Sperm capacitation in the domestic cat (Felis catus) and leopard cat (Felis bengalensis) as studied with a salt-stored zona pellucida penetration assay

Abstract In addition to including one of the most popular companion animals, species from the cat family Felidae serve as a powerful system for genetic analysis of inherited and infectious disease, as well as for the study of phenotypic evolution and speciation. Previous diploid-based genome assemblies for the domestic cat have served as the primary reference for genomic studies within the cat family. However, these versions suffered from poor resolution of complex and highly repetitive regions, with substantial amounts of unplaced sequence that is polymorphic or copy number variable. We sequenced the genome of a female F1 Bengal hybrid cat, the offspring of a domestic cat (Felis catus) x Asian leopard cat (Prionailurus bengalensis) cross, with PacBio long sequence reads and used Illumina sequence reads from the parents to phase >99.9% of the reads into the two species’ haplotypes. De novo assembly of the phased reads produced highly continuous haploid genome assemblies for the domestic cat and Asian leopard cat, with contig N50 statistics exceeding 83 Mb for both genomes. Whole genome alignments reveal the Felis and Prionailurus genomes are colinear, and the cytogenetic differences between the homologous F1 and E4 chromosomes represent a case of centromere repositioning in the absence of a chromosomal inversion. Both assemblies offer significant improvements over the previous domestic cat reference genome, with a 100% increase in contiguity and the capture of the vast majority of chromosome arms in one or two large contigs. We further demonstrated that comparably accurate F1 haplotype phasing can be achieved with members of the same species when one or both parents of the trio are not available. These novel genome resources will empower studies of feline precision medicine, adaptation and speciation.

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Postnatal developmental Histomorphological and histochemical study of the pancreas in the domestic cat (Felis Catus).

International Journal of Advanced Research ◽

10.21474/ijar01/3115 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 55-71

Author(s):

F.J.Al. Saffar. ◽

◽

M.F.Al. Zuhairy. ◽

Keyword(s):

Histochemical Study ◽

Felis Catus ◽

Domestic Cat

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The protein phosphatase with EF‐hand domain 1 is a calmodulin‐binding protein that interacts with proteins involved in sperm capacitation, binding to the zona pellucida, and motility

Molecular Reproduction and Development ◽

10.1002/mrd.23467 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 88 (4) ◽

pp. 302-317

Author(s):

Camille Lavoie‐Ouellet ◽

Marie‐Ève Clark ◽

Juliana Ruiz ◽

Andrée‐Anne Saindon ◽

Pierre Leclerc

Keyword(s):

Zona Pellucida ◽

Protein Phosphatase ◽

Binding Protein ◽

Sperm Capacitation ◽

Calmodulin Binding ◽

Ef Hand

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Do prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) change their activity and space use in response to domestic cat (Felis catus) excreta?

Mammalia ◽

10.1515/mammalia-2020-0012 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Brian Keane ◽

Phillip J. Long ◽

Yasmeen Fleifil ◽

Nancy G. Solomon

Keyword(s):

Space Use ◽

Felis Catus ◽

Domestic Cat ◽

Microtus Ochrogaster ◽

Activity Levels ◽

Domestic Cats ◽

Prairie Voles ◽

Natural Habitats ◽

Odor Cues ◽

Risk Of Predation

AbstractBehavioral changes that reduce the risk of predation in response to predator-derived odor cues are widespread among mammalian taxa and have received a great deal of attention. Although voles of the genus Microtus are staples in the diet of many mammalian predators, including domestic cats (Felis catus), there are no previous studies on vole space utilization and activity levels in response to odor cues from domestic cats. Therefore, the objective of our study was to investigate responses of adult prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) living in semi-natural habitats to odor cues from domestic cat excreta. Contrary to expectations, neither adult males or females showed significant changes in space use or willingness to enter traps in response to cat odors. One hypothesis to explain our results are that prairie voles have not co-evolved with domestic cats long enough to respond to their odors. Other possible explanations include whether levels of odors in the environment were sufficient to trigger a response or that the perceived risk of predation from odor cues alone did not outweigh relative costs of changing space use and activity levels. Future studies should consider multiple factors when determining what cues are sufficient to elicit antipredatory behavior.

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The Domestic Cat, Felis catus, as a Model of Hereditary and Infectious Disease

Sourcebook of Models for Biomedical Research ◽

10.1007/978-1-59745-285-4_25 ◽

2008 ◽

pp. 221-232 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Marilyn Menotti-Raymond ◽

Stephen J. O’Brien

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Felis Catus ◽

Domestic Cat

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A Molecular Survey on Neglected Gurltia paralysans and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus Infections in Domestic Cats (Felis catus) from Southern Chile

Pathogens ◽

10.3390/pathogens10091195 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (9) ◽

pp. 1195

Author(s):

Natasha Barrios ◽

Marcelo Gómez ◽

Macarena Zanelli ◽

Lisbeth Rojas-Barón ◽

Paulina Sepúlveda-García ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Risk Factors ◽

Large Scale ◽

Nematode Species ◽

Epidemiological Studies ◽

Felis Catus ◽

Domestic Cat ◽

Southern Chile ◽

Domestic Cats ◽

Aelurostrongylus Abstrusus ◽

Factors Associated

Gurltia paralysans and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus are neglected metastrongyloid nematode species which infect domestic and wild cats in South American countries and in Chile, but no epidemiological studies on concomitant infections have been conducted in Chile so far. The aim of this study was not only to evaluate the occurrence of concomitant infections, but also to identify epidemiological risk factors associated with of G. paralysans and A. abstrusus infections in urban domestic cats (Felis catus) from Southern Chile. Blood samples from clinically healthy domestic cats from three cities of Southern Chile—Temuco, Valdivia, and Puerto Montt—were analyzed by an experimental semi-nested PCR protocol. A total of 171 apparently healthy domestic cats in Temuco (n = 68), Valdivia (n = 50), and Puerto Montt (n = 53) were sampled and analyzed. A total of 93 domestic cats (54.4%) were positive for G. paralysans, and 34 (19.9%) were positive for A. abstrusus infections. From those animals, 34 (19.9%) were co-infected. Cats positive with G. paralysans were found in all three cities; 47.2% in Puerto Montt, 48% in Valdivia, and 64.7% in Temuco. Levels of infection for A. abstrusus in the population under study were 4% (Valdivia), 10% (Puerto Montt), and 32.4% (Temuco). The present large-scale epidemiological study confirmed the presence of these neglected nematodes in domestic cat populations in Southern Chile, and described the possible risk factors associated with feline gurltiosis and aelurostrongylosis.

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