Publications by authors named "M J Heaton"
Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) infection during pregnancy is a significant contributor to reproductive failures in cattle. The bovine receptor for BVDV (CD46) was previously edited with a six amino acid substitution (G82QVLAL to A82LPTFS) and shown to have significantly reduced BVDV susceptibility in a Gir heifer calf. Since a role for CD46 has been proposed in mammalian fertilization, our objective was to assess the edited heifer's fertilization rates, early embryonic development, and germline transmission conformation of the edit.
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- - Post-harvest practices and technologies can significantly reduce global aquatic harvest loss, but their impact on gender equity, particularly for women workers in fisheries, remains underexplored.
- - The review highlights ongoing social inequalities in both traditional and improved food processing technologies, often disadvantaging women in terms of resource control and income stability.
- - There is a need for more detailed research that includes diverse perspectives to better understand how various technologies affect gender equality and to guide effective policymaking.
Telomere-to-telomere (T2T) assemblies reveal new insights into the structure and function of the previously 'invisible' parts of the genome and allow comparative analyses of complete genomes across entire clades. We present here an open collaborative effort, termed the 'Ruminant T2T Consortium' (RT2T), that aims to generate complete diploid assemblies for numerous species of the Artiodactyla suborder Ruminantia to examine chromosomal evolution in the context of natural selection and domestication of species used as livestock.
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- Bovine congestive heart failure (BCHF) is increasingly common in feedlot cattle, leading to high mortality rates, and the study aimed to identify genetic factors associated with this untreatable condition.
- Researchers conducted a genome-wide association study comparing 102 BCHF cases with unaffected pen mates, analyzing around 560,000 genetic markers.
- Significant associations were found with two genes, leading to the conclusion that specific genetic variants can greatly increase the likelihood of BCHF, suggesting potential DNA tests for identifying at-risk cattle.
The blue wildebeest (Connochaetes taurinus) is a keystone species in savanna ecosystems from southern to eastern Africa, and is well known for its spectacular migrations and locally extreme abundance. In contrast, the black wildebeest (C. gnou) is endemic to southern Africa, barely escaped extinction in the 1900s and is feared to be in danger of genetic swamping from the blue wildebeest.
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