Mutant alleles differentially shape fitness and other complex traits in cattle.

Mutant alleles (MAs) that have been classically recognised have large effects on phenotype and tend to be deleterious to traits and fitness. Is this the case for mutations with small effects? We infer MAs for 8 million sequence variants in 113k cattle and quantify the effects of MA on 37 complex traits. Heterozygosity for variants at genomic sites conserved across 100 vertebrate species increase fertility, stature, and milk production, positively associating these traits with fitness.

Development and Validation of a Phenotyping Computational Workflow to Predict the Biomass Yield of a Large Perennial Ryegrass Breeding Field Trial.

Increasing dry matter yield (DMY) is the most important objective in perennial ryegrass breeding programs. Current yield assessment methods like cutting are time-consuming and destructive, non-destructive measures such as scoring yield on single plants by visual inspection may be subjective. These assessments involve multiple measurements and selection procedures across seasons and years to evaluate biomass yield repeatedly.

New urinary EPO drug testing method using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis.

Unlabelled: We present a two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE) method for the detection of the drug, recombinant erythropoietin (rHuEPO) in urine and its separation from endogenous erythropoietin (HuEPO). This method involves a one-step acetonitrile precipitation of the proteins in urine, addition of an internal standard, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D PAGE), a single Western blot and chemiluminescent immunodetection.

Results: The 2DE method separates HuEPO and rHuEPO isoforms by both iso-electric point and molecular mass.

Effect of moisture on the stability of a lyophilized humanized monoclonal antibody formulation.

Purpose: To determine the effect of moisture and the role of the glass transition temperature (Tg) on the stability of a high concentration, lyophilized, monoclonal antibody.

Methods: A humanized monoclonal antibody was lyophilized in a sucrose/histidine/polysorbate 20 formulation. Residual moistures were from 1 to 8%.