Identification of Nonsynonymous SNPs in Immune-Related Genes Associated with Pneumonia Severity in Pigs.

We previously showed that several polymorphisms in genes encoding pattern recognition receptors that cause amino acid substitutions alter pathogen recognition ability and disease susceptibility in pigs. In this study, we expanded our analysis to a wide range of immune-related genes and investigated polymorphism distribution and its influence on pneumonia in multiple commercial pig populations. Among the polymorphisms in 42 genes causing 634 amino acid substitutions extracted from the swine genome database, 80 in 24 genes were found to have a minor allele frequency of at least 10% in Japanese breeding stock pigs via targeted resequencing.

Pyruvate kinase deficiency mutant gene carriage in stray cats and rescued cats from animal hoarding in Hokkaido, Japan.

The mutant allele frequency of the Pyruvate kinase (PK) gene has been investigated mostly in pure breed cats. We investigated the PK mutant gene in stray and animal hoarding mongrel cats in Hokkaido, Japan. We also investigated the kinship of individuals carrying the mutant gene.

Molecular Epidemiological Survey for Degenerative Myelopathy in German Shepherd Dogs in Japan: Allele Frequency and Clinical Progression Rate.

Canine degenerative myelopathy (DM) is an adult-onset, chronic, progressive neurodegenerative disease reported in multiple canine breeds, including the German Shepherd Dog (GSD). Clinical signs include progressive motor neuron paralysis, which begins in the pelvic limbs and eventually leads to respiratory distress, which may necessitate euthanasia. A common DM-associated mutation is a single nucleotide substitution that causes an amino acid substitution (c.

An inter-laboratory study of DNA-based identity, parentage and species testing in animal forensic genetics.

The probative value of animal forensic genetic evidence relies on laboratory accuracy and reliability. Inter-laboratory comparisons allow laboratories to evaluate their performance on specific tests and analyses and to continue to monitor their output. The International Society for Animal Genetics (ISAG) administered animal forensic comparison tests (AFCTs) in 2016 and 2018 to assess the limitations and capabilities of laboratories offering forensic identification, parentage and species determination services.

Genetic association between GHSR1a 5'UTR-microsatellite and nt-7(C>A) loci and growth and carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle.

We carried out a genetic association study between five nucleotide polymorphisms (5'UTR microsatellite ((TG)(n)), nt-7(C>A), L24V, DelR242 and Intron 1 microsatellite) of the GHSR1a gene and growth and carcass traits in 1285 steers sired by 117 Japanese Black bulls in a progeny testing program. We report herein, a significant association between the 5'UTR microsatellite and nt-7(C>A) loci and growth and carcass traits. We also propose a translational hypothesis that the association is due to differences in the secondary structure of GHSR1b mRNA (the non-spliced type with the 5'UTR microsatellite) among the GHSR1a gene haplotypes.

Nucleotide polymorphisms and the 5'-UTR transcriptional analysis of the bovine growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a) gene.

Growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a) mediates the different actions of its endogenous ligand, ghrelin. Ghrelin-GHSR is involved in many important functions that include growth hormone secretion and food intake. We evaluated the haplotype variety and characterized the microsatellite ((TG)(n) , 5'-UTR) and nucleotide polymorphisms of the bovine GHSR1a gene.

Electrochemical detection of E. coli 16S rDNA sequence using air-plasma-activated fullerene-impregnated screen printed electrodes.

A new DNA modified electrode for the electrochemical detection of 16S rDNA extracted from Escherichia coli (JCM1649) is proposed. The electrodes were fabricated by screen printing a fullerene-impregnated carbon ink onto a poly(methylmethacrylate) substrate and immobilizing a probe DNA on the surface after activating the electrode with air plasma. The results indicated a dramatic improvement in the surface coverage of the immobilized probe DNA, and of the reduction peak of the redox indicator (Co(phen)(3)(3+)) due to the incorporation of fullerene.

Assignment of the gene for porcine insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 to chromosome 18 and detection of polymorphisms in intron 2 by PCR-RFLP.

We have obtained a partial cDNA and three BAC clones for the porcine insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 gene (IGFBP-1). Results of fluorescence in situ and radiation hybrid (RH) mapping assigned this gene to porcine chromosome (SSC) 18q24-qter. We found two types of polymerase chain reaction-restriction-fragment-length polymorphisms (PCR-RFLP) in intron 2 by using FokI and AluI.

A comprehensive radiation hybrid map of the bovine genome comprising 5593 loci.

A bovine whole genome 7000-rad radiation hybrid (RH) panel, SUNbRH(7000-rad), was constructed to build a high-resolution RH map. The Shirakawa-USDA linkage map served as a scaffold to construct a framework map of 3216 microsatellites on which 2377 ESTs were ordered. The resulting RH map provided essentially complete coverage across the genome, with 1 cR7000 corresponding to 114 kb, and a cattle-human comparative map of 1716 bovine genes and sequences annotated in the human genome, which covered 79 and 72% of the bovine and human genomes, respectively.

A comprehensive genetic map of the cattle genome based on 3802 microsatellites.

A microsatellite-based high-density genetic map facilitates for fine mapping of hereditary traits of interest, characterization of meiosis, and providing a foundation for physical map construction. Here, we developed a comprehensive genetic map on the basis of >880,000 genotypes across the USDA MARC cattle reference families with a potential genetic resolution of 0.8 cM at the 95% confidence level ( approximately 800 kb in the bovine genome).

A transposable element-mediated gene divergence that directly produces a novel type bovine Bcnt protein including the endonuclease domain of RTE-1.

Ruminant Bcnt protein with a molecular mass of 97 kDa (designated p97Bcnt) includes a region derived from the endonuclease domain of a retrotransposable element RTE-1. Human and mouse Bcnt proteins lack the corresponding region but have a highly conserved 82-amino acid region at the C-terminus that is not present in p97Bcnt. By screening a bovine BAC library, we found two more bcnt-related genes: human-type bcnt (h-type bcnt) and its processed pseudogene.

Positional cloning of the gene LIMBIN responsible for bovine chondrodysplastic dwarfism.

Chondrodysplastic dwarfism in Japanese brown cattle is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by short limbs. Previously, we mapped the locus responsible for the disease on the distal end of bovine chromosome 6. Here, we narrowed the critical region to approximately 2 cM by using linkage analysis, constructed a BAC and YAC contig covering this region, and identified a gene, LIMBIN (LBN), that possessed disease-specific mutations in the affected calves.