Electron-Beam-Killed Vaccine Reduced Lameness in Broiler Chickens.

Broiler chicken lameness caused by bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) is presently amongst the most important economic and animal welfare issues faced by the poultry industry, and the estimated economic loss is around USD 150 million. BCO lameness is associated with multiple opportunistic bacterial pathogens inhabiting the respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts. In cases of immune deficiency resulting from stress, injury, or inflammation of the tissue, opportunistic pathogens, mainly spp.

Phylogenomic Analyses of Three Distinct Lineages Uniting and from Diverse Hosts.

We sequenced and assembled genomes for 17 isolates of isolated from osteomyelitis lesions in young broilers from two separate experiments where we induced lameness using a hybrid wire-litter flooring system. Whole genome comparisons using three different methods support a close relationship of genomes from both and . The data support three different lineages, which we designated as Lineage 1, Lineage 2, and Lineage 3, uniting these two species within an evolving complex.

A robust genome assembly with transcriptomic data from the striped bark scorpion, Centruroides vittatus.

Scorpions, a seemingly primitive, stinging arthropod taxa, are known to exhibit marked diversity in their venom components. These venoms are known for their human pathology, but they are also important as models for therapeutic and drug development applications. In this study, we report a high-quality genome assembly and annotation of the striped bark scorpion, Centruroides vittatus, created with several shotgun libraries.

Molecular Genomic Analyses of from Sepsis Outbreaks in Broilers.

Extensive genomic analyses of isolates from sepsis outbreaks in broilers suggest a polyphyletic origin, likely arising from core genome mutations rather than gene acquisition. This species is a normal intestinal flora of avian species with particular isolates associated with osteomyelitis. More recently, this species has been associated with sepsis outbreaks affecting broilers during the first 3 weeks post-hatch.

Horizontal transfer of probable chicken-pathogenicity chromosomal islands between Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus agnetis.

Staphylococcus agnetis is an emerging pathogen in chickens but has been most commonly isolated from sub-clinical mastitis in bovines. Previous whole-genome analyses for known virulence genes failed to identify determinants for the switch from mild ductal infections in cattle to severe infections in poultry. We now report identification of a family of 15 kbp, 17-19 gene mobile genetic elements (MGEs) specific to chicken osteomyelitis and dermatitis isolates of S.

analyses of diversity and dissemination of antimicrobial resistance genes and mobile genetics elements, for plasmids of enteric pathogens.

Introduction: The antimicrobial resistance (AMR) mobilome plays a key role in the dissemination of resistance genes encoded by mobile genetics elements (MGEs) including plasmids, transposons (Tns), and insertion sequences (ISs). These MGEs contribute to the dissemination of multidrug resistance (MDR) in enteric bacterial pathogens which have been considered as a global public health risk.

Methods: To further understand the diversity and distribution of AMR genes and MGEs across different plasmid types, we utilized multiple sequence-based computational approaches to evaluate AMR-associated plasmid genetics.

SNP-based breeding for broiler resistance to ascites and evaluation of correlated production traits.

Background: The goal of this study was to evaluate marker-assisted selection (MAS) in broiler chickens using previously mapped gene regions associated with ascites syndrome incidence. The second-generation MAS products were assessed for impact on ascites phenotype and whether there were associated changes in important production traits. Previously, we used whole genome resequencing (WGR) to fine-map 28 chromosomal regions as associated with ascites phenotype in our experimental ascites broiler line (Relaxed, REL) based on a hypobaric chamber challenge.

Reduced Toxicity of (Say, 1821) May Result from Lowered Sodium β Toxin Gene Expression and Toxin Protein Production.

Body tissue and venom glands from an eastern population of the scorpion (Say, 1821) were homogenized and molecular constituents removed to characterize putative sodium β toxin gene diversity, RT-qPCR, transcriptomic, and proteomic variation. We cloned sodium β toxins from genomic DNA, conducted RT-qPCR experiments with seven sodium β toxin variants, performed venom gland tissue RNA-seq, and isolated venom proteins for mass spectrophotometry. We identified >70 putative novel sodium β toxin genes, 111 toxin gene transcripts, 24 different toxin proteins, and quantified sodium β toxin gene expression variation among individuals and between sexes.

Embryo lethality assay as a tool for assessing virulence of isolates from bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers.

We used an embryo lethality assay (ELA) to assess virulence for different isolates from cases of bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) in broilers. Lameness is among the most significant animal welfare issues in the poultry industry. Bacterial infections are a major cause of lameness and different bacterial species have been obtained from lame broilers.

Analysis of genomes of bacterial isolates from lameness outbreaks in broilers.

We investigated lameness outbreaks at 3 commercial broiler farms in Arkansas. We isolated several distinct bacterial species from Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis (BCO) lesions from these 3 farms. The results show that BCO-lameness pathogens on particular farms can differ significantly.

Chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers: further defining a bacterial challenge model using standard litter flooring and protection with probiotics.

This report demonstrates that high levels of lameness can be induced by a limited bacterial challenge in drinking water for birds raised on litter flooring, comparable with lameness induced by the gold standard for inducing lameness, growth on suspended wire flooring. The bacterium used in the challenge was cultured from lesions in birds induced for bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) in the wire-flooring model so the epidemiology appears similar. The litter-flooring model could better approximate broiler operations.

Chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers: further defining lameness-inducing models with wire or litter flooring to evaluate protection with organic trace minerals.

The feed additive Availa-ZMC was investigated for the ability to reduce lameness in broilers using 2 alternative models for inducing lameness. The mixture of organic trace minerals was effective in reducing lameness by 20% in the wire flooring model and 25% in the litter flooring model with the bacterial challenge. Lameness in both models is overwhelmingly attributable to bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis.

Identification and validation of quantitative trait loci for ascites syndrome in broiler chickens using whole genome resequencing.

Background: Ascites syndrome is a hypertensive, multifactorial, multigene trait affecting meat-type chickens imposing significant economic losses on the broiler industry. A region containing the CPQ gene has been previously identified as significantly affecting ascites phenotype. The region was discovered through whole genome resequencing focused on chicken chromosome 2.

Whole-Genome Comparisons of Isolates from Cattle and Chickens.

has been previously associated with subclinical or clinically mild cases of mastitis in dairy cattle and is one of several staphylococcal species that have been isolated from the bones and blood of lame broilers. We reported that could be obtained frequently from bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) lesions of lame broilers (A. Al-Rubaye et al.

Double-Stranded RNA Is a Novel Molecular Target in Osteomyelitis Pathogenesis: A Translational Avian Model for Human Bacterial Chondronecrosis with Osteomyelitis.

Osteomyelitis remains a serious inflammatory bone disease that affects millions of individuals worldwide and for which there is no effective treatment. Despite scientific evidence that Staphylococcus bacteria are the most common causative species for human bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO), much remains to be understood about the underlying virulence mechanisms. Herein, we show increased levels of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in infected bone in a Staphylococcus-induced chicken BCO model and in human osteomyelitis samples.

Further investigation of mitochondrial biogenesis and gene expression of key regulators in ascites- susceptible and ascites- resistant broiler research lines.

We have extended our previous survey of the association of mitochondrial prevalence in particular tissues with ascites susceptibility in broilers. We previously reported that in breast muscle of 22 week old susceptible line male birds had significantly higher mtDNA copy number relative to nuclear copy number (mtDNA/nucDNA), compared to resistant line male birds. The higher copy number correlated with higher expression of PPARGC1A mRNA gene.

Genome Analyses of a New Species from the Scorpion .

Arthropod are little known endosymbionts in insects, primarily known as plant disease vectors. in other arthropods such as arachnids are unknown. We report the first complete genome sequenced, identified, and annotated from a scorpion, , and designate it as We find the genome is at least a 683,827 bp single circular chromosome with a GC content of 42.

Predicting ascites incidence in a simulated altitude-challenge using single nucleotide polymorphisms identified in multi-generational genome wide association studies.

Assessing pedigreed broiler lines for ascites resistance in an industry setting is time consuming. Further, the use of sibling selection implies study subjects are not used in the breeding program, and instead, siblings take their place in pedigree systems, which reduces overall genetic accuracy. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of prediction models produced with SNP with the goal of predicting ascites incidence.

Whole genome resequencing identifies the CPQ gene as a determinant of ascites syndrome in broilers.

Background: Ascites syndrome is the most severe manifestation of pulmonary hypertension in fast-growing broilers. The disease can be attributed to increased body weights of birds, where the higher metabolic load is not matched by sufficient oxygen supply to the cells and tissues. Although there are environmental components, the disease exhibits moderate to high heritability.

Draft Genome Sequence of sp. Strain UARK-01, a New Thermophilic Lignin-Utilizing Bacterium Isolated from Soil in Arkansas, USA.

The draft genome of sp. strain UARK-01, a novel lignin-utilizing thermophilic soil bacterium, represents the first sequence of an isolate from the United States. The genome was sequenced using the Illumina MiSeq platform, assembled using SeqMan NGen, and annotated at NCBI.

Effects of a chromosome 9 quantitative trait locus for ascites on economically important traits in broilers.

A quantitative trait locus on chromosome 9 was previously shown to be associated with ascites in multiple experimental and commercial populations. A study to evaluate the association of the QTL, based on variable number tandem repeat genotypes, with economically important traits was carried out on a commercial male elite line. Results indicated the highest fat and the lowest fillet mean were associated with the most resistant ascites genotype.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the scorpion (Arachnida: Scorpiones).

The complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the Striped scorpion () was assembled from Illumina-based whole genome sequencing. The circular genome is 14,602 bp in length with 13 protein coding genes, 21 tRNA, two rRNAs, a translocation-inversion of tRNA compared to the horse shoe crab mitogenome, and the absence of tRNA. The A + T content of the mitogenome is 68.

Chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis in broilers: Further defining a bacterial challenge model using the wire flooring model.

Lameness in broiler chickens is a significant animal welfare and financial issue. Bacterial chondronecrosis with osteomyelitis (BCO) leading to lameness can be enhanced by rearing young broilers on wire flooring. Using the wire floor system, we identified Staphylococcus agnetis as the predominant isolate in BCO of the proximal tibiae and femora, and blood of lame broilers.