Improved efficiency of doubled haploid generation in hexaploid triticale by in vitro chromosome doubling.

Background: Doubled haploid production is a key technology in triticale research and breeding. A critical component of this method depends on chromosome doubling, which is traditionally achieved by in vivo treatment of seedlings with colchicine.

Results: In this study we investigated the applicability of an in vitro approach for chromosome doubling based on microspore culture.

Detection of QTL for flowering time in multiple families of elite maize.

Flowering time is a fundamental quantitative trait in maize that has played a key role in the postdomestication process and the adaptation to a wide range of climatic conditions. Flowering time has been intensively studied and recent QTL mapping results based on diverse founders suggest that the genetic architecture underlying this trait is mainly based on numerous small-effect QTL. Here, we used a population of 684 progenies from five connected families to investigate the genetic architecture of flowering time in elite maize.

Papillomaviruses and herpesviruses: who is who in genital tumor development of free-ranging Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)?

The number of studies addressing neoplasia in marine mammals has recently increased, giving rise to concern whether such lesions could be reflective of an emerging infectious disease. Eight species-specific viruses, seven papillomaviruses (PVs) and two herpesviruses (HVs) have separately been shown to be associated with genital tumors in Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus, Tt): TtPV1-6, as well as HVs provisionally assigned the names DeHV4 and -5 (Delphinid HVs). A definite causal role of these viruses in cell transformation remains to be demonstrated.

Mapping QTLs for root system architecture of maize (Zea mays L.) in the field at different developmental stages.

Root system architecture (RSA) is seldom considered as a selection criterion to improve yield in maize breeding, mainly because of the practical difficulties with their evaluation under field conditions. In the present study, phenotypic profiling of 187 advanced-backcross BC(4)F(3) maize lines (Ye478 × Wu312) was conducted at different developmental stages under field conditions at two locations (Dongbeiwang in 2007 and Shangzhuang in 2008) for five quantitative root traits. The aims were to (1) understand the genetic basis of root growth in the field; (2) investigate the contribution of root traits to grain yield (GY); and (3) detect QTLs controlling root traits at the seedling (I), silking (II) and maturation (III) stages.

Genome-wide evaluation of genetic diversity and linkage disequilibrium in winter and spring triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack).

Background: Recent advances in genotyping with high-density markers nowadays enable genome-wide genomic analyses in crops. A detailed characterisation of the population structure and linkage disequilibrium (LD) is essential for the application of genomic approaches and consequently for knowledge-based breeding. In this study we used the triticale-specific DArT array to analyze population structure, genetic diversity, and LD in a worldwide set of 161 winter and spring triticale lines.

Comparison of biometrical approaches for QTL detection in multiple segregating families.

Detection of QTL in multiple segregating families possesses many advantages over the classical QTL mapping in biparental populations. It has thus become increasingly popular, and different biometrical approaches are available to analyze such data sets. We empirically compared an approach based on linkage mapping methodology with an association mapping approach.

Impact of selective genotyping in the training population on accuracy and bias of genomic selection.

Estimating marker effects based on routinely generated phenotypic data of breeding programs is a cost-effective strategy to implement genomic selection. Truncation selection in breeding populations, however, could have a strong impact on the accuracy to predict genomic breeding values. The main objective of our study was to investigate the influence of phenotypic selection on the accuracy and bias of genomic selection.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphic sites in candidate genes with aggressiveness and deoxynivalenol production in Fusarium graminearum causing wheat head blight.

Background: Fusarium graminearum sensu stricto (s.s.) is an ubiquitous pathogen of cereals.

Modeling of the laser polarization as control parameter in self-organized surface pattern.

To shed light on nanopattern formation upon femtosecond laser ablation, an adopted surface erosion model is developed, based on the description for ion beam sputtering. In particular, the dependence of generated patterns on the laser polarization is taken into account. We find that an asymmetry in deposition and dissipation of incident laser energy results in a respective dependence of coefficients in a nonlinear equation of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky type.

Clinicoimmunopathologic findings in Atlantic bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus with positive cetacean morbillivirus antibody titers.

Sera from free-ranging Atlantic bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), Florida were tested for antibodies to cetacean morbilliviruses from 2003 to 2007 as part of a multidisciplinary study of individual and population health. A suite of clinicoimmunopathologic variables were evaluated in morbillivirus-seropositive dolphins (n = 14) and seronegative healthy dolphins (n = 49). Several important differences were found.

Meta-DNA: synthetic biology via DNA nanostructures and hybridization reactions.

Can a wide range of complex biochemical behaviour arise from repeated applications of a highly reduced class of interactions? In particular, can the range of DNA manipulations achieved by protein enzymes be simulated via simple DNA hybridization chemistry? In this work, we develop a biochemical system which we call meta-DNA (abbreviated as mDNA), based on strands of DNA as the only component molecules. Various enzymatic manipulations of these mDNA molecules are simulated via toehold-mediated DNA strand displacement reactions. We provide a formal model to describe the required properties and operations of our mDNA, and show that our proposed DNA nanostructures and hybridization reactions provide these properties and functionality.

Incidence of poxvirus-like lesions in two estuarine dolphin populations in Australia: links to flood events.

We report on the incidence of poxvirus-like lesions assessed by photographic identification in two estuarine populations of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus) in Australia over a 3-year period. Poxvirus infections of odontocetes are characterized by pinhole or ring-like skin lesions that appear as solitary or coalesced circular gray blemishes. Environmental and physiological stressors are believed to contribute to their manifestation (Van Bressem et al.

Accuracy of genomic selection in European maize elite breeding populations.

Genomic selection is a promising breeding strategy for rapid improvement of complex traits. The objective of our study was to investigate the prediction accuracy of genomic breeding values through cross validation. The study was based on experimental data of six segregating populations from a half-diallel mating design with 788 testcross progenies from an elite maize breeding program.

Between geometry and biology: the problem of universality of the species-area relationship.

The species-area relationship (SAR) is considered to be one of a few generalities in ecology, yet a universal model of its shape and slope has remained elusive. Recently, Harte et al. argued that the slope of the SAR for a given area is driven by a single parameter, the ratio between total number of individuals and number of species (i.

Menstrual cycle characteristics and reproductive hormone levels in women exposed to atrazine in drinking water.

Atrazine is the most commonly used herbicide in the U.S. and a wide-spread groundwater contaminant.

Risk factors for colonization of E. coli in Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida.

Opportunistic pathogens related to degradation in water quality are of concern to both wildlife and public health. The objective of this study was to identify spatial, temporal, and environmental risk factors for E. coli colonization among Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting the Indian River Lagoon (IRL), FL between 2003 and 2007.

Influences of biological variables and geographic location on circulating concentrations of thyroid hormones in wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).

Thyroid hormones (TH) are key regulators of metabolism and development, yet our understanding of the variability in serum TH concentrations in free-ranging marine mammals is limited. Thus, we examined the interrelationships between TH and age, sex, reproductive status, geographic location, and ocean temperatures in wild bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Circulating concentrations of TH (total thyroxine (tT(4)), free T(4) (fT(4)), and total triiodothyronine (tT(3))) were determined in a total of 195 dolphins; 80 from the coastal waters of Charleston, South Carolina (CHS) and 115 from the Indian River Lagoon, Florida (IRL).

Dissecting the genetic architecture of agronomic traits in multiple segregating populations in rapeseed (Brassica napus L.).

Detection of QTL in multiple segregating populations is of high interest as it includes more alleles than mapping in a single biparental population. In addition, such populations are routinely generated in applied plant breeding programs and can thus be used to identify QTL which are of direct relevance for a marker-assisted improvement of elite germplasm. Multiple-line cross QTL mapping and joint linkage association mapping were used for QTL detection.

Comparison of biometrical models for joint linkage association mapping.

Joint linkage association mapping (JLAM) combines the advantages of linkage mapping and association mapping, and is a powerful tool to dissect the genetic architecture of complex traits. The main goal of this study was to use a cross-validation strategy, resample model averaging and empirical data analyses to compare seven different biometrical models for JLAM with regard to the correction for population structure and the quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection power. Three linear models and four linear mixed models with different approaches to control for population stratification were evaluated.

Detection of segregation distortion loci in triticale (x Triticosecale Wittmack) based on a high-density DArT marker consensus genetic linkage map.

Background: Triticale is adapted to a wide range of abiotic stress conditions, is an important high-quality feed stock and produces similar grain yield but more biomass compared to other crops. Modern genomic approaches aimed at enhancing breeding progress in cereals require high-quality genetic linkage maps. Consensus maps are genetic maps that are created by a joint analysis of the data from several segregating populations and different approaches are available for their construction.

Genome-wide association mapping of agronomic traits in sugar beet.

Recent results indicate that association mapping in populations from applied plant breeding is a powerful tool to detect QTL which are of direct relevance for breeding. The focus of this study was to unravel the genetic architecture of six agronomic traits in sugar beet. To this end, we employed an association mapping approach, based on a very large population of 924 elite sugar beet lines from applied plant breeding, fingerprinted with 677 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers covering the entire genome.

Association mapping in an elite maize breeding population.

Association mapping (AM) is a powerful approach to dissect the genetic architecture of quantitative traits. The main goal of our study was to empirically compare several statistical methods of AM using data of an elite maize breeding program with respect to QTL detection power and possibility to correct for population stratification. These models were based on the inclusion of cofactors (Model A), cofactors and population effect (Model B), and SNP effects nested within populations (Model C).

Ecological character displacement in the face of gene flow: evidence from two species of nightingales.

Background: Ecological character displacement is a process of phenotypic differentiation of sympatric populations caused by interspecific competition. Such differentiation could facilitate speciation by enhancing reproductive isolation between incipient species, although empirical evidence for it at early stages of divergence when gene flow still occurs between the species is relatively scarce. Here we studied patterns of morphological variation in sympatric and allopatric populations of two hybridizing species of birds, the Common Nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and the Thrush Nightingale (L.

Animal sentinels for environmental and public health.

Studies of the effects of environmental exposures on domestic and wild animals can corroborate or inform epidemiologic studies in humans. Animals may be sensitive indicators of environmental hazards and provide an early warning system for public health intervention, as exemplified by the iconic canary in the coal mine. This article illustrates the application of animal sentinel research to elucidate the effects of exposure to traditional and emerging contaminants on human health.