Search results for "polymorph"

Regulatory changes in pterin and carotenoid genes underlie balanced color polymorphisms in the wall lizard

2019

Significance Reptiles show an amazing color diversity based on variation in melanins, carotenoids, and pterins. This study reveals genes controlling differences between three color morphs (white, orange, and yellow) in the common wall lizard. Orange pigmentation, due to high levels of orange/red pterins in skin, is caused by genetic changes in the sepiapterin reductase gene. Yellow skin, showing high levels of yellow carotenoids, is controlled by the beta-carotene oxygenase 2 locus. Thus, the color polymorphism in the common wall lizard is associated with changes in two small regions of the genome containing genes with crucial roles in pterin and carotenoid metabolism. These genes are likel…

Distinct bhaplotype structure at the innate immune receptor Toll-like receptor 2 across bank vole populations and lineages in Europe

2015

Abstract: Parasite-mediated selection may contribute to the maintenance of genetic variation at host immune genes over long time scales. To date, the best evidence for the long-term maintenance of immunogenetic variation in natural populations comes from studies on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes, whereas evidence for such processes from other immune genes remains scarce. In the present study, we show that, despite pronounced population differentiation and the occurrence of numerous private alleles within populations, the innate immune gene Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) displays a distinct haplotype structure in 21 bank vole (Myodes glareolus) populations across Europe. Haplo…

A High Sensitive Nested PCR for Toxoplasma gondii Detection in Animal and Food Samples

2013

Toxoplasma gondii is a major food and waterborne transmitted parasite world-wide. The tissues and meat samples of many warm blooded animals can contain tissues cysts from chronic toxoplasmosis. Water and vegetable can be contaminated by the parasitic oocysts shed through the feces of infected cats, representing the definitive host of the parasite. A sensitive PCR for Toxoplasma gondii detection is described. The first step amplified the region between the 28S and 18S rDNA in the closely related T. gondii and Neospora caninum; RFLP analysis distinguished the DNA from the two morphologically identical parasites. Although N. caninum is not involved in human transmission, so far, it is importan…

Globularia nudicaulis, a new host of Cucumber mosaic virus

2006

) is a perennial, foundnaturally on European mountains at altitudes between 900 and 2000 m.In June 2004, G. nudicaulis plants, with a yellow mosaic and/or variega-tion on malformed leaves, were noted among plant species cultivated in theBotanical Garden at Bologna University, Italy. No elongated virus-likeparticles were observed in affected-leaf extracts by transmission electronmicroscopy using a leaf dip method. By applying a protein A sandwichenzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (PAS-ELISA) technique ( Edwards Csystemic symptoms were observed in Nicotiana tabacum , N. benthamiana ,N. glutinosa, N. clevelandii and Capsicum annuum, and Cucumis sativusand C. melo. Reverse transcription-polymera…

Lack of association betweenMDM2promoter SNP309 and clinical outcome in patients with neuroblastoma

2014

While a polymorphism located within the promoter region of the MDM2 proto-oncogene, SNP309 (T > G), has previously been associated with increased risk and aggressiveness of neuroblastoma and other tumor entities, a protective effect has also been reported in certain other cancers. In this study, we evaluated the association of MDM2 SNP309 with outcome in 496 patients with neuroblastoma and its effect on MDM2 expression. No significant difference in overall or event-free survival was observed among patients with neuroblastoma with or without MDM2 SNP309. The presence of SNP309 does not affect MDM2 expression in neuroblastoma. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014; 61:1867–1870. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals,…

Melanin-based colour polymorphism signals aggressive personality in nest and territory defence in the tawny owl (Strix aluco)

2013

Nest and territory defence are risky and potentially dangerous behaviours. If the resolution of life history trade-offs differs between individuals, the level of defence may also vary among individuals. Because melanin-based colour traits can be associated with life history strategies, differently coloured individuals may display different nest and territory defence strategies. We investigated this issue in the colour polymorphic tawny owl (Strix aluco) for which plumage varies from dark to light reddish melanic. Accordingly, we found that (1) our presence induced a greater response (flying around) from dark-coloured than light-coloured females and (2) dark reddish males suffered lower nest…

Crystal structure of zwitterionic 3-(2-hydroxy-2-phosphonato-2-phosphonoethyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-1-ium monohydrate (minodronic acid monohydrate): …

2014

A redetermination of the crystal structure of minodronic acid monohydrate was carried out in order to provide accurate atomic coordinates and geometry information, whose knowledge is fundamental to elucidate the presumed polymorphism of the compound at room temperature.

Diabetes mellitus: evaluation of erythrocyte and polymorphonuclear leukocyte rheology

2015

Aim: To explore red blood cells (RBC) and leukocyte rheology, that may be relevant in the pathophysiology of diabetes mellitus. Methods and Results: Significant alterations have been observed in RBC behaviour using several filtration techniques, but the exploration of RBC deformability by laser diffractometry did not show any abnormality. We have also employed microrheological methods based on fluorescence spectroscopy: membrane microviscosity was evaluated in ghosts, while in intact RBC we explored the membrane polarity gradient using fluorescent fatty acids, the phospholipid and protein lateral mobility using respectively pyrene and pyrene-3-maleimide. Alterations emerged only using the l…

BOVITA: a first overview on genome-wide genetic diversity of Italian autochthonous cattle breeds

2017

The genetic heritage of Alpine local cattle breeds using genomic SNP data

2020

Abstract Background Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure provides important control metrics to avoid genetic erosion, inbreeding depression and crossbreeding between exotic and locally-adapted cattle breeds since these events can have deleterious consequences and eventually lead to extinction. Historically, the Alpine Arc represents an important pocket of cattle biodiversity with a large number of autochthonous breeds that provide a fundamental source of income for the entire regional economy. By using genotype data from medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays, we performed a genome-wide comparative study of 23 cattle populations from the Alpine Arc an…