Transcript profiling of the ruminant liver indicates a unique program of transcriptional regulation of ketogenic enzymes during food restriction.

Ruminants absorb little glucose and rely on hepatic gluconeogenesis and ketogenesis in the fed state to convert short-chain fatty acids produced during digestion into glucose and ketone bodies, respectively. In contrast to the non-ruminant response, fluxes through gluconeogenic and ketogenic pathways decrease during food restriction. Transcriptional regulation responsible for these unique food restriction responses has not been established.

An RNA-DNA hybridization assay chip with electrokinetically controlled oil droplet valves for sequential microfluidic operations.

A novel RNA-DNA hybridization microfluidic chip for detecting pathogens was developed. The on-chip sequential operations of reagent delivery and washing processes in the hybridization assay were performed by gravity-based pressure-driven flow controlled by a pair of electrokinetically controlled oil-droplet sequence valves (ECODSVs). Numerical method was used to simulate the fluidic processes of reagents in the complex microchannel network.

Variation in the ovine cortisol response to systemic bacterial endotoxin challenge is predominantly determined by signalling within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis.

Bi-directional communication between the neuroendocrine and immune systems is designed, in part, to maintain or restore homeostasis during physiological stress. Exposure to endotoxin during Gram-negative bacterial infection for example, elicits the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines that activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA). The secretion of adrenal glucocorticoids subsequently down regulates the host inflammatory response, minimizing potential tissue damage.

Characterization of ovine hepatic gene expression profiles in response to Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide using a bovine cDNA microarray.

Background: During systemic gram-negative bacterial infections, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) ligation to the hepatic Toll-like receptor-4 complex induces the production of hepatic acute phase proteins that are involved in the host response to infection and limit the associated inflammatory process. Identifying the genes that regulate this hepatic response to LPS in ruminants may provide insight into the pathogenesis of bacterial diseases and eventually facilitate breeding of more disease resistant animals. The objective of this research was to profile the expression of ovine hepatic genes in response to Escherichia coli LPS challenge (0, 200, 400 ng/kg) using a bovine cDNA microarray and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

[The degree of inbreeding in 10 Chinese indigenous pig breeds].

The population inbreeding coefficients of 10 indigenous pig breeds were estimated by microsatellite markers. Results showed that: the inbreeding coefficient of Guizhou miniature pig was the highest (0.1992), and that of Hanzhong black pig the lowest (0.

[Phylogenesis analysis of 10 chinese indigenous pig populations].

Genetic relationship of 10 indigenous pig populations was analyzed by 10 microsatellite markers. Results showed that different phylogenetic methods led to different results. The NJ phylogenetic tree from Nei's genetic distance was consistent with the facts.

[Sequence analysis of polymorphic fragments of porcine H-FABP gene].

Three variant restriction sites of porcine H-FABP gene,including HinfI-RFLP in 5'-upstream, HaeIII-RFLP and HinfI*-RFLP in intron 2, were confirmed by PCR-RFLP method. The polymorphic fragments were cloned and sequenced. The results revealed a single nucleotide substitution of T-->C at position 1324 for HinfI-RFLP,C-->G at position 1811 for HaeIII-RFLP and T-->C at position 1970 for HinfI*-RFLP, respectively.

[Genetic variation of A-FABP microsatellites in eleven pig breeds].

The genetic variations of microsatellites in intron 2 of the porcine adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein (A-FABP) genes were investigated in 420 pigs including Wuzhishan pig, Yimeng black pig, Hanjiang black pig, Laiwu pig, Beijing black pig, Min pig, Chenghua pig, Neijiang pig, Erhualian pig, Bama xiang pig and Large White pig. The results suggested as follows: (i)PIC of the Wuzhishan pig breed is the highest (0.7904) and 11 alleles were detected.

Measuring conservation of contiguous sets of autosomal markers on bovine and porcine genomes in relation to the map of the human genome.

Based on published information, we have identified 991 genes and gene-family clusters for cattle and 764 for pigs that have orthologues in the human genome. The relative linear locations of these genes on human sequence maps were used as "rulers" to annotate bovine and porcine genomes based on a CSAM (contiguous sets of autosomal markers) approach. A CSAM is an uninterrupted set of markers in one genome (primary genome; the human genome in this study) that is syntenic in the other genome (secondary genome; the bovine and porcine genomes in this study).