Persistently high concentrations of β-hydroxybutyrate affect hepatic SOD2 expression and blood SOD activity in high-yielding dairy cows.

Background: Elevated BHB levels are hypothesized to influence hepatic antioxidant enzyme expression and activity, contributing to oxidative response. However, the impact of BHB between 0.8 and 1.

Connections between Endometrial Health Status, Fatty Liver and Expression of Endocannabinoid System Genes in Endometrium of Postpartum Dairy Cows.

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays a crucial role in reproductive health, but its function in postpartum dairy cows remains poorly understood. This study investigated the expression patterns of ECS-related genes in the endometrium of postpartum dairy cows and their associations with endometrial health and the presence of fatty liver. Endometrial biopsies were collected from 22 Holstein Friesian cows at 4 and 7 weeks postpartum.

The Role of Selenitetriglycerides in Enhancing Antioxidant Defense Mechanisms in Peripartum Holstein-Friesian Cows.

The transition period in high-yielding dairy cows is a critical phase marked by an elevated risk of oxidative stress. This study evaluated the effect of oral selenitetriglyceride supplementation on oxidative stress management in periparturient cows. A controlled experiment was conducted on 12 cows, divided into two groups: the experimental group (STG) received selenitetriglycerides (0.

Promoter polymorphisms in STK35 and IFT27 genes and their associations with boar sperm freezability.

We have shown that STK35 and IFT27 genes are differentially expressed in spermatozoa from boars with good and poor semen freezability (GSF and PSF, respectively). STK35 is a stress-related gene that is implicated in spermatogenesis, whereas IFT27 is a motility-related gene that is mainly involved in intracellular protein transport. In this study we hypothesized that polymorphic variants in the 5'-flanking regulatory regions of STK35 and IFT27 genes could contribute to differences in semen freezability.

Gene promoter polymorphisms in boar spermatozoa differing in freezability.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the 5'-flanking regulatory regions of genes could affect their expression levels. This is a follow-up study aimed to identify polymorphic variants in the 5'-flanking regulatory regions of genes expressed in boar spermatozoa, and to predict the interactions of such variants with transcription factors (TFs) on the gene promoter activity, using bioinformatics. Five and six boars were classified as having good and poor semen freezability (GSF and PSF, respectively) according to post-thaw (PT) assessment of sperm motility and membrane integrity characteristics.

Regulatory Potential of Long Non-Coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in Boar Spermatozoa with Good and Poor Freezability.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are suggested to play an important role in the sperm biological processes. We performed transcriptome assembly to characterize lncRNAs in spermatozoa, and to investigate the role of the potential target genes of the differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in sperm freezability. We detected approximately 4007 DElncRNAs, which were differentially expressed in spermatozoa from boars classified as having good and poor semen freezability (GSF and PSF, respectively).

Gene Polymorphisms in Boar Spermatozoa and Their Associations with Post-Thaw Semen Quality.

Genetic markers have been used to assess the freezability of semen. With the advancement in molecular genetic techniques, it is possible to assess the relationships between sperm functions and gene polymorphisms. In this study, variant calling analysis of RNA-Seq datasets was used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in boar spermatozoa and to explore the associations between SNPs and post-thaw semen quality.

Transcriptome analysis of boar spermatozoa with different freezability using RNA-Seq.

Semen freezability is associated with genetic markers, and there is a diverse set of sperm transcripts that have been attributed to various cellular functions. RNA-Seq was performed to compare the transcript profiles of spermatozoa from boars with different semen freezability. We examined ejaculates from the Polish large white (PLW) boars that were classified as having good and poor semen freezability (GSF and PSF, respectively; n = 3 boars per group) by assessing post-thaw motility characteristics, mitochondrial membrane potential, plasma membrane and acrosome integrity.

Effect of the β-carotene oxygenase 2 genotype on the content of carotenoids, retinol and α-tocopherol in the liver, fat and milk of rabbit does, reproduction parameters and kitten growth.

Mutations in the β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) gene can impair the function of the enzyme that breaks down carotenoids. As a result, gradual accumulation of unoxidized carotenoids in animal tissues gives them a yellow colour. The aim of the study was to determine the content of carotenoids, retinol and α-tocopherol in the liver, fat and milk of rabbit does with three different genotypes determined by AAT-deletion mutation at codon 248 of the BCO2 gene and to find out whether differences in the concentrations of the above compounds in the tissues and milk of the does affect reproduction parameters and the rearing rate of kittens.

Total RNA quality in boar spermatozoa with different freezability.

In this study the quality of total RNA, isolated from fresh spermatozoa, was compared between boars with good and poor semen freezability (GSF and PSF, respectively). Semen from 3 boars with GSF exhibited significantly higher total motility, mitochondrial function, plasma membrane integrity and reduced lipid peroxidation compared with 3 boars with PSF after cryo- preservation. There were variations in the quality of RNA isolated from spermatozoa of boars with GSF and PSF.

Microarray analysis of differential gene expression profiles in blood cells of naturally BLV-infected and uninfected Holstein-Friesian cows.

The aim of the present study was to examine gene expression changes in response to bovine leukemia virus (BLV) infection, in an effort to determine genes that take a part in molecular events leading to persistent lymphocytosis (PL), and to better define genes involved in host response to BLV infection. Using bovine 70-mer oligonucleotide spotted microarrays (BLOPlus) and qRT-PCR validation, we studied global gene expression profiles in blood cells in vivo of 12 naturally BLV-infected Polish Holstein cows, and 12 BLV non-infected controls of the same breed and reared in herds with high BLV seroprevalence. With an arbitrary cut-off value of 1.

Genome-wide association study for host response to bovine leukemia virus in Holstein cows.

The mechanisms of leukemogenesis induced by bovine leukemia virus (BLV) and the processes underlying the phenomenon of differential host response to BLV infection still remain poorly understood. The aim of the study was to screen the entire cattle genome to identify markers and candidate genes that might be involved in host response to bovine leukemia virus infection. A genome-wide association study was performed using Holstein cows naturally infected by BLV.

Polymorphism and expression of the tumor necrosis factor receptor II gene in cows infected with the bovine leukemia virus.

A single T>C nucleotide polymorphism (rs42686850) of bovine tumor necrosis factor receptor type II gene (TNF-RII) is located within a sequence with allele-specific affinity to bind E2F transcription factors, considered pivotal in the regulation of cell cycle and cell proliferation. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of this SNP and BLV infection on the TNF-RII gene expression at the mRNA and protein levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). We noted that analyzed TNF-RII gene polymorphism influenced the expression of the TNF-RII gene at the mRNA level but only in BLV-positive cows.

A novel AAT-deletion mutation in the coding sequence of the BCO2 gene in yellow-fat rabbits.

The carcasses of yellow-fat rabbits may be attractive to modern consumers, because they have a relatively high content of biologically active compounds. One of the main candidate genes associated with the yellow-fat trait is β-carotene 9',10'-oxygenase (BCO2). This study is the first report of the novel AAT-deletion mutation at codon 248 of the BCO2 gene, which has been found in homozygous yellow-fat rabbits.

Association of polymorphism within LTF gene promoter with lactoferrin concentration in milk of Holstein cows.

This study analyzed the association between single nucleotide polymorphism (A/C) in position -28 located in the TATA box of LTF gene and the lactoferrin concentration in bovine milk secreted by healthy and infected udders. Out of 241, 69 cows were selected into the experimental group and were divided into 3 groups according to mean value of somatic cell count (SCC): I < 180,000 cells/mL, II: 180,000-350,000 cells/mL and III > 350,000 cells/mL. In each SCC group, three LTF genotypes: AA, AC and CC were identified by PCR-SSCP method.

Evaluation of reference genes for qRT-PCR gene expression studies in whole blood samples from healthy and leukemia-virus infected cattle.

Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) is the method of choice to investigate the alterations in gene expression involved with BLV pathogenesis. However, the reliability of qRT-PCR data critically depends on proper normalization to a set of stably expressed reference genes. The aim of the study was to validate the expression stability of ten candidate reference genes in RNA isolated from whole blood cells of BLV-negative and BLV-positive cows with hematological abnormalities.

[Associations between 60 SNPs identified by APEX microarray and growth rate, meatiness and selection index in boars].

A total of 312 boars (201 Landrace and 111 Large White) were genotyped with a custom-made low throughput genotyping microarray (called SNiPORK) based on array primer extension (APEX) technology. The results were used to association studies between genotyped SNP markers and daily gains, meat content and selection index. Among the 60 SNP markers analyzed, 14 of them showed statistically significant associations between the genotype and the level of at least one trait.

Screening 52 single nucleotide polymorphisms for extreme value of glycolytic potential and drip loss in pigs.

Summary Low heritability of meat quality traits and the lack of their systematic registration in breeding programs have encouraged the search for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located within genes coding the proteins involved in muscle and fat metabolism. In this report, a panel of 52 SNPs was used to find which alleles and genotypes are more/less frequent in groups of pigs differentiated by extreme value of glycolytic potential (GP) and drip loss (DL). The analysis was carried out in 52 fatteners (chosen from 246 pigs), of which 28 were Landrace and 27 Landrace x Yorkshire.

Microarray of SNPs for diverse applications in commercial pig breeding.

Modern pig production needs new tools for fast, reliable, more effective breeding. In the present paper we present a chip containing 45 SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms) which enables the determining of 1 genetic disease (PSS-Porcine Stress Syndrome), 4 QTLs genes: PRKAG3, CAST, MC4R and ESR, which together with the remaining SNPs create a panel useful in marker-assisted selection and veterinary control. The SNPs were genotyped using the PCR-APEX (Arrayed Primer Extension) technique.

SNiPORK - a microarray of SNPs in candidate genes potentially associated with pork yield and quality - development and validation in commercial breeds.

SNiPORK is an oligonucleotide microarray based on the arrayed primer extension (APEX) technique, allowing genotyping of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes of interest for pork yield and quality traits. APEX consists of a sequencing reaction primed by an oligonucleotide anchored with its 5' end to a glass slide and terminating one nucleotide before the polymorphic site. Extension with one fluorescently labeled dideoxynucleotide complementary to the template reveals the polymorphism.

Effect of new SNP within bovine prolactin gene enhancer region on expression in the pituitary gland.

A new single nucleotide polymorphism was revealed using PCR-SSCP and sequencing methods within the bovine prolactin distal promoter region described as a functional enhancer. The A-->G transition at position -1043 abolishes the recognition site for Hsp92II restriction endonuclease, allowing for PCR-RFLP genotyping. The application of real-time PCR revealed that the prolactin gene expression level in the pituitary was higher in cattle with the AA genotype than in those with the GG genotype.

Single nucleotide polymorphism in the promoter region of the lactoferrin gene and its associations with milk performance traits in Polish Holstein-Friesian cows.

Bovine lactoferrin (LTF) is a multifunctional small glycoprotein found in milk acting mainly as a defense factor in the mammary gland. Many polymorphisms have been found in the bovine LTF gene but almost none were considered as genetic markers of production traits in dairy cattle. In this study, the promoter fragment of LTF gene containing mutation (G/C) in position +32 has been amplified by PCR followed by genotyping by the SSCP and RFLP method.

Associations between milk performance traits in Holstein cows and 16 candidate SNPs identified by arrayed primer extension (APEX) microarray.

An oligonucleotide microarray-which allows for parallel genotyping of many SNPs in genes involved in cow milk protein biosynthesis-was used to identify which of the 16 candidate SNPs are associated with milk performance traits in Holstein cows. Four hundred cows were genotyped by the developed and validated microarray. Significant associations were found between four single SNPs, namely DGAT1 (acyloCoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase), LTF (lactoferrin), CSN3 (kappa-casein), and GHR (growth hormone receptor) and with fat and protein yield and percentage.

Nucleotide sequence polymorphism within exon 4 of the bovine prolactin gene and its associations with milk performance traits.

Prolactin plays an important regulatory function in mammary gland development, milk secretion, and expression of milk protein genes. Hence the PRL gene is a potential quantitative trait locus and genetic marker of production traits in dairy cattle. We analysed the sequence of the PRL gene to investigate whether mutations in this sequence might be responsible for quantitative variations in milk yield and composition.

New SSCP polymorphism within bovine STAT5A gene and its associations with milk performance traits in Black-and-White and Jersey cattle.

Milk protein genes expression in cows' mammary epithelial cells is regulated mostly by the action of prolactin mediated through the STAT5A transcription factor. The STAT5A gene is a potential quantitative trait locus (QTL) and genetic marker of production traits in dairy cattle. The sequence of the bovine STAT5A gene was analysed in this study to investigate if mutations in this sequence might be responsible for quantitative variations in milk yield and composition.