Publications

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accounting for female space sharing in st. kilda soay sheep (ovis aries) results in little change in heritability estimates.when estimating heritability in free-living populations, it is common practice to account for common environment effects, because of their potential to generate phenotypic covariance among relatives thereby biasing heritability estimates. in quantitative genetic studies of natural populations, however, philopatry, which results in relatives being clustered in space, is rarely accounted for. the two studies that have been carried out so far suggest absolute declines in heritability estimates of u ...201727747954
characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of ujumuqin sheep (ovis aries).sheep is one of the most important and widespread domestic animals. nevertheless, the origins of most sheep breeds are poorly understood, specifically the fat-tailed sheep that maternally originates from a specific group. here, we reported the whole mitochondrial dna of ujumuqin sheep (ovis aries), derived from one of the oldest fat-tailed sheep breed-mongolian sheep in china. it harbors 2 ribosomal rna genes, 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer rna genes, and a d-loop region. the mitogenome is ...201726713817
biallelic β-carotene oxygenase 2 knockout results in yellow fat in sheep via crispr/cas9.the recently emerged crispr/cas9 approach represents an efficient and versatile genome editing tool for producing genetically modified animals. β-carotene oxygenase 2 (bco2) is a key enzyme in the progress of β-carotene metabolism and is associated with yellow adipose tissue color in sheep. we have recently demonstrated targeted multiplex mutagenesis in sheep and have generated a group of bco2-disrupted sheep by zygote injection of the crispr/cas9 components. here, we show that biallelic modific ...201727862083
cytochrome b conservation between six camel breeds reared in egypt.this study was aimed to assess cytochrome b conservation in six breeds of camels reared in egypt and to compare its sequence with those of other livestock species. the 208-bp fragments from camel mtdna cyto b were amplified using pcr for 54 camels belonging to 6 camel breeds reared in egypt. the alignment of camel cyto b sequences showed the presence of two polymorphic sites resulting in four haplotypes and their nucleotide sequences were submitted to genbank under the accession numbers: kx90989 ...201730647635
new polymorphism in the 5' flanking region of igf-1 gene and its association with wool traits in egyptian barki sheep.insulin-like growth factor-1 gene (igf-1) is considered as a major candidate gene for the economic traits of animal production. polymorphism of 5' flanking region of igf-1 gene in barki sheep (n = 91) and its association with wool traits were studied using the polymerase chain reaction coupled with single-strand conformation polymorphism technique (pcr-sscp), pcr-restriction fragment length polymorphism (pcr-rflp), sequence analysis and different measurements of wool traits (clean fleece weight ...201730647684
isolation and identification of mycoplasma agalactiae by culture and polymerase chain reaction methods in the sheep herds in guilan province, iran.contagious agalactia is an infectious syndrome of sheep that is characterized by mastitis with reduction of milk production, arthritis, abortion, and keratoconjunctivitis. the disease is rapidly spread by the contact of the infected animals with the healthy ones. domestic sheep and goats of both sexes can be infected at an equivalent frequency. most of the researchers use culture and molecular methods for the isolation and identification of mycoplasma. mycoplasma agalactiae is the main cause of ...201730315697
differentiation potential of neural stem cells derived from fetal sheep.neural stem cells (nscs) are multipotent stem cells that can differentiate into many cell types in vitro. in this study, we isolated and established an nsc line from fetal ovis aries. based on the results of immunofluorescence staining, nscs expressed nestin, pax6 and map2. moreover, a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay was used to biologically characterize the cell line. nscs were induced to differentiate into neurogenic cells in vitro. they expressed map2, glial fibrillary a ...201730460074
cervical myelomalacia in a lamb (ovis aries) and an alpaca (vicugna pacos) after attempted intramuscular injection. 201623061655
[comparative analysis of the effectiveness of str and snp markers for intraspecific and interspecific differentiation of the genus ovis].a comparative study of the informativeness of snp and str markers for interspecific and intraspecific differentiation of the two species of the genus ovis, snow sheep (o. nivicola) and domestic sheep (o. aries), was conducted. eleven str loci combined into two multiplex panels were examined. snp analysis was performed with the dna microarray ovinesnp50k beadchip featuring 54241 snps. the possibility of clear differentiation of the studied ovis species with both types of genetic markers was demon ...201627183797
the effect of soft tissue on temperature estimation from burnt bone using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.this study investigated the effect of soft tissue and different exposure times on the prediction of burning temperatures of bone when using fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ftir). ovis aries rib bones were burnt at different temperatures and for varying time intervals. results of a linear regression analysis indicated that burn temperatures can be predicted with a standard error of ±70 °c from defleshed bone spectra. exposure time does not have a significant impact on prediction accuracy ...201626275238
effect of ammonia-generating diet on ovine serum and follicular fluid ammonia and urea levels, serum oestrogen and progesterone concentrations and granulosa cell functions.this study was undertaken to elucidate the effect of ammonia-generating diet on serum and follicular fluid ammonia and urea levels, serum oestrogen and progesterone concentrations and granulosa cell growth and secretion parameters in ewes (ovis aries). ewes were fed with 14% cp diet (control) or ammonia-generating diet or ammonia-generating diet plus soluble sugar. the serum and follicular fluid ammonia and urea level, serum oestrogen and progesterone levels and granulosa cell (obtained from ova ...201626211538
high occurrence of mitochondrial heteroplasmy in nepalese indigenous sheep (ovis aries) compared to chinese sheep.heteroplasmy due to length polymorphism with tandem repeats in mtdnas within individual was hardly studied in domestic animals. in the present study, we identified intra-individual length variation in the control region of mtdnas in nepalese sheep by molecular cloning and sequencing techniques. we observed one to four tandem repeats of a 75-bp nucleotide sequences in the mtdna control region in 45% of the total nepalese sheep sampled in contrast to the chinese sheep, indicating that the heteropl ...201626084311
echocardiographic assessment of aortic valve annular and left ventricular outflow tract diameter in conscious and anesthetized adult sheep prior to prosthetic aortic valve implantation.prosthetic heart valve implantation is commonly performed in patients that have valvular heart disease. prior to clinical evaluation of newly developed prostheses, preclinical animal studies are performed for the assessment of both acute and chronic valvular function. commonly, one size of valve is used in these preclinical studies, which can present difficulties with the implantation procedure and assessing valve function. due to these potential problems, we developed a preoperative screening a ...201626702146
effect of pasture size on behavioural synchronization and spacing in german blackface ewes (ovis aries).this study aims to assess plot size related changes in spacing and behavioural synchronization in a herd of 14 german blackface ewes kept on three different pasture sizes: s (126m(2)), m (1100m(2)), and l (11,200m(2)). in direct field observations, behaviour and nearest neighbour distance were recorded individually. additionally, interindividual and nearest neighbour distances were derived from aerial photographs of the herd taken on plot sizes s and m. nearest neighbour distances <1m accounted ...201626679823
the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of the wild huoba tibetan sheep of the qinghai-tibetan plateau in china.the wild huoba tibetan sheep belongs to the subfamily caprinae, which distributes in huoba town of tibet autonomous region, china. in the present work, we report the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of wild huoba tibetan sheep for the first time. the total length of the mitogenome is 16 621 bp, consisting of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer rna (trna) genes, two ribosomal rna (rrna) genes, and a non-coding control region (d-loop region). as in other mammals, most mitochondrial genes ar ...201626642886
identification of a new alpha-2-macroglobulin: multi-spectroscopic and isothermal titration calorimetry study.a α2m homologue was isolated from sheep (ovis aries) blood plasma, using a simple two-step procedure, ammonium sulphate fractionation and gel filtration chromatography. sheep α2m was found to be a large tetrameric glycoprotein of 630 kda with monomeric subunit of 133 kda each. each subunit of sheep α2m was found to be made up of two fragments of 102 and 31 kda respectively. the proteinase inhibitor from sheep was found to have stokes radius of 79ǻ, which makes it much more compact than its human ...201626608004
identification and characterization of mirnas in the ovaries of a highly prolific sheep breed.until recently, there have been few studies concerning mirnas or mirna-mediated biological processes in sheep (ovis aries). in the present study, we used a deep-sequencing approach to examine ovarian mirnas and the mrna transcriptomes in two ewes of a highly prolific breed, finnsheep. we identified 113 known sheep mirnas, 131 mirnas conserved in other mammals and 60 novel mirnas, the expression levels of which accounted for 78.22%, 21.73% and 0.05% of the total respectively. furthermore, the 10 ...201626582387
ammonia concentrations in different size classes of ovarian follicles of sheep (ovis aries): possible mechanisms of accumulation and its effect on oocyte and granulosa cell growth in vitro.the present study investigated the concentrations and the mechanisms of accumulation of ammonia in different sizes of ovarian follicles and the effect of ammonia on oocyte and granulosa cell growth and functions in vitro with sheep (ovis aries) as an animal model. the effects of cyclicity, seasonality, phases of the estrous cycle, and seasons (environmental) on ammonia concentrations in follicular fluid were also investigated. the effect of ammonia on in vitro development of oocytes (maturation ...201626547442
growth hormone polymorphisms and growth traits in chinese tibetan sheep ovis aries.growth hormone (gh) plays an important role in promoting growth, protein and muscle accretion, and fat catabolism, suggesting that gh is a potential candidate gene affecting growth traits in vertebrates. in this paper, polymorphisms in gh were investigated in 632 chinese tibetan sheep, by using dna sequencing. three single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified, including two mutations (g.616g>a and g.624g>a) in intron 2 and one synonymous mutation (g.498g>c) in exon 2. association analyses sh ...201627706626
whole genome snp scanning of snow sheep (ovis nivicola).this is the first report performing the whole genome snp scanning of snow sheep (ovis nivicola). samples of snow sheep (n = 18) collected in six different regions of the republic of sakha (yakutia) from 64° to 71° n. for snp genotyping, we applied ovine 50k snp beadchip (illumina, united states), designed for domestic sheep. the total number of genotyped snps (call rate 90%) was 47796 (88.1% of total snps), wherein 1006 snps were polymorphic (2.1%). principal component analysis (pca) showed the ...201627599514
mapping the four-horned locus and testing the polled locus in three chinese sheep breeds.four-horned sheep are an ideal animal model for illuminating the genetic basis of horn development. the objective of this study was to locate the genetic region responsible for the four-horned phenotype and to verify a previously reported polled locus in three chinese breeds. a genome-wide association study (gwas) was performed using 34 two-horned and 32 four-horned sheep from three chinese indigenous breeds: altay, mongolian and sishui fur sheep. the top two significant single nucleotide polymo ...201627427781
rumen ciliates in brazilian sheep (ovis aries), with new records and redescription of entodinium contractum (entodiniomorphida: ophryoscolecidae).the species composition, prevalence, and average relative abundance of rumen ciliates were analyzed in 16 brazilian sheep. 28 species of ciliates were identified belonging to 3 families: isotrichidae, ophryoscolecidae, and parentodiniidae. among these ciliates, entodinium alces, metadinium esalqum, and m. rotundatum were found for the first time in sheep, and other 12 species for the first time in brazilian sheep. different morphotypes of parentodiniid ciliates were identified in 7 of the 16 she ...201627394342
molecular cloning, characterization and tissue specificity of the expression of the ovine csrp2 and csrp3 genes from small-tail han sheep (ovis aries).two genes, cysteine- and glycine-rich protein 2 (csrp2) and cysteine- and glycine-rich protein 3 (csrp3), play important roles in tissue-specific cell growth and development. however, few csrp2 and csrp3 genes have been functionally characterized in sheep. in this study, the full-length cdnas of the csrp2 and csrp3 genes were cloned from small-tail han sheep by rapid amplification of cdna ends-pcr. the genbank accession numbers of the full-length csrp2 and csrp3 cdna sequences are kj743957 and k ...201626779824
snp discovery in candidate adaptive genes using exon capture in a free-ranging alpine ungulate.identification of genes underlying genomic signatures of natural selection is key to understanding adaptation to local conditions. we used targeted resequencing to identify snp markers in 5321 candidate adaptive genes associated with known immunological, metabolic and growth functions in ovids and other ungulates. we selectively targeted 8161 exons in protein-coding and nearby 5' and 3' untranslated regions of chosen candidate genes. targeted sequences were taken from bighorn sheep (ovis canaden ...201627327375
three slow skeletal muscle troponin genes in small-tailed han sheep (ovis aries): molecular cloning, characterization and expression analysis.to explore the basic characteristics and expressing profile of the three slow skeletal muscle troponin genes tnnc1 (troponin c type 1), tnni1 (troponin i type 1) and tnnt1 (troponin t type 1). three purebred dorper sheep and another three purebred small-tailed han sheep were selected. the sequence of the genes from the small-tailed han sheep was cloned using rapid amplification of cdna ends and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction; the characteristics of the predicted amino acids sequ ...201627295221
identification of differentially expressed gnαs and gnα11 in sheep (ovis aries) skins associated with white and black coat colors.guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit alpha-s (gnαs) and guanine nucleotide-binding protein subunit alpha-11 (gnα11) play an important role in coat color formation. to improve our understanding of gnαs and gnα11 expression levels and pattern in the skin of black sheep (ovis aries) compared with white sheep, we analyzed the expression levels through quantitative real time pcr (qpcr) and western blot, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. qpcr and western blot results suggested that gn ...201626767972
mitochondrial dna variation of domestic sheep (ovis aries) in kenya.the history of domestic sheep (ovis aries) in africa remains largely unknown. after being first introduced from the near east, sheep gradually spread through the african continent with pastoral societies. the eastern part of africa was important either for the first diffusion of sheep southward or for putative secondary introductions from the arabian peninsula or southern asia. we analysed mitochondrial dna control region sequences of 91 domestic sheep from kenya and found a high diversity of ma ...201626765790
ovine tendon collagen: extraction, characterisation and fabrication of thin films for tissue engineering applications.collagen is the most abundant extracellular matrix (ecm) protein in the human body, thus widely used in tissue engineering and subsequent clinical applications. this study aimed to extract collagen from ovine (ovis aries) achilles tendon (otc), and to evaluate its physicochemical properties and its potential to fabricate thin film with collagen fibrils in a random or aligned orientation. acid-solubilized protein was extracted from ovine achilles tendon using 0.35m acetic acid, and 80% of extract ...201627524008
limited sharing of tick-borne hemoparasites between sympatric wild and domestic ungulates.tick-borne hemoparasites (tbhs) are a group of pathogens of concern in animal management because they are associated with a diversity of hosts, including both wild and domestic species. however, little is known about how frequently tbhs are shared across the wildlife-livestock interface in natural settings. here, we compared the tbhs of wild grant's gazelle (nanger granti) and domestic sheep (ovis aries) in a region of kenya where these species extensively overlap. blood samples collected from e ...201627514903
experimental transmission of bighorn sheep sinus tumors to bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis canadensis) and domestic sheep.bighorn sheep sinus tumors are a recently described disease affecting the paranasal sinuses of rocky mountain bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis canadensis). several features of this disease suggest an infectious cause, although a specific etiologic agent has not been identified. to test the hypothesis that bighorn sheep sinus tumors are caused by an infectious agent, we inoculated 4 bighorn sheep lambs and 4 domestic sheep lambs intranasally with a cell-free filtrate derived from a naturally occurr ...201627020536
in silico prediction of long intergenic non-coding rnas in sheep.long non-coding rnas (lncrnas) are transcribed rna molecules >200 nucleotides in length that do not encode proteins and serve as key regulators of diverse biological processes. recently, thousands of long intergenic non-coding rnas (lincrnas), a type of lncrnas, have been identified in mammalians using massive parallel large sequencing technologies. the availability of the genome sequence of sheep (ovis aries) has allowed us genomic prediction of non-coding rnas. this is the first study to ident ...201627002388
how the foraging decisions of a small ruminant are influenced by past feeding experiences with low-quality food.feeding experiences with low-quality foods can be improved when these foods are ingested in close temporal association with foods of higher nutritional quality. however, preference for low-quality foods in nature seems to be rather insensitive to past positive experiences and more related to their intrinsic nutritional value. an explanation for this observation is still lacking, mainly because little is known about how herbivores use information about low-quality foods during foraging. our objec ...201626927320
induced lipid peroxidation in ram sperm: semen profile, dna fragmentation and antioxidant status.action of reactive oxygen species, protamination failures and apoptosis are considered the most important etiologies of sperm dna fragmentation. this study evaluated the effects of induced lipid peroxidation susceptibility on native semen profile and identified the mechanisms involved in sperm dna fragmentation and testicular antioxidant defense on santa ines ram sperm samples. semen was collected from 12 adult rams (ovis aries) performed weekly over a 9-week period. sperm analysis (motility, ma ...201626811546
maternal and paternal genetic diversity of ancient sheep in estonia from the late bronze age to the post-medieval period and comparison with other regions in eurasia.sheep were among the first domesticated animals to appear in estonia in the late neolithic and became one of the most widespread livestock species in the region from the late bronze age onwards. however, the origin and historical expansion of local sheep populations in estonia remain poorly understood. here, we analysed fragments of the hypervariable d-loop of mitochondrial dna (mtdna; 213 bp) and the y-chromosome sry gene (130 bp) extracted from 31 archaeological sheep bones dated from approxim ...201626805771
the physiological consequences of ingesting a toxic plant (diplotaxis tenuifolia) influence subsequent foraging decisions by sheep (ovis aries).toxins and nutrients interact and define herbivores' experiences with toxic plants. however, there are still open questions about the mechanisms by which nutrient-toxin interactions affect experience and as a consequence foraging decisions by consumers. this study provides a deeper insight into such mechanisms by using supplemental nutrients, a toxic plant typically avoided by herbivores (wild rocket; diplotaxis tenuifolia), and a small ruminant (sheep; ovis aries) as models. thirty-six sheep we ...201627650920
atomic structure of the entire mammalian mitochondrial complex i.mitochondrial complex i (also known as nadh:ubiquinone oxidoreductase) contributes to cellular energy production by transferring electrons from nadh to ubiquinone coupled to proton translocation across the membrane. it is the largest protein assembly of the respiratory chain with a total mass of 970 kilodaltons. here we present a nearly complete atomic structure of ovine (ovis aries) mitochondrial complex i at 3.9 å resolution, solved by cryo-electron microscopy with cross-linking and mass-spect ...201627595392
non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and chlordecone release from adipose tissue to blood in response to body fat mobilization in ewe (ovis aries).understanding how persistent organic pollutants (pops) are released from adipose tissue (at) to blood is a critical step in proposing rearing strategies hastening the removal of pops from contaminated livestock. the current study aimed to determine in nonlactating ewes whether polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs) and chlordecone are released from at to blood along with lipids during body fat mobilization achieved through β-agonist challenges or undernutrition. β-agonist challenges did not affect ser ...201626761077
the complete mitochondrial genome of domestic sheep, ovis aries.in this study, we report a complete mitochondrial (mt) genome sequence of the texel ewe, ovis aries. the total genome is 16,615 bp in length and its overall base composition was estimated to be 33.68% for a, 27.36% for t, 25.86% for c, and 13.10% for g indicating an at-rich (61.04%) feature in the o. aries mtgenome. it contains a total of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer rna genes, 2 ribosomal rna genes and a control region (d-loop region). comparisons with other publicly available sheep mit ...201625163015
polyceraty (multi-horns) in damara sheep maps to ovine chromosome 2.polyceraty (presence of multiple horns) is rare in modern day ungulates. although not found in wild sheep, polyceraty does occur in a small number of domestic sheep breeds covering a wide geographical region. damara are fat-tailed hair sheep, from the south-western region of africa, which display polyceraty, with horn number ranging from zero to four. we conducted a genome-wide association study for horn number with 43 damara genotyped with 606 006 snp markers. the analysis revealed a region wit ...201626767563
choosing sheep (ovis aries) as animal model for temporomandibular joint research: morphological, histological and biomechanical characterization of the joint disc.preclinical trials are essential to the development of scientific technologies. remarkable molecular and cellular research has been done using small animal models. however, significant differences exist regarding the articular behavior between these models and humans. thus, large animal models may be more appropriate to perform trials involving the temporomandibular joint (tmj). the aim of this work was to make a morphological (anatomic dissection and white light 3d scanning system), histologica ...201627450042
[comparative estimate of the sheep breed gene pools using issr analysis].using the issr-pcr technique, the genetic structure of nine sheep breeds (ovis aries) bred on the territories of russia and mongolia was examined. species-specific and breed-specific dna fragments were identified. for the first time, data on the genetic diversity of telengit and buubey sheep breeds were obtained. the main parameters of the genetic diversity and the breed structure were assessed, and the phylogenetic relationships and genetic distances between the studied breeds were determined. ...201627281855
genome-wide set of snps reveals evidence for two glacial refugia and admixture from postglacial recolonization in an alpine ungulate.past glaciation events have played a major role in shaping the genetic diversity and distribution of wild sheep in north america. the advancement of glaciers can isolate populations in ice-free refugia, where they can survive until the recession of ice sheets. the major beringian refugium is thought to have held thinhorn sheep (ovis dalli) populations during times of glacial advance. while isolation in the major refugium can account for much of the genetic and morphological diversity seen in ext ...201627272944
a method to assess the location and positional stability of supra-choroidal retinal neuroprostheses.electrical stimulation of the retina is now firmly established as a means of restoration of rudimentary vision for blindness particularly that caused by retinitis pigmentosa. of the various approaches, the novel positioning of an ultra-thin stimulating electrode array (sea) posterior to the choroid has shown promising results. following their implantation, reliable imaging methods are essential to establish the sea's location relative to the optic disk and retinal vasculature. because the opacit ...201628269326
in vitro culture of oocytes and granulosa cells collected from normal, obese, emaciated and metabolically stressed ewes.the present study was undertaken to investigate the oocyte morphology, its fertilizing capacity and granulosa cell functions in ewes (obese, normal, metabolic stressed and emaciated). ewes (ovis aries) of approximately 3 years of age (bellary breed) from a local village were screened, chosen and categorized into a) normal b) obese but not metabolically stressed, c) emaciated but not metabolically stressed d) metabolically stressed based on body condition scoring and blood markers. oocytes and gr ...201627095612
an in vitro evaluation of biochemical processes involved in lead-induced changes on ram spermatozoa.lead (pb(2+) ) is a toxic heavy metal which interferes with several physiological processes regulated by ca(2+) , including those characterized by changes of the membrane stability and the motility of spermatozoa necessary for the fertilization of the oocyte. in this study, ejaculated sperm from six rams (ovis aries) have been incubated in vitro with or without 50 ng pb(2+) /ml during 30 min and in the presence or absence of three different potential modulators of the effects of pb(2+) on change ...201627095430
glass polyalkenoate cements designed for cranioplasty applications: an evaluation of their physical and mechanical properties.glass polyalkenoate cements (gpcs) have potential for skeletal cementation. unfortunately, commercial gpcs all contain, and subsequently release, aluminum ions, which have been implicated in degenerative brain disease. the purpose of this research was to create a series of aluminum-free gpcs constructed from silicate (sio₂), calcium (cao), zinc (zno) and sodium (na₂o)-containing glasses mixed with poly-acrylic acid (paa) and to evaluate the potential of these cements for cranioplasty application ...201627023623
objective characterization of airway dimensions using image processing.with the evolution of medical and surgical management for pediatric airway disorders, the development of easily translated techniques of measuring airway dimensions can improve the quantification of outcomes of these interventions. we have developed a technique that improves the ability to characterize endoscopic airway dimensions using common bronchoscopic equipment and an open-source image-processing platform.201627863622
one-piece zirconia ceramic versus titanium implants in the jaw and femur of a sheep model: a pilot study.reports have documented titanium (ti) hypersensitivity after dental implant treatment. alternative materials have been suggested including zirconia (zr) ceramics, which have shown predictable osseointegration in animal studies and appear free of immune responses. the aim of the research was to investigate the bone-to-implant contact (bic) of one-piece zr, compared with one-piece ti implants, placed in the jaws and femurs of domestic sheep. ten new zealand mixed breed sheep were used. a one-piece ...201628058261
differences in leukocyte differentiation molecule abundances on domestic sheep (ovis aries) and bighorn sheep (ovis canadensis) neutrophils identified by flow cytometry.although both domestic sheep (ds) and bighorn sheep (bhs) are affected by similar respiratory bacterial pathogens, experimental and field data indicate bhs are more susceptible to pneumonia. cross-reactive monoclonal antibodies (mabs) for use in flow cytometry (fc) are valuable reagents for interspecies comparative immune system analyses. this study describes cross-reactive mabs that recognize leukocyte differentiation molecules (ldms) and major histocompatibility complex antigens on ds and bhs ...201627260809
microstructure and mechanical properties of sheep horn.the sheep horn presents outstanding mechanical properties of impact resistance and energy absorption, which suits the need of the vehicle bumper design, but the mechanism behind this phenomenon is less investigated. the microstructure and mechanical properties of the sheep horn of small tailed han sheep (ovis aries) living in northeast china were investigated in this article. the effect of sampling position and orientation of the sheep horn sheath on mechanical properties were researched by tens ...201627184115
in silico identification of essential proteins in corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis based on protein-protein interaction networks.corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (cp) is a gram-positive bacterium that is classified into equi and ovis serovars. the serovar ovis is the etiological agent of caseous lymphadenitis, a chronic infection affecting sheep and goats, causing economic losses due to carcass condemnation and decreased production of meat, wool, and milk. current diagnosis or treatment protocols are not fully effective and, thus, require further research of cp pathogenesis.201627814699
three thousand years of continuity in the maternal lineages of ancient sheep (ovis aries) in estonia.although sheep (ovis aries) have been one of the most exploited domestic animals in estonia since the late bronze age, relatively little is known about their genetic history. here, we explore temporal changes in estonian sheep populations and their mitochondrial genetic diversity over the last 3000 years. we target a 558 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial hypervariable region in 115 ancient sheep from 71 sites in estonia (c. 1200 bc-ad 1900s), 19 ancient samples from latvia, russia, poland ...201627732668
extreme wildlife declines and concurrent increase in livestock numbers in kenya: what are the causes?there is growing evidence of escalating wildlife losses worldwide. extreme wildlife losses have recently been documented for large parts of africa, including western, central and eastern africa. here, we report extreme declines in wildlife and contemporaneous increase in livestock numbers in kenya rangelands between 1977 and 2016. our analysis uses systematic aerial monitoring survey data collected in rangelands that collectively cover 88% of kenya's land surface. our results show that wildlife ...201627676077
genetic variation of goat interferon regulatory factor 3 gene and its implication in goat evolution.the immune systems are fundamentally vital for evolution and survival of species; as such, selection patterns in innate immune loci are of special interest in molecular evolutionary research. the interferon regulatory factor (irf) gene family control many different aspects of the innate and adaptive immune responses in vertebrates. among these, irf3 is known to take active part in very many biological processes. we assembled and evaluated 1356 base pairs of the irf3 gene coding region in domesti ...201627598391
itraq-based quantitative proteomic analysis of the potentiated and dormant antler stem cells.as the only known organ that can completely regenerate in mammals, deer antler is of real significance in the field of regenerative medicine. recent studies have shown that the regenerative capacity of the antlers comes from the pedicle periosteum and the cells resident in the periosteum possess the attributes of stem cells. currently, the molecular mechanism of antler regeneration remains unclear. in the present study, we compared the potentiated and dormant antler stem cells using isobaric tag ...201627792145
judgement bias in goats (capra hircus): investigating the effects of human grooming.animal emotional states can be investigated by evaluating their impact on cognitive processes. in this study, we used a judgement bias paradigm to determine if short-term positive human-animal interaction (grooming) induced a positive affective state in goats. we tested two groups of goats and trained them to discriminate between a rewarded and a non-rewarded location over nine training days. during training, the experimental group (n = 9) was gently groomed by brushing their heads and backs for ...201627761311
use of fgf-2 and fgf-18 to direct bone marrow stromal stem cells to chondrogenic and osteogenic lineages.intervertebral disc degeneration/low back pain is the number one global musculoskeletal condition in terms of disability and socioeconomic impact.201628116125
a new look at the ltr retrotransposon content of the chicken genome.ltr retrotransposons contribute approximately 10 % of the mammalian genome, but it has been previously reported that there is a deficit of these elements in the chicken relative to both mammals and other birds. a novel ltr retrotransposon classification pipeline, locatr, was developed and subsequently utilised to re-examine the chicken ltr retrotransposon annotation, and determine if the proposed chicken deficit is biologically accurate or simply a technical artefact.201627577548
intron length coevolution across mammalian genomes.although they do not contribute directly to the proteome, introns frequently contain regulatory elements and can extend the protein coding potential of the genome through alternative splicing. for some genes, the contribution of introns to the time required for transcription can also be functionally significant. we have previously shown that intron length in genes associated with developmental patterning is often highly conserved. in general, sets of genes that require precise coordination in th ...201627550903
wild ungulate decision-making and the role of tiny refuges in human-dominated landscapes.wildlife conservation in human-dominated landscapes requires that we understand how animals, when making habitat-use decisions, obtain diverse and dynamically occurring resources while avoiding risks, induced by both natural predators and anthropogenic threats. little is known about the underlying processes that enable wild animals to persist in densely populated human-dominated landscapes, particularly in developing countries. in a complex, semi-arid, fragmented, human-dominated agricultural la ...201626985668
a novel method for alignment-free dna sequence similarity analysis based on the characterization of complex networks.determination of sequence similarity is one of the major steps in computational phylogenetic studies. one of the major tasks of computational biologists is to develop novel mathematical descriptors for similarity analysis. dna clustering is an important technology that automatically identifies inherent relationships among large-scale dna sequences. the comparison between the dna sequences of different species helps determine phylogenetic relationships among species. alignment-free approaches hav ...201627746676
lab-on-a-chip-based pcr-rflp assay for the detection of malayan box turtle (cuora amboinensis) in the food chain and traditional chinese medicines.the malayan box turtle (cuora amboinensis) (mbt) is a vulnerable and protected turtle species, but it is a lucrative item in the illegal wildlife trade because of its great appeal as an exotic food item and in traditional medicine. although several polymerase chain reaction (pcr) assays to identify mbt by various routes have been documented, their applicability for forensic authentication remains inconclusive due to the long length of the amplicon targets, which are easily broken down by natural ...201627716792
how many papillomavirus species can go undetected in papilloma lesions?a co-infection comprising to at least seven papillomavirus (pv) types was detected by next generation sequencing (ngs) of randomly primed rolling circle amplification (rca) products of a bovine (bos taurus) papilloma lesion from the brazilian amazon region. six putative new pv types that could not be detected by commonly used pcr protocols were identified. their overall l1 nucleotide identities were less than 90% compared to described pv species and types. l1 nucleotide blast sequence hits showe ...201627808255
transcriptomic determinants of scrapie prion propagation in cultured ovine microglia.susceptibility to infection by prions is highly dependent on the amino acid sequence and host expression of the cellular prion protein (prpc); however, cellular expression of a genetically susceptible prpc is insufficient. as an example, it has been shown in cultured cells that permissive and resistant sublines derived from the same parental population often have similar expression levels of prpc. thus, additional cellular factors must influence susceptibility to prion infection. the aim of this ...201626807844
post-entry blockade of small ruminant lentiviruses by wild ruminants.small ruminant lentivirus (srlv) infection causes losses in the small ruminant industry due to reduced animal production and increased replacement rates. infection of wild ruminants in close contact with infected domestic animals has been proposed to play a role in srlv epidemiology, but studies are limited and mostly involve hybrids between wild and domestic animals. in this study, srlv seropositive red deer, roe deer and mouflon were detected through modified elisa tests, but virus was not suc ...201626738942
zinc finger domain of the prdm9 gene on chromosome 1 exhibits high diversity in ruminants but its paralog prdm7 contains multiple disruptive mutations.prdm9 is the sole hybrid sterility gene identified so far in vertebrates. prdm9 gene encodes a protein with an immensely variable zinc-finger (zf) domain that determines the site of meiotic recombination hotspots genome-wide. in this study, the terminal zf domain of prdm9 on bovine chromosome 1 and its paralog on chromosome 22 were characterized in 225 samples from five ruminant species (cattle, yak, mithun, sheep and goat). we found extraordinary variation in the number of prdm9 zinc fingers (6 ...201627203728
variations in t cell transcription factor sequence and expression associated with resistance to the sheep nematode teladorsagia circumcincta.this study used selected lambs that varied in their resistance to the gastrointestinal parasite teladorsagia circumcincta. infection over 12 weeks identified susceptible (high adult worm count, awc; high fecal egg count, fec; low body weight, bw; low iga) and resistant sheep (no/low awc and fec, high bw and high iga). resistance is mediated largely by a th2 response and iga and ige antibodies, and is a heritable characteristic. the polarization of t cells and the development of appropriate immun ...201626890074
transcriptomics modeling of the late-gestation fetal pituitary response to transient hypoxia.the late-gestation fetal sheep responds to hypoxia with physiological, neuroendocrine, and cellular responses that aid in fetal survival. the response of the fetus to hypoxia represents a coordinated effort to maximize oxygen transfer from the mother and minimize wasteful oxygen consumption by the fetus. while there have been many studies aimed at investigating the coordinated physiological and endocrine responses to hypoxia, and while immunohistochemical or in situ hybridization studies have re ...201626859870
the hibernating south american marsupial, dromiciops gliroides, displays torpor-sensitive microrna expression patterns.when faced with adverse environmental conditions, the marsupial dromiciops gliroides uses either daily or seasonal torpor to support survival and is the only known hibernating mammal in south america. as the sole living representative of the ancient order microbiotheria, this species can provide crucial information about the evolutionary origins and biochemical mechanisms of hibernation. hibernation is a complex energy-saving strategy that involves changes in gene expression that are elicited in ...201627090740
mlva and mlst typing of brucella from qinghai, china.the qinghai-tibet plateau (qtp) of china is an extensive pastoral and semi-pastoral area, and because of poverty and bad hygiene conditions, brucella is highly prevalent in this region. in order to adequately prevent this disease in the qtp region it is important to determine the identity of brucella species that caused the infection.201627072820
deciphering the wisent demographic and adaptive histories from individual whole-genome sequences.as the largest european herbivore, the wisent (bison bonasus) is emblematic of the continent wildlife but has unclear origins. here, we infer its demographic and adaptive histories from two individual whole-genome sequences via a detailed comparative analysis with bovine genomes. we estimate that the wisent and bovine species diverged from 1.7 × 10(6) to 850,000 years before present (ybp) through a speciation process involving an extended period of limited gene flow. our data further support the ...201627436010
biological parameters of rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus (acari: ixodidae) fed on rabbits, sheep, and cattle.in order to determine the effect of various hosts on feeding performance of rhipicephalus (boophilus) microplus, we used 3 mammalian species as hosts, cattle (qinchuan), sheep (t an), and rabbits (japanese white rabbit) for infest-ing ticks. five hundreds of r. microplus larvae were exposed to each animal (3 animals/host species). tick recoveries were 11.0%, 0.47%, and 5.5% from cattle, sheep, and rabbits, respectively. the averages of tick feeding periods were not significantly different on cat ...201627417084
diet switching by mammalian herbivores in response to exotic grass invasion.invasion by exotic grasses is a severe threat to the integrity of grassland ecosystems all over the world. because grasslands are typically grazed by livestock and wildlife, the invasion is a community process modulated by herbivory. we hypothesized that the invasion of native south american grasslands by eragrostis plana nees, an exotic tussock-forming grass from africa, could be deterred by grazing if grazers switched dietary preferences and included the invasive grass as a large proportion of ...201626919613
methanogen diversity in indigenous and introduced ruminant species on the tibetan plateau.host factors are regarded as important in shaping the archaeal community in the rumen but few controlled studies have been performed to demonstrate this across host species under the same environmental conditions. a study was designed to investigate the structure of the methanogen community in the rumen of two indigenous (yak and tibetan sheep) and two introduced domestic ruminant (cattle and crossbred sheep) species raised and fed under similar conditions on the high altitude tibetan plateau. t ...201627274707
serological survey of coxiella burnetii at the wildlife-livestock interface in the eastern pyrenees, spain.coxiella burnetii is a zoonotic bacterium that infects a wide range of animal species and causes the disease q fever. both wild and domestic ruminants may be relevant in the epidemiology of c. burnetii infection. in order to investigate the significance of the ruminant host community in the alpine and subalpine ecosystems of the eastern pyrenees, northeastern spain, in the epidemiology of q fever, a serological survey was performed on samples from 599 wild and 353 sympatric domestic ruminants.201627121001
structure of the mis12 complex and molecular basis of its interaction with cenp-c at human kinetochores.kinetochores, multisubunit protein assemblies, connect chromosomes to spindle microtubules to promote chromosome segregation. the 10-subunit kmn assembly (comprising knl1, mis12, and ndc80 complexes, designated knl1c, mis12c, and ndc80c) binds microtubules and regulates mitotic checkpoint function through ndc80c and knl1c, respectively. mis12c, on the other hand, connects the kmn to the chromosome-proximal domain of the kinetochore through a direct interaction with cenp-c. the structural basis f ...201627881301
mib-mip is a mycoplasma system that captures and cleaves immunoglobulin g.mycoplasmas are "minimal" bacteria able to infect humans, wildlife, and a large number of economically important livestock species. mycoplasma infections include a spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from simple fever to fulminant inflammatory diseases with high mortality rates. these infections are mostly chronic, suggesting that mycoplasmas have developed means to evade the host immune response. here we present and functionally characterize a two-protein system from mycoplasma mycoides ...201627114507
ketamine decreases inflammatory and immune pathways after transient hypoxia in late gestation fetal cerebral cortex.transient hypoxia in pregnancy stimulates a physiological reflex response that redistributes blood flow and defends oxygen delivery to the fetal brain. we designed the present experiment to test the hypotheses that transient hypoxia produces damage of the cerebral cortex and that ketamine, an antagonist ofnmdareceptors and a known anti-inflammatory agent, reduces the damage. late gestation, chronically catheterized fetal sheep were subjected to a 30-min period of ventilatory hypoxia that decreas ...201627033443
cloning and expression of yak active chymosin in pichia pastoris.rennet, a complex of enzymes found in the stomachs of ruminants, is an important component for cheese production. in our study, we described that yak chymosin gene recombinant pichia pastoris strain could serve as a novel source for rennet production. yaks total rna was extracted from the abomasum of an unweaned yak. the yak preprochymosin, prochymosin, and chymosin genes from total rna were isolated using gene specific primers based on cattle chymosin gene sequence respectively and analyzed the ...201627004812
data on phylogenetic analyses of gazelles (genus gazella) based on mitochondrial and nuclear intron markers.the data provided is related to the article "phylogenetic analyses of gazelles reveal repeated transitions of key ecological traits and provide novel insights into the origin of the genus gazella" [1]. the data is based on 48 tissue samples of all nine extant species of the genus gazella, namely gazella gazella, gazella arabica, gazella bennettii, gazella cuvieri, gazella dorcas, gazella leptoceros, gazella marica, gazella spekei, and gazella subgutturosa and four related taxa (saiga tatarica, a ...201627054158
rnf213 rare variants in slovakian and czech moyamoya disease patients.rnf213/mysterin has been identified as a susceptibility gene for moyamoya disease, a cerebrovascular disease characterized by occlusive lesions in the circle of willis. the p.r4810k (rs112735431) variant is a founder polymorphism that is strongly associated with moyamoya disease in east asia. many non-p.r4810k rare variants of rnf213 have been identified in white moyamoya disease patients, although the ethnic mutations have not been investigated in this population. in the present study, we scree ...201627736983
coprophilous mucorales (ex zygomycota) from three areas in the semi-arid of pernambuco, brazil.mucorales comprises fungi commonly isolated as saprobes from soil, dung, stored grains and plants. although these fungi have been studied in several countries, there are relatively a few reports of them in semi-arid areas. therefore, the aims of the present study were to assess and compare the mucorales communities in dung from different species and breeds of herbivores in the semi-arid of pernambuco, based on the frequency of occurrence and species richness of these fungi. samples of dung colle ...201627769884
characterization of a very rare case of living ewe-buck hybrid using classical and molecular cytogenetics.the natural occurrence of live hybrid offsprings between sheep and goats has been documented in literature, however all the studies have reported the mating of goats with rams, whereas the reciprocal cross was never documented. this study reports on a very rare case of interspecies hybridization occurred between a ewe (2n = 54, xx) and a buck (2n = 60, xy). the hybrid, born in a german flock under natural conditions, is characterised by an intermediate karyotype (2n = 57, xx). the cba-banding ha ...201627698378
absence of nucleolus formation in raccoon dog-porcine interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos results in embryonic developmental failure.interspecies somatic cell nuclear transfer (iscnt) can be a solution for preservation of endangered species that have limited oocytes. it has been reported that blastocyst production by iscnt is successful even if the genetic distances between donors and recipients are large. in particular, domestic pig oocytes can support the development of canine to porcine iscnt embryos. therefore, we examined whether porcine oocytes may be suitable recipient oocytes for korean raccoon dog iscnt. we investiga ...201627064112
using mobile sequencers in an academic classroom.the advent of mobile dna sequencers has made it possible to generate dna sequencing data outside of laboratories and genome centers. here, we report our experience of using the minion, a mobile sequencer, in a 13-week academic course for undergraduate and graduate students. the course consisted of theoretical sessions that presented fundamental topics in genomics and several applied hackathon sessions. in these hackathons, the students used minion sequencers to generate and analyze their own dat ...201627054412
neuromedin b and its receptor: gene cloning, tissue distribution and expression levels of the reproductive axis in pigs.neuromedin b is one member of a family of bombesin-like peptides, which performs a variety of physiological functions via their receptor (nmbr) in most mammals. however, the genes encoding nmb and nmbr and their functions especially reproduction of the pigs are currently not fully understood. to research the physiological functions of nmb, we cloned and analyzed the nmb and nmbr genes, and systematically investigated the expression levels of nmb and nmbr mrna using relative real-time pcr and the ...201627010315
continental island formation and the archaeology of defaunation on zanzibar, eastern africa.with rising sea levels at the end of the pleistocene, land-bridge or continental islands were formed around the world. many of these islands have been extensively studied from a biogeographical perspective, particularly in terms of impacts of island creation on terrestrial vertebrates. however, a majority of studies rely on contemporary faunal distributions rather than fossil data. here, we present archaeological findings from the island of zanzibar (also known as unguja) off the eastern african ...201626901050
establishment and characterization of a telomerase-immortalized sheep trophoblast cell line.the primary sheep trophoblast cells (stcs) have a finite lifespan in culture. this feature limits the scope for long-term in vitro studies with stcs. this study was an attempt to establish and characterize a telomerase-immortalized sheep trophoblast cell line. stcs were isolated and purified by using percoll and specific immunoaffinity purification, respectively. the purified stcs were transfected with a plasmid carrying sequences of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (htert) to create immor ...201626998488
lin28a promotes self-renewal and proliferation of dairy goat spermatogonial stem cells (sscs) through regulation of mtor and pi3k/akt.lin28a is a conserved rna-binding protein that plays an important role in development, pluripotency, stemness maintenance, proliferation and self-renewal. early studies showed that lin28a serves as a marker of spermatogonial stem cells (sscs) and promotes the proliferation capacity of mouse sscs. however, there is little information about lin28a in livestock sscs. in this study, we cloned capra hircus lin28a cds and found that it is evolutionarily conserved. lin28a is widely expressed in differe ...201627941834
early cave art and ancient dna record the origin of european bison.the two living species of bison (european and american) are among the few terrestrial megafauna to have survived the late pleistocene extinctions. despite the extensive bovid fossil record in eurasia, the evolutionary history of the european bison (or wisent, bison bonasus) before the holocene (<11.7 thousand years ago (kya)) remains a mystery. we use complete ancient mitochondrial genomes and genome-wide nuclear dna surveys to reveal that the wisent is the product of hybridization between the e ...201627754477
transcript profiling in the milk of dairy ewes fed extruded linseed.the identification of genes regulating milk secretion by mammary glands is a key-step for exploiting changes in milk composition induced by different diet regimens. linseed supplementation is a reliable feeding strategy to enhance polyunsaturated fatty acid content in milk fat from sheep, increasing milk quality and nutraceutical value. to investigate the molecular bases of diet induced differences in milk composition, we collected milk from dairy ewes at 90 day of lactation and after 3 weeks of ...201627920979
nature vs. nurture: evidence for social learning of conflict behaviour in grizzly bears.the propensity for a grizzly bear to develop conflict behaviours might be a result of social learning between mothers and cubs, genetic inheritance, or both learning and inheritance. using non-invasive genetic sampling, we collected grizzly bear hair samples during 2011-2014 across southwestern alberta, canada. we targeted private agricultural lands for hair samples at grizzly bear incident sites, defining an incident as an occurrence in which the grizzly bear caused property damage, obtained an ...201627851753
rabies in the baltic states: decoding a process of control and elimination.rabies is a fatal zoonosis that still causes nearly 70, 000 human deaths every year. in europe, the oral rabies vaccination (orv) of red foxes (vulpes vulpes) was developed in the late 1970s and has demonstrated its effectiveness in the eradication of the disease in western and some central european countries. following the accession of the three baltic countries--estonia, latvia and lithuania--to the european union in 2004, subsequent financial support has allowed the implementation of regular ...201626849358
a whole mitochondria analysis of the tyrolean iceman's leather provides insights into the animal sources of copper age clothing.the attire of the tyrolean iceman, a 5,300-year-old natural mummy from the ötzal italian alps, provides a surviving example of ancient manufacturing technologies. research into his garments has however, been limited by ambiguity surrounding their source species. here we present a targeted enrichment and sequencing of full mitochondrial genomes sampled from his clothes and quiver, which elucidates the species of production for nine fragments. results indicate that the majority of the samples orig ...201627537861
the habitat of coccidioides spp. and the role of animals as reservoirs and disseminators in nature.coccidioidomycosis, a potentially fatal fungal infection, is considered an emergent mycotic disease because of the increased incidence of fungal infections registered over recent years. infection occurs through the inhalation of arthroconidia from two main species of coccidioides: coccidioides immitis and c. posadasii, which are both endemic to arid and semi-arid regions of north america. coccidioides species not only infect humans but can also infect other mammals (land, aquatic, wild or domest ...201627724885
behavioral ecology of captive species: using bibliographic information to assess pet suitability of mammal species.which mammal species are suitable to be kept as pet? for answering this question many factors have to be considered. animals have many adaptations to their natural environment in which they have evolved that may cause adaptation problems and/or risks in captivity. problems may be visible in behavior, welfare, health, and/or human-animal interaction, resulting, for example, in stereotypies, disease, and fear. a framework is developed in which bibliographic information of mammal species from the w ...201627243023
vertebrate bacterial gut diversity: size also matters.one of the central issues in microbial ecology is to understand the parameters that drive diversity. among these parameters, size has often been considered to be the main driver in many different ecosystems. surprisingly, the influence of size on gut microbial diversity has not yet been investigated, and so far in studies reported in the literature only the influences of age, diet, phylogeny and digestive tract structures have been considered. this study explicitly challenges the underexplored r ...201627008566
identification and evolutionary analysis of potential candidate genes in a human eating disorder.the purpose of this study was to find genes linked with eating disorders and associated with both metabolic and neural systems. our operating hypothesis was that there are genetic factors underlying some eating disorders resting in both those pathways. specifically, we are interested in disorders that may rest in both sleep and metabolic function, generally called night eating syndrome (nes). a meta-analysis of the gene expression omnibus targeting the mammalian nervous system, sleep, and obesit ...201627088090
in silico assessment of primers for edna studies using primertree and application to characterize the biodiversity surrounding the cuyahoga river.analysis of environmental dna (edna) enables the detection of species of interest from water and soil samples, typically using species-specific pcr. here, we describe a method to characterize the biodiversity of a given environment by amplifying edna using primer pairs targeting a wide range of taxa and high-throughput sequencing for species identification. we tested this approach on 91 water samples of 40 ml collected along the cuyahoga river (ohio, usa). we amplified edna using 12 primer pairs ...201626965911
organization and characteristics of the major histocompatibility complex class ii region in the yangtze finless porpoise (neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis).little is known about the major histocompatibility complex (mhc) in the genome of yangtze finless porpoise (neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) (yfp) or other cetaceans. in this study, a high-quality yfp bacterial artificial chromosome (bac) library was constructed. we then determined the organization and characterization of yfp mhc class ii region by screening the bac library, followed by sequencing and assembly of positive bac clones. the yfp mhc class ii region consists of two segreg ...201626932528
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