Optimal level of purple acid phosphatase5 is required for maintaining complete resistance to Pseudomonas syringae.

Plants possess an exceedingly complex innate immune system to defend against most pathogens. However, a relative proportion of the pathogens overcome host's innate immunity and impair plant growth and productivity. We previously showed that mutation in purple acid phosphatase (PAP5) lead to enhanced susceptibility of Arabidopsis to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv.

Endogenous avian leukosis viral loci in the Red Jungle Fowl genome assembly.

The current build (galGal4) of the genome of the ancestor of the modern chicken, the Red Jungle Fowl, contains a single endogenous avian leukosis viral element (ALVE) on chromosome 1 (designated RSV-LTR; family ERVK). The assembly shows the ALVE provirus juxtaposed with a member of a second family of avian endogenous retroviruses (designated GGERV20; family ERVL); however, the status of the 3' end of the ALVE element as well as its flanking region remain unclear due to a gap in the reference genome sequence. In this study, we filled the gap in the assembly using a combination of long-range PCR (LR-PCR) and a short contig present in the unassembled portion of the reference genome database.

A rapid profiling assay for avian leukosis virus subgroup E proviruses in chickens.

Endogenous retroviral elements (ERVs) are prolific components of the genomes of complex species, typically occupying more sequence space than do essential, protein-encoding genes. Much of what we know today about the structure and function, as well as the evolution and pathogenic potential, of ERVs was fleshed out over several decades during the last century using the avian leukosis virus subgroup E-related (ALVE) family of endogenous retroviruses of chickens as a model system. A critical enabling factor in the elucidation of ALVE structure and function is the ability to detect and unambiguously identify specific ALVE proviral elements and to develop accurate element profiles for individual chickens under study.

Ideal body condition improves reproductive performance and influences genetic health in female mink.

Selection for large body size in mink (Neovison vison) can result in obesity, which is associated with poor reproduction and metabolic disorders. Caloric restriction is effective in diminishing oxidative stress and delaying aging-related diseases. This study investigated the effects of moderate diet restriction on body condition, health, and reproductive success of mink breeder females.

Purple Acid Phosphatase5 is required for maintaining basal resistance against Pseudomonas syringae in Arabidopsis.

Background: Plants have evolved an array of constitutive and inducible defense strategies to restrict pathogen ingress. However, some pathogens still manage to invade plants and impair growth and productivity. Previous studies have revealed several key regulators of defense responses, and efforts have been made to use this information to develop disease resistant crop plants.

Characterization of insertion sites and development of locus-specific assays for three broiler-derived subgroup E avian leukosis virus proviruses.

This report deals with the identification of novel elements belonging to a family of endogenous retroviruses, designated endogenous avian leukosis virus-type proviral elements (ALVE), that reside in the genome of the chicken and are closely related to exogenous avian leukosis viruses. The study of ALVE elements in the chicken genome serves as a model system for understanding the interplay between endogenous viruses and their vertebrate hosts in general, including humans. In this report, we characterize the insertion sites and describe locus-specific, diagnostic polymerase chain reaction-based assays for three previously discovered, but as yet not localized, ALVE elements.

Transcriptional and metabolomic analysis of Ascophyllum nodosum mediated freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Background: We have previously shown that lipophilic components (LPC) of the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum (ANE) improved freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, the mechanism(s) of this induced freezing stress tolerance is largely unknown. Here, we investigated LPC induced changes in the transcriptome and metabolome of A.

Characterization of a Tigger1 element from the genome of the American mink (Neovison vison).

Tigger elements belong to the Tc1/Mariner family of DNA transposons which is remarkably widespread in nature with homologs present in organisms as diverse as fungi, plants and animals. In this report, we present the nucleotide sequence of a defragmented Tigger1 element from the genome of the American mink. The element is 2,274 bp long, carries 13 bp terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) and contains the vestiges of two open reading frames (ORFs), one of which is similar to the centromere associated protein CENP B.

Lipophilic components of the brown seaweed, Ascophyllum nodosum, enhance freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Extracts of the brown seaweed Ascophyllum nodosum enhance plant tolerance against environmental stresses such as drought, salinity, and frost. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this improved stress tolerance and the nature of the bioactive compounds present in the seaweed extracts that elicits stress tolerance remain largely unknown. We investigated the effect of A.

Molecular characterization of the Himalayan mink.

A rare color variant of the American mink (Neovison vison), discovered on a ranch in Nova Scotia and referred to as the "marbled" variety, carries a distinctive pigment distribution pattern resembling that found in some other species, e.g., the Siamese cat and the Himalayan mouse.

Simultaneous detection of eight single nucleotide polymorphisms in the ovine prion protein gene.

Amino acid polymorphisms in the prion protein gene (PrP) affect the susceptibility of sheep to scrapie, a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). In particular, amino acid substitutions at codons 136, 154 and 171 of the ovine PrP gene are associated with different degrees of susceptibility to the classical form of scrapie, caused by 'typical' scrapie strains. Existing genotyping tests for scrapie susceptibility normally interrogate only the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) most relevant to 'typical' strains.

Evidence for virus closely related to avian myeloblastosis-associated virus type 1 in a commercial stock of chickens.

A two-round nested polymerase chain reaction assay detected Rous associated virus-1 (RAV-1), a prototype laboratory strain of avian leukosis virus of subgroup A (ALV-A). Surprisingly, the test failed to detect three field isolates of ALV-A but did detect virus in one commercial stock of chickens (stock F). The sequence analysis of a core of 290 nucleotides of the env gene gave evidence that the virus from stock F was closely related to avian myeloblastosis-associated virus type one (MAV-1).

Structural organization and chromosomal location of the chicken alpha-amylase gene family.

Characterization of the Gallus gallus alpha-amylase gene family revealed that the chicken genome contains two distinct amy loci. One of the two loci is expressed in the chicken pancreas while cDNA clones for the second locus were detected in a library constructed from liver mRNA. Fluorescent in situ hybridization to chromosome spreads showed that the two loci are both located on chromosome 8 within the chicken genome.

Characterization of the bovine ampkgamma1 gene.

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) represents the mammalian form of the core component of a kinase cascade that is conserved between fungi, plants, and animals. AMPK plays a major role in protecting mammalian cells from metabolic stress by switching off biosynthetic pathways that require ATP and switching on ATP-regenerating pathways. In this report, we describe the isolation and characterization of the gene for the noncatalytic bovine gamma1 subunit of AMPK.