Genetic diversity and historical demography of underutilised goat breeds in North-Western Europe.

In the last decade, several studies aimed at dissecting the genetic architecture of local small ruminant breeds to discover which variations are involved in the process of adaptation to environmental conditions, a topic that has acquired priority due to climate change. Considering that traditional breeds are a reservoir of such important genetic variation, improving the current knowledge about their genetic diversity and origin is the first step forward in designing sound conservation guidelines. The genetic composition of North-Western European archetypical goat breeds is still poorly exploited.

Protein profiling of testicular tissue from boars with different levels of hyperactive sperm motility.

Hyperactive sperm motility is important for successful fertilization. In the present study, a proteome profiling approach was performed to identify the differences between Landrace boars with different levels of hyperactive sperm motility in liquid extended semen. Two contrasts were studied: (i) high versus low levels of sperm hyperactivity at semen collection day and (ii) high versus low change in levels of sperm hyperactivity after 96 h semen storage.

Insertion of an endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus element into the BCO2 - gene abolishes its function and leads to yellow discoloration of adipose tissue in Norwegian Spælsau (Ovis aries).

Background: The accumulation of carotenoids in adipose tissue leading to yellow fat is, in sheep, a heritable recessive trait that can be attributed to a nonsense mutation in the beta-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) gene. However, not all sheep breeds suffering from yellow fat have this nonsense mutation, meaning that other functional mechanisms must exist. We investigated one such breed, the Norwegian spælsau.

Transcriptome profiling of porcine testis tissue reveals genes related to sperm hyperactive motility.

Background: Sperm hyperactive motility has previously been shown to influence litter size in pigs, but little is known about the underlying biological mechanisms. The aim of this study was to use RNA sequencing to investigate gene expression differences in testis tissue from Landrace and Duroc boars with high and low levels of sperm hyperactive motility. Boars with divergent phenotypes were selected based on their sperm hyperactivity values at the day of ejaculation (day 0) (contrasts (i) and (ii) for Landrace and Duroc, respectively) and on their change in hyperactivity between day 0 and after 96 h liquid storage at 18 °C (contrast (iii)).

Demyelinating polyneuropathy in goats lacking prion protein.

Studies in mice with ablation of Prnp, the gene that encodes the cellular prion protein (PrP ), have led to the hypothesis that PrP is important for peripheral nerve myelin maintenance. Here, we have used a nontransgenic animal model to put this idea to the test; namely, goats that, due to a naturally occurring nonsense mutation, lack PrP . Teased nerve fiber preparation revealed a demyelinating pathology in goats without PrP .

Genomic and functional gene studies suggest a key role of beta-carotene oxygenase 1 like (bco1l) gene in salmon flesh color.

Red coloration of muscle tissue (flesh) is a unique trait in several salmonid genera, including Atlantic salmon. The color results from dietary carotenoids deposited in the flesh, whereas the color intensity is affected both by diet and genetic components. Herein we report on a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genetic variation underlying this trait.

Association between single-nucleotide polymorphisms within candidate genes and fertility in Landrace and Duroc pigs.

Finding effective predictors of traits related to boar fertility is essential for increasing the efficiency of artificial insemination systems in pig breeding. The objective of this study was to find associations between single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within candidate genes and fertility in the breeds Landrace and Duroc. Animals with breeding values for total number of piglets born, were re-sequenced for exonic regions of 14 candidate genes related to male and female fertility using samples from 16 Landrace boars and 16 Duroc boars (four with high and four with low breeding value of total number of piglets born for each breed for male fertility, and the same for female fertility) to detect genetic variants.

SalMotifDB: a tool for analyzing putative transcription factor binding sites in salmonid genomes.

Background: Recently developed genome resources in Salmonid fish provides tools for studying the genomics underlying a wide range of properties including life history trait variation in the wild, economically important traits in aquaculture and the evolutionary consequences of whole genome duplications. Although genome assemblies now exist for a number of salmonid species, the lack of regulatory annotations are holding back our mechanistic understanding of how genetic variation in non-coding regulatory regions affect gene expression and the downstream phenotypic effects.

Results: We present SalMotifDB, a database and associated web and R interface for the analysis of transcription factors (TFs) and their cis-regulatory binding sites in five salmonid genomes.

A novel governance framework for GMO: A tiered, more flexible regulation for GMOs would help to stimulate innovation and public debate.

A proposal of a differentiated regulatory framework for genetically engineered organisms that can stimulate research and development while maintaining oversight and control.[Image: see text]

Norwegian e-Infrastructure for Life Sciences (NeLS).

The Norwegian e-Infrastructure for Life Sciences (NeLS) has been developed by ELIXIR Norway to provide its users with a system enabling data storage, sharing, and analysis in a project-oriented fashion. The system is available through easy-to-use web interfaces, including the Galaxy workbench for data analysis and workflow execution. Users confident with a command-line interface and programming may also access it through Secure Shell (SSH) and application programming interfaces (APIs).

Relationship between sperm motility characteristics and ATP concentrations, and association with fertility in two different pig breeds.

Boar fertility has a major impact on overall pig reproductive efficiency. Using accurate and objective in vitro sperm variables for predicting in vivo fertility from a single ejaculate, however, is challenging. Motility is the most widely used indicator of sperm quality, and a computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA) system is now available for objective assessment of sperm motility characteristics.

RNA sequencing reveals candidate genes and polymorphisms related to sperm DNA integrity in testis tissue from boars.

Background: Sperm DNA is protected against fragmentation by a high degree of chromatin packaging. It has been demonstrated that proper chromatin packaging is important for boar fertility outcome. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying differences in sperm DNA fragmentation.

SalmoBase: an integrated molecular data resource for Salmonid species.

Background: Salmonids are ray-finned fishes which constitute 11 genera and at least 70 species including Atlantic salmon, whitefishes, graylings, rainbow trout, and char. The common ancestor of all Salmonidae experienced a whole genome duplication (WGD) ~80 million years ago, resulting in an autotetraploid genome. Genomic rediplodization is still going on in salmonid species, providing an unique system for studying evolutionary consequences of whole genome duplication.

A novel role for pigment genes in the stress response in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

In many vertebrate species visible melanin-based pigmentation patterns correlate with high stress- and disease-resistance, but proximate mechanisms for this trait association remain enigmatic. Here we show that a missense mutation in a classical pigmentation gene, melanocyte stimulating hormone receptor (MC1R), is strongly associated with distinct differences in steroidogenic melanocortin 2 receptor (MC2R) mRNA expression between high- (HR) and low-responsive (LR) rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). We also show experimentally that cortisol implants increase the expression of agouti signaling protein (ASIP) mRNA in skin, likely explaining the association between HR-traits and reduced skin melanin patterning.

Two missense mutations in melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) are strongly associated with dark ventral coat color in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus).

The protein-coding region of melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) was sequenced to identify potential variation affecting coat color in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). A T→C sequence variation at nucleotide position 218 (c.218T>C) causing an amino acid (aa) change from methionine to threonine at aa position 73 (p.

The evolution and functional divergence of the beta-carotene oxygenase gene family in teleost fish--exemplified by Atlantic salmon.

In mammals, two carotenoid cleaving oxygenases are known; beta-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (BCMO1) and beta-carotene 9',10'-oxygenase (BCO2). BCMO1 is a key enzyme in vitamin A synthesis by symmetrically cleaving beta-carotene into 2 molecules of all-trans-retinal, while BCO2 is responsible for asymmetric cleavage of a broader range of carotenoids. Here, we show that the Atlantic salmon beta-carotene oxygenase (bco) gene family contains 5 members, three bco2 and two bcmo1 paralogs.

A missense mutation in growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) is strongly associated with litter size in sheep.

Background: A genome wide association study for litter size in Norwegian White Sheep (NWS) was conducted using the recently developed ovine 50K SNP chip from Illumina. After genotyping 378 progeny tested artificial insemination (AI) rams, a GWAS analysis was performed on estimated breeding values (EBVs) for litter size.

Results: A QTL-region was identified on sheep chromosome 5, close to the growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9), which is known to be a strong candidate gene for increased ovulation rate/litter size.

The effect of excess cobalt on milk fatty acid profiles and transcriptional regulation of SCD, FASN, DGAT1 and DGAT2 in the mammary gland of lactating dairy cows.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effect of excess cobalt (Co) on gene expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), fatty acid synthase (FASN), diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) and diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) of lactating dairy cows in relation to milk fatty acid profile. Seven multiparous cows of the Norwegian Red cattle breed (NRF) had their basal diet supplemented with 1.4 g Co as a 24 g/l solution of Co-acetate per os twice daily for 7 days followed by a 9-day depuration period.

Characterisation of a novel paralog of scavenger receptor class B member I (SCARB1) in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Background: Red flesh colour is a unique trait found in some salmonid genera. Carotenoid pigments are not synthesized de novo in the fish, but are provided by dietary uptake. A better understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the cellular uptake and deposition of carotenoids could potentially be used to improve the low muscle deposition rate that is typically found in farmed Atlantic salmon.

Selection based on progeny testing induces rapid changes in myostatin allele frequencies - a case study in sheep.

In this study we show that selection based on progeny testing is able to induce a rapid change in allele frequency, even when a fairly broad and balanced breeding goal is applied. The myostatin 3'-UTR mutation (c.*1232G>A) previously found to affect muscularity in Texel sheep is also present in the Norwegian White Sheep population.

Mapping of quantitative trait loci for flesh colour and growth traits in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

Background: Flesh colour and growth related traits in salmonids are both commercially important and of great interest from a physiological and evolutionary perspective. The aim of this study was to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting flesh colour and growth related traits in an F2 population derived from an isolated, landlocked wild population in Norway (Byglands Bleke) and a commercial production population.

Methods: One hundred and twenty-eight informative microsatellite loci distributed across all 29 linkage groups in Atlantic salmon were genotyped in individuals from four F2 families that were selected from the ends of the flesh colour distribution.

A nonsense mutation in the beta-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) gene is tightly associated with accumulation of carotenoids in adipose tissue in sheep (Ovis aries).

Background: Sheep carcasses with yellow fat are sporadically observed at Norwegian slaughter houses. This phenomenon is known to be inherited as a recessive trait, and is caused by accumulation of carotenoids in adipose tissue. Two enzymes are known to be important in carotenoid degradation in mammals, and are therefore potential candidate genes for this trait.

Impact of two myostatin (MSTN) mutations on weight gain and lamb carcass classification in Norwegian White Sheep (Ovis aries).

Background: Our aim was to estimate the effect of two myostatin (MSTN) mutations in Norwegian White Sheep, one of which is close to fixation in the Texel breed.

Methods: The impact of two known MSTN mutations was examined in a field experiment with Norwegian White Sheep. The joint effect of the two MSTN mutations on live weight gain and weaning weight was studied on 644 lambs.