Effects of Ambient Temperature on the Performance and Thermoregulatory Responses of Commercial and Crossbred (Brazilian Piau Purebred Sires × Commercial Dams) Growing-Finishing Pigs

The study aimed at evaluating the effects of high ambient temperature (HT: 30 °C) on the thermoregulatory responses and performance of commercial and Piau crossbred (Brazilian Piau breed sires × commercial genotype dams) growing pigs. Commercial and Piau crossbred pigs were reared under thermoneutral (TN: 22 °C) or HT conditions during a 14-day experimental period. Feeding (daily) and animals (beginning and end) were weighted to obtain performance parameters. Skin and rectal temperatures, respiratory rate, and blood parameters were also measured. At the end of the trial (day 15), the animal’s backfat thickness (BF) and loin eye area (LEA) were measured. No interaction (p > 0.05) between the genetic group and ambient temperature was observed for any performance trait. Irrespective of ambient temperature, Piau crossbred pigs had a similar feed intake (ADFI, 2615 g/day, on average; p > 0.05), lower daily weight gain (ADG, −234 g/day; p < 0.01), and a higher feed conversion ratio (FCR, +0.675 g/g; p < 0.01). There was interaction (p = 0.01) between genotype and ambient temperature for the LEA that decreased significantly in response to HT in commercial pigs (−6.88 cm2) and did not differ in response to ambient temperature in Piau crossbred pigs (29.14 cm2, on average; p > 0.05). Piau crossbred pigs had greater BF (+7.2 mm; p < 0.01) than commercial pigs. Regardless of the genetic group, exposure of pigs to HT resulted in decreased ADFI (−372 g/day; p < 0.01), ADG (−185 g/day; p < 0.01), and a higher FCR (+0.48 g/g; p = 0.01). Ambient temperature did not affect lipid deposition. Pigs at HT had an increased respiratory rate (+38 bpm; p < 0.01) and a long-lasting increase in skin and rectal temperatures compared to TN pigs. Total concentrations of triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were not affected by ambient temperature in commercial pigs, whereas Piau crossbred pigs kept at 30 °C had a transient decrease in both hormones at day 2 (p < 0.01). Serum cortisol concentrations were not affected (p > 0.05) by genotype nor ambient temperature. In summary, Piau crossbred pigs had lower efficiency using nutrients for growth in association with increased lipid deposition when compared to commercial pigs. In response to HT, commercial pigs had a decreased LEA, whereas no effect was observed for Piau crossbred pigs. Apart from that, commercial and Piau crossbred pigs had a similar magnitude of thermoregulatory responses activation in response to HT, evidencing their innate survival-oriented function.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity of Rice in Registered Cultivars and Farmers’ Fields in Burkina Faso

The genetic diversity of cultivated rice in farmers’ fields remains understudied in West Africa despite the importance of rice for food security in this region. In this study, we genotyped rice samples from Burkina Faso using the C6AIR SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) array (IRRI), including 27 registered cultivars and 50 rice samples collected in rice fields from three geographical zones in western Burkina Faso. Most of the registered cultivars clustered with the indica genetic group, except seven assigned to japonica and one admix. All but one of the rice samples from farmers’ fields belonged to the indica group. The other field sample, which unexpectedly clustered with the Aus genetic group, originated from a rainfed lowland site known to differ in terms of agronomic practices, and which revealed to be highly differentiated from the five other sites. Apart from this peculiar site, the rice grown in irrigated areas did not differ from rice sampled in rainfed lowlands. Finally, obtained genetic data confirmed the high frequency of one cultivar, in congruence with farmers’ interviews. We argue on the importance to document and preserve the high agro-biodiversity observed in rice from Burkina Faso as a prerequisite to face the current challenges of growing rice demand and global change.

Genotype Environment Interaction on Milk Production Traits of Crossbred Dairy Cows under Tropical Climatic Condition of India

Background: Genotype environment interaction plays vital role in animal productivity. Heat stress is one of the major environmental stressor affecting milk production and measured in terms of temperature humidity index (THI). Indian milk industry largely depends on crossbred cows bearing different degree of exotic inheritance. Thus, the role of genotype (genetic group) of the crossbred cows and environment (THI) interaction plays vital role in Indian climate which is mostly tropical in nature. Therefore, study was undertaken to examine the existence of genetic group × THI in crossbred dairy cows reared at institute herd of ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Eastern Regional Station, Kalyani, West Bengal. Methods: A total of 12364 records each of monthly milk yield (MMY) and average daily milk yield in a month (AMY) of crossbred cows spanned over twenty two years (1994-2015) and weather parameters(temperature and relative humidity) for the corresponding years were collected from institute records. The data were classified into 8 genetic groups according to the genetic composition and 3 THI groups (THI less than 72, THI 72-78 and THI above 78). The interaction model was used to study the G×E interaction study using least squares analysis. Result: Effect of non-genetic factors (parity, period of calving and stage of lactation) was found to be highly significant (P less than 0.01) and genetic group × THI was significant (P less than 0.05) of on both MMY and AMY. Genetic group bearing 50% Jersey and 50% Red Sindhi or Tharparkar were the most heat tolerant breeds. Jersey crossbred cows were more heat tolerant than Holstein crossbred cows. Crossbred cows with 50% Jersey inheritance performed better than higher Jersey inheritance during periods of THI above 72.

Flor Yeasts Rewire the Central Carbon Metabolism During Wine Alcoholic Fermentation

The identification of natural allelic variations controlling quantitative traits could contribute to decipher metabolic adaptation mechanisms within different populations of the same species. Such variations could result from human-mediated selection pressures and participate to the domestication. In this study, the genetic causes of the phenotypic variability of the central carbon metabolism of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were investigated in the context of the enological fermentation. The genetic determinism of this trait was found out by a quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping approach using the offspring of two strains belonging to the wine genetic group of the species. A total of 14 QTL were identified from which 8 were validated down to the gene level by genetic engineering. The allelic frequencies of the validated genes within 403 enological strains showed that most of the validated QTL had allelic variations involving flor yeast specific alleles. Those alleles were brought in the offspring by one parental strain that contains introgressions from the flor yeast genetic group. The causative genes identified are functionally linked to quantitative proteomic variations that would explain divergent metabolic features of wine and flor yeasts involving the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA), the glyoxylate shunt and the homeostasis of proton and redox cofactors. Overall, this work led to the identification of genetic factors that are hallmarks of adaptive divergence between flor yeast and wine yeast in the wine biotope. These results also reveal that introgressions originated from intraspecific hybridization events promoted phenotypic variability of carbon metabolism observed in wine strains.

Whole-Genome Sequences of SARS-CoV-2 Isolates from Ethiopian Patients

Three complete severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) genomes from Ethiopian patients were compared with deposited global genomes. Two genomes belonged to genetic group 20A/B.1/GH, and the other belonged to genetic group 20A/B.1.480/GH. Enhancing genomic capacity is important to investigate the transmission and to monitor the evolution and mutational patterns of SARS-CoV-2 in this country.

Genomic estimation of quantitative genetic parameters in wild admixed populations

Heritable genetic variation among free-living animals or plants is essential for populations to respond to selection and adapt. It is therefore important to be able to estimate additive genetic variance VA, which can be obtained using a generalized linear mixed model known as the animal model. An underlying assumption of the standard animal model is that the study population is genetically unstructured, which is often unrealistic. In fact, admixture might be the norm rather than the exception in the wild, like in geographically structured populations, in the presence of (im)migration, or in re-introduction and conservation contexts. Unfortunately, animal model estimators may be biased in such cases. So-called genetic group animal models that account for genetically differentiated subpopulations have recently become popular, but methodology is currently only available for cases where relatedness among individuals can be estimated from pedigrees.To ensure that the animal model remains useful in future applications, there is a clear need to generalize genetic group animal models with heterogeneous VA to the case when exclusively genomic data is available. We therefore introduce such methodology for wild admixed systems by extending methods that were recently suggested in the context of plant breeding. Our extension relaxes the limiting assumptions that currently restrict their use to artificial breeding setups.We illustrate the usefulness of the extended genomic genetic groups animal model on a wild admixed population of house sparrows resident in an island system in Northern Norway, where genome-wide data on more than 180 000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) is available to derive genomic relatedness. We compare our estimates of quantitative genetic parameters to those derived from a corresponding pedigree-based genetic groups animal model. The satisfactory agreement indicates that the new method works as expected.Our extension of the very popular animal model ensures that the upcoming challenges with increasing availability of genomic data for quantitative genetic studies of wild admixed populations can be handled. To make the method widely available to the scientific community, we offer guidance in the form of a tutorial including step-by-step instructions to facilitate implementation.

Genetic Structure and Diversity of Rice From Certified Cultivars and Farmer’s Fields in Burkina Faso

Background: In West Africa, two rice species are cultivated, the African rice Oryza glaberrima and the Asian rice Oryza sativa, the second one being much more frequent. Despite its importance for food security in West Africa, the genetic diversity of Oryza sativa in farmer’s fields remains understudied in this region. Documenting the dynamics of diversity in the fields between landraces and improved cultivars is of importance to ensure rice cultivation adaptation to global change.In this study, we genotyped 77 rice samples from Burkina Faso using the C6AIR SNP array from IRRI. Among the studied samples, 27 were certified cultivars and 50 were sampled in rice fields from three geographical zones in western Burkina Faso, each zone comprising one irrigated area and a neighboring rainfed lowland. Obtained data were analyzed in the frame of the worldwide rice genetic diversity by using the 3K genomes as reference.Results: Most of the certified cultivars clustered with the indica genetic group, with a minority (26%) assigned to the japonica group. All except one of the rice samples from farmer’s fields belonged to the indica group. The peculiar one unexpectedly clustered with the Aus genetic group and originated from Tengrela (rainfed lowland in Karfiguela zone). This site, already known to differ in terms of agronomic practices, showed the highest genetic diversity compared to the five other sites, as well as highest genetic differentiation. Obtained genetic data confirmed the high global frequency of one cultivar, in accordance with the data from farmer’s interview. However, at the field level, genetic data rarely corresponded to the cultivar’s names obtained from farmer’s interviews.Conclusions: Overall we found a high genetic diversity in the studied samples from Burkina Faso (certified and field’s samples). We argue on the importance to document and preserve this agro-biodiversity as a prerequisite to face the current challenges of growing rice demand and global change. To this purpose, are required further scientific studies to refine our understanding of the dynamics of diversity in farmers’ fields, as well as a better knowledge of rice agro-biodiversity and awareness of its importance by rice farmers themselves.

Comparison of clinical rating scales in genetic frontotemporal dementia within the GENFI cohort

BackgroundTherapeutic trials are now underway in genetic forms of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) but clinical outcome measures are limited. The two most commonly used measures, the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR)+National Alzheimer’s Disease Coordinating Center (NACC) Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration (FTLD) and the FTD Rating Scale (FRS), have yet to be compared in detail in the genetic forms of FTD.MethodsThe CDR+NACC FTLD and FRS were assessed cross-sectionally in 725 consecutively recruited participants from the Genetic FTD Initiative: 457 mutation carriers (77 microtubule-associated protein tau (MAPT), 187 GRN, 193 C9orf72) and 268 family members without mutations (non-carrier control group). 231 mutation carriers (51 MAPT, 92 GRN, 88 C9orf72) and 145 non-carriers had available longitudinal data at a follow-up time point.ResultsCross-sectionally, the mean FRS score was lower in all genetic groups compared with controls: GRN mutation carriers mean 83.4 (SD 27.0), MAPT mutation carriers 78.2 (28.8), C9orf72 mutation carriers 71.0 (34.0), controls 96.2 (7.7), p<0.001 for all comparisons, while the mean CDR+NACC FTLD Sum of Boxes was significantly higher in all genetic groups: GRN mutation carriers mean 2.6 (5.2), MAPT mutation carriers 3.2 (5.6), C9orf72 mutation carriers 4.2 (6.2), controls 0.2 (0.6), p<0.001 for all comparisons. Mean FRS score decreased and CDR+NACC FTLD Sum of Boxes increased with increasing disease severity within each individual genetic group. FRS and CDR+NACC FTLD Sum of Boxes scores were strongly negatively correlated across all mutation carriers (rs=−0.77, p<0.001) and within each genetic group (rs=−0.67 to −0.81, p<0.001 in each group). Nonetheless, discrepancies in disease staging were seen between the scales, and with each scale and clinician-judged symptomatic status. Longitudinally, annualised change in both FRS and CDR+NACC FTLD Sum of Boxes scores initially increased with disease severity level before decreasing in those with the most severe disease: controls −0.1 (6.0) for FRS, −0.1 (0.4) for CDR+NACC FTLD Sum of Boxes, asymptomatic mutation carriers −0.5 (8.2), 0.2 (0.9), prodromal disease −2.3 (9.9), 0.6 (2.7), mild disease −10.2 (18.6), 3.0 (4.1), moderate disease −9.6 (16.6), 4.4 (4.0), severe disease −2.7 (8.3), 1.7 (3.3). Sample sizes were calculated for a trial of prodromal mutation carriers: over 180 participants per arm would be needed to detect a moderate sized effect (30%) for both outcome measures, with sample sizes lower for the FRS.ConclusionsBoth the FRS and CDR+NACC FTLD measure disease severity in genetic FTD mutation carriers throughout the timeline of their disease, although the FRS may be preferable as an outcome measure. However, neither address a number of key symptoms in the FTD spectrum, for example, motor and neuropsychiatric deficits, which future scales will need to incorporate.