Identification of restriction enzyme in the FSHR gene of indonesian local cattle

The restriction enzyme is important for genotyping using the PCR-RFLP technique. Therefore, this study aims to identify the restriction enzyme mapping in the partial sequence of the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) gene in Indonesian local cattle. A total of 29 samples sized 306 bp, were aligned with Genbank sequence acc no. NC_032660, resulting three polymorphic sites, namely g.193G>C, g.227T>C, and g.275A>C. Furthermore, the restriction mapping analysis using the NEBcutter program V2.0 showed that no enzyme recognized the SNP g.275A>C, while the SNP g.193G>C and g.227T>C were identified by the AluI and MscI enzymes, respectively. The AluI enzyme cuts at two positions (193 bp and 243 bp) in the G allele sample producing three fragments namely 50 bp, 63 bp, and 193 bp, meanwhile, in the C allele, the AluI cuts only in position 243 bp, hence, the fragment products are 63 bp and 243 bp. In contrast, the MscI enzyme was only recognized in the T allele, producing fragments sized 77 bp and 229 bp but failed to identify the restriction site along with the PCR products in the C allele. Based on the results, the SNPs (g.193G>C and g.227T>C) and restriction enzymes (AluI and MscI) are applicable for genotyping local Indonesian cattle using the PCR-RFLP technique in future studies.

Pitfalls of Restriction Enzyme Mapping Following Generation of CRISPR Constructs

Background: The PX330 and the related PX459 plasmids are widely used for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9-mediated genome editing. Screening for plasmids containing the correct sgRNA template insertion is one of the most important steps in this system. Different methods for screening the sgRNA inserts have been deployed. One such method is Restriction Enzyme (RE) mapping. Restriction enzyme mapping can be used to screen for numerous plasmid recombinants simultaneously. Methods: In this study, the sgRNA templates were initially cloned into the above PX459 plasmids. Subsequently, the accuracy of the constructs was determined by RE mapping. Results: This method was established to screen for sgRNA-bearing PX459 plasmids. However, numerous anomalies were detected after ligation of sgRNA templates into RE digested PX459 plasmids. Conclusion: Our data suggest that RE mapping is only appropriate as an initial screen and that the identity of all plasmids with the correctly identified RE maps should be confirmed by Sanger sequencing.

Microbial spatial footprint as a driver of soil carbon stabilization

Increasing the potential of soil to store carbon (C) is an acknowledged and emphasized strategy for capturing atmospheric CO2. Well-recognized approaches for soil C accretion include reducing soil disturbance, increasing plant biomass inputs, and enhancing plant diversity. Yet experimental evidence often fails to support anticipated C gains, suggesting that our integrated understanding of soil C accretion remains insufficient. Here we use a unique combination of X-ray micro-tomography and micro-scale enzyme mapping to demonstrate for the first time that plant-stimulated soil pore formation appears to be a major, hitherto unrecognized, determinant of whether new C inputs are stored or lost to the atmosphere. Unlike monocultures, diverse plant communities favor the development of 30–150 µm pores. Such pores are the micro-environments associated with higher enzyme activities, and greater abundance of such pores translates into a greater spatial footprint that microorganisms make on the soil and consequently soil C storage capacity.