The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop of endangered and critically endangered breeds has been studied to identify maternal lineages, characterize genetic inheritance, reconstruct phylogenetic relations among breeds, and develop biodiversity conservation and breeding programs. The aim of the study was to determine the variability remaining and the phylogenetic relationship of Martina Franca (MF, with total population of 160 females and 36 males), Ragusano (RG, 344 females and 30 males), Pantesco (PT, 47 females and 15 males), and Catalonian (CT) donkeys by collecting genetic data from maternal lineages. Genetic material was collected from saliva, and a 350 bp fragment of D-loop mtDNA was amplified and sequenced. Sequences were aligned and evaluated using standard bioinformatics software. A total of 56 haplotypes including 33 polymorphic sites were found in 77 samples (27 MF, 22 RG, 8 PT, 19 CT, 1 crossbred). The breed nucleotide diversity value (π) for all the breeds was 0.128 (MF: 0.162, RG: 0.132, PT: 0.025, CT: 0.038). Principal components analysis grouped most of the haplogroups into two different clusters, I (including all haplotypes from PT and CT, together with haplotypes from MF and RG) and II (including haplotypes from MF and RG only). In conclusion, we found that the primeval haplotypes, haplogroup variability, and a large number of maternal lineages were preserved in MF and RG; thus, these breeds play putative pivotal roles in the phyletic relationships of donkey breeds. Maternal inheritance is indispensable genetic information required to evaluate inheritance, variability, and breeding programs.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/genes12081109 | DOI Listing |
Biol Reprod
January 2025
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA.
Optimal embryonic development depends upon cell-signaling molecules released by the maternal reproductive tract called embryokines. Identity of specific embryokines that enhance competence of the embryo for sustained survival is largely lacking. The current objective was to evaluate effects of three putative embryokines in cattle on embryonic development to the blastocyst stage.
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View Article and Find Full Text PDFMed Humanit
January 2025
History, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
The following paper is centred on an analysis of comparative studies of the human pelvis developed over the 19th century by mostly French natural scientists, physical anthropologists, students of the human anatomy and doctors engaged in the initial stages of the emerging fields of gynaecology and obstetrics. As this paper will argue, there was considerable overlap between these specialisations, producing a fundamentally masculine, Eurocentric and racialised knowledge that had an enormous impact in establishing racially informed gynaecological and obstetric practices. This paper argues that comparative pelvic anatomy studies originated from the belief that African and Black women had specifically different pelves and genitalia and served to stratify women of different races and promoted racially oriented obstetric and gynaecological treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNutrients
January 2025
Department of Biology, California State University, Northridge, CA 91330, USA.
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View Article and Find Full Text PDFGenes (Basel)
January 2025
Group for Human Molecular Genetics, Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering, University of Belgrade, Vojvode Stepe 444a, 11042 Belgrade, Serbia.
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