Search results for "SHEEP"
showing 10 items of 279 documents
Coat colours in the Massese sheep breed are associated with mutations in the agouti signalling protein (ASIP) and melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) genes
2012
Massese is an Italian dairy sheep breed characterized by animals with black skin and horns and black or apparent grey hairs. Owing to the presence of these two coat colour types, this breed can be considered an interesting model to evaluate the effects of coat colour gene polymorphisms on this phenotypic trait. Two main loci have been already shown to affect coat colour in sheep: Agouti and Extension coding for the agouti signalling protein (ASIP) and melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) genes, respectively. The Agouti locus is affected by a large duplication including the ASIP gene that may determine the Agouti white and tan allele (A(Wt)). Other disrupting or partially inactivating mutations ha…
Genome-wide analysis identifies potentially causative genes explaining the phenotypic variability in Pinzirita sheep
2019
Genome-wide analysis identifies potentially causative genes explaining the phenotypic variability in Pinzirita sheep
Sequence characterization of the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene in sheep with different coat colour and identification of the putative e allele …
2010
Abstract Sequence of the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene (the Extension locus) was obtained from a panel of 73 animals belonging to 9 Italian sheep breeds or populations (Appenninica, Bergamasca, Comisana, Cornigliese-like, Delle Langhe, Massese, Merinizzata Italiana, Sarda and Valle del Belice) with different coat colours. Evaluation of the identified polymorphisms on this phenotype was reported with in silico predictions and comparative approaches within and across breeds and across species. Five novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), organized in three haplotypes, were detected. Another haplotype, including the two missense mutations already described for the ED allele, was id…
Prion protein gene frequencies in three Sicilian dairy sheep populations
2008
The objective of this paper was to investigate the prion protein (PrP) genotype and haplotype frequencies in three Sicilian dairy sheep populations. The three populations were: (1) 1096 Valle del Belice animals, (2) 1143 Comisana animals, and (3) 1771 individuals from 5 flocks with scrapie outbreaks, in which the animals were crossbreds derived from indigenous Sicilian dairy breeds. PrP genotypes are described for the three codons 136 (Alanine or Valine; A, V), 154 (Histidine or Arginine; H, R), and 171 (Glutamine, Arginine or Histidine; Q, R, H) which represent polymorphisms known to be linked with scrapie susceptibility. The Valle del Belice haplotype frequencies were 32.3% ARR, 6.5% AHQ,…
Study of β-defensin polymorphisms in Valle del Belice dairy sheep
2009
The aim of this work was to sequence the exons of β-defensin 1 and 2 genes (SBD1 and SBD2) in Valle del Belice dairy sheep in order to identify polymorphisms. The study was conducted on 60 samples from three flocks. Six SNPs were identified: two in SBD1 and four in SBD2. Both genes consist of two exons and one intron. In SBD1 gene, SNPs were found only in the exon 2, whereas in SBD2, SNPs were detected in both exons. In both genes, SNPs were located in the coding regions and in the 3'-UTR. The SNP in SBD2 located at position 1659 determined a change in the protein sequence. Further studies will be necessary to investigate if the amino acid change modifies the biological function of the…
Beta-lactoglobulin polymorphism in Girgentana goat breed
2007
Beta-lactoglobulin (b-lg) is a globular protein belonging to the lipocalin family. It is the major whey protein in the milk of ruminants. It is also present in the milk of most mammals but is lacking in rodents, lagomorphs and humans. A large number of variants have been reported for cow and sheep milk. Several studies have shown association between b-lg variants and milk production and composition, even if the results are not always concordant. In goat, no b-lg variants related with amino acid change have been characterized at DNA level, but some authors described the presence of polymorphisms in the 3’UTR and in the proximal promoter region. Mutations in the promoter region could be those…
Genome-wide association study for milk production traits in an economically important local dairy sheep breed
2021
In this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for five milk production traits in the Valle del Belice sheep. Repeated measurements for milk yield (MY), fat percentage and yield (F% and FY) and protein percentage and yield (P% and PY) on 481 ewes, were available for the analysis. The animals were genotyped using the Illumina Ovine 50k BeadChip. Weighted deregressed breeding values (DEBVw) were used as phenotypes for GWAS analysis. A total of 23 genome-wide significant SNPs were identified: 3 associated with MY, 9 with FY, and 11 with P%. Several SNPs mapped within known candidate genes or previously reported QTL for milk production traits in livestock species. Additional…
Homologous recombination as a mechanism of genetic changes in bovine parainfluenza-3 virus
2021
Bovine parainfluenza-3 virus (BPIV-3) is one of the main viruses associated with bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDC) worldwide. BPIV-3 infect the bovine respiratory tract causing from subclinical infections to severe pneumonia with significant economic losses in the cattle industry. BPIV-3 is a RNA virus with high genetic variability, nevertheless, the contribution of recombination events to its variability has not been assessed so far. In this study the 25 complete genome sequences (CGS) reported so far and 215 partial sequences of different viral genes of BPIV-3 were analyzed to determine their genotypes and subgenotypes, distribution, and the existence of potential recombination ev…
Occurrence and genotypes of Giardia isolated from lambs in Spain
2009
Three hundred and eighty six faecal specimens were randomly collected from 1- to 3-month-old lambs from 16 farms in Spain to investigate the presence of different genotypes of Giardia duodenalis. Individual specimens were examined by IFA (Immunofluorescence assay) and beta-giardin PCR polymerase chain reaction. Cysts of G. duodenalis were shed by lambs in every flock analyzed, showing a prevalence by farms of 100%. The average prevalence of G. duodenalis for the 386 specimens was 42%, ranging from 8.3 to 80% depending on the farm. beta-giardin PCR positive samples were sequenced to determine the genotypes present at each farm and seven new subtypes of beta-giardin Assemblage E are reported …
Univacuolar refractile hemocytes from the tunicate Ciona intestinalis are cytotoxic for mammalian erythrocytes in vitro
1996
A discontinuous, Percoll density gradient was used to separate hemocyte populations from the hemolymph of Ciona intestinalis. Hemocytes from each band were examined for their frequency, morphology, and cytotoxic activity against rabbit and sheep erythrocytes; results were expressed as a percentage of hemolysis. Statistical analysis revealed that only the "univacuolar" granulocytes from Band 5, which contain a vacuole of refractile material, were cytotoxic. Cytotoxic activity was inhibited by sphingomyelin. For the first time in tunicates, lytic activity against erythrocytes was assessed by an assay based on plaque-forming cells. Plaques of lysis were revealed against rabbit erythrocytes but…