Genetic Analysis of the Brown Bear Sub-Population in the Pindos Mountain, Central Greece: Insights into Population Status and Conservation.

Habitat fragmentation poses a significant threat to the existence and reproduction of large carnivores, such as brown bears, as it affects the genetic connectivity of populations and, consequently, their long-term viability. Understanding the genetic makeup and dispersal patterns in areas where brown bears live is crucial for developing effective conservation plans and promoting human-brown bear coexistence. In this study, 214 hair samples were collected non-invasively from brown bears and were genetically analyzed using fifteen specific microsatellite loci to shed light on the genetic status and demography of a sub-population residing in Central Greece (Trikala-Meteora area).

Investigating the role of genetic variation in and in the domestication of gilthead seabream ( Linnaeus) and European seabass ( Linnaeus).

Gene function conservation is crucial in molecular ecology, especially for key traits like growth and maturation in teleost fish. The and genes are known to influence age-at-maturity in Atlantic salmon, but their impact on other fish species is poorly understood. Here, we investigated the association of and in the domestication of gilthead seabream and European seabass, both undergoing selective breeding for growth-related traits in the Mediterranean.

Genetic Identification and Traceability of Insect Meals.

Insects have been proposed as a rich alternative source of protein for the partial or total replacement of fishmeal in aquaculture. For maximum safety and effectiveness of insect meals, control of the quality composition of these products is considered mandatory. The aim of this study was the genetic analysis of the composition of commercially available insect meals at the species level.

Prevalence of SOD1 allele associated with degenerative myelopathy in canine population in Greece.

Canine degenerative myelopathy (CDM) is a late-onset fatal disorder associated with a point mutation of the superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) gene (c.118G > A). The purpose of this study was to determine the genotype and allele frequencies of this mutation in 108 dogs, mainly in Belgian Malinois and German Shepherd dogs with (CDM-affected group) and without CDM clinical symptoms (control group) in Greece.

Multisource noninvasive genetics of brown bears () in Greece reveals a highly structured population and a new matrilineal contact zone in southern Europe.

In human-dominated landscapes, connectivity is crucial for maintaining demographically stable mammalian populations. Here, we provide a comprehensive noninvasive genetic study for the brown bear population in the Hellenic Peninsula. We analyze its population structuring and connectivity, estimate its population size throughout its distribution, and describe its phylogeography in detail for the first time.

Genome-wide analysis clarifies the population genetic structure of wild gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata).

Gilthead sea bream is an important target for both recreational and commercial fishing in Europe, where it is also one of the most important cultured fish. Its distribution ranges from the Mediterranean to the African and European coasts of the North-East Atlantic. Until now, the population genetic structure of this species in the wild has largely been studied using microsatellite DNA markers, with minimal genetic differentiation being detected.

The genetic population structure and temporal genetic stability of gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata populations in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, using microsatellite DNA markers.

We examined 662 gilthead sea bream Sparus aurata from wild samples of the species in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, using 20 EST-linked microsatellite markers, in three multiplex panels, as well as seven anonymous loci. Most of the markers were revealed to be highly polymorphic. We found low genetic differentiation between the sampling stations/areas with total F 0.

Genetic analyses of brown hare (Lepus europaeus) support limited migration and translocation of Greek populations.

Numerous studies have shown that the phylogeography of many species, including European brown hare, has been affected by the climatic oscillations of the Pleistocene. During this period the Balkans acted as a major refugium offering habitable conditions for many species. However, few studies have focused on the specific role of the Greek peninsula in the phylogeographic history of species in this southernmost margin of Balkans.

Caprine and ovine Greek dairy products: The official German method generates false-positive results due to κ-casein gene polymorphism.

Caseins are widely used for species identification of dairy products. Isoelectric focusing (IEF) of para-κ-casein peptide is used as the official German method for the differentiation between caprine (isoform A) and ovine (isoform B) dairy products, based on their different isoelectric points. The discrimination between Greek goat and ewe dairy products using IEF has, however, been shown to be problematic because of the existence of the ewe isoform in milk from Greek indigenous dairy goats.

Greece: a Balkan subrefuge for a remnant red deer (cervus elaphus) population.

A number of phylogeographic studies have revealed the existence of multiple ice age refugia within the Balkan Peninsula, marking it as a biodiversity hotspot. Greece has been reported to harbor genetically differentiated lineages from the rest of Balkans for a number of mammal species. We therefore searched for distinct red deer lineages in Greece, by analyzing 78 samples originating from its last population in Parnitha Mountain (Central Greece).

Pattern discovery for microsatellite genome analysis.

Microsatellite loci comprise an important part of eukaryotic genomes. Their applications in biology as genetic markers are related to numerous fields ranging from paternity analyses to construction of genetic maps and linkage to human disease. Existing software solutions which offer pattern discovery algorithms for the correct identification and downstream analysis of microsatellites are scarce and are proving to be inefficient to analyze large, exponentially increasing, sequenced genomes.

DNA barcoding analysis of fish species diversity in four north Greek lakes.

Materials And Methods: The present study is the first to apply DNA barcoding on identifying 37 freshwater fish species from the rich Balkan ichthyofauna.

Results: The results are highly successful since in most cases barcodes cluster according to species, in agreement with morphological taxonomic studies. This is also evident based on mean conspecific and congeneric Kimura two-parameter distance values.

High level of mislabeling in Spanish and Greek hake markets suggests the fraudulent introduction of African species.

DNA analysis of hake products commercialized in southern European (Spanish and Greek) market chains have demonstrated more than 30% mislabeling, on the basis of species substitution. Tails and fillets were more mislabeled than other products, such as slices and whole pieces. African species were substitute species for products labeled as American and European species, and we suggest it is a case of deliberate economically profitable mislabeling because real market prices of European and American hake products are higher than those of African in Spanish market chains.

Microsatellite variability of wild and farmed populations of Sparus aurata.

The genetic diversity of Greek wild and farmed populations of Sparus aurata was investigated using seven microsatellite markers. Selective breeding programmes and founder effects have altered the composition of farmed populations leading to significant population differentiation between wild and cultured populations and lower allelic richness in farmed populations.

Seventy new microsatellites for the pied flycatcher, Ficedula hypoleuca and amplification in other passerine birds.

The pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca) is a small migratory passerine bird commonly distributed across Europe which has been the focus of considerable ecological and evolutionary research. Here, we present details of 70 microsatellite markers for the species adding to the six which are currently available. Sixty-six markers were also polymorphic in the closely related collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis), while 54 were polymorphic in another related passerine, the bluethroat (Luscinia svecica), and 12 were polymorphic in the more distantly related Siberian jay (Perisoreus infaustus).

High degree of transferability of 86 newly developed zebra finch EST-linked microsatellite markers in 8 bird species.

High-resolution analysis for population genetic and functional studies requires the use of large numbers of polymorphic markers. The recent increase of available genetic tools is facilitated by the use of publicly available expressed sequence tag (EST) sequence databases that are a valuable resource for identifying gene-linked markers. In the present study, we applied bioinformatics analyses to identify microsatellite markers present in EST sequences from a zebra finch (Taeniopgia guttata) EST database and we explore the success of cross-species amplification of EST-linked microsatellite markers in 7 passerine and 1 nonpasserine species.

A gene-based genetic linkage map of the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicollis) reveals extensive synteny and gene-order conservation during 100 million years of avian evolution.

By taking advantage of a recently developed reference marker set for avian genome analysis we have constructed a gene-based genetic map of the collared flycatcher, an important "ecological model" for studies of life-history evolution, sexual selection, speciation, and quantitative genetics. A pedigree of 322 birds from a natural population was genotyped for 384 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 170 protein-coding genes and 71 microsatellites. Altogether, 147 gene markers and 64 microsatellites form 33 linkage groups with a total genetic distance of 1787 cM.

Genetic identification and phylogeny of three species of the genus Trachurus based on mitochondrial DNA analysis.

The genetic identification and the phylogenetic relationships of 3 European species of the genus Trachurus (T. trachurus, T. mediterraneus, and T.

Discrimination of three trachurus species using both mitochondrial- and nuclear-based DNA approaches.

A double-DNA approach was developed to discriminate the three Trachurus species that abide in European waters: T. trachurus, T. mediterraneus, and T.

Mitochondrial DNA sequence variation in Greeks.

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences were determined in 54 unrelated Greeks, coming from different regions in Greece, for both segments HVR-I and HVR-II. Fifty-two different mtDNA haplotypes were revealed, one of which was shared by three individuals. A very low heterogeneity was found among Greek regions.