The Combined Bisulfite Restriction Analysis (COBRA) Assay for the Analysis of Locus-Specific Changes in Methylation Patterns.

DNA methylation is a heritable but reversible epigenetic mechanism of control over gene expression. The level of DNA methylation of specific genomic regions correlates with chromatin condensation, the level of gene expression, and in some cases genome stability and the frequency of homologous recombination. Here, we describe the combined bisulfite restriction analysis (COBRA) assay that allows analyzing the methylation status at a specific locus.

Response of lactating dairy cows to degree of steam-flaked barley grain in low-forage diets.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of processing method (grinding vs. steam flaking) and increasing densities of steam-flaked barley grain on dry matter intake (DMI), rumen pH and fermentation characteristics, digestibility of dry matter in the total digestive tract (DDTT), and milk production of dairy cows. Eight multiparous mid-lactation Holstein cows averaging 103 ± 24 DIM, 44.

Inferring the Skeletal Muscle Developmental Changes of Grazing and Barn-Fed Goats from Gene Expression Data.

Thirty-six Xiangdong black goats were used to investigate age-related mRNA and protein expression levels of some genes related to skeletal muscle structural proteins, MRFs and MEF2 family, and skeletal muscle fiber type and composition during skeletal muscle growth under grazing (G) and barn-fed (BF) feeding systems. Goats were slaughtered at six time points selected to reflect developmental changes of skeletal muscle during nonrumination (days 0, 7, and 14), transition (day 42), and rumination phases (days 56 and 70). It was observed that the number of type IIx in the longissimus dorsi was increased quickly while numbers of type IIa and IIb decreased slightly, indicating that these genes were coordinated during the rapid growth and development stages of skeletal muscle.

Draft Genome Sequence of an Enterococcus thailandicus Strain Isolated from Bovine Feces.

Here, we report the first draft genome sequence of Enterococcus thailandicus isolated from the feces of feedlot cattle in Southern Alberta.

Effect of Co-Composting Cattle Manure with Construction and Demolition Waste on the Archaeal, Bacterial, and Fungal Microbiota, and on Antimicrobial Resistance Determinants.

Agricultural operations generate large quantities of manure which must be eliminated in a manner that is consistent with public health guidelines. Meanwhile, construction and demolition waste makes up about 25% of total solid municipal waste. Co-composting of manure with construction and demolition waste offers a potential means to make manure safe for soil amendment and also divert construction and demolition waste from municipal landfills.

Structure and expression analysis of genes encoding ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase large subunit in wheat and its relatives.

ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGP), which consists of two large subunits (AGP-L) and two small subunits (AGP-S), controls the rate-limiting step in the starch biosynthetic pathway. In this study, a full-length open reading frame (ORF) of AGP-L gene (named as Agp2) in wheat and a series of Agp2 gene sequences in wheat relatives were isolated. The coding region of Agp2 contained 15 exons and 14 introns including a full-length ORF of 1566 nucleotides, and the deduced protein contained 522 amino acids (57.

Microbial keratinases: industrial enzymes with waste management potential.

Proteases are ubiquitous enzymes that occur in various biological systems ranging from microorganisms to higher organisms. Microbial proteases are largely utilized in various established industrial processes. Despite their numerous industrial applications, they are not efficient in hydrolysis of recalcitrant, protein-rich keratinous wastes which result in environmental pollution and health hazards.

Inheritance of Leaf Rust and Stripe Rust Resistance in the Brazilian Wheat Cultivar 'Toropi'.

Leaf rust (Puccinia triticina) and stripe rust (P. striiformis f. tritici) affect wheat production worldwide.

Crop residue management and fertilization effects on soil organic matter and associated biological properties.

Returning crop residue may result in nutrient reduction in soil in the first few years. A two-year field experiment was conducted to assess whether this negative effect is alleviated by improved crop residue management (CRM). Nine treatments (3 CRM and 3 N fertilizer rates) were used.

KdgF, the missing link in the microbial metabolism of uronate sugars from pectin and alginate.

Uronates are charged sugars that form the basis of two abundant sources of biomass-pectin and alginate-found in the cell walls of terrestrial plants and marine algae, respectively. These polysaccharides represent an important source of carbon to those organisms with the machinery to degrade them. The microbial pathways of pectin and alginate metabolism are well studied and essentially parallel; in both cases, unsaturated monouronates are produced and processed into the key metabolite 2-keto-3-deoxygluconate (KDG).

Relative contribution of ruminal buffering systems to pH regulation in feedlot cattle fed either low- or high-forage diets.

The relative contribution of ruminal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) absorption and salivary buffering to pH regulation could potentially change under different dietary conditions. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of altering the ruminal supply of rapidly fermentable carbohydrate (CHO) on absorptive function and salivation in beef cattle. Eight heifers (mean BW±SD=410±14 kg) were randomly allocated to two treatments in a crossover design with 37-day periods.

Evolution of the nasopharyngeal microbiota of beef cattle from weaning to 40 days after arrival at a feedlot.

Bovine respiratory disease complex (BRDc) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in beef cattle. There is recent evidence suggesting that the nasopharyngeal microbiota has a key role in respiratory health and disease susceptibility in cattle. However, there is a paucity of knowledge regarding evolution of the nasopharyngeal microbiota when cattle are most likely to develop BRDc (i.

Randomized, non-inferiority trial comparing a nitric oxide releasing solution with a macrolide antibiotic for control of bovine respiratory disease in beef feedlot calves at high-risk of developing respiratory tract disease.

Nitric oxide, a molecule produced in most mammalian cells, has bactericidal and virucidal properties. Nasal instillation of a nitric oxide releasing solution (NORS) on arrival at the feedlot was recently reported as non-inferior to a parenteral injection of a macrolide antibiotic, tilmicosin, for control of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) in cattle at low-to-moderate risk of developing BRD. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether NORS was non-inferior to tilmicosin for control of BRD in cattle at high-risk of developing BRD (the target population for many BRD control programs).

Contributions of a unique β-clamp to substrate recognition illuminates the molecular basis of exolysis in ferulic acid esterases.

Lignocellulosic biomass is a promising renewable resource; however, deconstruction of this material is still the rate-limiting step. Major obstacles in the biocatalytic turnover of lignocellulose are ester-linked decorations that prevent access to primary structural polysaccharides. Enzymes targeting these esters represent promising biotools for increasing bioconversion efficiency.

Comparative Genomic Analysis of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Isolated from Super-Shedder and Low-Shedder Cattle.

Cattle are the primary reservoir of the foodborne pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7, with the concentration and frequency of E. coli O157:H7 shedding varying substantially among individual hosts. The term ''super-shedder" has been applied to cattle that shed ≥10(4) cfu E.

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of Rectal Tissue from Beef Steers Revealed Reduced Host Immunity in Escherichia coli O157:H7 Super-Shedders.

Super-shedder cattle are a major disseminator of E. coli O157:H7 into the environment, and the terminal rectum has been proposed as the primary E. coli O157:H7 colonization site.

Cloning, Phylogenetic Analysis, and Distribution of Free Fatty Acid Receptor GPR120 Expression along the Gastrointestinal Tract of Housing versus Grazing Kid Goats.

G-protein-coupled receptor 120 (GPR120) is reported as a long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) receptor that elicits free fatty acid (FFA) regulation on metabolism homeostasis. The study aimed to clone the gpr120 gene of goats (g-GPR120) and subsequently investigate phylogenetic analysis and tissue distribution throughout the digestive tracts of kid goats, as well as the effect of housing versus grazing (H vs G) feeding systems on GPR120 expression. Partial coding sequence (CDS) of g-GPR120 was cloned and submitted to NCBI (accession no.

Effect of thermal and alkaline pretreatment of giant miscanthus and Chinese fountaingrass on biogas production.

Giant miscanthus (Miscanthus × giganteus) and Chinese fountaingrass (Pennisetum alopecuroides (L.) Spreng), cultivated for landscaping and soil conservation, are potential energy crops. The study investigated the effect of combined thermal and alkaline pretreatments on biogas production of these energy crops.

A Review of the McMorran Diet for Rearing Lepidoptera Species With Addition of a Further 39 Species.

Research on cutworms led us to explore the use of the McMorran diet to rear lepidopteran species, mainly Noctuidae, under laboratory conditions. We documented the development of 103 lepidopteran species, including 39 species not previously reported in the literature, to be reared on this diet. Given its low cost, ease of preparation, and wide species' acceptance, this diet provides a powerful tool for facilitating Lepidoptera and other insects rearing and research in the laboratory.

How Well Does LCA Model Land Use Impacts on Biodiversity?--A Comparison with Approaches from Ecology and Conservation.

The modeling of land use impacts on biodiversity is considered a priority in life cycle assessment (LCA). Many diverging approaches have been proposed in an expanding literature on the topic. The UNEP/SETAC Life Cycle Initiative is engaged in building consensus on a shared modeling framework to highlight best-practice and guide model application by practitioners.

Evaluation of Different Yeast Species for Improving In vitro Fermentation of Cereal Straws.

Information on the effects of different yeast species on ruminal fermentation is limited. This experiment was conducted in a 3×4 factorial arrangement to explore and compare the effects of addition of three different live yeast species (Candida utilis 1314, Saccharomyces cerevisiae 1355, and Candida tropicalis 1254) at four doses (0, 0.25×10(7), 0.

Inactivation of Escherichia coli O157 Bacteriophages by Using a Mixture of Ferrous Sulfate and Tea Extract.

Bacteriophages (phages) have been used for biocontrol of Escherichia coli O157 and other pathogenic bacteria in many different matrices and foods, but few studies have included inactivation of residual phages in culture medium before plating and enumeration of surviving host bacteria for the assessment of phage efficacy. This oversight may lead to overestimation of phage efficacy. The ability of virucidal solution containing a mixture of ferrous sulfate [iron(II) sulfate, FeSO4] and tea extract [Fe(II)T] to inactivate residual T5-like, T1-like, T4-like, and rV5-like phages was assessed using E.

Comparison of two live Bacillus species as feed additives for improving in vitro fermentation of cereal straws.

This study was performed in a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement to explore and compare the effects of inclusion of two live Bacillus additives (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis) at four doses (0, 0.

Effects of ivermectin application on the diversity and function of dung and soil fauna: Regulatory and scientific background information.

The application of veterinary medical products to livestock can impact soil organisms in manure-amended fields or adversely affect organisms that colonize dung pats of treated animals and potentially retard the degradation of dung on pastures. For this reason, the authorization process for veterinary medicinal products in the European Union includes a requirement for higher-tier tests when adverse effects on dung organisms are observed in single-species toxicity tests. However, no guidance documents for the performance of higher-tier tests are available.