standing with the right forelimb advanced over the left and that a reduction of space availability is an important source of variation in the laterality strength and direction within this species. The comparative analysis of the environmental and developmental factors that give origin to neural and behavioural laterality in animal models will be very important for a better understanding of the evolutionary origin of such multifaceted phenomenon.     

A case of adoption and allonursing in captive plains zebra (Equus burchellii)

Although allonursing (allowing non-filial offspring to suckle) can be a costly behaviour, it has been reported for many mammals including ungulate species. However, such behaviour is very rare in equids. This is the first report on adoption and allonursing in captive plains zebra (Equus burchellii), recorded in the Dv?r Králové Zoo, Czech Republic. We observed a case of adoption of an orphaned foal by a lactating mare, who then regularly nursed two foals (filial and non-filial). The allonursing mare rejected more suckling attempts, terminated suckling bouts more often, and had a shorter suckling bout duration than other mares. When nursing both foals at the same time, the suckling bout lasted for less time than when nursing a single foal, regardless of whether it was filial or non-filial. The allonursing mare apparently did not discriminate between the filial and non-filial foal.     

SNP identification and polymorphism analysis in exon 2 of the horse myostatin gene

The myostatin gene (MSTN) belongs to the TGF-β superfamily of secreted growth and differentiation factors and is responsible for embryonic and adult skeletal muscle development. In this study, exon 2 of the MSTN gene, which encodes part of the TGF-β pro-peptide, was sequenced in 332 horses of 20 different breeds and compared with the horse MSTN gene sequence deposited in GenBank. The sequences obtained revealed the presence of 11 haplotypes represented by 10 variable nucleotide mutations, eight of them corresponding to amino acid sequence changes. This gene shows a high variability when compared with other genes. This might be an indication that some breeds have the same ancestry but different pressures of selection.     

Genetic structure of populations of horses based on distribution of hemotypes

The distribution of hemotypes, that is, the juxtaposition of electrophoretic phenotypes at six blood protein and enzyme loci expressing the individual genetic traits of every member of a population, has been investigated in 15 populations belonging to nine breeds of horses. The total number of hemotypes recorded in a population was lower than the number expected on the basis of allelic frequencies. The mean number of individuals per hemotype varied from 1.5 in ponies to 18.6 in Thoroughbreds. Breeds or populations differ either qualitatively by the nature of hemotypes, or quantitatively by the proportions of repetitive hemotypes carried by several individuals, and of unique hemotypes, carried by single individuals. The so-called closed breeds of populations, such as Thoroughbreds, contain predominantly repetitive hemotypes, while the feral or rustic breeds present a large proportion of unique hemotypes.     

南京汤山驼子洞的马科化石及其意义

200 0年在南京汤山葫芦洞直立人地点附近的驼子洞堆积中发现了又一处哺乳动物化石点。其中的马科化石有两种 :黄河马Equushuanghoensis和中国 (长鼻 )三趾马Hipparion(Proboscidipparion)sinense。这是自 1 95 9年发现黄河马化石以来首次发现黄河马的颅骨和完整的颊齿列标本。这两种马的同时出现说明含驼子洞动物群的堆积形成于早更新世。因此驼子洞堆积的发现是江宁地区下更新统的首次记录。驼子洞的黄河马和长鼻三趾马均为这两类马在秦岭淮河以南的首次记录 ,并反映了在早更新世曾发生过北方动物群跨越长江的南迁事件。     

甘西鼠尾草一新变型

2004年8月份,我们在巴颜喀拉山南坡考察时,在四川省的壤塘县发现了甘西鼠尾草的一个白花变型,生境为海拔3350m的沟谷林缘灌丛,现报道如下。     

马属动物全基因组高通量测序研究进展

马属(Equus)动物的祖先大约在5500万年前出现,经过持续分化形成现今的马、驴和斑马,统称马属动物。马作为家畜中的重要一员,是推动人类文明发展的载体,在人类的饮食、战争、农耕、运输和娱乐等领域做出了巨大贡献。然而,人类为了满足需求,或多或少影响着马的进化方向,从而在长时间自然和人工选择过程中形成了多种独具特色性状的不同马种。驴和骡在全球的存栏量也较多,在人类的生产和生活中起到的作用同样不可忽视,不但为人类提供了生产力而且还提供了食物和营养保健品。可见,马属动物对人类的重要性。近年来,高通量测序技术和生物信息学分析方法被广泛运用于家畜的遗传学研究。人们利用高通量测序手段探索马属动物在进化过程中的种群变化历史,解析形成独特性状的分子机制,为其育种工作提供有效的数据支持。本文综述了马属动物全基因组高通量测序的研究进展,以及利用该技术在马属动物的进化历史和功能基因挖掘研究领域所取得的成就,以期今后对马属动物的深入研究、产业开发和利用等方面提供参考信息。     

Breeding racehorses: what price good genes?

Horse racing is a multi-million pound industry, in which genetic information is increasingly used to optimize breeding programmes. To maximize the probability of producing a successful offspring, the owner of a mare should mate her with a high-quality stallion. However, stallions with big reputations command higher stud fees and paying these is only a sensible strategy if, (i) there is a genetic variation for success on the racecourse and (ii) stud fees are an honest signal of a stallion's genetic quality. Using data on thoroughbred racehorses, and lifetime earnings from prize money (LE) as a measure of success, we performed quantitative genetic analyses within an animal model framework to test these two conditions. Although LE is heritable (VA=0.299+/-0.108, Pr=0.002), there is no genetic variance for stud fee and the genetic correlation between traits is therefore zero. This result is supported by an absence of any relationship between stud fees for currently active stallions and the predicted LE for their (hypothetical) offspring. Thus, while there are good genes to be bought, a stallion's fees are not an honest signal of his genetic quality and are a poor predictor of a foal's prize winning potential.