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Sample records for distinct genotypic profiles

  1. Metabolite Profiling of Low-P Tolerant and Low-P Sensitive Maize Genotypes under Phosphorus Starvation and Restoration Conditions.

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    Arshid Hussain Ganie

    Full Text Available Maize (Zea mays L. is one of the most widely cultivated crop plants. Unavoidable economic and environmental problems associated with the excessive use of phosphatic fertilizers demands its better management. The solution lies in improving the phosphorus (P use efficiency to sustain productivity even at low P levels. Untargeted metabolomic profiling of contrasting genotypes provides a snap shot of whole metabolome which differs under specific conditions. This information provides an understanding of the mechanisms underlying tolerance to P stress and the approach for increasing P-use-efficiency.A comparative metabolite-profiling approach based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS was applied to investigate the effect of P starvation and its restoration in low-P sensitive (HM-4 and low-P tolerant (PEHM-2 maize genotypes. A comparison of the metabolite profiles of contrasting genotypes in response to P-deficiency revealed distinct differences among low-P sensitive and tolerant genotypes. Another set of these genotypes were grown under P-restoration condition and sampled at different time intervals (3, 5 and 10 days to investigate if the changes in metabolite profile under P-deficiency was restored. Significant variations in the metabolite pools of these genotypes were observed under P-deficiency which were genotype specific. Out of 180 distinct analytes, 91 were identified. Phosphorus-starvation resulted in accumulation of di- and trisaccharides and metabolites of ammonium metabolism, specifically in leaves, but decreased the levels of phosphate-containing metabolites and organic acids. A sharp increase in the concentrations of glutamine, asparagine, serine and glycine was observed in both shoots and roots under low-P condition.The new insights generated on the maize metabolome in response to P-starvation and restoration would be useful towards improvement of the P-use efficiency in maize.

  2. Saponin profile of green asparagus genotypes.

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    Vázquez-Castilla, Sara; Jaramillo-Carmona, Sara; Fuentes-Alventosa, Jose María; Jiménez-Araujo, Ana; Rodríguez-Arcos, Rocío; Cermeño-Sacristán, Pedro; Espejo-Calvo, Juan Antonio; Guillén-Bejarano, Rafael

    2013-11-20

    The main goal of this study was to determine the saponin profiles of different "triguero" asparagus genotypes and to compare them to green asparagus commercial hybrids. The samples consisted of 31 commercial hybrids and 58 genotypes from the Huétor-Tájar (HT) population variety ("triguero"). The saponin analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry allowed for the determination of 12 saponins derived from a furostan-type steroidal genin, 4 of which had never been described in the edible part of asparagus. The saponin profile of "triguero" asparagus was a combination of these new saponins and protodioscin. Although protodioscin was the major saponin found in commercial hybrids, some of these 12 saponins were detected as major components in some of the commercial hybrids. The total contents of saponins described in some of these HT genotypes reach values as high as 10-100 times higher than those found in commercial hybrids.

  3. Understanding the addiction cycle: a complex biology with distinct contributions of genotype vs. sex at each stage.

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    Wilhelm, C J; Hashimoto, J G; Roberts, M L; Sonmez, M K; Wiren, K M

    2014-10-24

    Ethanol abuse can lead to addiction, brain damage and premature death. The cycle of alcohol addiction has been described as a composite consisting of three stages: intoxication, withdrawal and craving/abstinence. There is evidence for contributions of both genotype and sex to alcoholism, but an understanding of the biological underpinnings is limited. Utilizing both sexes of genetic animal models with highly divergent alcohol withdrawal severity, Withdrawal Seizure-Resistant (WSR) and Withdrawal Seizure-Prone (WSP) mice, the distinct contributions of genotype/phenotype and of sex during addiction stages on neuroadaptation were characterized. Transcriptional profiling was performed to identify expression changes as a consequence of chronic intoxication in the medial prefrontal cortex. Significant expression differences were identified on a single platform and tracked over a behaviorally relevant time course that covered each stage of alcohol addiction; i.e., after chronic intoxication, during peak withdrawal, and after a defined period of abstinence. Females were more sensitive to ethanol with higher fold expression differences. Bioinformatics showed a strong effect of sex on the data structure of expression profiles during chronic intoxication and at peak withdrawal irrespective of genetic background. However, during abstinence, differences were observed instead between the lines/phenotypes irrespective of sex. Confirmation of identified pathways showed distinct inflammatory signaling following intoxication at peak withdrawal, with a pro-inflammatory phenotype in females but overall suppression of immune signaling in males. Combined, these results suggest that each stage of the addiction cycle is influenced differentially by sex vs. genetic background and support the development of stage- and sex-specific therapies for alcohol withdrawal and the maintenance of sobriety. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  4. A comparative study of small RNAs in Toxoplasma gondii of distinct genotypes

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    Wang Jielin

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii is an intracellular parasite with a significant impact on human health. Inside the mammalian and avian hosts, the parasite can undergo rapid development or remain inactive in the cysts. The mechanism that regulates parasite proliferation has not been fully understood. Small noncoding RNAs (sncRNA such as microRNAs (miRNAs are endogenous regulatory factors that can modulate cell differentiation and development. It is anticipated that hundreds of miRNAs regulate the expression of thousands of genes in a single organism. SncRNAs have been identified in T. gondii, however the profiles of sncRNAs expression and their potential regulatory function in parasites of distinct genotypes has largely been unknown. Methods The transcription profiles of miRNAs in the two genetically distinct strains, RH and ME49, of T. gondii were investigated and compared by a high-through-put RNA sequencing technique and systematic bioinformatics analysis. The expression of some of the miRNAs was confirmed by Northern blot analysis. Results 1,083,320 unique sequences were obtained. Of which, 17 conserved miRNAs related to 2 metazoan miRNA families and 339 novel miRNAs were identified. A total of 175 miRNAs showed strain-specific expression, of which 155 miRNAs were up-regulated in RH strain and 20 miRNAs were up-regulated in ME49 strain. Strain-specific expression of miRNAs in T. gondii could be due to activation of specific genes at different genomic loci or due to arm-switching of the same pre-miRNA duplex. Conclusions Evidence for the differential expression of miRNAs in the two genetically distinct strains of T. gondii has been identified and defined. MiRNAs of T. gondii are more species-specific as compared to other organisms, which can be developed as diagnostic biomarkers for toxoplasmosis. The data also provide a framework for future studies on RNAi-dependent regulatory mechanisms in the zoonotic parasite.

  5. Correlation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus Genotypes and Carbohydrate Utilization Signatures Determined by Phenotype Profiling.

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    Ceapa, Corina; Lambert, Jolanda; van Limpt, Kees; Wels, Michiel; Smokvina, Tamara; Knol, Jan; Kleerebezem, Michiel

    2015-08-15

    Lactobacillus rhamnosus is a bacterial species commonly colonizing the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of humans and also frequently used in food products. While some strains have been studied extensively, physiological variability among isolates of the species found in healthy humans or their diet is largely unexplored. The aim of this study was to characterize the diversity of carbohydrate utilization capabilities of human isolates and food-derived strains of L. rhamnosus in relation to their niche of isolation and genotype. We investigated the genotypic and phenotypic diversity of 25 out of 65 L. rhamnosus strains from various niches, mainly human feces and fermented dairy products. Genetic fingerprinting of the strains by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) identified 11 distinct subgroups at 70% similarity and suggested niche enrichment within particular genetic clades. High-resolution carbohydrate utilization profiling (OmniLog) identified 14 carbon sources that could be used by all of the strains tested for growth, while the utilization of 58 carbon sources differed significantly between strains, enabling the stratification of L. rhamnosus strains into three metabolic clusters that partially correlate with the genotypic clades but appear uncorrelated with the strain's origin of isolation. Draft genome sequences of 8 strains were generated and employed in a gene-trait matching (GTM) analysis together with the publicly available genomes of L. rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) and HN001 for several carbohydrates that were distinct for the different metabolic clusters: l-rhamnose, cellobiose, l-sorbose, and α-methyl-d-glucoside. From the analysis, candidate genes were identified that correlate with l-sorbose and α-methyl-d-glucoside utilization, and the proposed function of these genes could be confirmed by heterologous expression in a strain lacking the genes. This study expands our insight into the phenotypic and genotypic diversity of the species L. rhamnosus

  6. European freshwater VHSV genotype Ia isolates divide into two distinct subpopulations

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kahns, Søren; Skall, Helle Frank; Kaas, Rolf Sommer

    2012-01-01

    Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS), caused by the novirhabdovirus VHSV, often leads to significant economic losses to European rainbow trout production. The virus isolates are divided into 4 distinct genotypes with additional subgroups including sublineage Ia, isolates of which are the main...... detected in Denmark since January 2009. Full-length G-genes of all Danish VHSV isolates that were submitted for diagnostic analyses in the period 2004−2009 were sequenced and analysed. All 58 Danish isolates from rainbow trout grouped with sublineage Ia isolates. Furthermore, VHSV isolates from infected...... Danish freshwater catchments appear to have evolved into a distinct clade within sublineage Ia, herein designated clade Ia-1, whereas trout isolates originating from other continental European countries cluster in another distinct clade, designated clade Ia-2. In addition, phylogenetic analyses indicate...

  7. Genotypic variability and mutant identification in cicer arietinum L. by seed storage protein profiling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hameed, A.; Iqbal, N.; Shah, T.M.

    2012-01-01

    A collection of thirty-four chickpea genotypes, including five kabuli and twenty-nine desi, were analyzed by SDS-PAGE for seed storage protein profiling. Total soluble seed proteins were resolved on 12% gels. A low level of variability was observed in desi as compared to kabuli genotypes. Dendrogram based on electrophoretic data clustered the thirty-four genotypes in four major groups. As large number of desi genotypes illustrated identical profiles, therefore could not be differentiated on the basis of seed storage protein profiles. One kabuli genotype ILC-195 found to be the most divergent showing 86% similarity with all other genotypes. ILC-195 can be distinguished from its mutant i.e., CM-2000 and other kabuli genotypes on the basis of three peptides i.e. SSP-66, SSP-43 and SSP-39. Some proteins peptides were found to be genotype specific like SSP-26 for ICCV-92311. Uniprot and NCBI protein databases were searched for already reported and characterized seed storage proteins in chickpea. Among 33 observed peptides, only six seed storages proteins from chickpea source were available in databases. On the basis of molecular weight similarity, identified peptides were SSP-64 as Serine/Threonine dehydratase, SSP-56 as Alpha-amylase inhibitor, SSP-50 as Provicillin, SSP-39 as seed imbibition protein, SSP-35 as Isoflavane reductase and SSP-19 as lipid transport protein. Highest variability was observed in vicillin subunits and beta subunits of legumins and its polymorphic forms. In conclusion, seed storage profiling can be economically used to asses the genetic variation, phylogenetic relationship and as markers to differentiate mutants from their parents. (author)

  8. Phenol profiles and antioxidant properties of white skinned grapes and their coloured genotypes during growth

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    Shengyang Niu

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Anthocyanins are natural pigments that exhibit a wide range of protective effects with potential benefits for human health related to their antioxidant activities. Grape berries are rich anthocyanins, and these compounds have considerable influence on wine quality. However, these pigments are known to only be present in coloured grape berries. In the present study, we investigated three distinctive grapes, in which only a few reports of mutant strains on the skin colour of the grape berry were reported. Anthocyanin and non-anthocyanin phenolic profiles of grape berry skin, pulp, and seeds at different growth stages were analysed using high performance liquid chromatography of flight mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. Meanwhile, grape antioxidant properties were evaluated at growth stages, including the early stage, veraison, and mature stage. The results showed that some anthocyanins contents, such as malvidin 3-O-glucoside, are significantly different between white skin grapes and their corresponding coloured genotypes, with high content in coloured but not in white skin grapes. However, other anthocyanins, such as delphinidin 3-O-glucoside, showed no significant differences between white skin grapes and their corresponding coloured genotypes. Moreover, non-anthocyanin phenolic profiles and antioxidant properties, except cultivars Pinot Blanc and Pinot Noir, showed no significant differences between white skin grapes and their corresponding coloured genotypes at any growth stage, including the pulp and seeds. However, significant differences were noted between different cultivars, for example, white-ciputao and Pinot Noir, Pinot Blanc and Muscat Rouge, and coloured-ciputao and Muscat Blanc, showing that the antioxidant capacity was not always in correlation with skin colour of grape berries.

  9. Gene expression profiles associated with anaemia and ITPA genotypes in patients with chronic hepatitis C (CH-C).

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    Birerdinc, A; Estep, M; Afendy, A; Stepanova, M; Younossi, I; Baranova, A; Younossi, Z M

    2012-06-01

    Anaemia is a common side effect of ribavirin (RBV) which is used for the treatment of hepatitis C. Inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism (C to A) protects against RBV-induced anaemia. The aim of our study was to genotype patients for inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism rs1127354 SNP (CC or CA) and associate treatment-induced anaemia with gene expression profile and genotypes. We used 67 hepatitis C patients with available gene expression, clinical, laboratory data and whole-blood samples. Whole blood was used to determine inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism rs1127354 genotypes (CC or CA). The cohort with inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism CA genotype revealed a distinct pattern of protection against anaemia and a lower drop in haemoglobin. A variation in the propensity of CC carriers to develop anaemia prompted us to look for additional predictors of anaemia during pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN) and RBV. Pretreatment blood samples of patients receiving a full course of PEG-IFN and RBV were used to assess expression of 153 genes previously implicated in host response to viral infections. The gene expression data were analysed according to presence of anaemia and inosine triphosphatase gene polymorphism genotypes. Thirty-six genes were associated with treatment-related anaemia, six of which are involved in the response to hypoxia pathway (HIF1A, AIF1, RHOC, PTEN, LCK and PDGFB). There was a substantial overlap between sustained virological response (SVR)-predicting and anaemia-related genes; however, of the nine JAK-STAT pathway-related genes associated with SVR, none were implicated in anaemia. These observations exclude the direct involvement of antiviral response in the development of anaemia associated with PEG-IFN and RBV treatment, whereas another, distinct component within the SVR-associated gene expression response may predict anaemia. We have identified baseline gene expression signatures associated with RBV-induced anaemia and identified

  10. Emergence of hepatitis C virus genotype 4: phylogenetic analysis reveals three distinct epidemiological profiles

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Bruijne, Joep; Schinkel, Janke; Prins, Maria; Koekkoek, Sylvie M.; Aronson, Sem J.; van Ballegooijen, Marijn W.; Reesink, Hendrik W.; Molenkamp, Richard; van de Laar, Thijs J. W.

    2009-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 (HCV-4) infection is considered to be difficult to treat and has become increasingly prevalent in European countries, including The Netherlands. Using a molecular epidemiological approach, the present study investigates the genetic diversity and evolutionary origin

  11. Metabolite profiling during cold acclimation of Lolium perenne genotypes distinct in the level of frost tolerance.

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    Bocian, Aleksandra; Zwierzykowski, Zbigniew; Rapacz, Marcin; Koczyk, Grzegorz; Ciesiołka, Danuta; Kosmala, Arkadiusz

    2015-11-01

    Abiotic stresses, including low temperature, can significantly reduce plant yielding. The knowledge on the molecular basis of stress tolerance could help to improve its level in species of relatively high importance to agriculture. Unfortunately, the complex research performed so far mainly on model species and also, to some extent, on cereals does not fully cover the demands of other agricultural plants of temperate climate, including forage grasses. Two Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass) genotypes with contrasting levels of frost tolerance, the high frost tolerant (HFT) and the low frost tolerant (LFT) genotypes, were selected for comparative metabolomic research. The work focused on the analysis of leaf metabolite accumulation before and after seven separate time points of cold acclimation. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) was used to identify amino acids (alanine, proline, glycine, glutamic and aspartic acid, serine, lysine and asparagine), carbohydrates (fructose, glucose, sucrose, raffinose and trehalose) and their derivatives (mannitol, sorbitol and inositol) accumulated in leaves in low temperature. The observed differences in the level of frost tolerance between the analysed genotypes could be partially due to the time point of cold acclimation at which the accumulation level of crucial metabolite started to increase. In the HFT genotype, earlier accumulation was observed for proline and asparagine. The increased amounts of alanine, glutamic and aspartic acids, and asparagine during cold acclimation could be involved in the regulation of photosynthesis intensity in L. perenne. Among the analysed carbohydrates, only raffinose revealed a significant association with the acclimation process in this species.

  12. Genotypic carriers of the obesity-associated FTO polymorphism exhibit different cardiometabolic profiles after an intervention

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    GREICE G. MORAES

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Background: Children and adolescents with at-risk genotypes (AA/AT of the rs9939609 polymorphism in FTO, a fat mass and obesity-associated gene, may exhibit different cardiometabolic profile responses than subjects with the TT genotype after an interdisciplinary intervention. Methods: The sample consisted of 36 school children from southern Brazil. We used DNA quantitation and real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR for polymorphism genotyping. We measured anthropometric parameters (body mass index (BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip ratio, body fat percentage and skinfold sum, biochemical parameters (glucose, lipid profile, ultra-sensitive C-reactive protein, uric acid, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, insulin and adiponectin and blood pressure. The 4-month intervention consisted of physical education classes, nutritional counseling, and postural and oral health counseling. Results: We observed no significant differences among the groups (AA, AT and TT after the intervention. However, we observed improvements in three parameters (waist circumference, hip circumference and C-reactive protein in the AT/AA genotype group and in two parameters (hip circumference and uric acid in the TT genotype group. Conclusions: After an intervention program, carriers of at-risk genotypes for obesity (AA/AT do not exhibit differences in biochemical parameters, blood pressure and anthropometric parameters compared with carriers of the TT genotype.

  13. Distinct Evening Fatigue Profiles in Oncology Outpatients Receiving Chemotherapy

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    Wright, Fay; Cooper, Bruce A.; Conley, Yvette P.; Hammer, Marilyn J.; Chen, Lee-May; Paul, Steven M.; Levine, Jon D.; Miaskowski, Christine; Kober, Kord M.

    2018-01-01

    Background Fatigue is the most common and debilitating symptom experienced by oncology patients during chemotherapy (CTX). Fatigue severity demonstrates a large amount of inter-individual and diurnal variability. Purpose Study purposes were to evaluate for subgroups of patients with distinct evening fatigue profiles and evaluate how these subgroups differed on demographic, clinical, and symptom characteristics. Methods Outpatients with breast, gastrointestinal, gynecological, or lung cancer (n=1332) completed questionnaires six times over two cycles of CTX. Lee Fatigue Scale (LFS) evaluated evening fatigue severity. Latent profile analysis was used to identify distinct evening fatigue profiles. Results Four distinct evening fatigue classes (i.e., Low (14.0%), Moderate (17.2%), High (36.0%), Very High (32.8%)) were identified. Compared to the Low class, patients in the Very High evening fatigue class were: younger, female, had childcare responsibilities, had more years of education, had a lower functional status, had a higher comorbidity burden, and were diagnosed with breast cancer. Patients in the Very High class reported higher levels of depressive symptoms, sleep disturbance, and evening fatigue at enrollment. Conclusions Findings provide new insights into modifiable risk factors for higher levels of evening fatigue. Clinicians can use this information to identify higher risk patients and plan appropriate interventions. PMID:29725554

  14. Correlation between Group B Streptococcal Genotypes, Their Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles, and Virulence Genes among Pregnant Women in Lebanon

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    Antoine Hannoun

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available The antimicrobial susceptibility profiles of 76 Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococci [GBS] isolates from vaginal specimens of pregnant women near term were correlated to their genotypes generated by Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA analysis and their virulence factors encoding genes cylE, lmb, scpB, rib, and bca by PCR. Based on the distribution of the susceptibility patterns, six profiles were generated. RAPD analysis detected 7 clusters of genotypes. The cylE gene was present in 99% of the isolates, the lmb in 96%, scpB in 94.7%, rib in 33%, and bca in 56.5% of isolates. The isolates demonstrated a significant correlation between antimicrobial resistance and genotype clusters denoting the distribution of particular clones with different antimicrobial resistance profiles, entailing the practice of caution in therapeutic options. All virulence factors encoding genes were detected in all seven genotypic clusters with rib and bca not coexisting in the same genome.

  15. Metabolite Profiling of Barley Grains Subjected to Water Stress: To Explain the Genotypic Difference in Drought-Induced Impacts on Malting Quality

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    Xiaojian Wu

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Grain weight and protein content will be reduced and increased, respectively, when barley is subjected to water stress after anthesis, consequently deteriorating the malt quality. However, such adverse impact of water stress differs greatly among barley genotypes. In this study, two Tibetan wild barley accessions and two cultivated varieties differing in water stress tolerance were used to investigate the genotypic difference in metabolic profiles during grain-filling stage under drought condition. Totally, 71 differently accumulated metabolites were identified, including organic acids, amino acids/amines, and sugars/sugar alcohols. Their relative contents were significantly affected by water stress for all genotypes and differed distinctly between the wild and cultivated barleys. The principal component analysis of metabolites indicated that the Tibetan wild barley XZ147 possessed a unique response to water stress. When subjected to water stress, the wild barley XZ147 showed the most increase of β-amylase activity among the four genotypes, as a result of its higher lysine content, less indole-3-acetic acid (IAA biosynthesis, more stable H2O2 homeostasis, and more up-regulation of BMY1 gene. On the other hand, XZ147 had the most reduction of β-glucan content under water stress than the other genotypes, which could be explained by the faster grain filling process and the less expression of β-glucan synthase gene GSL7. All these results indicated a great potential for XZ147 in barley breeding for improving water stress tolerance.

  16. Comparative Phenotypic and Molecular Genetic Profiling of Wild Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis Strains of the L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris Genotypes, Isolated from Starter-Free Cheeses Made of Raw Milk▿

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    Fernández, Elena; Alegría, Ángel; Delgado, Susana; Martín, M. Cruz; Mayo, Baltasar

    2011-01-01

    Twenty Lactococcus lactis strains with an L. lactis subsp. lactis phenotype isolated from five traditional cheeses made of raw milk with no added starters belonging to the L. lactis subsp. lactis and L. lactis subsp. cremoris genotypes (lactis and cremoris genotypes, respectively; 10 strains each) were subjected to a series of phenotypic and genetic typing methods, with the aims of determining their phylogenetic relationships and suitability as starters. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis of intact genomes digested with SalI and SmaI proved that all strains were different except for three isolates of the cremoris genotype, which showed identical PFGE profiles. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis using internal sequences of seven loci (namely, atpA, rpoA, pheS, pepN, bcaT, pepX, and 16S rRNA gene) revealed considerable intergenotype nucleotide polymorphism, although deduced amino acid changes were scarce. Analysis of the MLST data for the present strains and others from other dairy and nondairy sources showed that all of them clustered into the cremoris or lactis genotype group, by using both independent and combined gene sequences. These two groups of strains also showed distinctive carbohydrate fermentation and enzyme activity profiles, with the strains in the cremoris group showing broader profiles. However, the profiles of resistance/susceptibility to 16 antibiotics were very similar, showing no atypical resistance, except for tetracycline resistance in three identical cremoris genotype isolates. The numbers and concentrations of volatile compounds produced in milk by the strains belonging to these two groups were clearly different, with the cremoris genotype strains producing higher concentrations of more branched-chain, derived compounds. Together, the present results support the idea that the lactis and cremoris genotypes of phenotypic Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis actually represent true subspecies. Some strains of the two subspecies

  17. Phylogenetic evidence that two distinct Trichuris genotypes infect both humans and non-human primates.

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    Damiana F Ravasi

    Full Text Available Although there has been extensive debate about whether Trichuris suis and Trichuris trichiura are separate species, only one species of the whipworm T. trichiura has been considered to infect humans and non-human primates. In order to investigate potential cross infection of Trichuris sp. between baboons and humans in the Cape Peninsula, South Africa, we sequenced the ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 region of adult Trichuris sp. worms isolated from five baboons from three different troops, namely the Cape Peninsula troop, Groot Olifantsbos troop and Da Gama Park troop. This region was also sequenced from T. trichiura isolated from a human patient from central Africa (Cameroon for comparison. By combining this dataset with Genbank records for Trichuris isolated from other humans, non-human primates and pigs from several different countries in Europe, Asia, and Africa, we confirmed the identification of two distinct Trichuris genotypes that infect primates. Trichuris sp. isolated from the Peninsula baboons fell into two distinct clades that were found to also infect human patients from Cameroon, Uganda and Jamaica (named the CP-GOB clade and China, Thailand, the Czech Republic, and Uganda (named the DG clade, respectively. The divergence of these Trichuris clades is ancient and precedes the diversification of T. suis which clustered closely to the CP-GOB clade. The identification of two distinct Trichuris genotypes infecting both humans and non-human primates is important for the ongoing treatment of Trichuris which is estimated to infect 600 million people worldwide. Currently baboons in the Cape Peninsula, which visit urban areas, provide a constant risk of infection to local communities. A reduction in spatial overlap between humans and baboons is thus an important measure to reduce both cross-transmission and zoonoses of helminthes in Southern Africa.

  18. The influence of ApoE genotype on the lipid profile and lipoproteins ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The influence of ApoE genotype on the lipid profile and lipoproteins during normal pregnancy in a Southern African population. Donald Moshen Tanyanyiwa1,2, Adrian David Marais3, Pamela Byrnes3, Sheena Jones3. 1. Division of Human Genetics, Department of Pathology and Institute of Infectious Disease and ...

  19. Peptidomic and transcriptomic profiling of four distinct spider venoms.

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    Vera Oldrati

    Full Text Available Venom based research is exploited to find novel candidates for the development of innovative pharmacological tools, drug candidates and new ingredients for cosmetic and agrochemical industries. Moreover, venomics, as a well-established approach in systems biology, helps to elucidate the genetic mechanisms of the production of such a great molecular biodiversity. Today the advances made in the proteomics, transcriptomics and bioinformatics fields, favor venomics, allowing the in depth study of complex matrices and the elucidation even of minor compounds present in minute biological samples. The present study illustrates a rapid and efficient method developed for the elucidation of venom composition based on NextGen mRNA sequencing of venom glands and LC-MS/MS venom proteome profiling. The analysis of the comprehensive data obtained was focused on cysteine rich peptide toxins from four spider species originating from phylogenetically distant families for comparison purposes. The studied species were Heteropoda davidbowie (Sparassidae, Poecilotheria formosa (Theraphosidae, Viridasius fasciatus (Viridasiidae and Latrodectus mactans (Theridiidae. This led to a high resolution profiling of 284 characterized cysteine rich peptides, 111 of which belong to the Inhibitor Cysteine Knot (ICK structural motif. The analysis of H. davidbowie venom revealed a high richness in term of venom diversity: 95 peptide sequences were identified; out of these, 32 peptides presented the ICK structural motif and could be classified in six distinct families. The profiling of P. formosa venom highlighted the presence of 126 peptide sequences, with 52 ICK toxins belonging to three structural distinct families. V. fasciatus venom was shown to contain 49 peptide sequences, out of which 22 presented the ICK structural motif and were attributed to five families. The venom of L. mactans, until now studied for its large neurotoxins (Latrotoxins, revealed the presence of 14

  20. NS3 protease polymorphisms and genetic barrier to drug resistance of distinct hepatitis C virus genotypes from worldwide treatment-naïve subjects.

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    Vidal, L L; Soares, M A; Santos, A F

    2016-11-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 protease inhibitors have been primarily designed against genotype 1, the one with the lowest response to dual therapy. However, less evidence of their efficacy on non-1 genotypes is available, and any such information is mostly concentrated on genotypes 2-4. This study evaluated HCV protease resistance profiles in the major six HCV genotypes and identified genetic barrier (GB) profiles to each available protease inhibitor across HCV strains from different locations worldwide. We obtained 15 099 HCV sequences from treatment-naïve subjects retrieved at the Los Alamos HCV Sequence Database. The wild-type codons of different HCV genotypes were used to analyse the smallest number of nucleotide substitution steps required for changing that codon to the closest one associated with drug resistance. The 36L and 175L RAVs were found as genetic signatures of genotypes 2-5, while the 80K RAV was found in all genotype 5 sequences. Genotypes 4 and 6 showed a higher GB to RAV mutations conferring resistance to telaprevir, while genotypes 2-5 presented baseline resistance to that drug, carrying the 36L mutation. Genotype 4 had a higher GB to simeprevir resistance, requiring three substitutions to acquire the 155K mutation. Subtype 1b showed a higher GB than subtype 1a to resistance for most PIs, with RAVs at codons 36 and 155. Geographic disparities were also found in frequencies of certain RAVs in genotypes 2 and 3. Under a scenario of unprecedented evolution of anti-HCV direct-acting agents, the genetic composition of the circulating HCV sequences should be evaluated worldwide to choose the most appropriate/feasible therapeutic schemes with the highest genetic barriers to resistance. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Characterization of Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease Prions in Prion Protein-humanized Mice Carrying Distinct Codon 129 Genotypes*

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    Takeuchi, Atsuko; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Ironside, James W.; Mohri, Shirou; Kitamoto, Tetsuyuki

    2013-01-01

    To date, all clinical variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) patients are homozygous for methionine at polymorphic codon 129 (129M/M) of the prion protein (PrP) gene. However, the appearance of asymptomatic secondary vCJD infection in individuals with a PRNP codon 129 genotype other than M/M and transmission studies using animal models have raised the concern that all humans might be susceptible to vCJD prions, especially via secondary infection. To reevaluate this possibility and to analyze in detail the transmission properties of vCJD prions to transgenic animals carrying distinct codon 129 genotype, we performed intracerebral inoculation of vCJD prions to humanized knock-in mice carrying all possible codon 129 genotypes (129M/M, 129M/V, or 129V/V). All humanized knock-in mouse lines were susceptible to vCJD infection, although the attack rate gradually decreased from 129M/M to 129M/V and to 129V/V. The amount of PrP deposition including florid/amyloid plaques in the brain also gradually decreased from 129M/M to 129M/V and to 129V/V. The biochemical properties of protease-resistant abnormal PrP in the brain and transmissibility of these humanized mouse-passaged vCJD prions upon subpassage into knock-in mice expressing bovine PrP were not affected by the codon 129 genotype. These results indicate that individuals with the 129V/V genotype may be more susceptible to secondary vCJD infection than expected and may lack the neuropathological characteristics observed in vCJD patients with the 129M/M genotype. Besides the molecular typing of protease-resistant PrP in the brain, transmission studies using knock-in mice carrying bovine PrP may aid the differential diagnosis of secondary vCJD infection, especially in individuals with the 129V/V genotype. PMID:23792955

  2. Characterization of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease prions in prion protein-humanized mice carrying distinct codon 129 genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takeuchi, Atsuko; Kobayashi, Atsushi; Ironside, James W; Mohri, Shirou; Kitamoto, Tetsuyuki

    2013-07-26

    To date, all clinical variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) patients are homozygous for methionine at polymorphic codon 129 (129M/M) of the prion protein (PrP) gene. However, the appearance of asymptomatic secondary vCJD infection in individuals with a PRNP codon 129 genotype other than M/M and transmission studies using animal models have raised the concern that all humans might be susceptible to vCJD prions, especially via secondary infection. To reevaluate this possibility and to analyze in detail the transmission properties of vCJD prions to transgenic animals carrying distinct codon 129 genotype, we performed intracerebral inoculation of vCJD prions to humanized knock-in mice carrying all possible codon 129 genotypes (129M/M, 129M/V, or 129V/V). All humanized knock-in mouse lines were susceptible to vCJD infection, although the attack rate gradually decreased from 129M/M to 129M/V and to 129V/V. The amount of PrP deposition including florid/amyloid plaques in the brain also gradually decreased from 129M/M to 129M/V and to 129V/V. The biochemical properties of protease-resistant abnormal PrP in the brain and transmissibility of these humanized mouse-passaged vCJD prions upon subpassage into knock-in mice expressing bovine PrP were not affected by the codon 129 genotype. These results indicate that individuals with the 129V/V genotype may be more susceptible to secondary vCJD infection than expected and may lack the neuropathological characteristics observed in vCJD patients with the 129M/M genotype. Besides the molecular typing of protease-resistant PrP in the brain, transmission studies using knock-in mice carrying bovine PrP may aid the differential diagnosis of secondary vCJD infection, especially in individuals with the 129V/V genotype.

  3. RASopathies are associated with a distinct personality profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bizaoui, Varoona; Gage, Jessica; Brar, Rita; Rauen, Katherine A; Weiss, Lauren A

    2018-06-01

    Personality is a complex, yet partially heritable, trait. Although some Mendelian diseases like Williams-Beuren syndrome are associated with a particular personality profile, studies have failed to assign the personality features to a single gene or pathway. As a family of monogenic disorders caused by mutations in the Ras/MAPK pathway known to influence social behavior, RASopathies are likely to provide insight into the genetic basis of personality. Eighty subjects diagnosed with cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome, Costello syndrome, neurofibromatosis type 1, and Noonan syndrome were assessed using a parent-report BFQ-C (Big Five Questionnaire for Children) evaluating agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, intellect/openness, and neuroticism, along with 55 unaffected sibling controls. A short questionnaire was added to assess sense of humor. RASopathy subjects and sibling controls were compared for individual components of personality, multidimensional personality profiles, and individual questions using Student tests, analysis of variance, and principal component analysis. RASopathy subjects were given lower scores on average compared to sibling controls in agreeableness, extraversion, conscientiousness, openness, and sense of humor, and similar scores in neuroticism. When comparing the multidimensional personality profile between groups, RASopathies showed a distinct profile from unaffected siblings, but no difference in this global profile was found within RASopathies, revealing a common profile for the Ras/MAPK-related disorders. In addition, several syndrome-specific strengths or weaknesses were observed in individual domains. We describe for the first time an association between a single pathway and a specific personality profile, providing a better understanding of the genetics underlying personality, and new tools for tailoring educational and behavioral approaches for individuals with RASopathies. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  4. Distinctive serum protein profiles involving abundant proteins in lung cancer patients based upon antibody microarray analysis

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    Rom William N

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cancer serum protein profiling by mass spectrometry has uncovered mass profiles that are potentially diagnostic for several common types of cancer. However, direct mass spectrometric profiling has a limited dynamic range and difficulties in providing the identification of the distinctive proteins. We hypothesized that distinctive profiles may result from the differential expression of relatively abundant serum proteins associated with the host response. Methods Eighty-four antibodies, targeting a wide range of serum proteins, were spotted onto nitrocellulose-coated microscope slides. The abundances of the corresponding proteins were measured in 80 serum samples, from 24 newly diagnosed subjects with lung cancer, 24 healthy controls, and 32 subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD. Two-color rolling-circle amplification was used to measure protein abundance. Results Seven of the 84 antibodies gave a significant difference (p Conclusion Our results suggest that a distinctive serum protein profile involving abundant proteins may be observed in lung cancer patients relative to healthy subjects or patients with chronic disease and may have utility as part of strategies for detecting lung cancer.

  5. Spatial and Single-Cell Transcriptional Profiling Identifies Functionally Distinct Human Dermal Fibroblast Subpopulations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philippeos, Christina; Telerman, Stephanie B; Oulès, Bénédicte; Pisco, Angela O; Shaw, Tanya J; Elgueta, Raul; Lombardi, Giovanna; Driskell, Ryan R; Soldin, Mark; Lynch, Magnus D; Watt, Fiona M

    2018-04-01

    Previous studies have shown that mouse dermis is composed of functionally distinct fibroblast lineages. To explore the extent of fibroblast heterogeneity in human skin, we used a combination of comparative spatial transcriptional profiling of human and mouse dermis and single-cell transcriptional profiling of human dermal fibroblasts. We show that there are at least four distinct fibroblast populations in adult human skin, not all of which are spatially segregated. We define markers permitting their isolation and show that although marker expression is lost in culture, different fibroblast subpopulations retain distinct functionality in terms of Wnt signaling, responsiveness to IFN-γ, and ability to support human epidermal reconstitution when introduced into decellularized dermis. These findings suggest that ex vivo expansion or in vivo ablation of specific fibroblast subpopulations may have therapeutic applications in wound healing and diseases characterized by excessive fibrosis. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular and epidemiological profiles of hepatitis C virus genotype 4 in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Eriksen, Mette Brandt; Jørgensen, Louise Bruun; Krarup, Henrik

    2010-01-01

    The prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 4 has increased throughout Europe. This is an epidemiological study of patients infected chronically with HCV genotype 4 in Denmark. The HCV strains analyzed originated from patient samples collected between 1999 and 2007 as part of the national...... patients (22%) were infected with subtypes 4h, 4k, 4l, 4n, 4o, or 4Unclassified. Three epidemiological profiles were identified: (1) patients infected with HCV by intravenous drug use were infected solely with subtype 4d. They were all of European origin, and 15 of the 16 patients were ethnic Danes....... No single transmission event could be confirmed, but the pairwise nucleotide identity within the patients of Danish origin was relatively high (~95%), suggesting a recent introduction into Denmark. (2) The 21 patients infected with subtype 4a all came from Northern Africa, Egypt, Pakistan, or the Middle...

  7. Genotypic profile of Listeria monocytogenes isolated in refrigerated chickens in southern Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karla Sequeira Mendonça

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Listeria monocytogenes is of notable concern to the food industry, due to its ubiquitous nature and ability to grow in adverse conditions. This study aimed to determine the genotypic profile of L. monocytogenes strains isolated from refrigerated chickens marketed in the southern part of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The strains of L. monocytogenes isolated were characterized by serotyping and Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE. Three different serotypes (1/2a, 1/2b and 4e were evaluated by PFGE, and the macrorestriction patterns utilizing enzymes AscI and ApaI, revealed five different pulsotypes. The presence of such varied genotypic profiles demonstrates the prevalence of L. monocytogenes contamination of chicken processing environments, which combined with ineffective cleaning procedures, allowing the survival, adaptation and proliferation of these pathogens, not only in the processing environment, but also in local grocery stores.

  8. APOA II genotypes frequency and their interaction with saturated fatty acids consumption on lipid profile of patients with type 2 diabetes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noorshahi, Neda; Sotoudeh, Gity; Djalali, Mahmoud; Eshraghian, Mohamad Reza; Keramatipour, Mohammad; Basiri, Marjan Ghane; Doostan, Farideh; Koohdani, Fariba

    2016-08-01

    Several studies have suggested that APOA II-265T/C polymorphism affect lipid profile. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of -265T/C APOA II polymorphism and saturated fatty acids (SFA) intake interaction on lipid profile in diabetic population who are at risk for lipid disorders. In this cross sectional study, 697 type 2 diabetic patients participated. Food consumption data were collected using validated semi-quantitative FFQ during the last year. Realtime-PCR was used to determine APOA II-265T/C genotypes. The interaction between the genotypes and SFA intake with lipid profile was tested using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). According to APOA II-265T/C (rs5082) genotype distribution results, CC genotype with a frequency of 12.9% and TC with that of 47.7% showed the lowest and highest frequency in our population, respectively. CC genotype subjects had significantly lower total cholesterol, triglyceride, Cholesterol/HDL-c ratio and non-HDL cholesterol than T allele carriers (p = 0.009, p = 0.02, p = 0.02 and p = 0.002, respectively). The interaction between genotype and SFA intake contributed to significant higher levels of LDL-c and LDL/HDL in CCs (p = 0.05 and p = 0.01), suggesting vulnerability of these individuals to high intake of SFA in the diet. APOA II polymorphism may influence the saturated fatty acid intake required to prevent dyslipidemia in the type 2 diabetic population. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

  9. eCOMPAGT integrates mtDNA: import, validation and export of mitochondrial DNA profiles for population genetics, tumour dynamics and genotype-phenotype association studies

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    Specht Günther

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA is widely being used for population genetics, forensic DNA fingerprinting and clinical disease association studies. The recent past has uncovered severe problems with mtDNA genotyping, not only due to the genotyping method itself, but mainly to the post-lab transcription, storage and report of mtDNA genotypes. Description eCOMPAGT, a system to store, administer and connect phenotype data to all kinds of genotype data is now enhanced by the possibility of storing mtDNA profiles and allowing their validation, linking to phenotypes and export as numerous formats. mtDNA profiles can be imported from different sequence evaluation programs, compared between evaluations and their haplogroup affiliations stored. Furthermore, eCOMPAGT has been improved in its sophisticated transparency (support of MySQL and Oracle, security aspects (by using database technology and the option to import, manage and store genotypes derived from various genotyping methods (SNPlex, TaqMan, and STRs. It is a software solution designed for project management, laboratory work and the evaluation process all-in-one. Conclusions The extended mtDNA version of eCOMPAGT was designed to enable error-free post-laboratory data handling of human mtDNA profiles. This software is suited for small to medium-sized human genetic, forensic and clinical genetic laboratories. The direct support of MySQL and the improved database security options render eCOMPAGT a powerful tool to build an automated workflow architecture for several genotyping methods. eCOMPAGT is freely available at http://dbis-informatik.uibk.ac.at/ecompagt.

  10. eCOMPAGT integrates mtDNA: import, validation and export of mitochondrial DNA profiles for population genetics, tumour dynamics and genotype-phenotype association studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Weissensteiner, Hansi; Schönherr, Sebastian; Specht, Günther; Kronenberg, Florian; Brandstätter, Anita

    2010-03-09

    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is widely being used for population genetics, forensic DNA fingerprinting and clinical disease association studies. The recent past has uncovered severe problems with mtDNA genotyping, not only due to the genotyping method itself, but mainly to the post-lab transcription, storage and report of mtDNA genotypes. eCOMPAGT, a system to store, administer and connect phenotype data to all kinds of genotype data is now enhanced by the possibility of storing mtDNA profiles and allowing their validation, linking to phenotypes and export as numerous formats. mtDNA profiles can be imported from different sequence evaluation programs, compared between evaluations and their haplogroup affiliations stored. Furthermore, eCOMPAGT has been improved in its sophisticated transparency (support of MySQL and Oracle), security aspects (by using database technology) and the option to import, manage and store genotypes derived from various genotyping methods (SNPlex, TaqMan, and STRs). It is a software solution designed for project management, laboratory work and the evaluation process all-in-one. The extended mtDNA version of eCOMPAGT was designed to enable error-free post-laboratory data handling of human mtDNA profiles. This software is suited for small to medium-sized human genetic, forensic and clinical genetic laboratories. The direct support of MySQL and the improved database security options render eCOMPAGT a powerful tool to build an automated workflow architecture for several genotyping methods. eCOMPAGT is freely available at http://dbis-informatik.uibk.ac.at/ecompagt.

  11. Comparison of genotypic resistance profiles and virological response between patients starting nevirapine and efavirenz in EuroSIDA

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bannister, Wendy P; Ruiz, Lidia; Cozzi-Lepri, Alessandro

    2008-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: To compare virological outcome and genotypic resistance profiles in HIV-1-infected patients starting non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)-containing regimens. METHODS: NNRTI-naive patients were included who started treatment with nevirapine (NVP) or efavirenz (EFV) wi...

  12. An NS5A single optimized method to determine genotype, subtype and resistance profiles of Hepatitis C strains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elisabeth Andre-Garnier

    Full Text Available The objective was to develop a method of HCV genome sequencing that allowed simultaneous genotyping and NS5A inhibitor resistance profiling. In order to validate the use of a unique RT-PCR for genotypes 1-5, 142 plasma samples from patients infected with HCV were analysed. The NS4B-NS5A partial region was successfully amplified and sequenced in all samples. In parallel, partial NS3 sequences were analyzed obtained for genotyping. Phylogenetic analysis showed concordance of genotypes and subtypes with a bootstrap >95% for each type cluster. NS5A resistance mutations were analyzed using the Geno2pheno [hcv] v0.92 tool and compared to the list of known Resistant Associated Substitutions recently published. In conclusion, this tool allows determination of HCV genotypes, subtypes and identification of NS5A resistance mutations. This single method can be used to detect pre-existing resistance mutations in NS5A before treatment and to check the emergence of resistant viruses while undergoing treatment in major HCV genotypes (G1-5 in the EU and the US.

  13. Distinct genotype distribution and haplotype profiles in MDR1 gene among Chinese Han, Bai, Wa and Tibetan ethnic groups.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Yong; Huang, Min; Li, Hui; Wang, Xue-Ding; Li, Jia-Li

    2012-11-01

    P-Glycoprotein (P-gp, encoded by MDR1 gene) plays an important role in determining bioavailability and pharmacologic effects of many drugs. There is increasing evidence that P-gp activity may be genetically determined. In this study, we investigated the genotype distribution and the haplotype profiles of MDR1 gene in Chinese Han, Bai, Wa and Tibetan subjects. Much lower frequencies of the 1236T allele and the 2677T allele were found in Wa subjects than those in other three ethnic groups, while the 2677A allele was found about 6-fold more frequently in Han subjects than in subjects of other three ethnic groups. The Han, Bai and Tibetan subjects share the same three predominant haplotypes (T-T-T, T-G-C and C-G-C), and T-T-T is the highest and accounts for more than one third of the number of haplotypes in the subjects from each ethnic group. However, T-T-T was less common than T-G-C, T-G-T and C-G-C and occurring at only 13.8% in Wa subjects, furthermore, higher frequencies of T-G-T, C-T-C, C-G-T and C-T-T were observed in Wa subjects compared to those in other three ethnic groups. Frequencies of C-A-C and T-A-C in Han subjects were higher than those in other three ethnic groups. The findings of this study will be of some relevance in predicting MDR1 phenotype and pharmacokinetics as well as pharmacodynamic effects of many commonly used drugs that are P-gp substrates in these four Chinese ethnic groups.

  14. Distinct Escape Pathway by Hepatitis C Virus Genotype 1a from a Dominant CD8+ T Cell Response by Selection of Altered Epitope Processing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walker, Andreas; Skibbe, Kathrin; Steinmann, Eike; Pfaender, Stephanie; Kuntzen, Thomas; Megger, Dominik A; Groten, Svenja; Sitek, Barbara; Lauer, Georg M; Kim, Arthur Y; Pietschmann, Thomas; Allen, Todd M; Timm, Joerg

    2016-01-01

    Antiviral CD8(+) T cells are a key component of the adaptive immune response against HCV, but their impact on viral control is influenced by preexisting viral variants in important target epitopes and the development of viral escape mutations. Immunodominant epitopes highly conserved across genotypes therefore are attractive for T cell based prophylactic vaccines. Here, we characterized the CD8(+) T cell response against the highly conserved HLA-B*51-restricted epitope IPFYGKAI1373-1380 located in the helicase domain of NS3 in people who inject drugs (PWID) exposed predominantly to HCV genotypes 1a and 3a. Despite this epitope being conserved in both genotypes, the corresponding CD8(+) T cell response was detected only in PWID infected with genotype 3a and HCV-RNA negative PWID, but not in PWID infected with genotype 1a. In genotype 3a, the detection of strong CD8(+) T cell responses was associated with epitope variants in the autologous virus consistent with immune escape. Analysis of viral sequences from multiple cohorts confirmed HLA-B*51-associated escape mutations inside the epitope in genotype 3a, but not in genotype 1a. Here, a distinct substitution in the N-terminal flanking region located 5 residues upstream of the epitope (S1368P; P = 0.00002) was selected in HLA-B*51-positive individuals. Functional assays revealed that the S1368P substitution impaired recognition of target cells presenting the endogenously processed epitope. The results highlight that, despite an epitope being highly conserved between two genotypes, there are major differences in the selected viral escape pathways and the corresponding T cell responses. HCV is able to evolutionary adapt to CD8(+) T cell immune pressure in multiple ways. Beyond selection of mutations inside targeted epitopes, this study demonstrates that HCV inhibits epitope processing by modification of the epitope flanking region under T cell immune pressure. Selection of a substitution five amino acids upstream of the

  15. Distinct cardiac transcriptional profiles defining pregnancy and exercise.

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    Eunhee Chung

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Although the hypertrophic responses of the heart to pregnancy and exercise are both considered to be physiological processes, they occur in quite different hormonal and temporal settings. In this study, we have compared the global transcriptional profiles of left ventricular tissues at various time points during the progression of hypertrophy in exercise and pregnancy. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The following groups of female mice were analyzed: non-pregnant diestrus cycle sedentary control, mid-pregnant, late-pregnant, and immediate-postpartum, and animals subjected to 7 and 21 days of voluntary wheel running. Hierarchical clustering analysis shows that while mid-pregnancy and both exercise groups share the closest relationship and similar gene ontology categories, late pregnancy and immediate post-partum are quite different with high representation of secreted/extracellular matrix-related genes. Moreover, pathway-oriented ontological analysis shows that metabolism regulated by cytochrome P450 and chemokine pathways are the most significant signaling pathways regulated in late pregnancy and immediate-postpartum, respectively. Finally, increases in expression of components of the proteasome observed in both mid-pregnancy and immediate-postpartum also result in enhanced proteasome activity. Interestingly, the gene expression profiles did not correlate with the degree of cardiac hypertrophy observed in the animal groups, suggesting that distinct pathways are employed to achieve similar amounts of cardiac hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our results demonstrate that cardiac adaptation to the later stages of pregnancy is quite distinct from both mid-pregnancy and exercise. Furthermore, it is very dynamic since, by 12 hours post-partum, the heart has already initiated regression of cardiac growth, and 50 genes have changed expression significantly in the immediate-postpartum compared to late-pregnancy. Thus, pregnancy

  16. Comparative transcriptome profiling of resistant and susceptible rice genotypes in response to the seedborne pathogen Fusarium fujikuroi.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matić, Slavica; Bagnaresi, Paolo; Biselli, Chiara; Orru', Luigi; Amaral Carneiro, Greice; Siciliano, Ilenia; Valé, Giampiero; Gullino, Maria Lodovica; Spadaro, Davide

    2016-08-11

    Fusarium fujikuroi is the causal agent of bakanae, the most significant seed-borne disease of rice. Molecular mechanisms regulating defence responses of rice towards this fungus are not yet fully known. To identify transcriptional mechanisms underpinning rice resistance, a RNA-seq comparative transcriptome profiling was conducted on infected seedlings of selected rice genotypes at one and three weeks post germination (wpg). Twelve rice genotypes were screened against bakanae disease leading to the identification of Selenio and Dorella as the most resistant and susceptible cultivars, respectively. Transcriptional changes were more appreciable at 3 wpg, suggesting that this infection stage is essential to study the resistance mechanisms: 3,119 DEGs were found in Selenio and 5,095 in Dorella. PR1, germin-like proteins, glycoside hydrolases, MAP kinases, and WRKY transcriptional factors were up-regulated in the resistant genotype upon infection with F. fujikuroi. Up-regulation of chitinases and down-regulation of MAP kinases and WRKY transcriptional factors were observed in the susceptible genotype. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analyses detected in Selenio GO terms specific to response to F. fujikuroi: 'response to chitin', 'jasmonic acid biosynthetic process', and 'plant-type hypersensitive response', while Dorella activated different mechanisms, such as 'response to salicylic acid stimulus' and 'gibberellin metabolic process', which was in agreement with the production of gibberellin A3 in Dorella plants. RNA-seq profiling was performed for the first time to analyse response of rice to F. fujikuroi infection. Our findings allowed the identification of genes activated in one- and three- week-old rice seedlings of two genotypes infected with F. fujikuroi. Furthermore, we found the pathways involved in bakanae resistance, such as response to chitin, JA-dependent signalling and hypersensitive response. Collectively, this provides important information to elucidate the

  17. Gene expression profiling of two distinct neuronal populations in the rodent spinal cord

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ryge, Jesper; Westerdahl, Ann Charlotte; Alstøm, Preben

    2008-01-01

    Background: In the field of neuroscience microarray gene expression profiles on anatomically defined brain structures are being used increasingly to study both normal brain functions as well as pathological states. Fluorescent tracing techniques in brain tissue that identifies distinct neuronal p...

  18. Milk fatty acid profile is modulated by DGAT1 and SCD1 genotypes in dairy cattle on pasture and strategic supplementation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carvajal, A M; Huircan, P; Dezamour, J M; Subiabre, I; Kerr, B; Morales, R; Ungerfeld, E M

    2016-05-09

    Milk fat composition is important to consumer health. During the last decade, some fatty acids (FA) have received attention because of their functional and beneficial effects on human health. The milk FA profile is affected by both diet and genetics. Differences in milk fat composition are based on biochemical pathways, and candidate genes have been proposed to explain FA profile variation. Here, the association between DGAT1 K232A, SCD1 A293V, and LEPR T945M markers with milk fat composition in southern Chile was evaluated. We selected five herds of Holstein-Friesian, Jersey, Frisón Negro, Montbeliarde, and Overo Colorado cows (pasture-grazed) that received strategic supplementation with concentrates and conserved forages. We genotyped the SNPs and calculated allele frequencies and Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Milk fat composition was determined for individual milk samples over a year, and associations between genotypes and milk composition were studied. The most frequent variants for DGAT1, SCD1, and LEPR polymorphisms were GC/GC, C, and C, respectively. The DGAT1 GC/GC allele was associated with lower milk fat and protein content, lower saturated fatty acid levels, and higher polyunsaturated FA (PUFA), n-3 and n-6 FA, and a linolenic acid to cholesterolemic FA ratios, which implied a healthier FA profile. The SCD1 CC genotype was associated with a low cholesterolemic FA content, a high ratio of linolenic acid to cholesterolemic FA, and lower conjugated-linolenic acid and PUFA content. These results suggest the possible modulation of milk fat profiles, using specific genotypes, to improve the nutritional quality of dairy products.

  19. Individual Distinctive Features of Self-Regulation Processes Peculiar to Students of Different Profiles of Lateral Organization

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korneeva, Svetlana A.; Zherebnenko, Oksana A.; Mukhamedzyanova, Flera G.; Moskalenko, Svetlana V.; Gorelikova, Olga N.

    2016-01-01

    The research paper presents an analysis of the interrelation between the lateral organisation profiles' indicators and self-regulation features. The existence of significant distinctions in the processes of self-regulation among respondents with different variants of lateral profiles of the interhemispheric asymmetry is proved, as well as the…

  20. Distinctive personality profiles of fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacob N. Ablin

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Objective The current study is an innovative exploratory investigation, aiming at identifying differences in personality profiles within Fibromyalgia Syndrome (FMS and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS patients. Method In total, 344 participants (309 female, 35 male reported suffering from FMS and/or CFS and consented to participate in the study. Participants were recruited at an Israeli FM/CFS patient meeting held in May 2013, and through an announcement posted on several social networks. Participants were asked to complete a research questionnaire, which included FMS criteria and severity scales, and measures of personality, emotional functioning, positivity, social support and subjective assessment of general health. In total, 204 participants completed the research questionnaire (40.7% attrition rate. Results A cluster analysis produced two distinct clusters, which differed significantly on psychological variables, but did not differ on demographic variables or illness severity. As compared to cluster number 2 (N = 107, participants classified into cluster number 1 (N = 97 showed a less adaptive pattern, with higher levels of Harm Avoidance and Alexithymia; higher prevalence of Type D personality; and lower levels of Persistence (PS, Reward dependence (RD, Cooperation, Self-directedness (SD, social support and positivity. Conclusion The significant pattern of results indicates at least two distinct personality profiles of FM and CFS patients. Findings from this research may help improve the evaluation and treatment of FM and CFS patients, based on each patient’s unique needs, psychological resources and weaknesses, as proposed by the current trend of personalized medicine.

  1. General-Purpose Genotype or How Epigenetics Extend the Flexibility of a Genotype

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    Rachel Massicotte

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available This project aims at investigating the link between individual epigenetic variability (not related to genetic variability and the variation of natural environmental conditions. We studied DNA methylation polymorphisms of individuals belonging to a single genetic lineage of the clonal diploid fish Chrosomus eos-neogaeus sampled in seven geographically distant lakes. In spite of a low number of informative fragments obtained from an MSAP analysis, individuals of a given lake are epigenetically similar, and methylation profiles allow the clustering of individuals in two distinct groups of populations among lakes. More importantly, we observed a significant pH variation that is consistent with the two epigenetic groups. It thus seems that the genotype studied has the potential to respond differentially via epigenetic modifications under variable environmental conditions, making epigenetic processes a relevant molecular mechanism contributing to phenotypic plasticity over variable environments in accordance with the GPG model.

  2. Seed maturation associated transcriptional programs and regulatory networks underlying genotypic difference in seed dormancy and size/weight in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamasaki, Yuji; Gao, Feng; Jordan, Mark C; Ayele, Belay T

    2017-09-16

    Maturation forms one of the critical seed developmental phases and it is characterized mainly by programmed cell death, dormancy and desiccation, however, the transcriptional programs and regulatory networks underlying acquisition of dormancy and deposition of storage reserves during the maturation phase of seed development are poorly understood in wheat. The present study performed comparative spatiotemporal transcriptomic analysis of seed maturation in two wheat genotypes with contrasting seed weight/size and dormancy phenotype. The embryo and endosperm tissues of maturing seeds appeared to exhibit genotype-specific temporal shifts in gene expression profile that might contribute to the seed phenotypic variations. Functional annotations of gene clusters suggest that the two tissues exhibit distinct but genotypically overlapping molecular functions. Motif enrichment predicts genotypically distinct abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) regulated transcriptional networks contribute to the contrasting seed weight/size and dormancy phenotypes between the two genotypes. While other ABA responsive element (ABRE) motifs are enriched in both genotypes, the prevalence of G-box-like motif specifically in tissues of the dormant genotype suggests distinct ABA mediated transcriptional mechanisms control the establishment of dormancy during seed maturation. In agreement with this, the bZIP transcription factors that co-express with ABRE enriched embryonic genes differ with genotype. The enrichment of SITEIIATCYTC motif specifically in embryo clusters of maturing seeds irrespective of genotype predicts a tissue specific role for the respective TCP transcription factors with no or minimal contribution to the variations in seed dormancy. The results of this study advance our understanding of the seed maturation associated molecular mechanisms underlying variation in dormancy and weight/size in wheat seeds, which is a critical step towards the designing of molecular strategies

  3. Comparative transcriptome profiling of two Tibetan wild barley genotypes in responses to low potassium.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jianbin Zeng

    Full Text Available Potassium (K deficiency is one of the major factors affecting crop growth and productivity. Development of low-K tolerant crops is an effective approach to solve the nutritional deficiency in agricultural production. Tibetan annual wild barley is rich in genetic diversity and can grow normally under poor soils, including low-K supply. However, the molecular mechanism about low K tolerance is still poorly understood. In this study, Illumina RNA-Sequencing was performed using two Tibetan wild barley genotypes differing in low K tolerance (XZ153, tolerant and XZ141, sensitive, to determine the genotypic difference in transcriptome profiling. We identified a total of 692 differentially expressed genes (DEGs in two genotypes at 6 h and 48 h after low-K treatment, including transcription factors, transporters and kinases, oxidative stress and hormone signaling related genes. Meanwhile, 294 low-K tolerant associated DEGs were assigned to transporter and antioxidant activities, stimulus response, and other gene ontology (GO, which were mainly involved in starch and sucrose metabolism, lipid metabolism and ethylene biosynthesis. Finally, a hypothetical model of low-K tolerance mechanism in XZ153 was presented. It may be concluded that wild barley accession XZ153 has a higher capability of K absorption and use efficiency than XZ141 under low K stress. A rapid response to low K stress in XZ153 is attributed to its more K uptake and accumulation in plants, resulting in higher low K tolerance. The ethylene response pathway may account for the genotypic difference in low-K tolerance.

  4. Short communication: Antimicrobial susceptibility profiling and genotyping of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine mastitis in Poland.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jagielski, T; Puacz, E; Lisowski, A; Siedlecki, P; Dudziak, W; Międzobrodzki, J; Krukowski, H

    2014-10-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is the predominant causative agent of bovine mastitis, a disease that remains a major economic burden for the dairy industry worldwide. In this study, the antimicrobial resistance patterns and the genetic composition of 80 S. aureus mastitis isolates collected from 14 dairy farms in Eastern Poland were determined. Of the 10 antimicrobial agents evaluated, only testing for penicillin G produced drug resistance. As 41% of the S. aureus isolates were penicillin resistant, this drug along with other β-lactamase-sensitive β-lactams, should rather not be considered for the treatment of bovine mastitis caused by S. aureus. Upon genotyping, with a triplex PCR method, a total of 11 distinct PCR types were produced. The population structure of S. aureus isolates was highly clonal, with 1 predominant genotype circulating on each farm. The observed similarities in the genotype composition of S. aureus populations from geographically distant farms underscore the significance of interfarm transmission of S. aureus in Poland. This, in turn, argues for the establishment of a nationwide surveillance program for bovine mastitis due to this pathogen. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Forensic SNP genotyping with SNaPshot

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fondevila, M; Børsting, C; Phillips, C

    2017-01-01

    to routine STR profiling, use of SNaPshot is an important part of the development of SNP sets for a wide range of forensic applications with these markers, from genotyping highly degraded DNA with very short amplicons to the introduction of SNPs to ascertain the ancestry and physical characteristics......This review explores the key factors that influence the optimization, routine use, and profile interpretation of the SNaPshot single-base extension (SBE) system applied to forensic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping. Despite being a mainly complimentary DNA genotyping technique...... of an unidentified contact trace donor. However, this technology, as resourceful as it is, displays several features that depart from the usual STR genotyping far enough to demand a certain degree of expertise from the forensic analyst before tackling the complex casework on which SNaPshot application provides...

  6. Chemotaxonomy of heterocystous cyanobacteria using FAME profiling as species markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shukla, Ekta; Singh, Satya Shila; Singh, Prashant; Mishra, Arun Kumar

    2012-07-01

    The fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis of the 12 heterocystous cyanobacterial strains showed different fatty acid profiling based on the presence/absence and the percentage of 13 different types of fatty acids. The major fatty acids viz. palmitic acid (16:0), hexadecadienoic acid (16:2), stearic acid (18:0), oleic acid (18:1), linoleic (18:2), and linolenic acid (18:3) were present among all the strains except Cylindrospermum musicola where oleic acid (18:1) was absent. All the strains showed high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFAs; 41-68.35%) followed by saturated fatty acid (SAFAs; 1.82-40.66%) and monounsaturated fatty acid (0.85-24.98%). Highest percentage of PUFAs and essential fatty acid (linolenic acid; 18:3) was reported in Scytonema bohnerii which can be used as fatty acid supplement in medical and biotechnological purpose. The cluster analysis based on FAME profiling suggests the presence of two distinct clusters with Euclidean distance ranging from 0 to 25. S. bohnerii of cluster I was distantly related to the other strains of cluster II. The genotypes of cluster II were further divided into two subclusters, i.e., IIa with C. musicola showing great divergence with the other genotypes of IIb which was further subdivided into two groups. Subsubcluster IIb(1) was represented by a genotype, Anabaena sp. whereas subsubcluster IIb(2) was distinguished by two groups, i.e., one group having significant similarity among their three genotypes showed distant relation with the other group having closely related six genotypes. To test the validity of the fatty acid profiles as a marker, cluster analysis has also been generated on the basis of morphological attributes. Our results suggest that FAME profiling might be used as species markers in the study of polyphasic approach based taxonomy and phylogenetic relationship.

  7. Distinctive serum protein profiles involving abundant proteins in lung cancer patients based upon antibody microarray analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gao, Wei-Min; Haab, Brian B; Hanash, Samir M; Kuick, Rork; Orchekowski, Randal P; Misek, David E; Qiu, Ji; Greenberg, Alissa K; Rom, William N; Brenner, Dean E; Omenn, Gilbert S

    2005-01-01

    Cancer serum protein profiling by mass spectrometry has uncovered mass profiles that are potentially diagnostic for several common types of cancer. However, direct mass spectrometric profiling has a limited dynamic range and difficulties in providing the identification of the distinctive proteins. We hypothesized that distinctive profiles may result from the differential expression of relatively abundant serum proteins associated with the host response. Eighty-four antibodies, targeting a wide range of serum proteins, were spotted onto nitrocellulose-coated microscope slides. The abundances of the corresponding proteins were measured in 80 serum samples, from 24 newly diagnosed subjects with lung cancer, 24 healthy controls, and 32 subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Two-color rolling-circle amplification was used to measure protein abundance. Seven of the 84 antibodies gave a significant difference (p < 0.01) for the lung cancer patients as compared to healthy controls, as well as compared to COPD patients. Proteins that exhibited higher abundances in the lung cancer samples relative to the control samples included C-reactive protein (CRP; a 13.3 fold increase), serum amyloid A (SAA; a 2.0 fold increase), mucin 1 and α-1-antitrypsin (1.4 fold increases). The increased expression levels of CRP and SAA were validated by Western blot analysis. Leave-one-out cross-validation was used to construct Diagonal Linear Discriminant Analysis (DLDA) classifiers. At a cutoff where all 56 of the non-tumor samples were correctly classified, 15/24 lung tumor patient sera were correctly classified. Our results suggest that a distinctive serum protein profile involving abundant proteins may be observed in lung cancer patients relative to healthy subjects or patients with chronic disease and may have utility as part of strategies for detecting lung cancer

  8. Gene expression profiling of two distinct neuronal populations in the rodent spinal cord.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jesper Ryge

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: In the field of neuroscience microarray gene expression profiles on anatomically defined brain structures are being used increasingly to study both normal brain functions as well as pathological states. Fluorescent tracing techniques in brain tissue that identifies distinct neuronal populations can in combination with global gene expression profiling potentially increase the resolution and specificity of such studies to shed new light on neuronal functions at the cellular level. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We examine the microarray gene expression profiles of two distinct neuronal populations in the spinal cord of the neonatal rat, the principal motor neurons and specific interneurons involved in motor control. The gene expression profiles of the respective cell populations were obtained from amplified mRNA originating from 50-250 fluorescently identified and laser microdissected cells. In the data analysis we combine a new microarray normalization procedure with a conglomerate measure of significant differential gene expression. Using our methodology we find 32 genes to be more expressed in the interneurons compared to the motor neurons that all except one have not previously been associated with this neuronal population. As a validation of our method we find 17 genes to be more expressed in the motor neurons than in the interneurons and of these only one had not previously been described in this population. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We provide an optimized experimental protocol that allows isolation of gene transcripts from fluorescent retrogradely labeled cell populations in fresh tissue, which can be used to generate amplified aRNA for microarray hybridization from as few as 50 laser microdissected cells. Using this optimized experimental protocol in combination with our microarray analysis methodology we find 49 differentially expressed genes between the motor neurons and the interneurons that reflect the functional

  9. De Novo and Inherited Loss-of-Function Variants in TLK2: Clinical and Genotype-Phenotype Evaluation of a Distinct Neurodevelopmental Disorder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reijnders, Margot R F; Miller, Kerry A; Alvi, Mohsan; Goos, Jacqueline A C; Lees, Melissa M; de Burca, Anna; Henderson, Alex; Kraus, Alison; Mikat, Barbara; de Vries, Bert B A; Isidor, Bertrand; Kerr, Bronwyn; Marcelis, Carlo; Schluth-Bolard, Caroline; Deshpande, Charu; Ruivenkamp, Claudia A L; Wieczorek, Dagmar; Baralle, Diana; Blair, Edward M; Engels, Hartmut; Lüdecke, Hermann-Josef; Eason, Jacqueline; Santen, Gijs W E; Clayton-Smith, Jill; Chandler, Kate; Tatton-Brown, Katrina; Payne, Katelyn; Helbig, Katherine; Radtke, Kelly; Nugent, Kimberly M; Cremer, Kirsten; Strom, Tim M; Bird, Lynne M; Sinnema, Margje; Bitner-Glindzicz, Maria; van Dooren, Marieke F; Alders, Marielle; Koopmans, Marije; Brick, Lauren; Kozenko, Mariya; Harline, Megan L; Klaassens, Merel; Steinraths, Michelle; Cooper, Nicola S; Edery, Patrick; Yap, Patrick; Terhal, Paulien A; van der Spek, Peter J; Lakeman, Phillis; Taylor, Rachel L; Littlejohn, Rebecca O; Pfundt, Rolph; Mercimek-Andrews, Saadet; Stegmann, Alexander P A; Kant, Sarina G; McLean, Scott; Joss, Shelagh; Swagemakers, Sigrid M A; Douzgou, Sofia; Wall, Steven A; Küry, Sébastien; Calpena, Eduardo; Koelling, Nils; McGowan, Simon J; Twigg, Stephen R F; Mathijssen, Irene M J; Nellaker, Christoffer; Brunner, Han G; Wilkie, Andrew O M

    2018-06-07

    Next-generation sequencing is a powerful tool for the discovery of genes related to neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs). Here, we report the identification of a distinct syndrome due to de novo or inherited heterozygous mutations in Tousled-like kinase 2 (TLK2) in 38 unrelated individuals and two affected mothers, using whole-exome and whole-genome sequencing technologies, matchmaker databases, and international collaborations. Affected individuals had a consistent phenotype, characterized by mild-borderline neurodevelopmental delay (86%), behavioral disorders (68%), severe gastro-intestinal problems (63%), and facial dysmorphism including blepharophimosis (82%), telecanthus (74%), prominent nasal bridge (68%), broad nasal tip (66%), thin vermilion of the upper lip (62%), and upslanting palpebral fissures (55%). Analysis of cell lines from three affected individuals showed that mutations act through a loss-of-function mechanism in at least two case subjects. Genotype-phenotype analysis and comparison of computationally modeled faces showed that phenotypes of these and other individuals with loss-of-function variants significantly overlapped with phenotypes of individuals with other variant types (missense and C-terminal truncating). This suggests that haploinsufficiency of TLK2 is the most likely underlying disease mechanism, leading to a consistent neurodevelopmental phenotype. This work illustrates the power of international data sharing, by the identification of 40 individuals from 26 different centers in 7 different countries, allowing the identification, clinical delineation, and genotype-phenotype evaluation of a distinct NDD caused by mutations in TLK2. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  10. Assessment of Cultivar Distinctness in Alfalfa: A Comparison of Genotyping-by-Sequencing, Simple-Sequence Repeat Marker, and Morphophysiological Observations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Annicchiarico

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Cultivar registration agencies typically require morphophysiological trait-based distinctness of candidate cultivars. This requirement is difficult to achieve for cultivars of major perennial forages because of their genetic structure and ever-increasing number of registered material, leading to possible rejection of agronomically valuable cultivars. This study aimed to explore the value of molecular markers applied to replicated bulked plants (three bulks of 100 independent plants each per cultivar to assess alfalfa ( L. subsp. cultivar distinctness. We compared genotyping-by-sequencing information based on 2902 polymorphic single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP markers (>30 reads per DNA sample with morphophysiological information based on 11 traits and with simple-sequence repeat (SSR marker information from 41 polymorphic markers for their ability to distinguish 11 alfalfa landraces representative of the germplasm from northern Italy. Three molecular criteria, one based on cultivar differences for individual SSR bands and two based on overall SNP marker variation assessed either by statistically significant cultivar differences on principal component axes or discriminant analysis, distinctly outperformed the morphophysiological criterion. Combining the morphophysiological criterion with either molecular marker method increased discrimination among cultivars, since morphophysiological diversity was unrelated to SSR marker-based diversity ( = 0.04 and poorly related to SNP marker-based diversity ( = 0.23, < 0.15. The criterion based on statistically significant SNP allele frequency differences was less discriminating than morphophysiological variation. Marker-based distinctness, which can be assessed at low cost and without interactions with testing conditions, could validly substitute for (or complement morphophysiological distinctness in alfalfa cultivar registration schemes. It also has interest in sui generis registration systems aimed at

  11. Study of trace element correlations with drought tolerance in different sorghum genotypes using Energy Dispersive X-Rays Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abu Assar, A.H.; Joseph, Daisy; Choudhury, R.K.; Saxena, A.; Suprasanna, P.; Bapat, V.A.

    2000-01-01

    Drought tolerant and susceptible genotypes of sorghum plants were analysed by Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) technique to study the correlation of trace elements with drought tolerance capacities for sorghum plants. Samples prepared from mature seeds, young seedlings and old plants were analyzed using 109 Cd radioisotope source and a Si(Li) semiconductor detector of resolution 170 eV for 5.9 keV Mn K α X-ray. The elements such as K, Fe, Cu, Zn, Rb and Sr and Y were seen to be present in varying concentrations in different samples. The trace element profile in the seeds of 11 genotypes and in seedlings (young and old) of four sorghum genotypes that were studied exhibited considerable variation in their concentrations. Some seed genotypes showed the presence of Hg in small amounts. It was observed that in most of the genotypes (seeds), K and Fe concentrations were more in the tolerant genotype as compared to the susceptible type. Concentration of Fe decreased with maturity in the tolerant group while it increased with maturity in the susceptible group. The genotype Arfa Gadamak (AG) showed a distinct abnormality in its young seedling with high level of Zn. (author)

  12. Presence of three distinct genotypes within the Paragonimus westermani complex in northeastern India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rekha Devi, K; Narain, Kanwar; Mahanta, Jagadish; Nirmolia, Tulika; Blair, David; Saikia, Sidhartha P; Agatsuma, Takeshi

    2013-01-01

    The name Paragonimus westermani (Kerbert, 1878) is commonly applied to members of a species complex that includes the well-known Asian lung fluke of medical and veterinary importance. Unambiguous molecular and morphological evidence showing the presence of a member of the complex in India has recently been published. In the present study we report the occurrence of 2 more members of the P. westermani complex in northeastern (NE) India. Surveys of the freshwater crabs Maydelliatelphusa lugubris in NE India revealed 2 morphologically distinct types of lung fluke metacercariae. Phylogenetic analyses, using DNA sequences from ITS2, 28S and cox1 gene regions indicate that these lung metacercariae belong to P. westermani complex. Type 1 metacercariae have a more basal position within the complex whereas type 2 metacercariae are closely related to the relatively derived forms of P. westermani from NE Asia (Japan, Korea, China) and Vietnam. A third type of metacercaria (type 3), detected in another crab host, Sartoriana spinigera in Assam, was phylogenetically close to P. siamensis, also a member of the P. westermani group. Molecular evidence has demonstrated the existence of 3 genotypes of lung flukes within the Paragonimus westermani complex in NE India. Two of these were previously unknown.

  13. Existence of various human parvovirus B19 genotypes in Chinese plasma pools: genotype 1, genotype 3, putative intergenotypic recombinant variants and new genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, Junting; Ma, Yuyuan; Zhao, Xiong; Huangfu, Chaoji; Zhong, Yadi; Fang, Chi; Fan, Rui; Lv, Maomin; Zhang, Jingang

    2016-09-17

    Human parvovirus B19 (B19V) is a frequent contaminant of blood and plasma-derived medicinal products. Three distinct genotypes of B19V have been identified. The distribution of the three B19V genotypes has been investigated in various regions or countries. However, in China, data on the existence of different B19V genotypes are limited. One hundred and eighteen B19V-DNA positive source plasma pool samples collected from three Chinese blood products manufacturers were analyzed. The subgenomic NS1/VP1u region junction of B19V was amplified by nested PCR. These amplified products were then cloned and subsequently sequenced. For genotyping, their phylogenetic inferences were constructed based on the NS1/VP1-unique region. Then putative recombination events were analyzed and identified. Phylogenetic analysis of 118 B19V sequences attributed 61.86 % to genotype 1a, 10.17 % to genotype 1b, and 17.80 % to genotype 3b. All the genotype 3b sequences obtained in this study grouped as a specific, closely related cluster with B19V strain D91.1. Four 1a/3b recombinants and 5 new atypical B19V variants with no recombination events were identified. There were at least 3 subtypes (1a, 1b and 3b) of B19V circulating in China. Furthermore, putative B19V 1a/3b recombinants and unclassified strains were identified as well. Such recombinant and unclassified strains may contribute to the genetic diversity of B19V and consequently complicate the B19V infection diagnosis and NAT screening. Further studies will be required to elucidate the biological significance of the recombinant and unclassified strains.

  14. Transcript profiling of two alfalfa genotypes with contrasting cell wall composition in stems using a cross-species platform: optimizing analysis by masking biased probes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jung Hans-Joachim G

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The GeneChip® Medicago Genome Array, developed for Medicago truncatula, is a suitable platform for transcript profiling in tetraploid alfalfa [Medicago sativa (L. subsp. sativa]. However, previous research involving cross-species hybridization (CSH has shown that sequence variation between two species can bias transcript profiling by decreasing sensitivity (number of expressed genes detected and the accuracy of measuring fold-differences in gene expression. Results Transcript profiling using the Medicago GeneChip® was conducted with elongating stem (ES and post-elongation stem (PES internodes from alfalfa genotypes 252 and 1283 that differ in stem cell wall concentrations of cellulose and lignin. A protocol was developed that masked probes targeting inter-species variable (ISV regions of alfalfa transcripts. A probe signal intensity threshold was selected that optimized both sensitivity and accuracy. After masking for both ISV regions and previously identified single-feature polymorphisms (SFPs, the number of differentially expressed genes between the two genotypes in both ES and PES internodes was approximately 2-fold greater than the number detected prior to masking. Regulatory genes, including transcription factor and receptor kinase genes that may play a role in development of secondary xylem, were significantly over-represented among genes up-regulated in 252 PES internodes compared to 1283 PES internodes. Several cell wall-related genes were also up-regulated in genotype 252 PES internodes. Real-time quantitative RT-PCR of differentially expressed regulatory and cell wall-related genes demonstrated increased sensitivity and accuracy after masking for both ISV regions and SFPs. Over 1,000 genes that were differentially expressed in ES and PES internodes of genotypes 252 and 1283 were mapped onto putative orthologous loci on M. truncatula chromosomes. Clustering simulation analysis of the differentially expressed genes

  15. Genotypes of Leptospira spp. strains isolated from dogs in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grune Loffler, Sylvia; Passaro, Diego; Samartino, Luis; Soncini, Analía; Romero, Graciela; Brihuega, Bibiana

    2014-01-01

    Leptospirosis is an infectious disease of wide global distribution, which is endemic in Argentina. The objective of this study was to obtain the genetic profiles of Leptospira spp. strains isolated from clinical cases of dogs in the province of Buenos Aires by the multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). Eight isolated canine strains were genotyped by MLVA, obtaining the identical profile of Leptospira interrogans serovar Canicola Hond Utrecht IV in the strains named Dogy and Mayo. The strains named Bel, Sarmiento, La Plata 4581 and La Plata 5478 were identical to the profile of the genotype of L. interrogans serovar Portlandvere MY 1039.The strain named Avellaneda was identical to the genotype profile of L. interrogans serovar Icterohaemorrhagiae RGA and the strain named SB had the same profile as the L. interrogans serovar Pomona Baires genotype and was similar to the profile of serovar Pomona Pomona genotype. It would be useful to include a larger number of isolates from different dog populations in various provinces of Argentina and to characterize the genetic profiles of the strains circulating in the country. The information obtained will be useful for the control of leptospirosis in the dog population. Copyright © 2014 Asociación Argentina de Microbiología. Publicado por Elsevier España. All rights reserved.

  16. Osteoradionecrosis in Head-and-Neck Cancer Has a Distinct Genotype-Dependent Cause

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lyons, Andrew J., E-mail: Andrew.Lyons@gstt.nhs.uk [Head and Neck Unit, Guy' s and St. Thomas' Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, London (United Kingdom); West, Catharine M. [University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester (United Kingdom); Risk, Janet M. [Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool (United Kingdom); Slevin, Nick J.; Chan, Clara [Department of Clinical Oncology, The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester (United Kingdom); Crichton, Siobhan [Division of Health and Social Care Research, King' s College, London (United Kingdom); Rinck, Gabrielle; Howell, Dawn [Laboratory 21, Cambridge (United Kingdom); Shaw, Richard J. [Liverpool CR-UK Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool (United Kingdom)

    2012-03-15

    Purpose: We performed a case-control study to establish whether the development of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) was related to a variant allele substituting T for C at -509 of the transforming growth factor-{beta}1 gene (TGF-{beta}1). Patients and Methods: A total of 140 patients, 39 with and 101 without ORN, who underwent radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer with a minimum of 2 years follow-up, were studied. None of the patients had clinical evidence of recurrence at this time. DNA extracted from blood was genotyped for the -509 C-T variant allele of the TGF-{beta}1 gene. Results: There were no significant differences in patient, cancer treatment, or tumor characteristics between the two groups. Of the 39 patients who developed ORN, 9 were homozygous for the common CC allele, 19 were heterozygous, and 11 were homozygous for the rare TT genotype. Of the 101 patients without ORN, the distribution was 56 (CC), 33 (CT), and 12 (TT). The difference in distribution was significant, giving an increased risk of ORN of 5.7 (95% CI, 1.7-19.2) for homozygote TT patients (p = 0.001) and 3.6 (95% CI, 1.3-10.0) for heterozygotes (p = 0.004) when compared with patients with the CC genotype. Postradiotherapy dentoalveolar surgery preceding the development of ORN was associated with the CC genotype (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Our findings support the postulate that the development of ORN is related to the presence of the T variant allele at -509 within the TGF-{beta}1 gene.

  17. Osteoradionecrosis in Head-and-Neck Cancer Has a Distinct Genotype-Dependent Cause

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lyons, Andrew J.; West, Catharine M.; Risk, Janet M.; Slevin, Nick J.; Chan, Clara; Crichton, Siobhan; Rinck, Gabrielle; Howell, Dawn; Shaw, Richard J.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: We performed a case-control study to establish whether the development of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) was related to a variant allele substituting T for C at -509 of the transforming growth factor-β1 gene (TGF-β1). Patients and Methods: A total of 140 patients, 39 with and 101 without ORN, who underwent radiotherapy for head-and-neck cancer with a minimum of 2 years follow-up, were studied. None of the patients had clinical evidence of recurrence at this time. DNA extracted from blood was genotyped for the -509 C-T variant allele of the TGF-β1 gene. Results: There were no significant differences in patient, cancer treatment, or tumor characteristics between the two groups. Of the 39 patients who developed ORN, 9 were homozygous for the common CC allele, 19 were heterozygous, and 11 were homozygous for the rare TT genotype. Of the 101 patients without ORN, the distribution was 56 (CC), 33 (CT), and 12 (TT). The difference in distribution was significant, giving an increased risk of ORN of 5.7 (95% CI, 1.7–19.2) for homozygote TT patients (p = 0.001) and 3.6 (95% CI, 1.3–10.0) for heterozygotes (p = 0.004) when compared with patients with the CC genotype. Postradiotherapy dentoalveolar surgery preceding the development of ORN was associated with the CC genotype (p = 0.02). Conclusions: Our findings support the postulate that the development of ORN is related to the presence of the T variant allele at -509 within the TGF-β1 gene.

  18. Separation of Hepatitis C genotype 4a into IgG-depleted and IgG-enriched fractions reveals a unique quasispecies profile.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Moreau, Isabelle

    2012-02-03

    BACKGROUND: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) circulates in an infected individual as a heterogeneous mixture of closely related viruses called quasispecies. The E1\\/E2 region of the HCV genome is hypervariable (HVR1) and is targeted by the humoral immune system. Hepatitis C virions are found in two forms: antibody associated or antibody free. The objective of this study was to investigate if separation of Hepatitis C virions into antibody enriched and antibody depleted fractions segregates quasispecies populations into distinctive swarms. RESULTS: A HCV genotype 4a specimen was fractionated into IgG-depleted and IgG-enriched fractions by use of Albumin\\/IgG depletion spin column. Clonal analysis of these two fractions was performed and then compared to an unfractionated sample. Following sequence analysis it was evident that the antibody depleted fraction was significantly more heterogeneous than the antibody enriched fraction, revealing a unique quasispecies profile. An in-frame 3 nt insertion was observed in 26% of clones in the unfractionated population and in 64% of clones in the IgG-depleted fraction. In addition, an in-frame 3 nt indel event was observed in 10% of clones in the unfractionated population and in 9% of clones in the IgG-depleted fraction. Neither of these latter events, which are rare occurrences in genotype 4a, was identified in the IgG-enriched fraction. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the homogeneity of the IgG-enriched species is postulated to represent a sequence that was strongly recognised by the humoral immune system at the time the sample was obtained. The heterogeneous nature of the IgG-depleted fraction is discussed in the context of humoral escape.

  19. Genetic relationship among Musa genotypes revealed by ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    enoh

    2012-03-29

    Mar 29, 2012 ... A banana germplasm was established containing 44 Musa genotypes collected from various locations in Malaysia. To detect their genetic variation and to rule out duplicates among cultivar, microsatellite markers were used in their analysis. The microsatellite profiles of 44 Musa genotypes of various origins.

  20. Abiotic stress growth conditions induce different responses in kernel iron concentration across genotypically distinct maize inbred varieties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kandianis, Catherine B.; Michenfelder, Abigail S.; Simmons, Susan J.; Grusak, Michael A.; Stapleton, Ann E.

    2013-01-01

    The improvement of grain nutrient profiles for essential minerals and vitamins through breeding strategies is a target important for agricultural regions where nutrient poor crops like maize contribute a large proportion of the daily caloric intake. Kernel iron concentration in maize exhibits a broad range. However, the magnitude of genotype by environment (GxE) effects on this trait reduces the efficacy and predictability of selection programs, particularly when challenged with abiotic stress such as water and nitrogen limitations. Selection has also been limited by an inverse correlation between kernel iron concentration and the yield component of kernel size in target environments. Using 25 maize inbred lines for which extensive genome sequence data is publicly available, we evaluated the response of kernel iron density and kernel mass to water and nitrogen limitation in a managed field stress experiment using a factorial design. To further understand GxE interactions we used partition analysis to characterize response of kernel iron and weight to abiotic stressors among all genotypes, and observed two patterns: one characterized by higher kernel iron concentrations in control over stress conditions, and another with higher kernel iron concentration under drought and combined stress conditions. Breeding efforts for this nutritional trait could exploit these complementary responses through combinations of favorable allelic variation from these already well-characterized genetic stocks. PMID:24363659

  1. Two Theobroma cacao genotypes with contrasting pathogen tolerance show aberrant transcriptional and ROS responses after salicylic acid treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fister, Andrew S; O'Neil, Shawn T; Shi, Zi; Zhang, Yufan; Tyler, Brett M; Guiltinan, Mark J; Maximova, Siela N

    2015-10-01

    Understanding the genetic basis of pathogen susceptibility in various crop plants is crucial to increasing the stability of food, feed, and fuel production. Varietal differences in defence responses provide insights into the mechanisms of resistance and are a key resource for plant breeders. To explore the role of salicylic acid in the regulation of defence in cacao, we demonstrated that SA treatment decreased susceptibility to a pod rot pathogen, Phytophthora tropicalis in two genotypes, Scavina 6 and Imperial College Selection 1, which differ in their resistance to several agriculturally important pathogens. Transient overexpression of TcNPR1, a major transcriptional regulator of the SA-dependent plant immune system, also increased pathogen tolerance in cacao leaves. To explore further the genetic basis of resistance in cacao, we used microarrays to measure gene expression profiles after salicylic acid (SA) treatment in these two cacao genotypes. The two genotypes displayed distinct transcriptional responses to SA. Unexpectedly, the expression profile of the susceptible genotype ICS1 included a larger number of pathogenesis-related genes that were induced by SA at 24h after treatment, whereas genes encoding many chloroplast and mitochondrial proteins implicated in reactive oxygen species production were up-regulated in the resistant genotype, Sca6. Sca6 accumulated significantly more superoxide at 24h after treatment of leaves with SA. These experiments revealed critical insights regarding the molecular differences between cacao varieties, which will allow a better understanding of defence mechanisms to help guide breeding programmes. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

  2. Genotypic and phenotypic diversity of Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius isolates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Félix-Valenzuela, L; Guardiola-Avila, I; Burgara-Estrella, A; Ibarra-Zavala, M; Mata-Haro, V

    2015-10-01

    The fruit juice industry recognizes Alicyclobacillus as a major quality control target micro-organism. In this study, we analysed 19 bacterial isolates to identify Alicyclobacillus species by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing analyses. Phenotypic and genomic diversity among isolates were investigated by API 50CHB system and ERIC-PCR (enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR) respectively. All bacterial isolates were identified as Alicyclobacillus acidocaldarius, and almost all showed identical DNA sequences according to their 16S rRNA (rDNA) gene partial sequences. Only few carbohydrates were fermented by A. acidocaldarius isolates, and there was little variability in the biochemical profile. Genotypic fingerprinting of the A. acidocaldarius isolates showed high diversity, and clusters by ERIC-PCR were distinct to those obtained from the 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic tree. There was no correlation between phenotypic and genotypic variability in the A. acidocaldarius isolates analysed in this study. Detection of Alicyclobacillus strains is imperative in fruit concentrates and juices due to the production of guaiacol. Identification of the genera originates rejection of the product by processing industry. However, not all the Alicyclobacillus species are deteriorative and hence the importance to differentiate among them. In this study, partial 16S ribosomal RNA sequence alignment allowed the differentiation of species. In addition, ERIC-PCR was introduced for the genotypic characterization of Alicyclobacillus, as an alternative for differentiation among isolates from the same species. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  3. Using RNA-Seq for gene identification, polymorphism detection and transcript profiling in two alfalfa genotypes with divergent cell wall composition in stems

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background Alfalfa, [Medicago sativa (L.) sativa], a widely-grown perennial forage has potential for development as a cellulosic ethanol feedstock. However, the genomics of alfalfa, a non-model species, is still in its infancy. The recent advent of RNA-Seq, a massively parallel sequencing method for transcriptome analysis, provides an opportunity to expand the identification of alfalfa genes and polymorphisms, and conduct in-depth transcript profiling. Results Cell walls in stems of alfalfa genotype 708 have higher cellulose and lower lignin concentrations compared to cell walls in stems of genotype 773. Using the Illumina GA-II platform, a total of 198,861,304 expression sequence tags (ESTs, 76 bp in length) were generated from cDNA libraries derived from elongating stem (ES) and post-elongation stem (PES) internodes of 708 and 773. In addition, 341,984 ESTs were generated from ES and PES internodes of genotype 773 using the GS FLX Titanium platform. The first alfalfa (Medicago sativa) gene index (MSGI 1.0) was assembled using the Sanger ESTs available from GenBank, the GS FLX Titanium EST sequences, and the de novo assembled Illumina sequences. MSGI 1.0 contains 124,025 unique sequences including 22,729 tentative consensus sequences (TCs), 22,315 singletons and 78,981 pseudo-singletons. We identified a total of 1,294 simple sequence repeats (SSR) among the sequences in MSGI 1.0. In addition, a total of 10,826 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were predicted between the two genotypes. Out of 55 SNPs randomly selected for experimental validation, 47 (85%) were polymorphic between the two genotypes. We also identified numerous allelic variations within each genotype. Digital gene expression analysis identified numerous candidate genes that may play a role in stem development as well as candidate genes that may contribute to the differences in cell wall composition in stems of the two genotypes. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that RNA-Seq can be

  4. Early and long-standing rheumatoid arthritis: distinct molecular signatures identified by gene-expression profiling in synovia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lequerré, Thierry; Bansard, Carine; Vittecoq, Olivier; Derambure, Céline; Hiron, Martine; Daveau, Maryvonne; Tron, François; Ayral, Xavier; Biga, Norman; Auquit-Auckbur, Isabelle; Chiocchia, Gilles; Le Loët, Xavier; Salier, Jean-Philippe

    2009-01-01

    Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a heterogeneous disease and its underlying molecular mechanisms are still poorly understood. Because previous microarray studies have only focused on long-standing (LS) RA compared to osteoarthritis, we aimed to compare the molecular profiles of early and LS RA versus control synovia. Methods Synovial biopsies were obtained by arthroscopy from 15 patients (4 early untreated RA, 4 treated LS RA and 7 controls, who had traumatic or mechanical lesions). Extracted mRNAs were used for large-scale gene-expression profiling. The different gene-expression combinations identified by comparison of profiles of early, LS RA and healthy synovia were linked to the biological processes involved in each situation. Results Three combinations of 719, 116 and 52 transcripts discriminated, respectively, early from LS RA, and early or LS RA from healthy synovia. We identified several gene clusters and distinct molecular signatures specifically expressed during early or LS RA, thereby suggesting the involvement of different pathophysiological mechanisms during the course of RA. Conclusions Early and LS RA have distinct molecular signatures with different biological processes participating at different times during the course of the disease. These results suggest that better knowledge of the main biological processes involved at a given RA stage might help to choose the most appropriate treatment. PMID:19563633

  5. Apolipoprotein E Genotype in Very Preterm Neonates with Intrauterine Growth Restriction: An Analysis of the German Neonatal Network Cohort.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Norda, Stephen; Rausch, Tanja K; Orlikowsky, Thorsten; Hütten, Matthias; Schulz, Sören; Göpel, Wolfgang; Pecks, Ulrich

    2017-01-01

    Aim. Cord blood of intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR) neonates displays lipid changes towards atherosclerotic profiles. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and its isoforms (e2, e3, and e4) are involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism. Specifically, ApoE e4 has been associated with atherosclerotic diseases, while e2 has a favorable effect. We therefore hypothesized that ApoE e4 haplotype is frequently observed in IUGR neonates and contributes to impaired fetal growth and the association of IUGR with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases later in life. Methods. A cohort of 4885 preterm infants (≥22+0 and 10th birth weight percentile. Analysis of the single nucleotides rs429358 and rs7412, identifying the ApoE genotype, was carried out using TaqMan® SNP genotyping assays. The proportional odds model was used to assess data. Results. No association was found between genotype and birth weight percentiles in each of the subgroups. Conclusion. ApoE genotype and low birth weight depict two distinct risk factors for cardiovascular disease without being directly associated.

  6. Apolipoprotein E Genotype in Very Preterm Neonates with Intrauterine Growth Restriction: An Analysis of the German Neonatal Network Cohort

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen Norda

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. Cord blood of intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR neonates displays lipid changes towards atherosclerotic profiles. Apolipoprotein E (ApoE and its isoforms (e2, e3, and e4 are involved in the regulation of lipid metabolism. Specifically, ApoE e4 has been associated with atherosclerotic diseases, while e2 has a favorable effect. We therefore hypothesized that ApoE e4 haplotype is frequently observed in IUGR neonates and contributes to impaired fetal growth and the association of IUGR with cardiovascular and metabolic diseases later in life. Methods. A cohort of 4885 preterm infants (≥22+0 and 10th birth weight percentile. Analysis of the single nucleotides rs429358 and rs7412, identifying the ApoE genotype, was carried out using TaqMan® SNP genotyping assays. The proportional odds model was used to assess data. Results. No association was found between genotype and birth weight percentiles in each of the subgroups. Conclusion. ApoE genotype and low birth weight depict two distinct risk factors for cardiovascular disease without being directly associated.

  7. Hepatitis B virus genotypes circulating in Brazil: molecular characterization of genotype F isolates

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Virgolino Helaine A

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Hepatitis B virus (HBV isolates have been classified in eight genotypes, A to H, which exhibit distinct geographical distributions. Genotypes A, D and F are predominant in Brazil, a country formed by a miscegenated population, where the proportion of individuals from Caucasian, Amerindian and African origins varies by region. Genotype F, which is the most divergent, is considered indigenous to the Americas. A systematic molecular characterization of HBV isolates from different parts of the world would be invaluable in establishing HBV evolutionary origins and dispersion patterns. A large-scale study is needed to map the region-by-region distribution of the HBV genotypes in Brazil. Results Genotyping by PCR-RFLP of 303 HBV isolates from HBsAg-positive blood donors showed that at least two of the three genotypes, A, D, and F, co-circulate in each of the five geographic regions of Brazil. No other genotypes were identified. Overall, genotype A was most prevalent (48.5%, and most of these isolates were classified as subgenotype A1 (138/153; 90.2%. Genotype D was the most common genotype in the South (84.2% and Central (47.6% regions. The prevalence of genotype F was low (13% countrywide. Nucleotide sequencing of the S gene and a phylogenetic analysis of 32 HBV genotype F isolates showed that a great majority (28/32; 87.5% belonged to subgenotype F2, cluster II. The deduced serotype of 31 of 32 F isolates was adw4. The remaining isolate showed a leucine-to-isoleucine substitution at position 127. Conclusion The presence of genotypes A, D and F, and the absence of other genotypes in a large cohort of HBV infected individuals may reflect the ethnic origins of the Brazilian population. The high prevalence of isolates from subgenotype A1 (of African origin indicates that the African influx during the colonial slavery period had a major impact on the circulation of HBV genotype A currently found in Brazil. Although most genotype F

  8. Callus induction and plant regeneration by Brazilian new elite wheat genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eliane Cristina Gruszka Vendruscolo

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available The distinction of genotypes responsive to tissue culture and the development of an efficient regenerationsystem are the first steps towards transgenic plant production. Nine Brazilian wheat (Triticum aestivum L. genotypes werecultivated in vitro to evaluate the embryogenetic capacity. The explants (immature zygotic embryos were tested in twodifferent culture media, MS (Murashige and Skoog 1962 and modified MS - MMS (Zhou et al. 1995 with decreasing dosagesof hormone regulators. Three distinct phases were observed in each medium: induction, maintenance and regeneration. Afterinduction, the somatic embryogenesis of calli was evaluated every 21 days. Genotypes responded differently to the differentculture media. The embryogenic response of genotype CD104 was best in both culture media tested. On MMS, the values ofcallus induction, plant regeneration and ratio of regenerated plantlets per rescued embryo of this genotype were 100%, 99.5%and 1.1%, respectively. Genotypes CD104, CD200126 and CDFAPA 2001129 were most responsive on MS (regenerationcapacity of 37.5%, 33.5% and 33% respectively, and therefore interesting for genetic transformation in plant breedingprograms that develop new elite cultivars with a commercial purpose.

  9. Phenotypic and genotypic profile of clinical and animal multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica isolates from Mexico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aguilar-Montes de Oca, S; Talavera-Rojas, M; Soriano-Vargas, E; Barba-León, J; Vázquez-Navarrete, J; Acosta-Dibarrat, J; Salgado-Miranda, C

    2018-01-01

    The objective of this study was to obtain a phenotypic and genotypic profile of Salmonella enterica including multidrug-resistant (MDR) isolates from food-producing animals and clinical isolates, as well as their genetic relatedness in two different States of Mexico (Jalisco and State of Mexico). A total of 243 isolates were evaluated in terms of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and related genes through a disk diffusion method and PCR respectively; we found 16 MDR isolates, all of them harbouring the bla CMY gene but not qnr genes, these isolates represent less than 10% of the collection. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis revealed a higher genotypic similitude within isolates of State of Mexico than Jalisco. A low percentage of Salmonella isolates were resistant to relevant antibiotics in human health, nevertheless, the AMR and involved genes were similar despite the different serovars and origin of the isolates. This investigation provided an insight of the current status of AMR of Salmonella isolates in two States of Mexico and pinpoint the genes involved in AMR and their epidemiological relationship, the information could help to determine an adequate therapy in human and veterinary medicine. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

  10. Genotypic diversity of merozoite surface antigen 1 of Babesia bovis within an endemic population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lau, Audrey O T; Cereceres, Karla; Palmer, Guy H; Fretwell, Debbie L; Pedroni, Monica J; Mosqueda, Juan; McElwain, Terry F

    2010-08-01

    Multiple genetically distinct strains of a pathogen circulate and compete for dominance within populations of animal reservoir hosts. Understanding the basis for genotypic strain structure is critical for predicting how pathogens respond to selective pressures and how shifts in pathogen population structure can lead to disease outbreaks. Evidence from related Apicomplexans such as Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium and Theileria suggests that various patterns of population dynamics exist, including but not limited to clonal, oligoclonal, panmictic and epidemic genotypic strain structures. In Babesia bovis, genetic diversity of variable merozoite surface antigen (VMSA) genes has been associated with disease outbreaks, including in previously vaccinated animals. However, the extent of VMSA diversity within a defined population in an endemic area has not been examined. We analyzed genotypic diversity and temporal change of MSA-1, a member of the VMSA family, in individual infected animals within a reservoir host population. Twenty-eight distinct MSA-1 genotypes were identified within the herd. All genotypically distinct MSA-1 sequences clustered into three groups based on sequence similarity. Two thirds of the animals tested changed their dominant MSA-1 genotypes during a 6-month period. Five animals within the population contained multiple genotypes. Interestingly, the predominant genotypes within those five animals also changed over the 6-month sampling period, suggesting ongoing transmission or emergence of variant MSA-1 genotypes within the herd. This study demonstrated an unexpected level of diversity for a single copy gene in a haploid genome, and illustrates the dynamic genotype structure of B. bovis within an individual animal in an endemic region. Co-infection with multiple diverse MSA-1 genotypes provides a basis for more extensive genotypic shifts that characterizes outbreak strains.

  11. MIRU-VNTR genotype diversity and indications of homoplasy in M. avium strains isolated from humans and slaughter pigs in Latvia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalvisa, Adrija; Tsirogiannis, Constantinos; Silamikelis, Ivars; Skenders, Girts; Broka, Lonija; Zirnitis, Agris; Jansone, Inta; Ranka, Renate

    2016-09-01

    Diseases which are caused by non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are an increasing problem in the developed countries. In Latvia, one of the most clinically important members of NTM is Mycobacterium avium (M. avium), an opportunistic pathogen which has been isolated from several lung disease patients and tissue samples of slaughter pigs. This study was designed to characterize the genetic diversity of the M. avium isolates in Latvia and to compare the distribution of genotypic patterns among humans and pigs. Eleven (Hall and Salipante, 2010) clinical M. avium samples, isolated from patients of Center of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases (years 2003-2010), and 32 isolates from pig necrotic mesenterial lymph nodes in different regions (years 2003-2007) were analyzed. The majority (42 of 43) of samples were identified as M. avium subsp. hominissuis; one porcine isolate belonged to M. avium subsp. avium. MIRU-VNTR genotyping revealed 13 distinct genotypes, among which nine genotype patterns, including M. avium subsp. avium isolate, were newly identified. IS1245 RFLP fingerprinting of 25 M. avium subsp. hominissuis samples yielded 17 different IS1245 RFLP patterns, allowing an efficient discrimination of isolates. Clusters of identical RFLP profiles were observed within host species, geographical locations and time frame of several years. Additional in silico analysis on simulated MIRU-VNTR genotype population datasets showed that the MIRU-VNTR pattern similarity could partly arise due to probabilistic increase of acquiring homoplasy among subpopulations, thus the similar MIRU-VNTR profiles of M. avium strains even in close geographical proximity should be interpreted with caution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Diversity and Adaptation of Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus Genotypes Circulating in Two Distinct Communities: Public Hospital and Day Care Center

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustavo Rocha Garcia

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available HRSV is one of the most important pathogens causing acute respiratory tract diseases as bronchiolitis and pneumonia among infants. HRSV was isolated from two distinct communities, a public day care center and a public hospital in São José do Rio Preto – SP, Brazil. We obtained partial sequences from G gene that were used on phylogenetic and selection pressure analysis. HRSV accounted for 29% of respiratory infections in hospitalized children and 7.7% in day care center children. On phylogenetic analysis of 60 HRSV strains, 48 (80% clustered within or adjacent to the GA1 genotype; GA5, NA1, NA2, BA-IV and SAB1 were also observed. SJRP GA1 strains presented variations among deduced amino acids composition and lost the potential O-glycosilation site at amino acid position 295, nevertheless this resulted in an insertion of two potential O-glycosilation sites at positions 296 and 297. Furthermore, a potential O-glycosilation site insertion, at position 293, was only observed for hospital strains. Using SLAC and MEME methods, only amino acid 274 was identified to be under positive selection. This is the first report on HRSV circulation and genotypes classification derived from a day care center community in Brazil.

  13. Deletion genotypes reduce occlusion body potency but increase occlusion body production in a Colombian Spodoptera frugiperda nucleopolyhedrovirus population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gloria Barrera

    Full Text Available A Colombian field isolate (SfCOL-wt of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV is a mixture of different genotypes. To evaluate the insecticidal properties of the different genotypic variants, 83 plaque purified virus were characterized. Ten distinct genotypes were identified (named A through J. SfCOL-A was the most prevalent (71±2%; mean ± SE showing a PstI restriction profile indistinguishable to that of SfCOL-wt. The remaining nine genotypes presented genomic deletions of 3.8 - 21.8 Kb located mainly between nucleotides 11,436 and 33,883 in the reference genome SfMNPV-B, affecting the region between open reading frames (ORFs sf20 and sf33. The insecticidal activity of each genotype from SfCOL-wt and several mixtures of genotypes was compared to that of SfCOL-wt. The potency of SfCOL-A occlusion bodies (OBs was 4.4-fold higher than SfCOL-wt OBs, whereas the speed of kill of SfCOL-A was similar to that of SfCOL-wt. Deletion genotype OBs were similarly or less potent than SfCOL-wt but six deletion genotypes were faster killing than SfCOL-wt. The potency of genotype mixtures co-occluded within OBs were consistently reduced in two-genotype mixtures involving equal proportions of SfCOL-A and one of three deletion genotypes (SfCOL-C, -D or -F. Speed of kill and OB production were improved only when the certain genotype mixtures were co-occluded, although OB production was higher in the SfCOL-wt isolate than in any of the component genotypes, or mixtures thereof. Deleted genotypes reduced OB potency but increased OB production of the SfCOL-wt population, which is structured to maximize the production of OBs in each infected host.

  14. Deletion Genotypes Reduce Occlusion Body Potency but Increase Occlusion Body Production in a Colombian Spodoptera frugiperda Nucleopolyhedrovirus Population

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barrera, Gloria; Williams, Trevor; Villamizar, Laura; Caballero, Primitivo; Simón, Oihane

    2013-01-01

    A Colombian field isolate (SfCOL-wt) of Spodoptera frugiperda multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (SfMNPV) is a mixture of different genotypes. To evaluate the insecticidal properties of the different genotypic variants, 83 plaque purified virus were characterized. Ten distinct genotypes were identified (named A through J). SfCOL-A was the most prevalent (71±2%; mean ± SE) showing a PstI restriction profile indistinguishable to that of SfCOL-wt. The remaining nine genotypes presented genomic deletions of 3.8 - 21.8 Kb located mainly between nucleotides 11,436 and 33,883 in the reference genome SfMNPV-B, affecting the region between open reading frames (ORFs) sf20 and sf33. The insecticidal activity of each genotype from SfCOL-wt and several mixtures of genotypes was compared to that of SfCOL-wt. The potency of SfCOL-A occlusion bodies (OBs) was 4.4-fold higher than SfCOL-wt OBs, whereas the speed of kill of SfCOL-A was similar to that of SfCOL-wt. Deletion genotype OBs were similarly or less potent than SfCOL-wt but six deletion genotypes were faster killing than SfCOL-wt. The potency of genotype mixtures co-occluded within OBs were consistently reduced in two-genotype mixtures involving equal proportions of SfCOL-A and one of three deletion genotypes (SfCOL-C, -D or -F). Speed of kill and OB production were improved only when the certain genotype mixtures were co-occluded, although OB production was higher in the SfCOL-wt isolate than in any of the component genotypes, or mixtures thereof. Deleted genotypes reduced OB potency but increased OB production of the SfCOL-wt population, which is structured to maximize the production of OBs in each infected host. PMID:24116220

  15. Distinct types of primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphoma identified by gene expression profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoefnagel, Juliette J; Dijkman, Remco; Basso, Katia; Jansen, Patty M; Hallermann, Christian; Willemze, Rein; Tensen, Cornelis P; Vermeer, Maarten H

    2005-05-01

    In the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) classification 2 types of primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphoma (PCLBCL) are distinguished: primary cutaneous follicle center cell lymphomas (PCFCCL) and PCLBCL of the leg (PCLBCL-leg). Distinction between both groups is considered important because of differences in prognosis (5-year survival > 95% and 52%, respectively) and the first choice of treatment (radiotherapy or systemic chemotherapy, respectively), but is not generally accepted. To establish a molecular basis for this subdivision in the EORTC classification, we investigated the gene expression profiles of 21 PCLBCLs by oligonucleotide microarray analysis. Hierarchical clustering based on a B-cell signature (7450 genes) classified PCLBCL into 2 distinct subgroups consisting of, respectively, 8 PCFCCLs and 13 PCLBCLsleg. PCLBCLs-leg showed increased expression of genes associated with cell proliferation; the proto-oncogenes Pim-1, Pim-2, and c-Myc; and the transcription factors Mum1/IRF4 and Oct-2. In the group of PCFCCL high expression of SPINK2 was observed. Further analysis suggested that PCFCCLs and PCLBCLs-leg have expression profiles similar to that of germinal center B-cell-like and activated B-cell-like diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, respectively. The results of this study suggest that different pathogenetic mechanisms are involved in the development of PCFCCLs and PCLBCLs-leg and provide molecular support for the subdivision used in the EORTC classification.

  16. Coral transcriptome and bacterial community profiles reveal distinct Yellow Band Disease states in Orbicella faveolata

    KAUST Repository

    Closek, Collin J.

    2014-06-20

    Coral diseases impact reefs globally. Although we continue to describe diseases, little is known about the etiology or progression of even the most common cases. To examine a spectrum of coral health and determine factors of disease progression we examined Orbicella faveolata exhibiting signs of Yellow Band Disease (YBD), a widespread condition in the Caribbean. We used a novel combined approach to assess three members of the coral holobiont: the coral-host, associated Symbiodinium algae, and bacteria. We profiled three conditions: (1) healthy-appearing colonies (HH), (2) healthy-appearing tissue on diseased colonies (HD), and (3) diseased lesion (DD). Restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis revealed health state-specific diversity in Symbiodinium clade associations. 16S ribosomal RNA gene microarrays (PhyloChips) and O. faveolata complimentary DNA microarrays revealed the bacterial community structure and host transcriptional response, respectively. A distinct bacterial community structure marked each health state. Diseased samples were associated with two to three times more bacterial diversity. HD samples had the highest bacterial richness, which included components associated with HH and DD, as well as additional unique families. The host transcriptome under YBD revealed a reduced cellular expression of defense- and metabolism-related processes, while the neighboring HD condition exhibited an intermediate expression profile. Although HD tissue appeared visibly healthy, the microbial communities and gene expression profiles were distinct. HD should be regarded as an additional (intermediate) state of disease, which is important for understanding the progression of YBD. © 2014 International Society for Microbial Ecology. All rights reserved.

  17. GDNF family ligands display distinct action profiles on cultured GABAergic and serotonergic neurons of rat ventral mesencephalon

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ducray, Angélique; Krebs, Sandra H:; Schaller, Benoft

    2006-01-01

    Glial-cell-line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), neurturin (NRTN), artemin (ARTN) and persephin (PSPN), known as the GDNF family ligands (GFLs), influence the development, survival and differentiation of cultured dopaminergic neurons from ventral mesencephalon (VM). Detailed knowledge about...... factors for VM GABAergic and serotonergic neurons, demonstrating characteristic individual action profiles emphasizing their important and distinct roles during brain development....

  18. Rapid typing of Mannheimia haemolytica major genotypes 1 and 2 using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genotype 2 M. haemolytica predominantly associate over genotype 1 with the lungs of cattle with respiratory disease and ICEs containing antimicrobial resistance genes. Distinct protein masses were detected by MALDI-TOF MS between genotype 1 and 2 strains. MALDI-TOF MS could rapidly differentiate ge...

  19. Population size estimation in Yellowstone wolves with error-prone noninvasive microsatellite genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Creel, Scott; Spong, Goran; Sands, Jennifer L; Rotella, Jay; Zeigle, Janet; Joe, Lawrence; Murphy, Kerry M; Smith, Douglas

    2003-07-01

    Determining population sizes can be difficult, but is essential for conservation. By counting distinct microsatellite genotypes, DNA from noninvasive samples (hair, faeces) allows estimation of population size. Problems arise because genotypes from noninvasive samples are error-prone, but genotyping errors can be reduced by multiple polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For faecal genotypes from wolves in Yellowstone National Park, error rates varied substantially among samples, often above the 'worst-case threshold' suggested by simulation. Consequently, a substantial proportion of multilocus genotypes held one or more errors, despite multiple PCR. These genotyping errors created several genotypes per individual and caused overestimation (up to 5.5-fold) of population size. We propose a 'matching approach' to eliminate this overestimation bias.

  20. Cortical sensorimotor alterations classify clinical phenotype and putative genotype of spasmodic dysphonia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battistella, Giovanni; Fuertinger, Stefan; Fleysher, Lazar; Ozelius, Laurie J.; Simonyan, Kristina

    2017-01-01

    Background Spasmodic dysphonia (SD), or laryngeal dystonia, is a task-specific isolated focal dystonia of unknown causes and pathophysiology. Although functional and structural abnormalities have been described in this disorder, the influence of its different clinical phenotypes and genotypes remains scant, making it difficult to explain SD pathophysiology and to identify potential biomarkers. Methods We used a combination of independent component analysis and linear discriminant analysis of resting-state functional MRI data to investigate brain organization in different SD phenotypes (abductor vs. adductor type) and putative genotypes (familial vs. sporadic cases) and to characterize neural markers for genotype/phenotype categorization. Results We found abnormal functional connectivity within sensorimotor and frontoparietal networks in SD patients compared to healthy individuals as well as phenotype- and genotype-distinct alterations of these networks, involving primary somatosensory, premotor and parietal cortices. The linear discriminant analysis achieved 71% accuracy classifying SD and healthy individuals using connectivity measures in the left inferior parietal and sensorimotor cortex. When categorizing between different forms of SD, the combination of measures from left inferior parietal, premotor and right sensorimotor cortices achieved 81% discriminatory power between familial and sporadic SD cases, whereas the combination of measures from the right superior parietal, primary somatosensory and premotor cortices led to 71% accuracy in the classification of adductor and abductor SD forms. Conclusions Our findings present the first effort to identify and categorize isolated focal dystonia based on its brain functional connectivity profile, which may have a potential impact on the future development of biomarkers for this rare disorder. PMID:27346568

  1. Cortical sensorimotor alterations classify clinical phenotype and putative genotype of spasmodic dysphonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Battistella, G; Fuertinger, S; Fleysher, L; Ozelius, L J; Simonyan, K

    2016-10-01

    Spasmodic dysphonia (SD), or laryngeal dystonia, is a task-specific isolated focal dystonia of unknown causes and pathophysiology. Although functional and structural abnormalities have been described in this disorder, the influence of its different clinical phenotypes and genotypes remains scant, making it difficult to explain SD pathophysiology and to identify potential biomarkers. We used a combination of independent component analysis and linear discriminant analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data to investigate brain organization in different SD phenotypes (abductor versus adductor type) and putative genotypes (familial versus sporadic cases) and to characterize neural markers for genotype/phenotype categorization. We found abnormal functional connectivity within sensorimotor and frontoparietal networks in patients with SD compared with healthy individuals as well as phenotype- and genotype-distinct alterations of these networks, involving primary somatosensory, premotor and parietal cortices. The linear discriminant analysis achieved 71% accuracy classifying SD and healthy individuals using connectivity measures in the left inferior parietal and sensorimotor cortices. When categorizing between different forms of SD, the combination of measures from the left inferior parietal, premotor and right sensorimotor cortices achieved 81% discriminatory power between familial and sporadic SD cases, whereas the combination of measures from the right superior parietal, primary somatosensory and premotor cortices led to 71% accuracy in the classification of adductor and abductor SD forms. Our findings present the first effort to identify and categorize isolated focal dystonia based on its brain functional connectivity profile, which may have a potential impact on the future development of biomarkers for this rare disorder. © 2016 EAN.

  2. Distinct fermentation and antibiotic sensitivity profiles exist in salmonellae of canine and human origin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wallis, Corrin V; Lowden, Preena; Marshall-Jones, Zoe V; Hilton, Anthony C

    2018-02-26

    Salmonella enterica is a recognised cause of diarrhoea in dogs and humans, yet the potential for transfer of salmonellosis between dogs and their owners is unclear, with reported evidence both for and against Salmonella as a zoonotic pathogen. A collection of 174 S. enterica isolates from clinical infections in humans and dogs were analysed for serotype distribution, carbon source utilisation, chemical and antimicrobial sensitivity profiles. The aim of the study was to understand the degree of conservation in phenotypic characteristics of isolates across host species. Serovar distribution across human and canine isolates demonstrated nine serovars common to both host species, 24 serovars present in only the canine collection and 39 solely represented within the human collection. Significant differences in carbon source utilisation profiles and ampicillin, amoxicillin and chloramphenicol sensitivity profiles were detected in isolates of human and canine origin. Differences between the human and canine Salmonella collections were suggestive of evolutionary separation, with canine isolates better able to utilise several simple sugars than their human counterparts. Generally higher minimum inhibitory concentrations of three broad-spectrum antimicrobials, commonly used in veterinary medicine, were also observed in canine S. enterica isolates. Differential carbon source utilisation and antimicrobial sensitivity profiles in pathogenic Salmonella isolated from humans and dogs are suggestive of distinct reservoirs of infection for these hosts. Although these findings do not preclude zoonotic or anthroponotic potential in salmonellae, the separation of carbon utilisation and antibiotic profiles with isolate source is indicative that infectious isolates are not part of a common reservoir shared frequently between these host species.

  3. RNA-Seq for gene identification and transcript profiling of three Stevia rebaudiana genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Junwen; Hou, Kai; Qin, Peng; Liu, Hongchang; Yi, Bin; Yang, Wenting; Wu, Wei

    2014-07-07

    Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) is an important medicinal plant that yields diterpenoid steviol glycosides (SGs). SGs are currently used in the preparation of medicines, food products and neutraceuticals because of its sweetening property (zero calories and about 300 times sweeter than sugar). Recently, some progress has been made in understanding the biosynthesis of SGs in Stevia, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying this process. Additionally, the genomics of Stevia, a non-model species, remains uncharacterized. The recent advent of RNA-Seq, a next generation sequencing technology, provides an opportunity to expand the identification of Stevia genes through in-depth transcript profiling. We present a comprehensive landscape of the transcriptome profiles of three genotypes of Stevia with divergent SG compositions characterized using RNA-seq. 191,590,282 high-quality reads were generated and then assembled into 171,837 transcripts with an average sequence length of 969 base pairs. A total of 80,160 unigenes were annotated, and 14,211 of the unique sequences were assigned to specific metabolic pathways by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Gene sequences of all enzymes known to be involved in SG synthesis were examined. A total of 143 UDP-glucosyltransferase (UGT) unigenes were identified, some of which might be involved in SG biosynthesis. The expression patterns of eight of these genes were further confirmed by RT-QPCR. RNA-seq analysis identified candidate genes encoding enzymes responsible for the biosynthesis of SGs in Stevia, a non-model plant without a reference genome. The transcriptome data from this study yielded new insights into the process of SG accumulation in Stevia. Our results demonstrate that RNA-Seq can be successfully used for gene identification and transcript profiling in a non-model species.

  4. HPV genotype profile in a Norwegian cohort with ASC-US and LSIL cytology with three year cumulative risk of high grade cervical neoplasia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lie, A K; Tropé, A; Skare, G B; Bjørge, T; Jonassen, C M; Brusegard, K; Lönnberg, S

    2018-01-01

    To explore the HPVgenotype profile in Norwegian women with ASC-US/LSIL cytology and the subsequent risk of high-grade cervical neoplasia (CIN 3+). In this observational study delayed triage of ASC-US/LSIL of 6058 women were included from 2005 to 2010. High-risk HPV detection with Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) was used and the HC2+ cases were genotyped with in-house nmPCR. Women were followed-up for histologically confirmed CIN3+ within three years of index HPV test by linkage to the screening databases at the Cancer Registry of Norway. HC2 was positive in 45% (2756/6058) of the women. Within 3years CIN3+ was diagnosed in 26% of womenrisk for CIN3+. Among older women, all 13 high-risk genotypes as single infection were associated with >20% risk of CIN3+. Further studies are necessary to risk stratify the individual genotypes to reduce the number of colposcopies in Norway. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  5. Phenotype- and genotype-specific structural alterations in spasmodic dysphonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bianchi, Serena; Battistella, Giovanni; Huddleston, Hailey; Scharf, Rebecca; Fleysher, Lazar; Rumbach, Anna F; Frucht, Steven J; Blitzer, Andrew; Ozelius, Laurie J; Simonyan, Kristina

    2017-04-01

    Spasmodic dysphonia is a focal dystonia characterized by involuntary spasms in the laryngeal muscles that occur selectively during speaking. Although hereditary trends have been reported in up to 16% of patients, the causative etiology of spasmodic dysphonia is unclear, and the influences of various phenotypes and genotypes on disorder pathophysiology are poorly understood. In this study, we examined structural alterations in cortical gray matter and white matter integrity in relationship to different phenotypes and putative genotypes of spasmodic dysphonia to elucidate the structural component of its complex pathophysiology. Eighty-nine patients with spasmodic dysphonia underwent high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging and diffusion-weighted imaging to examine cortical thickness and white matter fractional anisotropy in adductor versus abductor forms (distinct phenotypes) and in sporadic versus familial cases (distinct genotypes). Phenotype-specific abnormalities were localized in the left sensorimotor cortex and angular gyrus and the white matter bundle of the right superior corona radiata. Genotype-specific alterations were found in the left superior temporal gyrus, supplementary motor area, and the arcuate portion of the left superior longitudinal fasciculus. Our findings suggest that phenotypic differences in spasmodic dysphonia arise at the level of the primary and associative areas of motor control, whereas genotype-related pathophysiological mechanisms may be associated with dysfunction of regions regulating phonological and sensory processing. Identification of structural alterations specific to disorder phenotype and putative genotype provides an important step toward future delineation of imaging markers and potential targets for novel therapeutic interventions for spasmodic dysphonia. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. © 2017 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

  6. Distinction of genotypes of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) by monoclonal antibodies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ito, Takafumi; Kurita, J.; Sano, M.

    III isolates except the rainbow trout pathogenic isolate from Norway (NO-2007-50-385) (Dale et al. in press), but did react with the New Brunswick VHSV IVb isolate (Oliver 2002, Gagné et al. 2007). Another MAb (VHS-1.88) reacted with genotype IVb only, except with the New Brunswick isolate...

  7. Global phylogeography and genetic diversity of the zoonotic tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto genotype G1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kinkar, Liina; Laurimäe, Teivi; Acosta-Jamett, Gerardo; Andresiuk, Vanessa; Balkaya, Ibrahim; Casulli, Adriano; Gasser, Robin B; van der Giessen, Joke; González, Luis Miguel; Haag, Karen L; Zait, Houria; Irshadullah, Malik; Jabbar, Abdul; Jenkins, David J; Kia, Eshrat Beigom; Manfredi, Maria Teresa; Mirhendi, Hossein; M'rad, Selim; Rostami-Nejad, Mohammad; Oudni-M'rad, Myriam; Pierangeli, Nora Beatriz; Ponce-Gordo, Francisco; Rehbein, Steffen; Sharbatkhori, Mitra; Simsek, Sami; Soriano, Silvia Viviana; Sprong, Hein; Šnábel, Viliam; Umhang, Gérald; Varcasia, Antonio; Saarma, Urmas

    2018-05-19

    Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) is the major cause of human cystic echinococcosis worldwide and is listed among the most severe parasitic diseases of humans. To date, numerous studies have investigated the genetic diversity and population structure of E. granulosus s.s. in various geographic regions. However, there has been no global study. Recently, using mitochondrial DNA, it was shown that E. granulosus s.s. G1 and G3 are distinct genotypes, but a larger dataset is required to confirm the distinction of these genotypes. The objectives of this study were to: (i) investigate the distinction of genotypes G1 and G3 using a large global dataset; and (ii) analyse the genetic diversity and phylogeography of genotype G1 on a global scale using near-complete mitogenome sequences. For this study, 222 globally distributed E. granulosus s.s. samples were used, of which 212 belonged to genotype G1 and 10 to G3. Using a total sequence length of 11,682 bp, we inferred phylogenetic networks for three datasets: E. granulosus s.s. (n = 222), G1 (n = 212) and human G1 samples (n = 41). In addition, the Bayesian phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses were performed. The latter yielded several strongly supported diffusion routes of genotype G1 originating from Turkey, Tunisia and Argentina. We conclude that: (i) using a considerably larger dataset than employed previously, E. granulosus s.s. G1 and G3 are indeed distinct mitochondrial genotypes; (ii) the genetic diversity of E. granulosus s.s. G1 is high globally, with lower values in South America; and (iii) the complex phylogeographic patterns emerging from the phylogenetic and geographic analyses suggest that the current distribution of genotype G1 has been shaped by intensive animal trade. Copyright © 2018 Australian Society for Parasitology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Variation in seed mineral elements profile and yield in field bean (Vicia faba L. var. minor genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sara Lombardo

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available Field bean (Vicia faba L. var. minor is one of the major leguminous crops cultivated in the world and mainly destined for animal feed. Although its seed is generally recognised as a good protein source, little is known about its mineral elements profile, which is an important aspect for a balanced animal diet. Therefore, the aim of the present work was to assess the seed mineral elements composition, along with some key production parameters, in eight field bean genotypes grown in a Mediterranean environment, without intensive management, over two years (2009/10 and 2010/11. Independently of the year, the seed of Chiaro di Torre Lama was the richest in phosphorus (P, magnesium, calcium and iron contents, while that of Sint 6 and Motta Chiaro 69 were the most effective accumulators of potassium and zinc, respectively. While all the genotypes yielded better in the second year (with more rainfall, the seasonal effect on seed mineral elements composition depended on the genotype. Indeed, the P content was 46% lower in Chiaro di Torre Lama, Motta Chiaro 69 and Sint 6 in the second year, while there was only a negligible seasonal effect for Sint 8 with respect to Fe content. Overall, this crop is reasonably productive under a low management regime and its seed can supply significant amounts of certain minerals (particularly P in feed formulations. Both aspects are important in a perspective of optimising field bean production in the Mediterranean area and, hence, improving farmers’ income.

  9. Transcriptome profiling of fully open flowers in a frost-tolerant almond genotype in response to freezing stress.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseinpour, Batool; Sepahvand, Sadegh; Kamali Aliabad, Kazem; Bakhtiarizadeh, MohammadReza; Imani, Ali; Assareh, Reza; Salami, Seyed Alireza

    2018-02-01

    Spring frost is a major limiting abiotic stress for the cultivation of almonds [Prunus dulcis (Mill.)] in Mediterranean areas or the Middle East. Spring frost, in particular, damages almond fully open flowers, resulting to significant reduction in yield. Little is known about the genetic factors expressed after frost stress in Prunus spp. as well as in almond fully open flowers. Here, we provide the molecular signature of pistils of fully open flowers from a frost-tolerant almond genotype. The level of frost tolerance in this genotype was determined for all three flowering stages and was confirmed by comparing it to two other cultivars using several physiological analyses. Afterwards, comprehensive expression profiling of genes expressed in fully open flowers was performed after being exposed to frost temperatures (during post-thaw period). Clean reads, 27,104,070 and 32,730,772, were obtained for non-frost-treated and frost-treated (FT) libraries, respectively. A total of 62.24 Mb was assembled, generating 50,896 unigenes and 66,906 transcripts. Therefore, 863 upregulated genes and 555 downregulated genes were identified in the FT library. Functional annotation showed that most of the upregulated genes were related to various biological processes involved in responding to abiotic stress. For the first time, a highly expressed cold-shock protein was identified in the reproductive organ of fruit trees. The expression of six genes was validated by RT-PCR. As the first comprehensive analysis of open flowers in a frost-tolerant almond genotype, this study represents a key step toward the molecular breeding of fruit tree species for frost tolerance.

  10. Diverse Genotypes of Yersinia pestis Caused Plague in Madagascar in 2007.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riehm, Julia M; Projahn, Michaela; Vogler, Amy J; Rajerison, Minoaerisoa; Andersen, Genevieve; Hall, Carina M; Zimmermann, Thomas; Soanandrasana, Rahelinirina; Andrianaivoarimanana, Voahangy; Straubinger, Reinhard K; Nottingham, Roxanne; Keim, Paul; Wagner, David M; Scholz, Holger C

    2015-06-01

    Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of human plague and is endemic in various African, Asian and American countries. In Madagascar, the disease represents a significant public health problem with hundreds of human cases a year. Unfortunately, poor infrastructure makes outbreak investigations challenging. DNA was extracted directly from 93 clinical samples from patients with a clinical diagnosis of plague in Madagascar in 2007. The extracted DNAs were then genotyped using three molecular genotyping methods, including, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing, multi-locus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA), and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) analysis. These methods provided increasing resolution, respectively. The results of these analyses revealed that, in 2007, ten molecular groups, two newly described here and eight previously identified, were responsible for causing human plague in geographically distinct areas of Madagascar. Plague in Madagascar is caused by numerous distinct types of Y. pestis. Genotyping method choice should be based upon the discriminatory power needed, expense, and available data for any desired comparisons. We conclude that genotyping should be a standard tool used in epidemiological investigations of plague outbreaks.

  11. Profile of paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir plus dasabuvir in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus genotype 1 infection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Smith MA

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Michael A Smith, Alice LimDepartment of Pharmacy Practice and Pharmacy Administration, Philadelphia College of Pharmacy, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, USAAbstract: Over the last several years, many advances have been made in the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection with the development of direct-acting antivirals. Paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir with dasabuvir (PrOD is a novel combination of a nonstructural (NS 3/4A protein inhibitor boosted by ritonavir, an NS5A protein inhibitor, and an NS5B nonnucleoside polymerase inhibitor. This review aims to discuss the pharmacology, efficacy, safety, drug interactions, and viral drug resistance of PrOD in the treatment of HCV genotype 1 infections. Phase I, II, and III human and animal studies that describe the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and safety of PrOD for HCV were identified and included. Studies that evaluated patients without cirrhosis (n=2,249 and with cirrhosis (n=422 demonstrated that PrOD for 12 or 24 weeks was effective at achieving sustained virologic response rates (>90% in patients with genotype 1a or 1b HCV infection. Although indicated for the treatment of HCV genotype 1 infection, PrOD is also recommended for the treatment of HCV in patients coinfected with HIV. Additionally, promising data exist for the use of PrOD in liver-transplant recipients. The most common adverse drug events associated with PrOD included nausea, pruritus, insomnia, diarrhea, asthenia, dry skin, vomiting, and anemia. The high efficacy rates seen coupled with a favorable side effect profile seen with PrOD with or without ribavirin have led to its addition as a recommended treatment regimen for HCV genotype 1 infection.Keywords: direct-acting antiviral, interferon-free, ribavirin-free

  12. Relationships among superantigen toxin gene profiles, genotypes, and pathogenic characteristics of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from bovine mastitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Dong; Zhang, Limei; Yong, Changfu; Shen, Mingliang; Ali, Tariq; Shahid, Muhammad; Han, Kun; Zhou, Xuezhang; Han, Bo

    2017-06-01

    Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major etiological agents of bovine mastitis, harboring a wide variety of staphylococcal superantigen (SAg) toxin genes. The SAg toxin genes are reported to be closely associated with the pathogenicity of the Staph. aureus causing the bovine mastitis. This study was conducted to investigate SAg toxin gene profiles and to assess the relationships among SAg toxin genes, genotypes of Staph. aureus, and their pathogenic properties. A total of 327 quarter milk samples were collected from bovine mastitis cases for isolation and identification of pathogens. In total, 35 isolates were identified as Staph. aureus, and the prevalence of Staph. aureus in milk samples was 13.6% (35/256). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) assays were used to detect the SAg toxin genes and to genotype Staph. aureus strains isolated from milk samples of bovine mastitis in 10 dairy herds located in Ningxia, China, respectively. The results showed that among the Staph. aureus isolates (n = 35), 71.4% (n = 25) of isolates carried at least one SAg toxin gene. In total, 18 SAg genes and 21 different gene combination patterns were detected among these isolates. The most common SAg genes in Staph. aureus isolates were sei, sen, and seu (44.0% each), followed by seo, tst, and etB (28.0% each), etA (24.0%), sem and sep (16.0% each), seb, sec, sed, and sek (12.0% each), and sea and seh genes (8.0% each); the seg, sej, and ser genes were present in 4.0% of the isolates. Three gene combinations were found to be related to mobile genetic elements that carried 2 or more genes. The egc-cluster of the seg-sei-sem-sen-seo genes, located on the pathogenicity island Type I υSaβ, was detected in 16% of isolates. Interestingly, we observed 6 RAPD genotypes (I to VI) in Staph. aureus isolates, and 2 of these genotypes were strongly associated with the severity of bovine mastitis; there was a close relationship between the RAPD genotypes

  13. Genotypes of hepatitis a virus in Turkey: first report and clinical profile of children infected with sub-genotypes IA and IIIA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yilmaz, Huseyin; Karakullukcu, Asiye; Turan, Nuri; Cizmecigil, Utku Y; Yilmaz, Aysun; Ozkul, Ayse A; Aydin, Ozge; Gunduz, Alper; Mete, Mahmut; Zeyrek, Fadile Y; Kirazoglu, Taner T; Richt, Juergen A; Kocazeybek, Bekir

    2017-08-11

    Hepatitis A virus (HAV) is a food and water-borne virus causing clinical (mainly hepatitis) and subclinical disease in humans. It is important to characterize circulating strains of HAV in order to prevent HAV infections using efficacious vaccines. The aim of this study was the detection and characterization of the circulating strains of HAV in Turkey by performing serology, RT-PCR, sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. In this study, 355 HAV suspected cases were analysed by ELISA for the presence of antibodies to HAV. RNA was extracted from 54 HAV IgM positive human sera. None of the suspect cases were vaccinated against HAV and they never received blood transfusions. Samples found positive by RT-PCR using primers targeting the VP1/VP2A junction and VP1/VP3 capsid region of HAV, were subjected to sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. IgM type antibodies to HAV were detected in 54 patients. Twenty one of them were students. The age of IgM positive cases was between 3 and 60 years. IgM positivity differed in age groups and was higher in the age group 3 to 10 years. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the majority of HAV strains detected in this study belong to the "HAV 1B" cluster. In addition, the HAV sub-genotypes IA (KT874461.1) and IIIA (KT222963.1) were found in 2 children. These sub-genotypes were not previously reported in Turkey. The child who carried sub-genotype IIIA travelled to Afghanistan and presented with abdominal pain, icterus and vomitus. He was positive for anti-HAV IgM and IgG but negative for hepatitis B and C. Liver enzymes like aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, gamma-glutamyl transferase and lactate dehydrogenase were severely elevated. Bilirubin levels were also increased. White blood cells, neutrophils and hemoglobin were decreased while lymphocytes and monocytes were increased. Similar clinical signs and laboratory findings were reported for the child infected with sub-genotype IA but aspartate

  14. Mixed genotype transmission bodies and virions contribute to the maintenance of diversity in an insect virus

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clavijo, Gabriel; Williams, Trevor; Muñoz, Delia; Caballero, Primitivo; López-Ferber, Miguel

    2010-01-01

    An insect nucleopolyhedrovirus naturally survives as a mixture of at least nine genotypes. Infection by multiple genotypes results in the production of virus occlusion bodies (OBs) with greater pathogenicity than those of any genotype alone. We tested the hypothesis that each OB contains a genotypically diverse population of virions. Few insects died following inoculation with an experimental two-genotype mixture at a dose of one OB per insect, but a high proportion of multiple infections were observed (50%), which differed significantly from the frequencies predicted by a non-associated transmission model in which genotypes are segregated into distinct OBs. By contrast, insects that consumed multiple OBs experienced higher mortality and infection frequencies did not differ significantly from those of the non-associated model. Inoculation with genotypically complex wild-type OBs indicated that genotypes tend to be transmitted in association, rather than as independent entities, irrespective of dose. To examine the hypothesis that virions may themselves be genotypically heterogeneous, cell culture plaques derived from individual virions were analysed to reveal that one-third of virions was of mixed genotype, irrespective of the genotypic composition of the OBs. We conclude that co-occlusion of genotypically distinct virions in each OB is an adaptive mechanism that favours the maintenance of virus diversity during insect-to-insect transmission. PMID:19939845

  15. Genotypic-dependent effects of N fertilizer, glutathione, silicon, zinc, and selenium on proteomic profiles, amino acid contents, and quality of rice genotypes with contrasting grain Cd accumulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cao, Fangbin; Fu, Manman; Wang, Runfeng; Cheng, Wangda; Zhang, Guoping; Wu, Feibo

    2017-07-01

    Soil heavy metal (HM) contamination has posed a serious problem for safe food production. For restricting the translocation of HM into grain, many proteins were regulated to involve in the process. To identify these proteins, 2D-based proteomic analysis was carried out using different rice genotypes with distinct Cd accumulation in grains and as affected by an alleviating regulator (AR) in field experiments. AR application improved grain quality, with increased contents in Glu, Cys, His, Pro, and protein. Twenty-six low-grain HM accumulation-associated protein species were identified and categorized as physiological functions via two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) and mass spectrometry. Among these proteins, 8, 9, and 9 proteins exhibited higher accumulation, lower accumulation, and unchanged accumulation, respectively, in Xiushui817 (low accumulator) vs R8097 (high accumulator) under control conditions but showed differential accumulation patterns after AR application. These proteins included sucrose synthase 3, alanine aminotransferase, glutelin, cupin family protein, and zinc finger CCCH domain-containing protein 32. The differential expression of these protein species might contribute to decreased HM accumulation in grain via decreasing the protein accumulation which had high affinity to HM or regulating energy metabolism and signal transduction. Our findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms of low-grain HM accumulation in rice and possible utilization of candidate protein species in developing low-grain HM accumulation genotypes.

  16. Distinct patterns of DNA damage response and apoptosis correlate with Jak/Stat and PI3kinase response profiles in human acute myelogenous leukemia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David B Rosen

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Single cell network profiling (SCNP utilizing flow cytometry measures alterations in intracellular signaling responses. Here SCNP was used to characterize Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML disease subtypes based on survival, DNA damage response and apoptosis pathways. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Thirty four diagnostic non-M3 AML samples from patients with known clinical outcome were treated with a panel of myeloid growth factors and cytokines, as well as with apoptosis-inducing agents. Analysis of induced Jak/Stat and PI3K pathway responses in blasts from individual patient samples identified subgroups with distinct signaling profiles that were not seen in the absence of a modulator. In vitro exposure of patient samples to etoposide, a DNA damaging agent, revealed three distinct "DNA damage response (DDR/apoptosis" profiles: 1 AML blasts with a defective DDR and failure to undergo apoptosis; 2 AML blasts with proficient DDR and failure to undergo apoptosis; 3 AML blasts with proficiency in both DDR and apoptosis pathways. Notably, AML samples from clinical responders fell within the "DDR/apoptosis" proficient profile and, as well, had low PI3K and Jak/Stat signaling responses. In contrast, samples from clinical non responders had variable signaling profiles often with in vitro apoptotic failure and elevated PI3K pathway activity. Individual patient samples often harbored multiple, distinct, leukemia-associated cell populations identifiable by their surface marker expression, functional performance of signaling pathway in the face of cytokine or growth factor stimulation, as well as their response to apoptosis-inducing agents. CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Characterizing and tracking changes in intracellular pathway profiles in cell subpopulations both at baseline and under therapeutic pressure will likely have important clinical applications, potentially informing the selection of beneficial targeted agents, used either alone or in

  17. An apparent Acanthamoeba genotype is the product of a chimeric 18S rDNA artifact.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corsaro, Daniele; Venditti, Danielle

    2018-02-01

    Free-living amoebae of the genus Acanthamoeba are potentially pathogenic protozoa widespread in the environment. The detection/diagnosis as well as environmental survey strategies is mainly based on the identification of the 18S rDNA sequences of the strains that allow the recovery of various distinct genotypes/subgenotypes. The accurate recording of such data is important to better know the environmental distribution of distinct genotypes and how they may be preferentially associated with disease. Recently, a putative new acanthamoebal genotype T99 was introduced, which comprises only environmental clones apparently with some anomalous features. Here, we analyze these sequences through partial treeing and BLAST analyses and find that they are actually chimeras. Our results show that the putative T99 genotype is very likely formed by chimeric sequences including a middle fragment from acanthamoebae of genotype T13, while the 5'- and 3'-end fragments came from a nematode and a cercozoan, respectively. Molecular phylogenies of Acanthamoeba including T99 are consequently erroneous as genotype T99 does not exist in nature. Careful identification of Acanthamoeba genotypes is therefore critical for both phylogenetic and diagnostic applications.

  18. Multiple gene analyses identify distinct “bois noir” phytoplasma genotypes in the Republic of Macedonia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emilija KOSTADINOVSKA

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available “Bois noir” (BN is a grapevine yellows disease, associated with phytoplasma strains related to ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’, that causes severe losses to viticulture in the Euro-Mediterranean basin. Due to the complex ecological cycle of its etiological agent, BN epidemiology is only partially known, and no effective control strategies have been developed. Numerous studies have focused on molecular characterization of BN phytoplasma strains, to identify molecular markers useful to accurately describe their genetic diversity, geographic distribution and host range. In the present study, a multiple gene analysess were carried out on 16S rRNA, tuf, vmp1, and stamp genes to study the genetic variability among 18 BN phytoplasma strains detected in diverse regions of the Republic of Macedonia. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP assays showed the presence of one 16S rRNA (16SrXII-A, two tuf (tuf-type a, tuf-type b, five vmp1 (V2-TA, V3, V4, V14, V18, and three stamp (S1, S2, S3 gene patterns among the examined strains. Based on the collective RFLP patterns, seven genotypes (Mac1 to Mac7 were described as evidence for genetic heterogeneity, and highlighting their prevalence and distribution in the investigated regions. Phylogenetic analyses on vmp1 and stamp genes underlined the affiliation of Macedonian BN phytoplasma strains to clusters associated with distinct ecologies.

  19. Distinct profile of vascular progenitor attachment to extracellular matrix proteins in cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labonté, Laura; Li, Yuhua; Addison, Christina L; Brand, Marjorie; Javidnia, Hedyeh; Corsten, Martin; Burns, Kevin; Allan, David S

    2012-04-01

    Vascular progenitor cells (VPCs) facilitate angiogenesis and initiate vascular repair by homing in on sites of damage and adhering to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. VPCs also contribute to tumor angiogenesis and induce angiogenic switching in sites of metastatic cancer. In this study, the binding of attaching cells in VPC clusters that form in vitro on specific ECM proteins was investigated. VPC cluster assays were performed in vitro on ECM proteins enriched in cancer cells and in remodelling tissue. Profiles of VPC clusters from patients with cancer were compared to healthy controls. The role of VEGF and integrin-specific binding of angiogenic attaching cells was addressed. VPC clusters from cancer patients were markedly increased on fibronectin relative to other ECM proteins tested, in contrast to VPC clusters from control subjects, which formed preferentially on laminin. Specific integrin-mediated binding of attaching cells in VPC clusters was matrix protein-dependent. Furthermore, cancer patients had elevated plasma VEGF levels compared to healthy controls and VEGF facilitated preferential VPC cluster formation on fibronectin. Incubating cells from healthy controls with VEGF induced a switch from the 'healthy' VPC binding profile to the profile observed in cancer patients with a marked increase in VPC cluster formation on fibronectin. The ECM proteins laminin and fibronectin support VPC cluster formation via specific integrins on attaching cells and can facilitate patterns of VPC cluster formation that are distinct in cancer patients. Larger studies, however, are needed to gain insight on how tumor angiogenesis may differ from normal repair processes.

  20. Neuro- and social-cognitive clustering highlights distinct profiles in adults with anorexia nervosa.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Renwick, Beth; Musiat, Peter; Lose, Anna; DeJong, Hannah; Broadbent, Hannah; Kenyon, Martha; Loomes, Rachel; Watson, Charlotte; Ghelani, Shreena; Serpell, Lucy; Richards, Lorna; Johnson-Sabine, Eric; Boughton, Nicky; Treasure, Janet; Schmidt, Ulrike

    2015-01-01

    This study aimed to explore the neuro- and social-cognitive profile of a consecutive series of adult outpatients with anorexia nervosa (AN) when compared with widely available age and gender matched historical control data. The relationship between performance profiles, clinical characteristics, service utilization, and treatment adherence was also investigated. Consecutively recruited outpatients with a broad diagnosis of AN (restricting subtype AN-R: n = 44, binge-purge subtype AN-BP: n = 33 or Eating Disorder Not Otherwise Specified-AN subtype EDNOS-AN: n = 23) completed a comprehensive set of neurocognitive (set-shifting, central coherence) and social-cognitive measures (Emotional Theory of Mind). Data were subjected to hierarchical cluster analysis and a discriminant function analysis. Three separate, meaningful clusters emerged. Cluster 1 (n = 45) showed overall average to high average neuro- and social- cognitive performance, Cluster 2 (n = 38) showed mixed performance characterized by distinct strengths and weaknesses, and Cluster 3 (n = 17) showed poor overall performance (Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) like cluster). The three clusters did not differ in terms of eating disorder symptoms, comorbid features or service utilization and treatment adherence. A discriminant function analysis confirmed that the clusters were best characterized by performance in perseveration and set-shifting measures. The findings suggest that considerable neuro- and social-cognitive heterogeneity exists in patients with AN, with a subset showing ASD-like features. The value of this method of profiling in predicting longer term patient outcomes and in guiding development of etiologically targeted treatments remains to be seen. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. The Molecular Epidemiology and Evolution of Murray Valley Encephalitis Virus: Recent Emergence of Distinct Sub-lineages of the Dominant Genotype 1.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David T Williams

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Recent increased activity of the mosquito-borne Murray Valley encephalitis virus (MVEV in Australia has renewed concerns regarding its potential to spread and cause disease.To better understand the genetic relationships between earlier and more recent circulating strains, patterns of virus movement, as well as the molecular basis of MVEV evolution, complete pre-membrane (prM and Envelope (Env genes were sequenced from sixty-six MVEV strains from different regions of the Australasian region, isolated over a sixty year period (1951-2011. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that, of the four recognized genotypes, only G1 and G2 are contemporary. G1 viruses were dominant over the sampling period and found across the known geographic range of MVEV. Two distinct sub-lineages of G1 were observed (1A and 1B. Although G1B strains have been isolated from across mainland Australia, Australian G1A strains have not been detected outside northwest Australia. Similarly, G2 is comprised of only Western Australian isolates from mosquitoes, suggesting G1B and G2 viruses have geographic or ecological restrictions. No evidence of recombination was found and a single amino acid substitution in the Env protein (S332G was found to be under positive selection, while several others were found to be under directional evolution. Evolutionary analyses indicated that extant genotypes of MVEV began to diverge from a common ancestor approximately 200 years ago. G2 was the first genotype to diverge, followed by G3 and G4, and finally G1, from which subtypes G1A and G1B diverged between 1964 and 1994.The results of this study provides new insights into the genetic diversity and evolution of MVEV. The demonstration of co-circulation of all contemporary genetic lineages of MVEV in northwestern Australia, supports the contention that this region is the enzootic focus for this virus.

  2. Characteristics of Streptococcus mutans genotypes and dental caries in children

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cheon, Kyounga; Moser, Stephen A.; Wiener, Howard W.; Whiddon, Jennifer; Momeni, Stephanie S.; Ruby, John D.; Cutter, Gary R.; Childers, Noel K.

    2013-01-01

    This longitudinal cohort study evaluated the diversity, commonality, and stability of Streptococcus mutans genotypes associated with dental caries history. Sixty-seven 5 and 6 yr-old children, considered being at high caries risk, had plaque collected from baseline through 36 months for S. mutans isolation and genotyping with repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR (4,392 total isolates). Decayed, missing, filled surfaces (dmfs/DMFS) for each child were recorded at baseline. At baseline, 18 distinct genotypes were found among 911 S. mutans isolates from 67 children (diversity) and 13 genotypes were shared by at least 2 children (commonality). The number of genotypes per individual was positively associated with the proportion of decayed surfaces (p-ds) at baseline. Twenty-four of the 39 children who were available at follow-up visits maintained a predominant genotype for the follow-up periods (stability) and was negatively associated with p-ds. The observed diversity, commonality, and stability of S. mutans genotypes represent a pattern of dental caries epidemiology in this high caries risk community, which suggest fewer decayed surfaces are significantly associated with lower diversity and stability of S. mutans genotypes. PMID:23659236

  3. Comprehensive profiling of DNA methylation in colorectal cancer reveals subgroups with distinct clinicopathological and molecular features

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ang, Pei Woon; Soong, Richie; Loh, Marie; Liem, Natalia; Lim, Pei Li; Grieu, Fabienne; Vaithilingam, Aparna; Platell, Cameron; Yong, Wei Peng; Iacopetta, Barry

    2010-01-01

    Most previous studies of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in colorectal cancer (CRC) have been conducted on a relatively small numbers of CpG sites. In the present study we performed comprehensive DNA methylation profiling of CRC with the aim of characterizing CIMP subgroups. DNA methylation at 1,505 CpG sites in 807 cancer-related genes was evaluated using the Illumina GoldenGate ® methylation array in 28 normal colonic mucosa and 91 consecutive CRC samples. Methylation data was analyzed using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. CIMP subgroups were compared for various clinicopathological and molecular features including patient age, tumor site, microsatellite instability (MSI), methylation at a consensus panel of CpG islands and mutations in BRAF and KRAS. A total of 202 CpG sites were differentially methylated between tumor and normal tissue. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of methylation data from these sites revealed the existence of three CRC subgroups referred to as CIMP-low (CIMP-L, 21% of cases), CIMP-mid (CIMP-M, 14%) and CIMP-high (CIMP-H, 65%). In comparison to CIMP-L tumors, CIMP-H tumors were more often located in the proximal colon and showed more frequent mutation of KRAS and BRAF (P < 0.001). Comprehensive DNA methylation profiling identified three CRC subgroups with distinctive clinicopathological and molecular features. This study suggests that both KRAS and BRAF mutations are involved with the CIMP-H pathway of CRC rather than with distinct CIMP subgroups

  4. Comprehensive profiling of DNA methylation in colorectal cancer reveals subgroups with distinct clinicopathological and molecular features

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vaithilingam Aparna

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Most previous studies of the CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP in colorectal cancer (CRC have been conducted on a relatively small numbers of CpG sites. In the present study we performed comprehensive DNA methylation profiling of CRC with the aim of characterizing CIMP subgroups. Methods DNA methylation at 1,505 CpG sites in 807 cancer-related genes was evaluated using the Illumina GoldenGate® methylation array in 28 normal colonic mucosa and 91 consecutive CRC samples. Methylation data was analyzed using unsupervised hierarchical clustering. CIMP subgroups were compared for various clinicopathological and molecular features including patient age, tumor site, microsatellite instability (MSI, methylation at a consensus panel of CpG islands and mutations in BRAF and KRAS. Results A total of 202 CpG sites were differentially methylated between tumor and normal tissue. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of methylation data from these sites revealed the existence of three CRC subgroups referred to as CIMP-low (CIMP-L, 21% of cases, CIMP-mid (CIMP-M, 14% and CIMP-high (CIMP-H, 65%. In comparison to CIMP-L tumors, CIMP-H tumors were more often located in the proximal colon and showed more frequent mutation of KRAS and BRAF (P Conclusions Comprehensive DNA methylation profiling identified three CRC subgroups with distinctive clinicopathological and molecular features. This study suggests that both KRAS and BRAF mutations are involved with the CIMP-H pathway of CRC rather than with distinct CIMP subgroups.

  5. Comparative phytochemical profiling of different soybean (Glycine max (L. Merr genotypes using GC–MS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Salem S. Alghamdi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available This study aimed to estimate the proximate, phenolic and flavonoids contents and phytochemicals present in seeds of twenty four soybeans (Glycine max (L. Merr genotypes to explore their nutritional and medicinal values. Crude protein composition ranged between 35.63 and 43.13% in Argentinian and USA (Clark genotypes, respectively. Total phenolic content varied from 1.15 to 1.77 mg GAE/g, whereas flavonoids varied from 0.68 to 2.13 mg QE/g. The GC–MS analysis resulted identification of 88 compounds categorized into aldehydes (5, ketones (13, alcohols (5, carboxylic acids (7, esters (13, alkanes (2, heterocyclic compounds (19, phenolic compound (9, sugar moiety (7 ether (4 and amide (3, one Alkene and one fatty acid ester. Indonesian genotypes (Ijen and Indo-1 had the highest phenolic compounds than others genotype having antioxidant activities, while the Australian genotype contains the maximum in esters compounds. The major phytocompounds identified in majority of genotypes were Phenol, 2,6-dimethoxy-, 2-Methoxy-4-vinylphenol, 3,5-Dimethoxyacetophenone, 1,2-cyclopentanedione and Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester. The presence of phytochemicals with strong pharmacological actions like antimicrobial and antioxidants activities could be considered as sources of quality raw materials for food and pharmaceutical industries. This study further set a platform for isolating and understanding the characteristics of each compound for it pharmacological properties.

  6. A Sorghum bicolor expression atlas reveals dynamic genotype-specific expression profiles for vegetative tissues of grain, sweet and bioenergy sorghums

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shakoor, N; Nair, R; Crasta, O; Morris, G; Feltus, A; Kresovich, S

    2014-01-23

    Background: Effective improvement in sorghum crop development necessitates a genomics-based approach to identify functional genes and QTLs. Sequenced in 2009, a comprehensive annotation of the sorghum genome and the development of functional genomics resources is key to enable the discovery and deployment of regulatory and metabolic genes and gene networks for crop improvement. Results: This study utilizes the first commercially available whole-transcriptome sorghum microarray (Sorgh-WTa520972F) to identify tissue and genotype-specific expression patterns for all identified Sorghum bicolor exons and UTRs. The genechip contains 1,026,373 probes covering 149,182 exons (27,577 genes) across the Sorghum bicolor nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial genomes. Specific probesets were also included for putative non-coding RNAs that may play a role in gene regulation (e. g., microRNAs), and confirmed functional small RNAs in related species (maize and sugarcane) were also included in our array design. We generated expression data for 78 samples with a combination of four different tissue types (shoot, root, leaf and stem), two dissected stem tissues (pith and rind) and six diverse genotypes, which included 6 public sorghum lines (R159, Atlas, Fremont, PI152611, AR2400 and PI455230) representing grain, sweet, forage, and high biomass ideotypes. Conclusions: Here we present a summary of the microarray dataset, including analysis of tissue-specific gene expression profiles and associated expression profiles of relevant metabolic pathways. With an aim to enable identification and functional characterization of genes in sorghum, this expression atlas presents a new and valuable resource to the research community.

  7. Profile and functional properties of seed proteins from six pea (Pisum sativum) genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Barac, Miroljub; Cabrilo, Slavica; Pesic, Mirjana; Stanojevic, Sladjana; Zilic, Sladjana; Macej, Ognjen; Ristic, Nikola

    2010-01-01

    Extractability, extractable protein compositions, technological-functional properties of pea (Pisum sativum) proteins from six genotypes grown in Serbia were investigated. Also, the relationship between these characteristics was presented. Investigated genotypes showed significant differences in storage protein content, composition and extractability. The ratio of vicilin:legumin concentrations, as well as the ratio of vicilin + convicilin: Legumin concentrations were positively correlated with extractability. Our data suggest that the higher level of vicilin and/or a lower level of legumin have a positive influence on protein extractability. The emulsion activity index (EAI) was strongly and positively correlated with the solubility, while no significant correlation was found between emulsion stability (ESI) and solubility, nor between foaming properties and solubility. No association was evident between ESI and EAI. A moderate positive correlation between emulsion stability and foam capacity was observed. Proteins from the investigated genotypes expressed significantly different emulsifying properties and foam capacity at different pH values, whereas low foam stability was detected. It appears that genotype has considerable influence on content, composition and technological-functional properties of pea bean proteins. This fact can be very useful for food scientists in efforts to improve the quality of peas and pea protein products.

  8. Norovirus Genotype Profiles Associated with Foodborne Transmission, 1999??"2012

    OpenAIRE

    Verhoef, Linda; Hewitt, Joanne; Barclay, Leslie; Ahmed, Sharia; Lake, Rob; Hall, Aron J.; Lopman, Ben; Kroneman, Annelies; Vennema, Harry; VinjA(c), Jan; Koopmans, Marion

    2015-01-01

    textabstractWorldwide, noroviruses are a leading cause of gastroenteritis. They can be transmitted from person to person directly or indirectly through contaminated food, water, or environments. To estimate the proportion of foodborne infections caused by noroviruses on a global scale, we used norovirus transmission and genotyping information from multiple international outbreak surveillance systems (Noronet, CaliciNet, EpiSurv) and from a systematic review of peer-reviewed literature. The pr...

  9. ¹H NMR and HPLC/DAD for Cannabis sativa L. chemotype distinction, extract profiling and specification.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peschel, Wieland; Politi, Matteo

    2015-08-01

    The medicinal use of different chemovars and extracts of Cannabis sativa L. requires standardization beyond ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) with complementing methods. We investigated the suitability of (1)H NMR key signals for distinction of four chemotypes measured in deuterated dimethylsulfoxide together with two new validated HPLC/DAD methods used for identification and extract profiling based on the main pattern of cannabinoids and other phenolics alongside the assayed content of THC, cannabidiol (CBD), cannabigerol (CBG) their acidic counterparts (THCA, CBDA, CBGA), cannabinol (CBN) and cannflavin A and B. Effects on cell viability (MTT assay, HeLa) were tested. The dominant cannabinoid pairs allowed chemotype recognition via assignment of selective proton signals and via HPLC even in cannabinoid-low extracts from the THC, CBD and CBG type. Substantial concentrations of cannabinoid acids in non-heated extracts suggest their consideration for total values in chemotype distinction and specifications of herbal drugs and extracts. Cannflavin A/B are extracted and detected together with cannabinoids but always subordinated, while other phenolics can be accumulated via fractionation and detected in a wide fingerprint but may equally serve as qualitative marker only. Cell viability reduction in HeLa was more determined by the total cannabinoid content than by the specific cannabinoid profile. Therefore the analysis and labeling of total cannabinoids together with the content of THC and 2-4 lead cannabinoids are considered essential. The suitability of analytical methods and the range of compound groups summarized in group and ratio markers are discussed regarding plant classification and pharmaceutical specification. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. The impact of IL28B genotype on the gene expression profile of patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Younossi Zobair M

    2012-02-01

    expression profile which is not seen in non-CC genotype patients. Silencing of SOCS1 is a negative and independent predictor of SVR. These data may provide some mechanistic explanation for higher rate of SVR in IL28B CC patients who are treated with PEG-IFN/RBV.

  11. The impact of IL28B genotype on the gene expression profile of patients with chronic hepatitis C treated with pegylated interferon alpha and ribavirin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Younossi, Zobair M; Birerdinc, Aybike; Estep, Mike; Stepanova, Maria; Afendy, Arian; Baranova, Ancha

    2012-02-07

    Recent studies of CH-C patients have demonstrated a strong association between IL28B CC genotype and sustained virologic response (SVR) after PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. We aimed to assess whether IL28B alleles rs12979860 genotype influences gene expression in response to PEG-IFN/RBV in CH-C patients. Clinical data and gene expression data were available for 56 patients treated with PEG-IFN/RBV. Whole blood was used to determine IL28B genotypes. Differential expression of 153 human genes was assessed for each treatment time point (Days: 0, 1, 7, 28, 56) and was correlated with IL28B genotype (IL28B C/C or non-C/C) over the course of the PEG-IFN/RBV treatment. Genes with statistically significant changes in their expression at each time point were used as an input for pathway analysis using KEGG Pathway Painter (KPP). Pathways were ranked based on number of gene involved separately per each study cohort. The most striking difference between the response patterns of patients with IL28B C/C and T* genotypes during treatment, across all pathways, is a sustained pattern of treatment-induced gene expression in patients carrying IL28B C/C. In the case of IL28B T* genotype, pre-activation of genes, the lack of sustained pattern of gene expression or a combination of both were observed. This observation could potentially provide an explanation for the lower rate of SVR observed in these patients. Additionally, when the lists of IL28B genotype-specific genes which were differentially expressed in patients without SVR were compared at their baseline, IRF2 and SOCS1 genes were down-regulated regardless of patients' IL28B genotype. Furthermore, our data suggest that CH-C patients who do not have the SOCS1 gene silenced have a better chance of achieving SVR. Our observations suggest that the action of SOCS1 is independent of IL28B genotype. IL28B CC genotype patients with CH-C show a sustained treatment-induced gene expression profile which is not seen in non-CC genotype patients

  12. Prospects of castor (Ricinus communis L.) genotypes for biodiesel production in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lavanya, C.; Murthy, I.Y.L.N.; Nagaraj, G.; Mukta, N.

    2012-01-01

    The search for suitable non-edible oilseed crops for production of biodiesel has led to exploration of the potential of castor, hitherto an export oriented commercial oilseed crop in India. In this context, a study was conducted to identify high yielding castor genotypes ideal for biodiesel production. The material evaluated included seed of 15 castor genotypes grown in rainfed conditions of Alfisols at Hyderabad, India. Variability for palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic fatty acids was recorded. Ricinoleic acid, the predominant mono unsaturated fatty acid varied among castor genotypes from 86.7 to 92.1%. Correlation coeffecients between fatty acid profile and biodiesel traits were computed. Genotypes 48-1 and DCH-200 exhibited high O/L ratio, low Iodine value (IV) and high cetane number (CN) which indicates higher stability, longer shelf life, quick ignition and greater combustion quality. Genotype DPC-9 exhibited potential as a female parent for development of biodiesel suitable hybrid. -- Highlights: ► Evaluated 15 castor genotypes for fatty acid profile. ► Computed biodiesel related traits like saponification number, iodine value and cetane number. ► Ricinoleic acid, the predominant mono unsaturated fatty acid ranged from 86.7 to 92.1%. ► Variety 48-1 and hybrid DCH-200 exhibited high O/L ratio, low iodine value (IV) and high cetane number (CN).

  13. Protein landmarks for diversity assessment in wheat genotypes ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Grain proteins from 20 Indian wheat genotypes were evaluated for diversity assessment based seed storage protein profiling on sodium dodecylsulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Genetic diversity was evaluated using Nei's index, Shannon index and Unweighted pair group method with arithmetic ...

  14. Dynamics and profiles of a diffusive host-pathogen system with distinct dispersal rates

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wu, Yixiang; Zou, Xingfu

    2018-04-01

    In this paper, we investigate a diffusive host-pathogen model with heterogeneous parameters and distinct dispersal rates for the susceptible and infected hosts. We first prove that the solution of the model exists globally and the model system possesses a global attractor. We then identify the basic reproduction number R0 for the model and prove its threshold role: if R0 ≤ 1, the disease free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable; if R0 > 1, the solution of the model is uniformly persistent and there exists a positive (pathogen persistent) steady state. Finally, we study the asymptotic profiles of the positive steady state as the dispersal rate of the susceptible or infected hosts approaches zero. Our result suggests that the infected hosts concentrate at certain points which can be characterized as the pathogen's most favoured sites when the mobility of the infected host is limited.

  15. Mendel Meets CSI: Forensic Genotyping as a Method to Teach Genetics & DNA Science

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kurowski, Scotia; Reiss, Rebecca

    2007-01-01

    This article describes a forensic DNA science laboratory exercise for advanced high school and introductory college level biology courses. Students use a commercial genotyping kit and genetic analyzer or gene sequencer to analyze DNA recovered from a fictitious crime scene. DNA profiling and STR genotyping are outlined. DNA extraction, PCR, and…

  16. High levels of virus replication and an intense inflammatory response contribute to the severe pathology in lymphoid tissues caused by Newcastle disease virus genotype VIId.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hu, Zenglei; Hu, Jiao; Hu, Shunlin; Song, Qingqing; Ding, Pingyun; Zhu, Jie; Liu, Xiaowen; Wang, Xiaoquan; Liu, Xiufan

    2015-03-01

    Some strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV) genotype VIId cause more-severe tissue damage in lymphoid organs compared to other virulent strains. In this study, we aim to define the mechanism of this distinct pathological manifestation of genotype VII viruses. Pathology, virus replication, and the innate immune response in lymphoid tissues of chickens infected with two genotype VIId NDV strains (JS5/05 and JS3/05), genotype IX NDV F48E8 and genotype IV NDV Herts/33, were compared. Histopathologic examination showed that JS5/05 and JS3/05 produced more-severe lesions in the spleen and thymus, but these four virulent strains caused comparable mild lesions in the bursa. In addition, JS3/05 and JS5/05 replicated at significantly higher levels in the lymphatic organs than F48E8 and Herts/33. A microarray assay performed on the spleens of chickens infected with JS5/05 or Herts/33 revealed that JS5/05 elicited a more potent inflammatory response by increasing the number and expression levels of activated genes. Moreover, cytokine gene expression profiling showed that JS5/05 and JS3/05 induced a stronger cytokine response in lymphoid tissues compared to F48E8 and Herts/33. Taken together, our results indicate that the severe pathology in immune organs caused by genotype VIId NDV strains is associated with high levels of virus replication and an intense inflammatory response.

  17. Differences in grain ultrastructure, phytochemical and proteomic profiles between the two contrasting grain Cd-accumulation barley genotypes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hongyan Sun

    Full Text Available To reveal grain physio-chemical and proteomic differences between two barley genotypes, Zhenong8 and W6nk2 of high- and low-grain-Cd-accumulation, grain profiles of ultrastructure, amino acid and proteins were compared. Results showed that W6nk2 possesses significantly lower protein content, with hordein depicting the greatest genotypic difference, compared with Zhenong8, and lower amino acid contents with especially lower proportion of Glu, Tyr, Phe and Pro. Both scanning and transmission electron microscopy observation declared that the size of A-type starch molecule in W6nk2 was considerably larger than that of Zhenong8. Grains of Zhenong8 exhibited more protein-rich deposits around starch granules, with some A-type granules having surface pits. Seventeen proteins were identified in grains, using 2-DE coupled with mass spectrometry, with higher expression in Zhenong8 than that in W6nk2; including z-type serpin, serpin-Z7 and alpha-amylase/trypsin inhibitor CM, carbohydrate metabolism, protein synthesis and signal transduction related proteins. Twelve proteins were less expressed in Zhenong8 than that in W6nk2; including barley trypsin inhibitor chloroform/methanol-soluble protein (BTI-CMe2.1, BTI-CMe2.2, trypsin inhibitor, dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, pericentrin, dynein heavy chain and some antiviral related proteins. The data extend our understanding of mechanisms underlying Cd accumulation/tolerance and provides possible utilization of elite genetic resources in developing low-grain-Cd barley cultivars.

  18. Whole-genome sequence of a novel Chinese cyprinid herpesvirus 3 isolate reveals the existence of a distinct European genotype in East Asia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wei; Lee, Xuezhu; Weng, Shaoping; He, Jianguo; Dong, Chuanfu

    2015-02-25

    Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV3), also known as koi herpesvirus (KHV), can be subdivided primarily into European and Asian genotypes, which are represented by CyHV3-U or CyHV3-I and CyHV3-J, respectively. In this study, the whole genome sequence of a novel Chinese CyHV3 isolate (GZ11) was determined and annotated. CyHV3-GZ11 genome was found to contain 295,119 nucleotides with 52.9% G/C content, which is highly similar to those of published CyHV3-U, CyHV3-I, and CyHV3-J strains. With reference to CyHV3-U, CyHV3-I, and CyHV3-J, CyHV3-GZ11 was also classified into 164 open reading frames (ORF), which include eight repeated ORFs. On the basis of the 12 alloherpeviruses core genes, results from phylogenetic analysis showed that CyHV3-GZ11 had closer evolutionary relationships with CyHV3-U and CyHV3-I than with CyHV3/KHV-J, which were also supported by genome wide-based single nucleotide substitution analysis and the use of a series of developed molecular markers. This study was the first to reveal the presence of a distinct European CyHV3 genotype in East and Southeast Asia at a whole genome level, which will evoke new insights on exploring the origin, evolution, and epidemiology of the virus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  19. Gene Profiling in Late Blight Resistance in Potato Genotype SD20

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaohui Yang

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Late blight caused by the oomycete fungus Phytophthora infestans (Pi is the most serious obstacle to potato (Solanum tuberosum production in the world. A super race isolate, CN152, which was identified from Sichuan Province, China, could overcome nearly all known late blight resistance genes and caused serious damage in China. The potato genotype SD20 was verified to be highly resistant to CN152; however, the molecular regulation network underlying late blight resistance pathway remains unclear in SD20. Here, we performed a time-course experiment to systematically profile the late blight resistance response genes using RNA-sequencing in SD20. We identified 3354 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, which mainly encoded transcription factors and protein kinases, and also included four NBS-LRR genes. The late blight responsive genes showed time-point-specific induction/repression. Multi-signaling pathways of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene signaling pathways involved in resistance and defense against Pi in SD20. Gene Ontology and KEGG analyses indicated that the DEGs were significantly enriched in metabolic process, protein serine/threonine kinase activity, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Forty-three DEGs were involved in immune response, of which 19 were enriched in hypersensitive response reaction, which could play an important role in broad-spectrum resistance to Pi infection. Experimental verification confirmed the induced expression of the responsive genes in the late blight resistance signaling pathway, such as WRKY, ERF, MAPK, and NBS-LRR family genes. Our results provided valuable information for understanding late blight resistance mechanism of potato.

  20. Genotype by sex and genotype by age interactions with sedentary behavior: the Portuguese Healthy Family Study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel M V Santos

    Full Text Available Sedentary behavior (SB expression and its underlying causal factors have been progressively studied, as it is a major determinant of decreased health quality. In the present study we applied Genotype x Age (GxAge and Genotype x Sex (GxSex interaction methods to determine if the phenotypic expression of different SB traits is influenced by an interaction between genetic architecture and both age and sex. A total of 1345 subjects, comprising 249 fathers, 327 mothers, 334 sons and 325 daughters, from 339 families of The Portuguese Healthy Family Study were included in the analysis. SB traits were assessed by means of a 3-d physical activity recall, the Baecke and IPAQ questionnaires. GxAge and GxSex interactions were analyzed using SOLAR 4.0 software. Sedentary behaviour heritability estimates were not always statistically significant (p>0.05 and ranged from 3% to 27%. The GxSex and GxAge interaction models were significantly better than the single polygenic models for TV (min/day, EEsed (kcal/day, personal computer (PC usage and physical activty (PA tertiles. The GxAge model is also significantly better than the polygenic model for Sed (min/day. For EEsed, PA tertiles, PC and Sed, the GxAge interaction was significant because the genetic correlation between SB environments was significantly different from 1. Further, PC and Sed variance heterogeneity among distinct ages were observed. The GxSex interaction was significant for EEsed due to genetic variance heterogeneity between genders and for PC due to a genetic correlation less than 1 across both sexes. Our results suggest that SB expression may be influenced by the interactions between genotype with both sex and age. Further, different sedentary behaviors seem to have distinct genetic architectures and are differentially affected by age and sex.

  1. Hypervariable region 1 differentially impacts viability of hepatitis C virus strains of genotypes 1 to 6 and impairs virus neutralization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prentoe, Jannick; Jensen, Tanja B; Meuleman, Philip

    2011-01-01

    Hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 envelope glycoprotein has been implicated in virus neutralization and persistence. We deleted HVR1 from JFH1-based HCV recombinants expressing Core/E1/E2/p7/NS2 of genotypes 1 to 6, previously found to grow efficiently in human hepatoma...... genetics studies revealed adaptive envelope mutations that rescued the infectivity of 1a(ΔHVR1), 1b(ΔHVR1), 2b(ΔHVR1), and 3a(ΔHVR1) recombinants. Thus, HVR1 might have distinct functional roles for different HCV isolates. Ultracentrifugation studies showed that deletion of HVR1 did not alter HCV RNA...... density distribution, whereas infectious particle density changed from a range of 1.0 to 1.1 g/ml to a single peak at ∼1.1 g/ml, suggesting that HVR1 was critical for low-density HCV particle infectivity. Using chronic-phase HCV patient sera, we found three distinct neutralization profiles...

  2. Hypervariable region 1 differentially impacts viability of hepatitis C virus strains of genotypes 1 to 6 and impairs virus neutralization

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Prentø, Jannick Cornelius; Jensen, Tanja Bertelsen; Meuleman, Philip

    2011-01-01

    Hypervariable region 1 (HVR1) of hepatitis C virus (HCV) E2 envelope glycoprotein has been implicated in virus neutralization and persistence. We deleted HVR1 from JFH1-based HCV recombinants expressing Core/E1/E2/p7/NS2 of genotypes 1 to 6, previously found to grow efficiently in human hepatoma...... genetics studies revealed adaptive envelope mutations that rescued the infectivity of 1a(¿HVR1), 1b(¿HVR1), 2b(¿HVR1), and 3a(¿HVR1) recombinants. Thus, HVR1 might have distinct functional roles for different HCV isolates. Ultracentrifugation studies showed that deletion of HVR1 did not alter HCV RNA...... density distribution, whereas infectious particle density changed from a range of 1.0 to 1.1 g/ml to a single peak at ~1.1 g/ml, suggesting that HVR1 was critical for low-density HCV particle infectivity. Using chronic-phase HCV patient sera, we found three distinct neutralization profiles...

  3. Marker assisted characterization of chickpea genotypes for wilt ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Further, the sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS PAGE) analysis of seed storage protein showed a difference in protein profile among studied genotypes but none of polypeptide fragment was specific to wilt resistance or susceptibility. In present study, the reported markers linked to susceptibility ...

  4. Defensive Responses of Rice Genotypes for Resistance Against Rice Leaffolder Cnaphalocrocis medinalis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. PUNITHAVALLI

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available The experiment was carried out to assess the reaction of different categories of rice genotypes viz., resistant, susceptible, hybrid, scented, popular and wild in response to the infestation by rice leaffolder (RLF, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenee and to explore the possible use of these genotypes in developing RLF-resistant rice varieties. The changes of various biochemical constituents such as leaf soluble protein, phenol, ortho-dihydroxy phenol, tannin and enzymes viz., peroxidase, phenyl alanine ammonia lyase (PAL were assessed spectrophotometrically in all the rice genotypes before and after RLF infestation. The protein profile was analyzed using sodium dodecyl sulphate-poly acrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE method. A significant constituent of biochemical content such as tannin, phenol and ortho-dihydroxy phenol has been increased along with enzyme activities of peroxidase and PAL in the infested resistant (Ptb 33, TKM6 and LFR831311 and wild rice genotypes (Oryza minuta and O. rhizomatis. A decrease in leaf protein content was evident invariably in all the infested rice genotypes. It is also evident that the contents of biochemicals such as phenol, ortho-dihydroxy phenol and tannin were negatively correlated with leaffolder damage. However, leaf protein content was positively correlated with the damage by rice leaffolder. SDS-PAGE analysis for total protein profiling of healthy and C. medinalis-infested genotypes revealed the enhanced expression of a high molecular weight (> 97 kDa protein in all the genotypes. Besides, there was also an increased induction of a 38 kDa protein in C. medinalis infested resistant genotypes, which was absent in uninfested plants. The present investigation proved that the elevated levels of biochemicals and enzymes may play a vital role in rice plants resistance to RLF.

  5. Effect of Genotype and Environment on Salvia miltiorrhiza Roots Using LC/MS-Based Metabolomics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qi Zhao

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Salvia miltiorrhiza (S. miltiorrhiza Bunge is broadly used as herbal medicine for the clinical treatments of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Despite its commercial and medicinal values, few systematic studies on the metabolome of S. miltiorrhiza roots have been carried out so far. We systematically described the metabolic profiles of S. miltiorrhiza using high pressure liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS in conjunction with multivariate statistical analyses, aimed at monitoring their biological variations of secondary metabolites related to three locations and four S. miltiorrhiza genotypes. A total of 40 bioactive constituents were putatively annotated in S. miltiorrhiza root samples. This study found that both the same S. miltiorrhiza genotype growing at three different locations and four S. miltiorrhiza genotypes growing at the same location had significant metabonomic differences identified by the principal component analysis (PCA approach. By using orthogonal projection to latent structure with discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA, 16 and 14 secondary metabolites can be used as potential location-specific and genotype-specific markers in S. miltiorrhiza, respectively. The specificity of LC/MS profiles offered a powerful tool to discriminate S. miltiorrhiza samples according to genotypes or locations.

  6. Histomorphological changes in hepatitis C non-responders with respect to viral genotypes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adnan, U.; Mirza, T.; Naz, E.; Aziz, S.

    2013-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the distinct histopathological changes of chronic hepatitis C (CHC) non-responders in association with viral genotypes. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the histopathology section of the Dow Diagnostic Research and Reference Laboratory, Dow University of Health Sciences in collaboration with Sarwar Zuberi Liver Centre, Civil Hospital, Karachi from September 2009 to August 2011. Seventy-five non-responders (end-treatment-response [ETR] positive patients) from a consecutive series of viral-RNA positive CHC patients with known genotypes were selected. Their genotypes and pertinent clinical history was recorded. They were subjected to liver biopsies which were assessed for grade, stage, steatosis, stainable iron and characteristic histological lesions. Results: Majority of the patients (63, 84%) had genotype 3 while 12(16%) cases had genotype 1. The genotype 1 patients had significantly higher scores of inflammation (p<0.03) and fibrosis (p<0.04) as compared to genotype 3. Steatosis was significantly present in all genotype 3 patients in higher scores (p<0.001) compared to genotype 1. Stainable iron scores were generally low in the patients in this study, however, it was more commonly seen in genotype 3. The distribution of characteristic histological lesions was noteworthy in both the groups, irrespective of genotype. Conclusion: In this series, the predominant genotype was 3. However, genotype 1 patients were more prone to the aggressive nature of the disease with significantly higher scores of inflammation and fibrosis. Steatosis was characteristically observed in genotype 3 group. Stainable iron could not be attributed as a cause of non-response. (author)

  7. Characterisation of metabolic profile of banana genotypes, aiming at biofortified Musa spp. cultivars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Borges, Cristine Vanz; Amorim, Vanusia Batista de Oliveira; Ramlov, Fernanda; Ledo, Carlos Alberto da Silva; Donato, Marcela; Maraschin, Marcelo; Amorim, Edson Perito

    2014-02-15

    The banana is an important, widely consumed fruit, especially in areas of rampant undernutrition. Twenty-nine samples were analysed, including 9 diploids, 13 triploids and 7 tetraploids, in the Active Germplasm Bank, at Embrapa Cassava & Fruits, to evaluate the bioactive compounds. The results of this study reveal the presence of a diversity of bioactive compounds, e.g., catechins; they are phenolic compounds with high antioxidant potential and antitumour activity. In addition, accessions with appreciable amounts of pVACs were identified, especially compared with the main cultivars that are currently marketed. The ATR-FTIR, combined with principal components analysis, identified accessions with distinct metabolic profiles in the fingerprint regions of compounds important for human health. Likewise, starch fraction characterisation allowed discrimination of accessions according to their physical, chemical, and functional properties. The results of this study demonstrate that the banana has functional characteristics endowing it with the potential to promote human health. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Genetic profiling of two phenotypically distinct outbred rats derived from a colony of the Zucker fatty rats maintained at Tokyo Medical University

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakanishi, Satoshi; Kuramoto, Takashi; Kashiwazaki, Naomi; Yokoi, Norihide

    2016-01-01

    The Zucker fatty (ZF) rat is an outbred rat and a well-known model of obesity without diabetes, harboring a missense mutation (fatty, abbreviated as fa) in the leptin receptor gene (Lepr). Slc:Zucker (Slc:ZF) outbred rats exhibit obesity while Hos:ZFDM-Leprfa (Hos:ZFDM) outbred rats exhibit obesity and type 2 diabetes. Both outbred rats have been derived from an outbred ZF rat colony maintained at Tokyo Medical University. So far, genetic profiles of these outbred rats remain unknown. Here, we applied a simple genotyping method using Ampdirect reagents and FTA cards (Amp-FTA) in combination with simple sequence length polymorphisms (SSLP) markers to determine genetic profiles of Slc:ZF and Hos:ZFDM rats. Among 27 SSLP marker loci, 24 loci (89%) were fixed for specific allele at each locus in Slc:ZF rats and 26 loci (96%) were fixed in Hos:ZFDM rats, respectively. This indicates the low genetic heterogeneity in both colonies of outbred rats. Nine loci (33%) showed different alleles between the two outbred rats, suggesting considerably different genetic profiles between the two outbred rats in spite of the same origin. Additional analysis using 72 SSLP markers further supported these results and clarified the profiles in detail. This study revealed that genetic profiles of the Slc:ZF and Hos:ZFDM outbred rats are different for about 30% of the SSLP marker loci, which is the underlying basis for the phenotypic difference between the two outbred rats. PMID:27795491

  9. Eating behavior and psychological profile: associations between daughters with distinct eating disorders and their mothers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vázquez-Velázquez, Verónica; Kaufer-Horwitz, Martha; Méndez, Juan Pablo; García-García, Eduardo; Reidl-Martínez, Lucy María

    2017-09-06

    Associations of eating behaviors and psychological profile between mothers and daughters with eating disorders exist, but it is important to dissect the influence of the mother in each specific disorder since all eating disorders must be seen or treated not as one entity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the association of eating behavior and psychological profile between mothers and daughters with different eating disorders and a control group. The study group included young girls with anorexia nervosa (AN, n = 30), bulimia nervosa (BN, n = 30), binge eating disorder (BED, n = 19), and a control group of women (Non-ED, n = 54) together with their mothers. BMI was calculated for dyads and Eating Disorder Inventory, Beck Depression Inventory, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Toronto Alexithymia Scale and Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire were applied. The differences between dyads were tested by Student's t test and Pearson's correlation was used to study the association between BMI, variables of eating behavior and psychological profile in each dyad. The study found significant inverse correlations between the AN dyad; some correlations between the BN dyad, and the highest positive correlations exist in BED dyad, especially in eating behavior. Finally, between the control dyads, low but significant correlations were found in the majority of cases. The study concluded that the associations between mothers and daughters with distinct eating disorders varied depending on the specific diagnosis of the daughter, indicating it is necessary to analyze them individually, given that there may be different implications for treatment.

  10. Analysis of gene expression and proteomic profiles of clonal genotypes from Theobroma cacao subjected to soil flooding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bertolde, Fabiana Z; Almeida, Alex-Alan F; Pirovani, Carlos P

    2014-01-01

    Soil flooding causes changes in gene transcription, synthesis and degradation of proteins and cell metabolism. The main objective of this study was to understand the biological events of Theobroma cacao during soil flooding-induced stress, using the analyses of gene expression and activity of key enzymes involved in fermentation, as well as the identification of differentially expressed proteins by mass spectrometry in two contrasting genotypes for flooding tolerance (tolerant - TSA-792 and susceptible - TSH-774). Soil anoxia caused by flooding has led to changes in the expression pattern of genes associated with the biosynthesis of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) in leaves and roots of the two evaluated genotypes. Significant differences were observed between the enzyme activities of the two genotypes. Leaves and roots of the TSA-792 genotype showed higher ADH activity as compared to the TSH-774 genotype, whereas the activities of PDC and LDH have varied over the 96 h of soil flooding, being higher for TSA-792 genotype, at the initial stage, and TSH-774 genotype, at the final stage. Some of the identified proteins are those typical of the anaerobic metabolism-involved in glycolysis and alcoholic fermentation-and different proteins associated with photosynthesis, protein metabolism and oxidative stress. The ability to maintain glycolysis and induce fermentation was observed to play an important role in anoxia tolerance in cacao and may also serve to distinguish tolerant and susceptible genotypes in relation to this stressor.

  11. Hospitalized Premature Infants Are Colonized by Related Bacterial Strains with Distinct Proteomic Profiles

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    Christopher T. Brown

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available During the first weeks of life, microbial colonization of the gut impacts human immune system maturation and other developmental processes. In premature infants, aberrant colonization has been implicated in the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC, a life-threatening intestinal disease. To study the premature infant gut colonization process, genome-resolved metagenomics was conducted on 343 fecal samples collected during the first 3 months of life from 35 premature infants housed in a neonatal intensive care unit, 14 of whom developed NEC, and metaproteomic measurements were made on 87 samples. Microbial community composition and proteomic profiles remained relatively stable on the time scale of a week, but the proteome was more variable. Although genetically similar organisms colonized many infants, most infants were colonized by distinct strains with metabolic profiles that could be distinguished using metaproteomics. Microbiome composition correlated with infant, antibiotics administration, and NEC diagnosis. Communities were found to cluster into seven primary types, and community type switched within infants, sometimes multiple times. Interestingly, some communities sampled from the same infant at subsequent time points clustered with those of other infants. In some cases, switches preceded onset of NEC; however, no species or community type could account for NEC across the majority of infants. In addition to a correlation of protein abundances with organism replication rates, we found that organism proteomes correlated with overall community composition. Thus, this genome-resolved proteomics study demonstrated that the contributions of individual organisms to microbiome development depend on microbial community context.

  12. Hospitalized Premature Infants Are Colonized by Related Bacterial Strains with Distinct Proteomic Profiles

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiong, Weili; Olm, Matthew R.; Thomas, Brian C.; Baker, Robyn; Firek, Brian; Morowitz, Michael J.; Hettich, Robert L.

    2018-01-01

    ABSTRACT During the first weeks of life, microbial colonization of the gut impacts human immune system maturation and other developmental processes. In premature infants, aberrant colonization has been implicated in the onset of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a life-threatening intestinal disease. To study the premature infant gut colonization process, genome-resolved metagenomics was conducted on 343 fecal samples collected during the first 3 months of life from 35 premature infants housed in a neonatal intensive care unit, 14 of whom developed NEC, and metaproteomic measurements were made on 87 samples. Microbial community composition and proteomic profiles remained relatively stable on the time scale of a week, but the proteome was more variable. Although genetically similar organisms colonized many infants, most infants were colonized by distinct strains with metabolic profiles that could be distinguished using metaproteomics. Microbiome composition correlated with infant, antibiotics administration, and NEC diagnosis. Communities were found to cluster into seven primary types, and community type switched within infants, sometimes multiple times. Interestingly, some communities sampled from the same infant at subsequent time points clustered with those of other infants. In some cases, switches preceded onset of NEC; however, no species or community type could account for NEC across the majority of infants. In addition to a correlation of protein abundances with organism replication rates, we found that organism proteomes correlated with overall community composition. Thus, this genome-resolved proteomics study demonstrated that the contributions of individual organisms to microbiome development depend on microbial community context. PMID:29636439

  13. Discordant genotyping results using DNA isolated from anti-doping control urine samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choong, Eva; Schulze, Jenny J; Ericsson, Magnus; Rane, Anders; Ekström, Lena

    2017-07-01

    The UGT2B17 gene deletion polymorphism is known to correlate to urinary concentration of testosterone-glucuronide and hence this genotype exerts a large impact on the testosterone/epitestosterone (T/E) ratio, a biomarker for testosterone doping. The objective of this study was to assess if DNA isolated from athletes' urine samples (n = 713) obtained in routine doping controls could be targeted for genotyping analysis for future integration in the athlete's passport. A control population (n = 21) including both urine and blood DNA was used for genotyping concordance test. Another aim was to study a large group (n = 596) of authentic elite athletes in respect of urinary steroid profile in relation to genetic variation. First we found that the genotype results when using urine-derived DNA did not correlate sufficiently with the genotype obtained from whole blood DNA. Secondly we found males with one or two UGT2B17 alleles had higher T/E (mean 1.63 ± 0.93) than females (mean 1.28 ± 1.08), p˂0.001. Unexpectedly, we found that several male del/del athletes in power sports had a T/E ˃1. If men in power sport exert a different urinary steroid profile needs to be further investigated. The other polymorphisms investigated in the CYP17A1, UGT2B7 and UGT2B15 genes did not show any associations with testosterone and epitestosterone concentrations. Our results show that genotyping using urine samples according to our method is not useful in an anti-doping setting. Instead, it is of importance for the anti-doping test programs to include baseline values in the ABP to minimize any putative impact of genotype. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  14. Different region analysis for genotyping Yersinia pestis isolates from China.

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    Yanjun Li

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: DFR (different region analysis has been developed for typing Yesinia pestis in our previous study, and in this study, we extended this method by using 23 DFRs to investigate 909 Chinese Y. pestis strains for validating DFR-based genotyping method and better understanding adaptive microevolution of Y. pestis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: On the basis of PCR and Bionumerics data analysis, 909 Y. pestis strains were genotyped into 32 genomovars according to their DFR profiles. New terms, Major genomovar and Minor genomovar, were coined for illustrating evolutionary relationship between Y. pestis strains from different plague foci and different hosts. In silico DFR profiling of the completed or draft genomes shed lights on the evolutionary scenario of Y. pestis from Y. pseudotuberculosis. Notably, several sequenced Y. pestis strains share the same DFR profiles with Chinese strains, providing data for revealing the global plague foci expansion. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Distribution of Y. pestis genomovars is plague focus-specific. Microevolution of biovar Orientalis was deduced according to DFR profiles. DFR analysis turns to be an efficient and inexpensive method to portrait the genome plasticity of Y. pestis based on horizontal gene transfer (HGT. DFR analysis can also be used as a tool in comparative and evolutionary genomic research for other bacteria with similar genome plasticity.

  15. Microarray profiling shows distinct differences between primary tumors and commonly used preclinical models in hepatocellular carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, Weining; Iyer, N. Gopalakrishna; Tay, Hsien Ts’ung; Wu, Yonghui; Lim, Tony K. H.; Zheng, Lin; Song, In Chin; Kwoh, Chee Keong; Huynh, Hung; Tan, Patrick O. B.; Chow, Pierce K. H.

    2015-01-01

    Despite advances in therapeutics, outcomes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain poor and there is an urgent need for efficacious systemic therapy. Unfortunately, drugs that are successful in preclinical studies often fail in the clinical setting, and we hypothesize that this is due to functional differences between primary tumors and commonly used preclinical models. In this study, we attempt to answer this question by comparing tumor morphology and gene expression profiles between primary tumors, xenografts and HCC cell lines. Hep G2 cell lines and tumor cells from patient tumor explants were subcutaneously (ectopically) injected into the flank and orthotopically into liver parenchyma of Mus Musculus SCID mice. The mice were euthanized after two weeks. RNA was extracted from the tumors, and gene expression profiling was performed using the Gene Chip Human Genome U133 Plus 2.0. Principal component analyses (PCA) and construction of dendrograms were conducted using Partek genomics suite. PCA showed that the commonly used HepG2 cell line model and its xenograft counterparts were vastly different from all fresh primary tumors. Expression profiles of primary tumors were also significantly divergent from their counterpart patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, regardless of the site of implantation. Xenografts from the same primary tumors were more likely to cluster together regardless of site of implantation, although heat maps showed distinct differences in gene expression profiles between orthotopic and ectopic models. The data presented here challenges the utility of routinely used preclinical models. Models using HepG2 were vastly different from primary tumors and PDXs, suggesting that this is not clinically representative. Surprisingly, site of implantation (orthotopic versus ectopic) resulted in limited impact on gene expression profiles, and in both scenarios xenografts differed significantly from the original primary tumors, challenging the long

  16. Distinct difference of flaA genotypes of Legionella pneumophila between isolates from bath water and cooling tower water.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Amemura-Maekawa, Junko; Kura, Fumiaki; Chang, Bin; Suzuki-Hashimoto, Atsuko; Ichinose, Masayuki; Endo, Takuro; Watanabe, Haruo

    2008-09-01

    To investigate the genetic difference of Legionella pneumophila in human-made environments, we collected isolates of L. pneumophila from bath water (n = 167) and cooling tower water (n = 128) primarily in the Kanto region in 2001 and 2005. The environmental isolates were serogrouped and sequenced for a target region of flaA. A total of 14 types of flaA genotypes were found: 10 from cooling tower water and nine from bath water. The flaA genotypes of isolates from cooling tower water were quite different from those of bath water.

  17. Sex and PRNP genotype determination in preimplantation caprine embryos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guignot, F; Perreau, C; Cavarroc, C; Touzé, J-L; Pougnard, J-L; Dupont, F; Beckers, J-F; Rémy, B; Babilliot, J-M; Bed'Hom, B; Lamorinière, J M; Mermillod, P; Baril, G

    2011-08-01

    The objective of this study was to test the accuracy of genotype diagnosis after whole amplification of DNA extracted from biopsies obtained by trimming goat embryos and to evaluate the viability of biopsied embryos after vitrification/warming and transfer. Whole genome amplification (WGA) was performed using Multiple Displacement Amplification (MDA). Sex and prion protein (PRNP) genotypes were determined. Sex diagnosis was carried out by PCR amplification of ZFX/ZFY and Y chromosome-specific sequences. Prion protein genotype determination was performed on codons 142, 154, 211, 222 and 240. Embryos were collected at day 7 after oestrus and biopsied either immediately after collection (blastocysts and expanded blastocysts) or after 24 h of in vitro culture (compacted morulae). Biopsied embryos were frozen by vitrification. Vitrified whole embryos were kept as control. DNA of biopsies was extracted and amplified using MDA. Sex diagnosis was efficient for 97.4% of biopsies and PRNP genotyping was determined in 78.7% of biopsies. After embryo transfer, no significant difference was observed in kidding rate between biopsied and vitrified control embryos, whereas embryo survival rate was different between biopsied and whole vitrified embryos (p = 0.032). At birth, 100% of diagnosed sex and 98.2% of predetermined codons were correct. Offspring PRNP profiles were in agreement with parental genotype. Whole genome amplification with MDA kit coupled with sex diagnosis and PRNP genotype predetermination are very accurate techniques to genotype goat embryos before transfer. These novel results allow us to plan selection of scrapie-resistant genotypes and kid sex before transfer of cryopreserved embryo. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  18. Distinct effects of calorie restriction on adipose tissue cytokine and angiogenesis profiles in obese and lean mice

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    Kurki Eveliina

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Obesity associates with low-grade inflammation and adipose tissue remodeling. Using sensitive high-throughput protein arrays we here investigated adipose tissue cytokine and angiogenesis-related protein profiles from obese and lean mice, and in particular, the influence of calorie restriction (CR. Methods Tissue samples from visceral fat were harvested from obese mice fed with a high-fat diet (60% of energy, lean controls receiving low-fat control diet as well as from obese and lean mice kept under CR (energy intake 70% of ad libitum intake for 50 days. Protein profiles were analyzed using mouse cytokine and angiogenesis protein array kits. Results In obese and lean mice, CR was associated with 11.3% and 15.6% reductions in body weight, as well as with 4.0% and 4.6% reductions in body fat percentage, respectively. Obesity induced adipose tissue cytokine expressions, the most highly upregulated cytokines being IL-1ra, IL-2, IL-16, MCP-1, MIG, RANTES, C5a, sICAM-1 and TIMP-1. CR increased sICAM-1 and TIMP-1 expression both in obese and lean mice. Overall, CR showed distinct effects on cytokine expressions; in obese mice CR largely decreased but in lean mice increased adipose tissue cytokine expressions. Obesity was also associated with increased expressions of angiogenesis-related proteins, in particular, angiogenin, endoglin, endostatin, endothelin-1, IGFBP-3, leptin, MMP-3, PAI-1, TIMP-4, CXCL16, platelet factor 4, DPPIV and coagulation factor III. CR increased endoglin, endostatin and platelet factor 4 expressions, and decreased IGFBP-3, NOV, MMP-9, CXCL16 and osteopontin expressions both in obese and lean mice. Interestingly, in obese mice, CR decreased leptin and TIMP-4 expressions, whereas in lean mice their expressions were increased. CR decreased MMP-3 and PAI-1 only in obese mice, whereas CR decreased FGF acidic, FGF basic and coagulation factor III, and increased angiogenin and DPPIV expression only in lean mice

  19. Analysis of genotype diversity and evolution of Dengue virus serotype 2 using complete genomes

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    Vaishali P. Waman

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Background Dengue is one of the most common arboviral diseases prevalent worldwide and is caused by Dengue viruses (genus Flavivirus, family Flaviviridae. There are four serotypes of Dengue Virus (DENV-1 to DENV-4, each of which is further subdivided into distinct genotypes. DENV-2 is frequently associated with severe dengue infections and epidemics. DENV-2 consists of six genotypes such as Asian/American, Asian I, Asian II, Cosmopolitan, American and sylvatic. Comparative genomic study was carried out to infer population structure of DENV-2 and to analyze the role of evolutionary and spatiotemporal factors in emergence of diversifying lineages. Methods Complete genome sequences of 990 strains of DENV-2 were analyzed using Bayesian-based population genetics and phylogenetic approaches to infer genetically distinct lineages. The role of spatiotemporal factors, genetic recombination and selection pressure in the evolution of DENV-2 is examined using the sequence-based bioinformatics approaches. Results DENV-2 genetic structure is complex and consists of fifteen subpopulations/lineages. The Asian/American genotype is observed to be diversified into seven lineages. The Asian I, Cosmopolitan and sylvatic genotypes were found to be subdivided into two lineages, each. The populations of American and Asian II genotypes were observed to be homogeneous. Significant evidence of episodic positive selection was observed in all the genes, except NS4A. Positive selection operational on a few codons in envelope gene confers antigenic and lineage diversity in the American strains of Asian/American genotype. Selection on codons of non-structural genes was observed to impact diversification of lineages in Asian I, cosmopolitan and sylvatic genotypes. Evidence of intra/inter-genotype recombination was obtained and the uncertainty in classification of recombinant strains was resolved using the population genetics approach. Discussion Complete genome-based analysis

  20. Comparative analysis of juice volatiles in selected mandarins, mandarin relatives and other citrus genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Yuan; Bai, Jinhe; Chen, Chunxian; Plotto, Anne; Baldwin, Elizabeth A; Gmitter, Frederick G

    2018-02-01

    Citrus fruit flavor is an important attribute prioritized in variety improvement. The present study compared juice volatiles compositions from 13 selected citrus genotypes, including six mandarins (Citrus reticulata), three sour oranges (Citrus aurantium), one blood orange (Citrus sinensis), one lime (Citrus limonia), one Clementine (Citrus clementina) and one satsuma (Citrus unshiu). Large differences were observed with respect to volatile compositions among the citrus genotypes. 'Goutou' sour orange contained the greatest number of volatile compounds and the largest volatile production level. 'Ponkan' mandarin had the smallest number of volatiles and 'Owari' satsuma yielded the lowest volatile production level. 'Goutou' sour orange and 'Moro' blood orange were clearly distinguished from other citrus genotypes based on the analysis of volatile compositions, even though they were assigned into one single group with two other sour oranges by the molecular marker profiles. The clustering analysis based on the aroma volatile compositions was able to differentiate mandarin varieties and natural sub-groups, and was also supported by the molecular marker study. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of citrus juice aroma volatiles can be used as a tool to distinguish citrus genotypes and assist in the assessment of future citrus breeding programs. The aroma volatile profiles of the different citrus genotypes and inter-relationships detected among volatile compounds and among citrus genotypes will provide fundamental information on the development of marker-assisted selection in citrus breeding. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  1. Comparative Transcriptional Profiling of Two Contrasting Barley Genotypes under Salinity Stress during the Seedling Stage

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    Runhong Gao

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Salinity is one of the major abiotic stresses that affect crop productivity. Identification of the potential novel genes responsible for salt tolerance in barley will contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism of barley responses to salt stress. We compared changes in transcriptome between Hua 11 (a salt-tolerant genotype and Hua 30 (a salt sensitive genotype in response to salt stress at the seedling stage using barley cDNA microarrays. In total, 557 and 247 salt-responsive genes were expressed exclusively in the shoot and root tissue of the salt-tolerant genotype, respectively. Among these genes, a number of signal-related genes, transcription factors and compatible solutes were identified and some of these genes were carefully discussed. Notably, a LysM RLK was firstly found involved in salt stress response. Moreover, key enzymes in the pathways of jasmonic acid biosynthesis, lipid metabolism and indole-3-acetic acid homeostasis were specifically affected by salt stress in salt tolerance genotype. These salt-responsive genes and biochemical pathways identified in this study could provide further information for understanding the mechanisms of salt tolerance in barley.

  2. Distinct changing profiles of hepatitis A and E virus infection among patients with acute hepatitis in Mongolia: The first report of the full genome sequence of a novel genotype 1 hepatitis E virus strain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsatsralt-Od, Bira; Primadharsini, Putu Prathiwi; Nishizawa, Tsutomu; Ohnishi, Hiroshi; Nagashima, Shigeo; Takahashi, Masaharu; Jirintai, Suljid; Nyamkhuu, Dulmaa; Okamoto, Hiroaki

    2018-01-01

    In January 2012, Mongolia started a hepatitis A vaccination program, which has not yet been evaluated. The first occurrence of autochthonous acute hepatitis E in 2013, caused by genotype 4 hepatitis E virus (HEV), suggests the need for a routine study to monitor its prevalence. One hundred fifty-four consecutive patients who were clinically diagnosed with acute hepatitis between 2014 and 2015 in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia were studied. By serological and molecular testing followed by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, only one patient (0.6%) was diagnosed with acute hepatitis A, caused by genotype IA hepatitis A virus (HAV), and 32 (20.8%) patients were diagnosed with acute hepatitis E, caused by genotype 1 HEV. The 32 HEV isolates obtained in this study shared 99.5-100% nucleotide identity and were grouped into a cluster separated from those of subtypes 1a to 1f. Upon comparison of p-distances over the entire genome, the distances between one representative HEV isolate (MNE15-072) and 1a-1f strains were 0.071-0.137, while those between 1b and 1c were 0.062-0.070. In conclusion, the prevalence of acute hepatitis A has decreased in Mongolia since the start of the vaccination program, while the monophyletic genotype 1 HEV strain of a probably novel subtype has been prevalent. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  3. MicroRNA profiling reveals distinct signatures in B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calin, George Adrian; Liu, Chang-Gong; Sevignani, Cinzia; Ferracin, Manuela; Felli, Nadia; Dumitru, Calin Dan; Shimizu, Masayoshi; Cimmino, Amelia; Zupo, Simona; Dono, Mariella; Dell'Aquila, Marie L.; Alder, Hansjuerg; Rassenti, Laura; Kipps, Thomas J.; Bullrich, Florencia; Negrini, Massimo; Croce, Carlo M.

    2004-01-01

    Little is known about the expression levels or function of micro-RNAs (miRNAs) in normal and neoplastic cells, although it is becoming clear that miRNAs play important roles in the regulation of gene expression during development [Ambros, V. (2003) Cell 113, 673–676; McManus, M. T. (2003) Semin. Cancer Biol. 13, 253–258]. We now report the genomewide expression profiling of miRNAs in human B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) by using a microarray containing hundreds of human precursor and mature miRNA oligonucleotide probes. This approach allowed us to identify significant differences in miRNome expression between CLL samples and normal CD5+ B cells; data were confirmed by Northern blot analyses and real-time RT-PCR. At least two distinct clusters of CLL samples can be identified that were associated with the presence or absence of Zap-70 expression, a predictor of early disease progression. Two miRNA signatures were associated with the presence or absence of mutations in the expressed Ig variableregion genes or with deletions at 13q14, respectively. These data suggest that miRNA expression patterns have relevance to the biological and clinical behavior of this leukemia. PMID:15284443

  4. Field study of dried blood spot specimens for HIV-1 drug resistance genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parry, C M; Parkin, N; Diallo, K; Mwebaza, S; Batamwita, R; DeVos, J; Bbosa, N; Lyagoba, F; Magambo, B; Jordan, M R; Downing, R; Zhang, G; Kaleebu, P; Yang, C; Bertagnolio, S

    2014-08-01

    Dried blood spots (DBS) are an alternative specimen type for HIV drug resistance genotyping in resource-limited settings. Data relating to the impact of DBS storage and shipment conditions on genotyping efficiency under field conditions are limited. We compared the genotyping efficiencies and resistance profiles of DBS stored and shipped at different temperatures to those of plasma specimens collected in parallel from patients receiving antiretroviral therapy in Uganda. Plasma and four DBS cards from anti-coagulated venous blood and a fifth card from finger-prick blood were prepared from 103 HIV patients with a median viral load (VL) of 57,062 copies/ml (range, 1,081 to 2,964,191). DBS were stored at ambient temperature for 2 or 4 weeks or frozen at -80 °C and shipped from Uganda to the United States at ambient temperature or frozen on dry ice for genotyping using a broadly sensitive in-house method. Plasma (97.1%) and DBS (98.1%) stored and shipped frozen had similar genotyping efficiencies. DBS stored frozen (97.1%) or at ambient temperature for 2 weeks (93.2%) and shipped at ambient temperature also had similar genotyping efficiencies. Genotyping efficiency was reduced for DBS stored at ambient temperature for 4 weeks (89.3%, P = 0.03) or prepared from finger-prick blood and stored at ambient temperature for 2 weeks (77.7%, P blood and handled similarly. Resistance profiles were similar between plasma and DBS specimens. This report delineates the optimal DBS collection, storage, and shipping conditions and opens a new avenue for cost-saving ambient-temperature DBS specimen shipments for HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) surveillances in resource-limited settings. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

  5. Expression profiles of amhy and major sex-related genes during gonadal sex differentiation and their relation with genotypic and temperature-dependent sex determination in pejerrey Odontesthes bonariensis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yan; Hattori, Ricardo S; Sarida, Munti; García, Estefany L; Strüssmann, Carlos Augusto; Yamamoto, Yoji

    2018-03-15

    To shed light on the mechanisms of and interactions of GSD and TSD in pejerrey, we investigated how the transcriptional profiles of amhy and amha are affected by feminizing (17 °C) and masculinizing (29 °C) temperatures during the critical period of sex determination/differentiation and their relation with the expression profiles of AMH receptor type II (amhrII), gonadal aromatase (cyp19a1a), and 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (hsd11b2). Careful consideration of the results of this study and all information currently available for this species, including similar analyzes for an intermediate, mixed-sex promoting temperature (25 °C), suggests a model for genotypic/temperature-dependent sex determination and gonadal sex differentiation that involves a) cyp19a1a-dependent, developmentally-programmed ovarian development as the default state that becomes self-sustaining in the absence of a potent and timely masculinizing stimulus, b) early, developmentally-programmed amhy expression and high temperature as masculinization signals that antagonize the putative female pathway by suppressing cyp19a1a expression, c) increasing stress response, cortisol, and the synthesis of the masculinizing androgen 11-keto-testosterone via hsd11b2 with increasing temperature that is important for masculinization in both genotypes but particularly so in XX individuals, and d) an endocrine network with positive/negative feedback mechanisms that ensure fidelity of the male/female pathway once started. The proposed model, albeit tentative and non-all inclusive, accounts for the continuum of responses, from all-females at low temperatures to all-males at high temperatures and for the balanced-, genotype-linked sex ratios obtained at intermediate temperatures, and therefore supports the coexistence of TSD and GSD in pejerrey across the range of viable temperatures for this species. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Partitioning of copy-number genotypes in pedigrees

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    Andelfinger Gregor U

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Copy number variations (CNVs and polymorphisms (CNPs have only recently gained the genetic community's attention. Conservative estimates have shown that CNVs and CNPs might affect more than 10% of the genome and that they may be at least as important as single nucleotide polymorphisms in assessing human variability. Widely used tools for CNP analysis have been implemented in Birdsuite and PLINK for the purpose of conducting genetic association studies based on the unpartitioned total number of CNP copies provided by the intensities from Affymetrix's Genome-Wide Human SNP Array. Here, we are interested in partitioning copy number variations and polymorphisms in extended pedigrees for the purpose of linkage analysis on familial data. Results We have developed CNGen, a new software for the partitioning of copy number polymorphism using the integrated genotypes from Birdsuite with the Affymetrix platform. The algorithm applied to familial trios or extended pedigrees can produce partitioned copy number genotypes with distinct parental alleles. We have validated the algorithm using simulations on a complex pedigree structure using frequencies calculated from a real dataset of 300 genotyped samples from 42 pedigrees segregating a congenital heart defect phenotype. Conclusions CNGen is the first published software for the partitioning of copy number genotypes in pedigrees, making possible the use CNPs and CNVs for linkage analysis. It was implemented with the Python interpreter version 2.5.2. It was successfully tested on current Linux, Windows and Mac OS workstations.

  7. In silico genomic analyses reveal three distinct lineages of Escherichia coli O157:H7, one of which is associated with hyper-virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laing, Chad R; Buchanan, Cody; Taboada, Eduardo N; Zhang, Yongxiang; Karmali, Mohamed A; Thomas, James E; Gannon, Victor Pj

    2009-06-29

    Many approaches have been used to study the evolution, population structure and genetic diversity of Escherichia coli O157:H7; however, observations made with different genotyping systems are not easily relatable to each other. Three genetic lineages of E. coli O157:H7 designated I, II and I/II have been identified using octamer-based genome scanning and microarray comparative genomic hybridization (mCGH). Each lineage contains significant phenotypic differences, with lineage I strains being the most commonly associated with human infections. Similarly, a clade of hyper-virulent O157:H7 strains implicated in the 2006 spinach and lettuce outbreaks has been defined using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing. In this study an in silico comparison of six different genotyping approaches was performed on 19 E. coli genome sequences from 17 O157:H7 strains and single O145:NM and K12 MG1655 strains to provide an overall picture of diversity of the E. coli O157:H7 population, and to compare genotyping methods for O157:H7 strains. In silico determination of lineage, Shiga-toxin bacteriophage integration site, comparative genomic fingerprint, mCGH profile, novel region distribution profile, SNP type and multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis type was performed and a supernetwork based on the combination of these methods was produced. This supernetwork showed three distinct clusters of strains that were O157:H7 lineage-specific, with the SNP-based hyper-virulent clade 8 synonymous with O157:H7 lineage I/II. Lineage I/II/clade 8 strains clustered closest on the supernetwork to E. coli K12 and E. coli O55:H7, O145:NM and sorbitol-fermenting O157 strains. The results of this study highlight the similarities in relationships derived from multi-locus genome sampling methods and suggest a "common genotyping language" may be devised for population genetics and epidemiological studies. Future genotyping methods should provide data that can be stored centrally and

  8. In silico genomic analyses reveal three distinct lineages of Escherichia coli O157:H7, one of which is associated with hyper-virulence

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karmali Mohamed A

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Many approaches have been used to study the evolution, population structure and genetic diversity of Escherichia coli O157:H7; however, observations made with different genotyping systems are not easily relatable to each other. Three genetic lineages of E. coli O157:H7 designated I, II and I/II have been identified using octamer-based genome scanning and microarray comparative genomic hybridization (mCGH. Each lineage contains significant phenotypic differences, with lineage I strains being the most commonly associated with human infections. Similarly, a clade of hyper-virulent O157:H7 strains implicated in the 2006 spinach and lettuce outbreaks has been defined using single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP typing. In this study an in silico comparison of six different genotyping approaches was performed on 19 E. coli genome sequences from 17 O157:H7 strains and single O145:NM and K12 MG1655 strains to provide an overall picture of diversity of the E. coli O157:H7 population, and to compare genotyping methods for O157:H7 strains. Results In silico determination of lineage, Shiga-toxin bacteriophage integration site, comparative genomic fingerprint, mCGH profile, novel region distribution profile, SNP type and multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis type was performed and a supernetwork based on the combination of these methods was produced. This supernetwork showed three distinct clusters of strains that were O157:H7 lineage-specific, with the SNP-based hyper-virulent clade 8 synonymous with O157:H7 lineage I/II. Lineage I/II/clade 8 strains clustered closest on the supernetwork to E. coli K12 and E. coli O55:H7, O145:NM and sorbitol-fermenting O157 strains. Conclusion The results of this study highlight the similarities in relationships derived from multi-locus genome sampling methods and suggest a "common genotyping language" may be devised for population genetics and epidemiological studies. Future genotyping

  9. Phylogeography of Rickettsia rickettsii genotypes associated with fatal Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paddock, Christopher D; Denison, Amy M; Lash, R Ryan; Liu, Lindy; Bollweg, Brigid C; Dahlgren, F Scott; Kanamura, Cristina T; Angerami, Rodrigo N; Pereira dos Santos, Fabiana C; Brasil Martines, Roosecelis; Karpathy, Sandor E

    2014-09-01

    Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF), a tick-borne zoonosis caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, is among the deadliest of all infectious diseases. To identify the distribution of various genotypes of R. rickettsii associated with fatal RMSF, we applied molecular typing methods to samples of DNA extracted from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue specimens obtained at autopsy from 103 case-patients from seven countries who died of RMSF. Complete sequences of one or more intergenic regions were amplified from tissues of 30 (29%) case-patients and revealed a distribution of genotypes consisting of four distinct clades, including the Hlp clade, regarded previously as a non-pathogenic strain of R. rickettsii. Distinct phylogeographic patterns were identified when composite case-patient and reference strain data were mapped to the state and country of origin. The phylogeography of R. rickettsii is likely determined by ecological and environmental factors that exist independently of the distribution of a particular tick vector. © The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

  10. Using msa-2b as a molecular marker for genotyping Mexican isolates of Babesia bovis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genis, Alma D; Perez, Jocelin; Mosqueda, Juan J; Alvarez, Antonio; Camacho, Minerva; Muñoz, Maria de Lourdes; Rojas, Carmen; Figueroa, Julio V

    2009-12-01

    Variable merozoite surface antigens of Babesia bovis are exposed glycoproteins having a role in erythrocyte invasion. Members of this gene family include msa-1 and msa-2 (msa-2c, msa-2a(1), msa-2a(2) and msa-2b). To determine the sequence variation among B. bovis Mexican isolates using msa-2b as a genetic marker, PCR amplicons corresponding to msa-2b were cloned and plasmids carrying the corresponding inserts were purified and sequenced. Comparative analysis of nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences revealed distinct degrees of variability and identity among the coding gene sequences obtained from 16 geographically different Mexican B. bovis isolates and a reference strain. Clustal-W multiple alignments of the MSA-2b deduced amino acid sequences performed with the 17 B. bovis Mexican isolates, revealed the identification of three genotypes with a distinct set each of amino acid residues present at the variable region: Genotype I represented by the MO7 strain (in vitro culture-derived from the Mexico isolate) as well as RAD, Chiapas-1, Tabasco and Veracruz-3 isolates; Genotype II, represented by the Jalisco, Mexico and Veracruz-2 isolates; and Genotype III comprising the sequences from most of the isolates studied, Tamaulipas-1, Chiapas-2, Guerrero-1, Nayarit, Quintana Roo, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas-2, Yucatan and Guerrero-2. Moreover, these three genotypes could be discriminated against each other by using a PCR-RFLP approach. The results suggest that occurrence of indels within the variable region of msa-2b sequences can be useful markers for identifying a particular genotype present in field populations of B. bovis isolated from infected cattle in Mexico.

  11. Genotypic variations in the dynamics of metal concentrations in poplar leaves: A field study with a perspective on phytoremediation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pottier, Mathieu; García de la Torre, Vanesa S.; Victor, Cindy; David, Laure C.; Chalot, Michel; Thomine, Sébastien

    2015-01-01

    Poplar is commonly used for phytoremediation of metal polluted soils. However, the high concentrations of trace elements present in leaves may return to soil upon leaf abscission. To investigate the mechanisms controlling leaf metal content, metal concentrations and expression levels of genes involved in metal transport were monitored at different developmental stages on leaves from different poplar genotypes growing on a contaminated field. Large differences in leaf metal concentrations were observed among genotypes. Whereas Mg was remobilized during senescence, Zn and Cd accumulation continued until leaf abscission in all genotypes. A positive correlation between Natural Resistance Associated Macrophage Protein 1 (NRAMP1) expression levels and Zn bio-concentration factors was observed. Principal component analyses of metal concentrations and gene expression levels clearly discriminated poplar genotypes. This study highlights a general absence of trace element remobilization from poplar leaves despite genotype specificities in the control of leaf metal homeostasis. - Highlights: • Poplar genotypes display large variations in leaf metal concentrations. • Trace elements are not remobilized during poplar leaf senescence. • Distinct transporter genes control metal homeostasis at different leaf stages. • Poplar genotypes use distinct mechanisms to control leaf metal homeostasis. • NRAMP1 metal transporter could contribute to Zn and Cd accumulation in poplar leaves. - In order to improve metal phytoextraction using poplars, this work provides new insights on the control of leaf metal concentrations through principal component and correlative analyses

  12. Widespread recombination, reassortment, and transmission of unbalanced compound viral genotypes in natural arenavirus infections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mark D Stenglein

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Arenaviruses are one of the largest families of human hemorrhagic fever viruses and are known to infect both mammals and snakes. Arenaviruses package a large (L and small (S genome segment in their virions. For segmented RNA viruses like these, novel genotypes can be generated through mutation, recombination, and reassortment. Although it is believed that an ancient recombination event led to the emergence of a new lineage of mammalian arenaviruses, neither recombination nor reassortment has been definitively documented in natural arenavirus infections. Here, we used metagenomic sequencing to survey the viral diversity present in captive arenavirus-infected snakes. From 48 infected animals, we determined the complete or near complete sequence of 210 genome segments that grouped into 23 L and 11 S genotypes. The majority of snakes were multiply infected, with up to 4 distinct S and 11 distinct L segment genotypes in individual animals. This S/L imbalance was typical: in all cases intrahost L segment genotypes outnumbered S genotypes, and a particular S segment genotype dominated in individual animals and at a population level. We corroborated sequencing results by qRT-PCR and virus isolation, and isolates replicated as ensembles in culture. Numerous instances of recombination and reassortment were detected, including recombinant segments with unusual organizations featuring 2 intergenic regions and superfluous content, which were capable of stable replication and transmission despite their atypical structures. Overall, this represents intrahost diversity of an extent and form that goes well beyond what has been observed for arenaviruses or for viruses in general. This diversity can be plausibly attributed to the captive intermingling of sub-clinically infected wild-caught snakes. Thus, beyond providing a unique opportunity to study arenavirus evolution and adaptation, these findings allow the investigation of unintended anthropogenic impacts on

  13. Postmortem Changes in Pork Muscle Protein Phosphorylation in Relation to the RN Genotype

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Lametsch, René; Larsen, Martin Røssel; Essén-Gustavsson, Birgitta

    2011-01-01

    Postmortem changes in pork muscle protein phosphorylation in relation to the RN(-) genotype were investigated using one-dimensional gel electrophoresis and a phosphor specific staining. The phosphorylation levels of several protein bands were found to be affected by the RN(-) genotype and to change...... of phosphorylation of these key enzymes during the postmortem metabolism. The results illustrate that the protein phosphorylation level of the muscle proteins could be interpreted as a global metabolic fingerprint containing information about the activity status of the enzymes in the postmortem metabolism....... during postmortem development. Glycogen phosphorylase, phosphofructokinase, and pyruvate kinase were found in protein bands affected by the RN(-) genotype, and the phosphorylation profile indicates that part of the increased rate and extended pH decline of the RN(-) genotype could be a consequence...

  14. Galactinol synthase transcriptional profile in two genotypes of Coffea canephora with contrasting tolerance to drought

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tiago Benedito Dos Santos

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Increased synthesis of galactinol and raffinose family oligosaccharides (RFOs has been reported in vegetative tissues in response to a range of abiotic stresses. In this work, we evaluated the transcriptional profile of a Coffea canephora galactinol synthase gene (CcGolS1 in two clones that differed in tolerance to water deficit in order to assess the contribution of this gene to drought tolerance. The expression of CcGolS1 in leaves was differentially regulated by water deficit, depending on the intensity of stress and the genotype. In clone 109A (drought-susceptible, the abundance of CcGolS1 transcripts decreased upon exposure to drought, reaching minimum values during recovery from severe water deficit and stress. In contrast, CcGolS1 gene expression in clone 14 (drought-tolerant was stimulated by water deficit. Changes in galactinol and RFO content did not correlate with variation in the steady-state transcript level. However, the magnitude of increase in RFO accumulation was higher in the tolerant cultivar, mainly under severe water deficit. The finding that the drought-tolerant coffee clone showed enhanced accumulation of CcGolS1 transcripts and RFOs under water deficit suggests the possibility of using this gene to improve drought tolerance in this important crop.

  15. Evaluation of the lipid profile between individuals with hepatitis C

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Camila Tita Nogueira

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Metabolic profiles correlate with hepatitis C virus (HCV infection and are prognostic for the viral response. However, little is known about the association between lipid profiles and viral load in chronic patients carrying HCV genotypes 1, 2 and 3. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of the viremia and viral genotype on lipid metabolism by observing the variations in serum lipoprotein and apolipoprotein B, to assess whether HCV predisposes individuals to lipid imbalance and favors the appearance of vascular complications. A sample group of 150 chronic HCV patients with viral genotypes 1, 2 or 3 and a control group of 20 healthy adults (10 men and 10 women, all aged from 20 to 50 years were studied. The serum lipid profile of the chronic patients was analyzed and compared to that of the control group. The highdensity lipoprotein (HDL, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL and triglyceride levels of the sample group were lower than those of the control group, while the low-density lipoprotein (LDL and apolipoprotein B levels of the patients were higher. These differences were more significant in patients carrying genotype 3a. There was a positive correlation between the viremia and the changes in apolipoprotein B levels in patients carrying genotype 1b. It was inferred that the risk of developing vascular complications raised in HCV patients. As 90% of LDL protein is composed of apolipoprotein B, the plasmatic concentration of the latter indicates the number of potentially atherogenic particles. Therefore, the lipid profile monitoring may aid in the diagnosis of hepatic infection severity and equally act as a good prognostic marker.

  16. Evaluation of Soybean and Cowpea Genotypes for Phosphorus Use Efficiency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kumaga, F. K.; Ofori, K.; Adiku, S. K.; Kugblenu, Y. O.; Asante, W.; Seidu, H. [College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra (Ghana); Adu-Gyamfi, J. J. [Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Laboratory, International Atomic Energy Agency, Vienna (Austria)

    2013-11-15

    Initial screening of one hundred and fifty-two (152) and fifty (50) genotypes of soybean and cowpea, respectively, were conducted at the early growth stage to evaluate root traits associated with phosphorus (P) efficiency. Fifty soybean genotypes were subsequently selected and evaluated on a tropical low P soil (Lixisol) for growth and yield under low and adequate P availability. Plants were sampled at twelve and thirty days after sowing and at maturity. Six cowpea genotypes were also selected and evaluated in pots filled with Alfisol under low, moderate and high P availability. Plants were sampled at forty days and assessed for shoot yield and nodulation under low P availability. Using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Phosphorus Efficiency Index (PEI) was used to determine P efficiency of soybean and cowpea genotypes. A wide variation in root traits for soybean and cowpea at the early growth stage was found, and allometric analysis showed a significant correlation between the root and shoot parameters at this stage. The study provided an opportunity to compare root traits of newly developed cowpea genotypes (early maturing, medium maturing, dual purpose and Striga resistant lines) with older released cultivars. There were significant differences in root length among the groups. In general, dual purpose, Striga resistant and medium/early maturing genotypes showed the longest roots while the older varieties showed the least total root length. Field and pot results also showed differential growth of soybean and cowpea with low P availability. Further, PCA of the results indicated that soybean genotypes could be grouped into three distinct P efficiency categories. Retaining the PC and the relative weight for each genotype in combination with yield potential under high P, four categories of responsiveness to P were obtained. Cowpea genotypes were grouped into three P efficiency categories and two categories of responsiveness to P. The study also found genetic

  17. Blood Cytokine Profiles Associated with Distinct Patterns of Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia among Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    D'Angio, Carl T; Ambalavanan, Namasivayam; Carlo, Waldemar A; McDonald, Scott A; Skogstrand, Kristin; Hougaard, David M; Shankaran, Seetha; Goldberg, Ronald N; Ehrenkranz, Richard A; Tyson, Jon E; Stoll, Barbara J; Das, Abhik; Higgins, Rosemary D

    2016-07-01

    To explore differences in blood cytokine profiles among distinct bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) patterns. We evaluated blood spots collected from 943 infants born at ≤1000 g and surviving to 28 days on postnatal days 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 for 25 cytokines. Infants were assigned to the following lung disease patterns: (1) no lung disease (NLD); (2) respiratory distress syndrome without BPD; (3) classic BPD (persistent exposure to supplemental oxygen until 28 days of age); or (4) atypical BPD (period without supplemental oxygen before 28 days). Median cytokine levels for infants with BPD were compared with the IQR of results among infants with NLD. The distribution of enrolled infants by group was as follows: 69 (NLD), 73 (respiratory distress syndrome), 381 (classic BPD), and 160 (atypical BPD). The remaining 260 infants could not be classified because of missing data (104) or not fitting a predefined pattern (156). Median levels of 3 cytokines (elevated interleukin [IL]-8, matrix metalloproteinase-9; decreased granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor) fell outside the IQR for at least 2 time points in both infants with atypical and classic BPD. Profiles of 7 cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-18, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, C-reactive protein, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted) differed between infants with classic and atypical BPD. Blood cytokine profiles may differ between infants developing classic and atypical BPD. These dissimilarities suggest the possibility that differing mechanisms could explain the varied patterns of pathophysiology of lung disease in extremely premature infants. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  18. The genetic diversity of hepatitis A genotype I in Bulgaria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cella, Eleonora; Golkocheva-Markova, Elitsa N; Trandeva-Bankova, Diljana; Gregori, Giulia; Bruni, Roberto; Taffon, Stefania; Equestre, Michele; Costantino, Angela; Spoto, Silvia; Curtis, Melissa; Ciccaglione, Anna Rita; Ciccozzi, Massimo; Angeletti, Silvia

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to analyze sequences of hepatitis A virus (HAV) Ia and Ib genotypes from Bulgarian patients to investigate the molecular epidemiology of HAV genotype I during the years 2012 to 2014. Around 105 serum samples were collected by the Department of Virology of the National Center of Infectious and Parasitic Diseases in Bulgaria. The sequenced region encompassed the VP1/2A region of HAV genome. The sequences obtained from the samples were 103. For the phylogenetic analyses, 5 datasets were built to investigate the viral gene in/out flow among distinct HAV subpopulations in different geographic areas and to build a Bayesian dated tree, Bayesian phylogenetic and migration pattern analyses were performed. HAV Ib Bulgarian sequences mostly grouped into a single clade. This indicates that the Bulgarian epidemic is partially compartmentalized. It originated from a limited number of viruses and then spread through fecal-oral local transmission. HAV Ia Bulgarian sequences were intermixed with European sequences, suggesting that an Ia epidemic is not restricted to Bulgaria but can affect other European countries. The time-scaled phylogeny reconstruction showed the root of the tree dating in 2008 for genotype Ib and in 1999 for genotype Ia with a second epidemic entrance in 2003. The Bayesian skyline plot for genotype Ib showed a slow but continuous growth, sustained by fecal-oral route transmission. For genotype Ia, there was an exponential growth followed by a plateau, which suggests better infection control. Bidirectional viral flow for Ib genotype, involving different Bulgarian areas, was observed, whereas a unidirectional flow from Sofia to Ihtiman for genotype Ia was highlighted, suggesting the fecal-oral transmission route for Ia. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Diverse Brain Myeloid Expression Profiles Reveal Distinct Microglial Activation States and Aspects of Alzheimer’s Disease Not Evident in Mouse Models

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brad A. Friedman

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Microglia, the CNS-resident immune cells, play important roles in disease, but the spectrum of their possible activation states is not well understood. We derived co-regulated gene modules from transcriptional profiles of CNS myeloid cells of diverse mouse models, including new tauopathy model datasets. Using these modules to interpret single-cell data from an Alzheimer’s disease (AD model, we identified microglial subsets—distinct from previously reported “disease-associated microglia”—expressing interferon-related or proliferation modules. We then analyzed whole-tissue RNA profiles from human neurodegenerative diseases, including a new AD dataset. Correcting for altered cellular composition of AD tissue, we observed elevated expression of the neurodegeneration-related modules, but also modules not implicated using expression profiles from mouse models alone. We provide a searchable, interactive database for exploring gene expression in all these datasets (http://research-pub.gene.com/BrainMyeloidLandscape. Understanding the dimensions of CNS myeloid cell activation in human disease may reveal opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

  20. The influence of ApoE genotype on the lipid profile and lipoproteins ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Lamar M, Libon DJ, Bondi MW, Seshadri S, Wolf PA,. Au R. APOE genotype modifies the relationship be- tween midlife vascular risk factors and later cognitive de- cline. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis. 2013 Nov; 22(8):1361-1369. PMID: 23601373, DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovas- dis.2013.03.013. 7. Contois JH, Anamani DE, ...

  1. Bisphenol A and Bisphenol S Induce Distinct Transcriptional Profiles in Differentiating Human Primary Preadipocytes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jonathan G Boucher

    Full Text Available Bisphenol S (BPS is increasingly used as a replacement plasticizer for bisphenol A (BPA but its effects on human health have not been thoroughly examined. Recent evidence indicates that both BPA and BPS induce adipogenesis, although the mechanisms leading to this effect are unclear. In an effort to identify common and distinct mechanisms of action in inducing adipogenesis, transcriptional profiles of differentiating human preadipocytes exposed to BPA or BPS were compared. Human subcutaneous primary preadipocytes were differentiated in the presence of either 25 μM BPA or BPS for 2 and 4 days. Poly-A RNA-sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs. Functional analysis of DEGs was undertaken in Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. BPA-treatment resulted in 472 and 176 DEGs on days 2 and 4, respectively, affecting pathways such as liver X receptor (LXR/retinoid X receptor (RXR activation, hepatic fibrosis and cholestasis. BPS-treatment resulted in 195 and 51 DEGs on days 2 and 4, respectively, revealing enrichment of genes associated with adipogenesis and lipid metabolism including the adipogenesis pathway and cholesterol biosynthesis. Interestingly, the transcription repressor N-CoR was identified as a negative upstream regulator in both BPA- and BPS-treated cells. This study presents the first comparison of BPA- and BPS-induced transcriptional profiles in human differentiating preadipocytes. While we previously showed that BPA and BPS both induce adipogenesis, the results from this study show that BPS affects adipose specific transcriptional changes earlier than BPA, and alters the expression of genes specifically related to adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. The findings provide insight into potential BPS and BPA-mediated mechanisms of action in inducing adipogenesis in human primary preadipocytes.

  2. Chemical compounds related to nutraceutical and industrial qualities of non-transgenic soybean genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Carrera, Constanza S; Dardanelli, Julio L; Soldini, Diego O

    2014-05-01

    Information about the chemical profile of soybean seed is valuable for breeding programs aimed at obtaining value-added products to meet the demands of niche markets. The objective of this study was to determine seed composition of non-transgenic soybean genotypes with specialty characters in different environments of Argentina. Protein and oil contents ranged from 396 to 424 g kg⁻¹ and from 210 to 226 g kg⁻¹, respectively. Oleic and linolenic acid ratio, the general indicator of oil quality, varied from 2.7 to 3.8. The oil contained high levels of total tocopherols (1429-1558 mg kg⁻¹) and the meal exhibited high levels of total isoflavones (2.91-4.62 mg g⁻¹). The biplot showed that oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, γ-, δ- and total tocopherols, genistin, malonyl daidzin and genistin, acetyl daidzin and glycitin and total isoflavones allowed the greatest discrimination among the genotypes studied. Different chemical profiles of each non-transgenic genotype analyzed were established and, therefore, their identity was defined. These results are important for breeders who intend to obtain new genotypes with improved meal and oil quality, as well as for processors and exporters, who could use them directly as raw material for soyfood processing for nutraceutical purposes. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

  3. Phylogenetic studies reveal existence of multiple lineages of a single genotype of DENV-1 (genotype III in India during 1956–2007

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bhattacharya D

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Dengue virus type 1 (DENV-1 have been mostly circulating silently with dominant serotypes DENV-2 and DENV-3 in India. However recent times have marked an increase in DENV-1 circulation in yearly outbreaks. Many studies have not been carried out on this virus type, leaving a lacunae pertaining to the circulating genotypes, since its earliest report in India. In the present study, we sequenced CprM gene junction of 13 DENV-1 isolated from Delhi and Gwalior (North India between 2001–2007 and one 1956 Vellore isolate as reference. For comparison, we retrieved 11 other Indian and 70 global reference sequences from NCBI database, making sure that Indian and global isolates from all decades are available for comparative analysis. Results The region was found to be AT rich with no insertion or deletion. Majority of the nucleotide substitutions were silent, except 3 non-conservative amino acid changes (I → T, A → T and L → S at amino acid positions 59,114 and 155 respectively in the Indian DENV-1 sequences, sequenced in this study. Except two 1997–98 Delhi isolates, which group in genotype I; all other Indian isolates group in genotype III. All Indian genotype III DENV-1 exhibited diversity among them, giving rise to at least 4 distinct lineages (India 1–4 showing proximity to isolates from diverse geographic locations. Conclusion The extensive phylogenetic analysis revealed consistent existence of multiple lineages of DENV-1 genotype III during the last 5 decades in India.

  4. Evaluation of genetic diversity among soybean (Glycine max) genotypes using univariate and multivariate analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oliveira, M M; Sousa, L B; Reis, M C; Silva Junior, E G; Cardoso, D B O; Hamawaki, O T; Nogueira, A P O

    2017-05-31

    The genetic diversity study has paramount importance in breeding programs; hence, it allows selection and choice of the parental genetic divergence, which have the agronomic traits desired by the breeder. This study aimed to characterize the genetic divergence between 24 soybean genotypes through their agronomic traits, using multivariate clustering methods to select the potential genitors for the promising hybrid combinations. Six agronomic traits evaluated were number of days to flowering and maturity, plant height at flowering and maturity, insertion height of the first pod, and yield. The genetic divergence evaluated by multivariate analysis that esteemed first the Mahalanobis' generalized distance (D 2 ), then the clustering using Tocher's optimization methods, and then the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic average (UPGMA). Tocher's optimization method and the UPGMA agreed with the groups' constitution between each other, the formation of eight distinct groups according Tocher's method and seven distinct groups using UPGMA. The trait number of days for flowering (45.66%) was the most efficient to explain dissimilarity between genotypes, and must be one of the main traits considered by the breeder in the moment of genitors choice in soybean-breeding programs. The genetic variability allowed the identification of dissimilar genotypes and with superior performances. The hybridizations UFU 18 x UFUS CARAJÁS, UFU 15 x UFU 13, and UFU 13 x UFUS CARAJÁS are promising to obtain superior segregating populations, which enable the development of more productive genotypes.

  5. Two distinct Epichloë species symbiotic with Achnatherum inebrians, drunken horse grass.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Li; Li, Xiuzhang; Li, Chunjie; Swoboda, Ginger A; Young, Carolyn A; Sugawara, Koya; Leuchtmann, Adrian; Schardl, Christopher L

    2015-01-01

    Achnatherum inebrians, colloquially known as drunken horse grass, is associated with livestock toxicity in northern China. Epichloë gansuensis (Eg) was described from endophyte isolates from A. inebrians in Sunan County, Gansu Province, whereas a morphologically distinct variety, E. gansuensis var. inebrians (Ei), was described based on two isolates from A. inebrians seeds collected in Urumqi County, Xinjiang Province. Genome sequencing and alkaloid analyses also distinguish these taxa; the Ei isolates produce neurotropic lysergic acid amides (ergot alkaloids), and an Eg isolate produces paxilline (an indole-diterpene alkaloid). To better elucidate the taxonomic diversity of Epichloë spp. symbiotic with A. inebrians, we surveyed eight populations in Xinjiang, Gansu and Inner Mongolia provinces of China and analyzed their genotypes by multiplex PCR for alkaloid biosynthesis genes and mating-type genes. Genotypes consistent with Ei were present in all eight populations, of which they dominated seven. The Ei isolates were all mating type A and tested positive for the ergot alkaloid gene, dmaW. In contrast Eg isolates were all mating type B and had the indole-diterpene gene, idtG. The genome was sequenced from an Ei isolate from seeds collected in Xiahe County, Gansu, and compared to that of the varietal ex type isolate from Urumqi. Alkaloid genes and four different housekeeping genes were nearly identical between the two sequenced Ei isolates and were distinct from a sequenced Eg isolate. Phylogenetic analysis placed Ei, Eg and Epichloë sibirica into respective subclades of a clade that emanated from the base of the Epichloë phylogeny. Given its chemotypic, genotypic, morphological and phylogenetic distinctiveness, its widespread occurrence in rangelands of northern China, and its importance in livestock toxicity, we propose raising Ei to species rank as Epichloë inebrians. © 2015 by The Mycological Society of America.

  6. Correlation between genotype and the tetrahydrobiopterin-responsive phenotype in Chinese patients with phenylketonuria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tao, Jing; Li, Nana; Jia, Haitao; Liu, Zhen; Li, Xiaohong; Song, Jiaping; Deng, Ying; Jin, Xi; Zhu, Jun

    2015-12-01

    A growing body of research has suggested that tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) responsive phenotype can be predicted by the phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) genotype in patients with phenylketonuria (PKU), but data concerning the association between genotype and BH4 responsiveness are scarce in China. A total of 165 PKU patients from China who had undergone a 24-h loading test with BH4 administration were recruited. Genotyping was performed by the next-generation sequencing (NGS) technique. Using the predicted residual PAH activity, we analyzed the association between genotype and BH4-responsiveness. Among the 165 patients, 40 patients (24.24%) responded to BH4. A total of 74 distinct mutations were observed, including 13 novel mutations. The mutation p.R241C was most frequently associated with response. Two known mutations (p.A322T and p.Q419R) and two novel mutations (p.L98V and IVS3-2A>T) were first reported as responsive to BH4. Residual PAH activity of at least 12.5% was needed for responsive genotypes. Genotype-based predictions of BH4-responsiveness are only for selecting potential responders. Accordingly, it is necessary to test potential responders with a long-term BH4 challenge.

  7. Genomic and Metabolomic Profile Associated to Clustering of Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marrachelli, Vannina G; Rentero, Pilar; Mansego, María L; Morales, Jose Manuel; Galan, Inma; Pardo-Tendero, Mercedes; Martinez, Fernando; Martin-Escudero, Juan Carlos; Briongos, Laisa; Chaves, Felipe Javier; Redon, Josep; Monleon, Daniel

    2016-01-01

    To identify metabolomic and genomic markers associated with the presence of clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors (CMRFs) from a general population. One thousand five hundred and two subjects, Caucasian, > 18 years, representative of the general population, were included. Blood pressure measurement, anthropometric parameters and metabolic markers were measured. Subjects were grouped according the number of CMRFs (Group 1: profile was assessed by 1H NMR spectra using a Brucker Advance DRX 600 spectrometer. From the total population, 1217 (mean age 54±19, 50.6% men) with high genotyping call rate were analysed. A differential metabolomic profile, which included products from mitochondrial metabolism, extra mitochondrial metabolism, branched amino acids and fatty acid signals were observed among the three groups. The comparison of metabolomic patterns between subjects of Groups 1 to 3 for each of the genotypes associated to those subjects with three or more CMRFs revealed two SNPs, the rs174577_AA of FADS2 gene and the rs3803_TT of GATA2 transcription factor gene, with minimal or no statistically significant differences. Subjects with and without three or more CMRFs who shared the same genotype and metabolomic profile differed in the pattern of CMRFS cluster. Subjects of Group 3 and the AA genotype of the rs174577 had a lower prevalence of hypertension compared to the CC and CT genotype. In contrast, subjects of Group 3 and the TT genotype of the rs3803 polymorphism had a lower prevalence of T2DM, although they were predominantly males and had higher values of plasma creatinine. The results of the present study add information to the metabolomics profile and to the potential impact of genetic factors on the variants of clustering of cardiometabolic risk factors.

  8. APOE genotype associates with food consumption and body composition to predict dyslipidaemia in Brazilian adults with normal-weight obesity syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Franco, Lana Pacheco; Gonçalves Zardini Silveira, Amanda; Sobral de Assis Vasconcelos Lima, Rochelle; Horst, Maria Aderuza; Cominetti, Cristiane

    2017-07-11

    Normal-Weight Obesity Syndrome has been characterized by a normal body mass index and high percentage of body fat. It is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease development. This study aimed to evaluate whether apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotypes and food consumption are related to the lipid profiles of adults with Normal-Weight Obesity Syndrome. Analytical cross-sectional study, including adults with Normal-Weight Obesity Syndrome. Socioeconomic, health and lifestyle questionnaires were administered. Anthropometric variables, body composition and blood pressure were evaluated. Dietary intake, lipid profile and genotyping of polymorphisms rs7412 and rs429358 in the APOE gene were evaluated. Only 6.0% of women and none of the men had increased waist circumference (≥80 cm for women and ≥94 cm for men). No women and 6.2% of men had altered blood pressure (systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mmHg). When the traditional lipid profile was assessed, 52.5% of individuals presented dyslipidaemia. When the levels of apolipoproteins A1 and B were included, the prevalence was 73.0%. Regression analysis showed a positive relationship between the presence of allele ε2 and apolipoprotein A1 levels (95% CI = 4.2 to 38.3; p = 0.015) and between the ε4 allele and apolipoprotein B (ε4 versus ε2: 95% CI = 0.08 to 29.5; p = 0.049 and ε4 versus ε3: 95% CI = 0.6 to 17.6; p = 0.036). Carriers of the ε2 allele had a 75.0% lower probability of presenting dyslipidaemia compared with ε3ε3 individuals (95% CI = 0.04 to 0.8; p = 0.027). Relationships between body fat, food consumption and lipid profile were observed and differed among genotypes. APOE genotype and food consumption were associated with lipid profile. This was the first study to evaluate the APOE genotype and to analyze relationships between genetic profile, food intake and lipid profile of subjects with Normal-Weight Obesity Syndrome

  9. Genotypic Diversity for Biomass Accumulation and Shoot-Root Allometry in the Grass Brachypodium distachyon

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jansson, C.; Handakumbura, P. P.; Fortin, D.; Stanfill, B.; Rivas-Ubach, A.

    2017-12-01

    Predicting carbon uptake, assimilation and allocation for current and future biogeographical environments, including climate, is critical for our ability to select and/or design plant genotypes to meet increasing demand for plant biomass going into food, feed and energy production, while at the same time maintain or increase soil organic matter (SOM for soil fertility and carbon storage, and reduce emission of greenhouse gasses. As has been demonstrated for several plant species allometric relationships may differ between plant genotypes. Exploring plant genotypic diversity for biomass accumulation and allometry will potentially enable selection of genotypes with high CO2 assimilation and favorable allocation of recent photosynthate into above-ground and below-ground biomass. We are investigating genotypic diversity for PFTs in natural accessions of the annual C3 grass Brachypodium distachyon under current and future climate scenarios and how genotypic diversity correlates with metabolite profiles in aboveground and below-ground biomass. In the current study, we compare effects from non-stressed and drought conditions on biomass accumulation and shoot-root allometry.

  10. Sources of Wilhelm Johannsen's genotype theory.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roll-Hansen, Nils

    2009-01-01

    This paper describes the historical background and early formation of Wilhelm Johannsen's distinction between genotype and phenotype. It is argued that contrary to a widely accepted interpretation (For instance, W. Provine, 1971. The Origins of Theoretical Population Genetics. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press; Mayr, 1973; F. B. Churchill, 1974. Journal of the History of Biology 7: 5-30; E. Mayr, 1982. The Growth of Biological Thought, Cambridge: Harvard University Press; J. Sapp, 2003. Genesis. The Evolution of Biology. New York: Oxford University Press) his concepts referred primarily to properties of individual organisms and not to statistical averages. Johannsen's concept of genotype was derived from the idea of species in the tradition of biological systematics from Linnaeus to de Vries: An individual belonged to a group - species, subspecies, elementary species - by representing a certain underlying type (S. Müller-Wille and V. Orel, 2007. Annals of Science 64: 171-215). Johannsen sharpened this idea theoretically in the light of recent biological discoveries, not least those of cytology. He tested and confirmed it experimentally combining the methods of biometry, as developed by Francis Galton, with the individual selection method and pedigree analysis, as developed for instance by Louis Vilmorin. The term "genotype" was introduced in W. Johannsen's 1909 (Elemente der Exakten Erblichkeitslehre. Jena: Gustav Fischer) treatise, but the idea of a stable underlying biological "type" distinct from observable properties was the core idea of his classical bean selection experiment published 6 years earlier (W. Johannsen, 1903. Ueber Erblichkeit in Populationen und reinen Linien. Eine Beitrag zur Beleuchtung schwebender Selektionsfragen, Jena: Gustav Fischer, pp. 58-59). The individual ontological foundation of population analysis was a self-evident presupposition in Johannsen's studies of heredity in populations from their start in the early 1890s till his

  11. BK polyomavirus genotypes Ia and Ib1 exhibit different biological properties in renal transplant recipients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Varella, Rafael B; Zalona, Ana Carolina J; Diaz, Nuria C; Zalis, Mariano G; Santoro-Lopes, Guilherme

    2018-01-02

    BK polyomavirus (BKV) is an opportunist agent associated with nephropathy (BKVAN) in 1-10% of kidney transplant recipients. BKV is classified into genotypes or subgroups according to minor nucleotidic variations with unknown biological implications. Studies assessing the possible association between genotypes and the risk of BKVAN in kidney transplant patients have presented conflicting results. In these studies, genotype Ia, which is highly prevalent in Brazil, was less frequently found and, thus, comparative data on the biological properties of this genotype are lacking. In this study, BKV Ia and Ib1 genotypes were compared according to their viral load, genetic evolution (VP1 and NCCR) - in a cohort of renal transplant recipients. The patients infected with Ia (13/23; 56.5%) genotype exhibited higher viral loads in urine [>1.4 log over Ib1 (10/23; 43.5%); p=0.025]. In addition, genotype Ia was associated with diverse mutations at VP1 loops and sites under positive selection outside loops, which were totally absent in Ib1. Although the number of viremic patients was similar, the three patients who had BK nephropathy (BKVAN) were infected with Ia genotype. NCCR architecture (ww or rr) were not distinctive between Ia and Ib1 genotypes. Ia genotype, which is rare in other published BKV cohorts, presented some diverse biological properties in transplanted recipients in comparison to Ib1. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Molecular epidemiology of Bordetella pertussis in Cambodia determined by direct genotyping of clinical specimens.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moriuchi, Takumi; Vichit, Ork; Vutthikol, Yong; Hossain, Md Shafiqul; Samnang, Chham; Toda, Kohei; Grabovac, Varja; Hiramatsu, Yukihiro; Otsuka, Nao; Shibayama, Keigo; Kamachi, Kazunari

    2017-09-01

    This study sought to determine the genotypes of circulating Bordetella pertussis, the causative agent of pertussis, in Cambodia by direct molecular typing of clinical specimens. DNA extracts from nasopharyngeal swabs obtained from 82 pertussis patients in 2008-2016 were analyzed by multilocus variable-number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). B. pertussis virulence-associated allelic genes (ptxA, prn, and fim3) and the pertussis toxin promoter ptxP were also investigated by DNA sequence-based typing. Forty-four DNA extracts (54%) yielded a complete MLVA profile, and these were sorted into 8 MLVA types (MT18, MT26, MT27, MT29, MT43, MT72, MT95, and MT200). MT27 and MT29, which are common in developed countries, were the predominant strain types (total 73%). The predominant profile of virulence-associated allelic genes was the combination of ptxP3/ptxA1/prn2/fim3A (48%). MT27 strains were detected during the entire study period, whereas MT29 strains were only found in 2014-2016. The B. pertussis population in Cambodia, where a whole-cell pertussis vaccine (WCV) has been continuously used, resembled those observed previously in developed countries where acellular pertussis vaccines are used. Circulating B. pertussis strains in Cambodia were distinct from those in other countries using WCVs. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

  13. Coral host transcriptomic states are correlated with Symbiodinium genotypes

    KAUST Repository

    DeSalvo, Michael K.

    2010-03-01

    A mutualistic relationship between reef-building corals and endosymbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium spp.) forms the basis for the existence of coral reefs. Genotyping tools for Symbiodinium spp. have added a new level of complexity to studies concerning cnidarian growth, nutrient acquisition, and stress. For example, the response of the coral holobiont to thermal stress is connected to the host-Symbiodinium genotypic combination, as different partnerships can have different bleaching susceptibilities. In this study, we monitored Symbiodinium physiological parameters and profiled the coral host transcriptional responses in acclimated, thermally stressed, and recovered fragments of the coral Montastraea faveolata using a custom cDNA gene expression microarray. Interestingly, gene expression was more similar among samples with the same Symbiodinium content rather than the same experimental condition. In order to discount for host-genotypic effects, we sampled fragments from a single colony of M. faveolata containing different symbiont types, and found that the host transcriptomic states grouped according to Symbiodinium genotype rather than thermal stress. As the first study that links coral host transcriptomic patterns to the clade content of their Symbiodinium community, our results provide a critical step to elucidating the molecular basis of the apparent variability seen among different coral-Symbiodinium partnerships. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

  14. The Matchmaker Exchange API: automating patient matching through the exchange of structured phenotypic and genotypic profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buske, Orion J; Schiettecatte, François; Hutton, Benjamin; Dumitriu, Sergiu; Misyura, Andriy; Huang, Lijia; Hartley, Taila; Girdea, Marta; Sobreira, Nara; Mungall, Chris; Brudno, Michael

    2015-10-01

    Despite the increasing prevalence of clinical sequencing, the difficulty of identifying additional affected families is a key obstacle to solving many rare diseases. There may only be a handful of similar patients worldwide, and their data may be stored in diverse clinical and research databases. Computational methods are necessary to enable finding similar patients across the growing number of patient repositories and registries. We present the Matchmaker Exchange Application Programming Interface (MME API), a protocol and data format for exchanging phenotype and genotype profiles to enable matchmaking among patient databases, facilitate the identification of additional cohorts, and increase the rate with which rare diseases can be researched and diagnosed. We designed the API to be straightforward and flexible in order to simplify its adoption on a large number of data types and workflows. We also provide a public test data set, curated from the literature, to facilitate implementation of the API and development of new matching algorithms. The initial version of the API has been successfully implemented by three members of the Matchmaker Exchange and was immediately able to reproduce previously identified matches and generate several new leads currently being validated. The API is available at https://github.com/ga4gh/mme-apis. © 2015 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

  15. Genetic Diversity Assessment and Identification of New Sour Cherry Genotypes Using Intersimple Sequence Repeat Markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roghayeh Najafzadeh

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Iran is one of the chief origins of subgenus Cerasus germplasm. In this study, the genetic variation of new Iranian sour cherries (which had such superior growth characteristics and fruit quality as to be considered for the introduction of new cultivars was investigated and identified using 23 intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR markers. Results indicated a high level of polymorphism of the genotypes based on these markers. According to these results, primers tested in this study specially ISSR-4, ISSR-6, ISSR-13, ISSR-14, ISSR-16, and ISSR-19 produced good and various levels of amplifications which can be effectively used in genetic studies of the sour cherry. The genetic similarity among genotypes showed a high diversity among the genotypes. Cluster analysis separated improved cultivars from promising Iranian genotypes, and the PCoA supported the cluster analysis results. Since the Iranian genotypes were superior to the improved cultivars and were separated from them in most groups, these genotypes can be considered as distinct genotypes for further evaluations in the framework of breeding programs and new cultivar identification in cherries. Results also confirmed that ISSR is a reliable DNA marker that can be used for exact genetic studies and in sour cherry breeding programs.

  16. Gene expression profiling in the striatum of inbred mouse strains with distinct opioid-related phenotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Piechota Marcin

    2006-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Mouse strains with a contrasting response to morphine provide a unique model for studying the genetically determined diversity of sensitivity to opioid reward, tolerance and dependence. Four inbred strains selected for this study exhibit the most distinct opioid-related phenotypes. C57BL/6J and DBA/2J mice show remarkable differences in morphine-induced antinociception, self-administration and locomotor activity. 129P3/J mice display low morphine tolerance and dependence in contrast to high sensitivity to precipitated withdrawal observed in SWR/J and C57BL/6J strains. In this study, we attempted to investigate the relationships between genetic background and basal gene expression profile in the striatum, a brain region involved in the mechanism of opioid action. Results Gene expression was studied by Affymetrix Mouse Genome 430v2.0 arrays with probes for over 39.000 transcripts. Analysis of variance with the control for false discovery rate (q Khdrbs1 and ATPase Na+/K+ alpha2 subunit (Atp1a2 with morphine self-administration and analgesic effects, respectively. Finally, the examination of transcript structure demonstrated a possible inter-strain variability of expressed mRNA forms as for example the catechol-O-methyltransferase (Comt gene. Conclusion The presented study led to the recognition of differences in the gene expression that may account for distinct phenotypes. Moreover, results indicate strong contribution of genetic background to differences in gene transcription in the mouse striatum. The genes identified in this work constitute promising candidates for further animal studies and for translational genetic studies in the field of addictive and analgesic properties of opioids.

  17. SDS-Page Seed Storage Protein Profiles in Chili Peppers (Capsicum L.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Owk ANIEL KUMAR

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Seed protein banding patterns (SDS-PAGE were studied from eighteen genotypes of chili pepper (Capsicum L. A total of 21 protein polypeptide bands with molecular weight ranging from 18.6 to 72.0 kD were recorded. Among the genotypes CA18, CA21 and CA27 represented maximum number of protein bands (12. Band no. (11 and (5,12 are exclusive to C. annuum L. and C. frutescens L. genotypes respectively. Average percent similarity was highest (100% between CA2 and CA8 genotypes and the UPGMA dendrogram represented low genetic diversity. The study revealed that considerable intra and inter-specific differences were found in the genotypes. The variability of protein profiles in the genotypes suggested that these selected genotypes can be a good source for crop improvement through hybridization programs.

  18. Identification of Two Distinct Molecular Subtypes of Non-Invasive Follicular Neoplasm with Papillary-Like Nuclear Features by Digital RNA Counting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giannini, Riccardo; Ugolini, Clara; Poma, Anello Marcello; Urpì, Maria; Niccoli, Cristina; Elisei, Rossella; Chiarugi, Massimo; Vitti, Paolo; Miccoli, Paolo; Basolo, Fulvio

    2017-10-01

    The follicular variant (FV) of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is one of the most common variants of PTC. Clinically, non-infiltrative FVPTC is considered a low-risk variant of PTC, and the non-invasive encapsulated forms of FVPTC represent a group of thyroid tumors with a particularly good prognosis. Consequently, these neoplasms have been very recently reclassified as non-invasive follicular neoplasms with papillary-like nuclear features (NIFTP). From a molecular standpoint, NIFTP appears to be similar to follicular neoplasms. However, only limited data are currently available regarding their gene expression profile. The aim of this study was to identify specific molecular signatures of 26 NIFTPs compared to those of 19 follicular adenomas (FAs) and 18 infiltrative FVPTCs (IFVPTCs). A nanoString custom assay was used to perform mRNA expression analysis. All cases were also genotyped for BRAF, N-, H-, and K-RAS mutations. Samples were grouped on the basis of gene expression profiles by Pearson's correlation and non-negative matrix factorization clustering analysis. Finally, the uncorrelated shrunken centroid machine-learning algorithm was used to classify the samples. The results revealed distinct expression profiles of FAs and IFVPTCs. NIFTP samples can exhibit different expression profiles, more similar to FAs (FA-like) or to IFVPTCs (IFVPTC-like), and these different expression profiles largely depend on the presence of different mutations (RAS or BRAF). In conclusion, although further validation of the model is required by using a larger group of prospective cases, these data reinforce the hypothesis that IFVPTC-like NIFTPs might represent precursors of IFVPTC.

  19. Role of abscisic acid and proline in salinity tolerance of wheat genotypes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shafi, M.; Bakht, J.; Khan, M.J.; Raziuddin; Khan, M.A.

    2011-01-01

    Wheat genotypes were evaluated for salinity tolerance under 3 diverse environments of Yar Hussain, Baboo Dehari (District Swabi KPK Pakistan) and Khitab Koroona (District Charsadda KPK Pakistan). Eleven genotypes (Local, SR-24, SR-25, SR-7, SR-22, SR-4, SR-20, SR-19, SR-2, SR-23 and SR-40) were tested for their salinity tolerance. These locations had different salinity profile (i.e. Yar Hussain, EC. 3-3.5 dS m/sup -1/; Baboo Dehari, EC. 4-4.5 dS m/sup -1/ and Khitab Koroona, EC. 5-5.30 dSm/sup -1/). Different locations and wheat genotypes had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on endogenous shoot proline, shoot ABA (3, 6 and 9 weeks after emergence) and straw yield. Maximum endogenous shoot proline and ABA levels (3, 6 and 9 weeks after emergence) were recorded in genotype SR-40 followed by genotype SR-23. The results further indicated that minimum endogenous shoot proline and ABA concentrations (3, 6 and 9 weeks after emergence) were recorded at Yar Hussain. Maximum endogenous shoot proline and ABA concentration (3, 6 and 9 weeks after emergence) were observed at Khitab Koroona. (author)

  20. Genotypic analysis of Mucor from the platypus in Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Connolly, J H; Stodart, B J; Ash, G J

    2010-01-01

    Mucor amphibiorum is the only pathogen known to cause significant morbidity and mortality in the free-living platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) in Tasmania. Infection has also been reported in free-ranging cane toads (Bufo marinus) and green tree frogs (Litoria caerulea) from mainland Australia but has not been confirmed in platypuses from the mainland. To date, there has been little genotyping specifically conducted on M. amphibiorum. A collection of 21 Mucor isolates representing isolates from the platypus, frogs and toads, and environmental samples were obtained for genotypic analysis. Internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequencing and GenBank comparison confirmed the identity of most of the isolates. Representative isolates from infected platypuses formed a clade containing the reference isolates of M. amphibiorum from the Centraal Bureau voor Schimmelcultures repository. The M. amphibiorum isolates showed a close sequence identity with Mucor indicus and consisted of two haplotypes, differentiated by single nucleotide polymorphisms within the ITS1 and ITS2 regions. With the exception of isolate 96-4049, all isolates from platypuses were in one haplotype. Multilocus fingerprinting via the use of intersimple sequence repeats polymerase chain reaction identified 19 genotypes. Two major clusters were evident: 1) M. amphibiorum and Mucor racemosus; and 2) Mucor circinelloides, Mucor ramosissimus, and Mucor fragilis. Seven M. amphibiorum isolates from platypuses were present in two subclusters, with isolate 96-4053 appearing genetically distinct from all other isolates. Isolates classified as M. circinelloides by sequence analysis formed a separate subcluster, distinct from other Mucor spp. The combination of sequencing and multilocus fingerprinting has the potential to provide the tools for rapid identification of M. amphibiorum. Data presented on the diversity of the pathogen and further work in linking genetic diversity to functional diversity will provide

  1. Appraisal of genetic diversity of different peach cultivars and genotypes through rapd markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bakht, J.; Jamal, N.; Shafi, M

    2012-01-01

    The present study was amid to investigate the genetic diversity of twenty peach cultivars and genotypes by RAPD primers at the Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, KPK Agricultural University Peshawar. The result indicated that fifteen primers (GLCO9, GLC20, GLA20, GLA13, GLB10, GLB20, GLB06, GLB19, GLA19, GLB19, GLD16, GLB15, GLA15, GLB12, GLB11) gave genetic distance among the peach cultivars and genotypes under study by PCR amplification. Average genetic diversity (estimated as genetic distance) ranged between 12 and 58%. The molecular size of most of the bands were from 150 bp to 1000 bp. Based on dendrogram analysis, Khyber 1 and Khyber 2 was grouped in cluster A, and Tex-A6-69 and BY-8-135 in cluster B, Candan and 6A were most closely related cultivars and genotypes among the 20 peach cultivars and genotypes while Lering, Flam crest, Tex x-9, early grand and Floradaking were distinctly grouped when compared with the rest of population. (author)

  2. Nephele: genotyping via complete composition vectors and MapReduce

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mardis Scott

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Current sequencing technology makes it practical to sequence many samples of a given organism, raising new challenges for the processing and interpretation of large genomics data sets with associated metadata. Traditional computational phylogenetic methods are ideal for studying the evolution of gene/protein families and using those to infer the evolution of an organism, but are less than ideal for the study of the whole organism mainly due to the presence of insertions/deletions/rearrangements. These methods provide the researcher with the ability to group a set of samples into distinct genotypic groups based on sequence similarity, which can then be associated with metadata, such as host information, pathogenicity, and time or location of occurrence. Genotyping is critical to understanding, at a genomic level, the origin and spread of infectious diseases. Increasingly, genotyping is coming into use for disease surveillance activities, as well as for microbial forensics. The classic genotyping approach has been based on phylogenetic analysis, starting with a multiple sequence alignment. Genotypes are then established by expert examination of phylogenetic trees. However, these traditional single-processor methods are suboptimal for rapidly growing sequence datasets being generated by next-generation DNA sequencing machines, because they increase in computational complexity quickly with the number of sequences. Results Nephele is a suite of tools that uses the complete composition vector algorithm to represent each sequence in the dataset as a vector derived from its constituent k-mers by passing the need for multiple sequence alignment, and affinity propagation clustering to group the sequences into genotypes based on a distance measure over the vectors. Our methods produce results that correlate well with expert-defined clades or genotypes, at a fraction of the computational cost of traditional phylogenetic methods run on

  3. Genetic variation of european maize genotypes (zea mays l. Detected using ssr markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martin Vivodík

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available The SSR molecular markers were used to assess genetic diversity in 40 old European maize genotypes. Ten SSR primers revealed a total of 65 alleles ranging from 4 (UMC1060 to 8 (UMC2002 and UMC1155 alleles per locus with a mean value of 6.50 alleles per locus. The PIC values ranged from 0.713 (UMC1060 to 0.842 (UMC2002 with an average value of 0.810 and the DI value ranged from 0.734 (UMC1060 to 0.848 (UMC2002 with an average value of 0.819. 100% of used SSR markers had PIC and DI values higher than 0.7 that means high polymorphism of chosen markers used for analysis. Probability of identity (PI was low ranged from 0.004 (UMC1072 to 0.022 (UMC1060 with an average of 0.008. A dendrogram was constructed from a genetic distance matrix based on profiles of the 10 maize SSR loci using the unweighted pair-group method with the arithmetic average (UPGMA. According to analysis, the collection of 40 diverse accessions of maize was clustered into four clusters. The first cluster contained nine genotypes of maize, while the second cluster contained the four genotypes of maize. The third cluster contained 5 maize genotypes. Cluster 4 contained five genotypes from Hungary (22.73%, two genotypes from Poland (9.10%, seven genotypes of maize from Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (31.81%, six genotypes from Czechoslovakia (27.27%, one genotype from Slovak Republic (4.55% and one genotype of maize is from Yugoslavia (4.55%. We could not distinguish 4 maize genotypes grouped in cluster 4, (Voroneskaja and Kocovska Skora and 2 Hungarian maize genotypes - Feheres Sarga Filleres and Mindszentpusztai Feher, which are genetically the closest.

  4. Genetic Divergence and Heritability of 42 Coloured Upland Rice Genotypes (Oryzasativa) as Revealed by Microsatellites Marker and Agro-Morphological Traits

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmad, Faiz; Hanafi, Mohamed Musa; Hakim, Md Abdul; Rafii, Mohd Y.; Arolu, Ibrahim Wasiu; Akmar Abdullah, Siti Nor

    2015-01-01

    Coloured rice genotypes have greater nutritious value and consumer demand for these varieties is now greater than ever. The documentation of these genotypes is important for the improvement of the rice plant. In this study, 42 coloured rice genotypes were selected for determination of their genetic divergence using 25 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers and 15 agro-morphological traits. Twenty-one out of the 25 SSR primers showed distinct, reproducible polymorphism. A dendrogram constructed using the SSR primers clustered the 42 coloured rice genotypes into 7 groups. Further, principle component analysis showed 75.28% of total variations were explained by the first—three components. All agro-morphological traits showed significant difference at the (p≤0.05) and (p≤0.01) levels. From the dendrogram constructed using the agro-morphological traits, all the genotypes were clustered into four distinct groups. Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed that among the 15 agro-morphological traits, the yield contributing factor had positive correlation with the number of tillers, number of panicles, and panicle length. The heritability of the 15 traits ranged from 17.68 to 99.69%. Yield per plant and harvest index showed the highest value for both heritability and genetic advance. The information on the molecular and agro-morphological traits can be used in rice breeding programmes to improve nutritional value and produce higher yields. PMID:26393807

  5. Genome-wide association mapping of leaf metabolic profiles for dissecting complex traits in maize.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Riedelsheimer, Christian; Lisec, Jan; Czedik-Eysenberg, Angelika; Sulpice, Ronan; Flis, Anna; Grieder, Christoph; Altmann, Thomas; Stitt, Mark; Willmitzer, Lothar; Melchinger, Albrecht E

    2012-06-05

    The diversity of metabolites found in plants is by far greater than in most other organisms. Metabolic profiling techniques, which measure many of these compounds simultaneously, enabled investigating the regulation of metabolic networks and proved to be useful for predicting important agronomic traits. However, little is known about the genetic basis of metabolites in crops such as maize. Here, a set of 289 diverse maize inbred lines was genotyped with 56,110 SNPs and assayed for 118 biochemical compounds in the leaves of young plants, as well as for agronomic traits of mature plants in field trials. Metabolite concentrations had on average a repeatability of 0.73 and showed a correlation pattern that largely reflected their functional grouping. Genome-wide association mapping with correction for population structure and cryptic relatedness identified for 26 distinct metabolites strong associations with SNPs, explaining up to 32.0% of the observed genetic variance. On nine chromosomes, we detected 15 distinct SNP-metabolite associations, each of which explained more then 15% of the genetic variance. For lignin precursors, including p-coumaric acid and caffeic acid, we found strong associations (P values to ) with a region on chromosome 9 harboring cinnamoyl-CoA reductase, a key enzyme in monolignol synthesis and a target for improving the quality of lignocellulosic biomass by genetic engineering approaches. Moreover, lignin precursors correlated significantly with lignin content, plant height, and dry matter yield, suggesting that metabolites represent promising connecting links for narrowing the genotype-phenotype gap of complex agronomic traits.

  6. Influence of genotype and crop year in the chemometrics of almond and pistachio oils.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rabadán, Adrián; Álvarez-Ortí, Manuel; Gómez, Ricardo; de Miguel, Concepción; Pardo, José E

    2018-04-01

    Almond and pistachio oils can be considered as interesting products to produce and commercialize owing to their health-promoting properties. However, these properties are not consistent because of the differences that appear in oils as a result of the genotype and the crop year. The analysis of these variations and their origin is decisive in ensuring the commercial future prospects of these nut oils. Although significant variability has been reported in almond and pistachio oils as a result of the crop year and the interaction between crop year and genotype, the genotype itself remains the main factor determining oil chemometrics. Oil fatty acid profile has been mainly determined by the genotype, with the exception of palmitic fatty acid in pistachio oil. However, the crop year affects the concentration of some minor components of crucial nutritional interest as total polyphenols and phytosterols. Regarding reported differences in oil, some almond and pistachio genotypes should be prioritized for oil extraction. Breeding programmes focused on the improvement of specific characteristics of almond and pistachio oils should focus on chemical parameters mainly determined by the genotype. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

  7. Saccharification Performances of Miscanthus at the Pilot and Miniaturized Assay Scales: Genotype and Year Variabilities According to the Biomass Composition

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nassim Belmokhtar

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available HIGHLIGHTSBiomass production and cell wall composition are differentially impacted by harvesting year and genotypes, influencing then cellulose conversion in miniaturized assay.Using a high-throughput miniaturized and semi-automated method for performing the pretreatment and saccharification steps at laboratory scale allows for the assessment of these factors on the biomass potential for producing bioethanol before moving to the industrial scale.The large genetic diversity of the perennial grass miscanthus makes it suitable for producing cellulosic ethanol in biorefineries. The saccharification potential and year variability of five genotypes belonging to Miscanthus × giganteus and Miscanthus sinensis were explored using a miniaturized and semi-automated method, allowing the application of a hot water treatment followed by an enzymatic hydrolysis. The studied genotypes highlighted distinct cellulose conversion yields due to their distinct cell wall compositions. An inter-year comparison revealed significant variations in the biomass productivity and cell wall compositions. Compared to the recalcitrant genotypes, more digestible genotypes contained higher amounts of hemicellulosic carbohydrates and lower amounts of cellulose and lignin. In contrast to hemicellulosic carbohydrates, the relationships analysis between the biomass traits and cellulose conversion clearly showed the same negative effect of cellulose and lignin on cellulose digestion. The miniaturized and semi-automated method we developed was usable at the laboratory scale and was reliable for mimicking the saccharification at the pilot scale using a steam explosion pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis. Therefore, this miniaturized method will allow the reliable screening of many genotypes for saccharification potential. These findings provide valuable information and tools for breeders to create genotypes combining high yield, suitable biomass composition, and high saccharification

  8. Complete genome sequence analysis identifies a new genotype of brassica yellows virus that infects cabbage and radish in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiao-Yan; Xiang, Hai-Ying; Zhou, Cui-Ji; Li, Da-Wei; Yu, Jia-Lin; Han, Cheng-Gui

    2014-08-01

    For brassica yellows virus (BrYV), proposed to be a member of a new polerovirus species, two clearly distinct genotypes (BrYV-A and BrYV-B) have been described. In this study, the complete nucleotide sequences of two BrYV isolates from radish and Chinese cabbage were determined. Sequence analysis suggested that these isolates represent a new genotype, referred to here as BrYV-C. The full-length sequences of the two BrYV-C isolates shared 93.4-94.8 % identity with BrYV-A and BrYV-B. Further phylogenetic analysis showed that the BrYV-C isolates formed a subgroup that was distinct from the BrYV-A and BrYV-B isolates based on all of the proteins except P5.

  9. Tracing the epidemic history of hepatitis C virus genotypes in Saudi Arabia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Anis; Al Balwi, Mohammed; AlAyyar, Latifah; AlAbdulkareem, Ibrahim; Albekairy, Abdulkareem; Aljumah, Abdulrahman

    2017-08-01

    HCV genotype 4 is highly prevalent in many Middle Eastern countries, yet little is known about the genotype's epidemic history at the subtype-level in this region. To address the dearth of data from Saudi Arabia (SA) we genotyped 230 HCV isolates in the core/E- and NS5B-region and analyzed using Bayesian phylogenetic approaches. HCV genotype 4 (HCV/4) was positive in 61.7% (142/230) of isolates belonging to 7 different subtypes with the predominance of 4d (73/142; 51.4%) followed by 4a (51/142; 35.9%). Phylogenetic analysis also revealed a distinct epidemiological cluster of HCV/4d for Saudi Arabia. HCV/1 appeared as the second most prevalent genotype positive in 31.3% (72/230) of isolates with the predominance of 1b (53/72; 73.6%) followed by 1a (16/72; 22.2%), and 1g (3/72; 4.1%). A small proportion of isolates belonged to HCV/3a (12/230; 5.2%), and HCV/2a (4/230; 1.7%). We estimate that the genotype 4 common ancestor existed around 1935 (1850-1985). Genotype 4 originated plausibly in Central Africa and multiple subtypes disseminated across African borders since ~1970, including subtype 4d which dominates current HCV infections in Saudi Arabia. The Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analysis showed that genotype 4d entered the Saudi population in 1900. The effective number of HCV infections grew gradually until the second half of the 1950s and more rapidly until the early-80s through the use of imported blood units and blood products. Subsequently, the rate of HCV infection in the Saudi Arabian population was stabilized through effective screening of blood and infection control measures. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Content of Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Capacity in Fruits of Apricot Genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helena Skutkova

    2010-09-01

    Full Text Available Research on natural compounds is increasingly focused on their effects on human health. In this study, we were interested in the evaluation of nutritional value expressed as content of total phenolic compounds and antioxidant capacity of new apricot (Prunus armeniaca L. genotypes resistant against Plum pox virus (PPV cultivated on Department of Fruit Growing of Mendel University in Brno. Fruits of twenty one apricot genotypes were collected at the onset of consumption ripeness. Antioxidant capacities of the genotypes were determined spectrometrically using DPPH• (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl free radicals scavenging test, TEAC (Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity, and FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Powermethods. The highest antioxidant capacities were determined in the genotypes LE-3228 and LE-2527, the lowest ones in the LE-985 and LE-994 genotypes. Moreover, close correlation (r = 0.964 was determined between the TEAC and DPPH assays. Based on the antioxidant capacity and total polyphenols content, a clump analysis dendrogram of the monitored apricot genotypes was constructed. In addition, we optimized high performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem electrochemical and spectrometric detection and determined phenolic profile consisting of the following fifteen phenolic compounds: gallic acid, 4-aminobenzoic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, caffeic acid, procatechin, salicylic acid, p-coumaric acid, the flavonols quercetin and quercitrin, the flavonol glycoside rutin, resveratrol, vanillin, and the isomers epicatechin, (–- and (+- catechin.

  11. Distinct cytokine profiles of circulating mononuclear cells stimulated with Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin A in vitro during early and late episodes of chronic osteomyelitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriella Freitas Ferreira

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the cytokine profile of peripheral mononuclear cells from chronic osteomyelitis (OST patients following in vitro stimulation with staphylococcal enterotoxin A (SEA. We demonstrate that stimulation with SEA induced prominent lymphocyte proliferation and high levels of tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α, interleukin (IL-4 and IL-10 secretion in both OST and non-infected individuals (NI. Even though stimulation with SEA had no impact on IL-6 production in either patient group, the baseline level of IL-6 production by cells from OST patients was always significantly less than that produced by cells from NI. After classifying the osteomyelitic episodes based on the time after the last reactivation event as "early" (1-4 months or "late" osteomyelitis (5-12 months, we found that increased levels of TNF-α and IL-4 in combination with decreased levels of IL-6 were observed in the early episodes. By contrast, increased levels of IL-10, IL-2 and IL-6 were hallmarks of late episodes. Our data demonstrate that early osteomyelitic episodes are accompanied by an increased frequency of "high producers" of TNF-α and IL-4, whereas late events are characterised by increased frequencies of "high producers" of IL-10, IL-6 and IL-2. These findings demonstrate the distinct cytokine profiles in chronic osteomyelitis, with a distinct regulation of IL-6 production during early and late episodes.

  12. In-vitro vs in-vivo Inoculation: Screening for Resistance of Australian Rice Genotypes Against Blast Fungus

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vineela Challagulla

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available To assist with rapid screening for rice blast resistance as a precursor in a breeding program, the susceptibility to rice blast of 13 rice genotypes from Australia was evaluated in May to June 2013 using three distinct inoculation methods (spot, filter paper and standard methods at seedling, vegetative and reproductive stages. The results revealed that the spot and filter paper inoculation methods were successful in discerning susceptibility to the rice blast disease (P ≤ 0.05. Disease susceptibility declined significantly from the vegetative to reproductive stages. The standard method was conducted at three different stages for pot plants grown inside the mist house. However, low temperatures did not produce disease symptoms except in a few genotypes. Among the 13 rice genotypes screened, AAT9 expressed a highly resistant response, and AAT4, AAT6, AAT10, AAT11, AAT13, AAT17 and AAT18 expressed resistance at various stages. The results will be useful for selecting elite genotypes for disease tolerance where rice blast is prevalent. In addition, the resistant genotypes can serve as a gene pool used in breeding programmes to develop new resistant genotypes.

  13. Quantitative expression profile of distinct functional regions in the adult mouse brain.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takeya Kasukawa

    Full Text Available The adult mammalian brain is composed of distinct regions with specialized roles including regulation of circadian clocks, feeding, sleep/awake, and seasonal rhythms. To find quantitative differences of expression among such various brain regions, we conducted the BrainStars (B* project, in which we profiled the genome-wide expression of ∼50 small brain regions, including sensory centers, and centers for motion, time, memory, fear, and feeding. To avoid confounds from temporal differences in gene expression, we sampled each region every 4 hours for 24 hours, and pooled the samples for DNA-microarray assays. Therefore, we focused on spatial differences in gene expression. We used informatics to identify candidate genes with expression changes showing high or low expression in specific regions. We also identified candidate genes with stable expression across brain regions that can be used as new internal control genes, and ligand-receptor interactions of neurohormones and neurotransmitters. Through these analyses, we found 8,159 multi-state genes, 2,212 regional marker gene candidates for 44 small brain regions, 915 internal control gene candidates, and 23,864 inferred ligand-receptor interactions. We also found that these sets include well-known genes as well as novel candidate genes that might be related to specific functions in brain regions. We used our findings to develop an integrated database (http://brainstars.org/ for exploring genome-wide expression in the adult mouse brain, and have made this database openly accessible. These new resources will help accelerate the functional analysis of the mammalian brain and the elucidation of its regulatory network systems.

  14. Enzootic genotype S of H9N2 avian influenza viruses donates internal genes to emerging zoonotic influenza viruses in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gu, Min; Chen, Hongzhi; Li, Qunhui; Huang, Junqing; Zhao, Mingjun; Gu, Xiaobing; Jiang, Kaijun; Wang, Xiaoquan; Peng, Daxin; Liu, Xiufan

    2014-12-05

    Avian influenza viruses of subtype H9N2 are widely prevalent in poultry in many Asian countries, and the segmented nature of the viral genome results in multiple distinct genotypes via reassortment. In this study, genetic evolution of H9N2 viruses circulating in eastern China during 2007-2013 was analyzed. The results showed that the diversity of the gene constellations generated six distinct genotypes, in which a novel genotype (S) bearing the backbone of A/chicken/Shanghai/F/98-like viruses by acquiring A/quail/Hong Kong/G1/97-like polymerase basic subunit 2 and matrix genes has gradually established its ecological niche and been consistently prevalent in chicken flocks in eastern China since its first detection in 2007. Furthermore, genotype S possessed the peculiarity to donate most of its gene segments to other emerging influenza A viruses in China, including the novel reassortant highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N2, the 2013 novel H7N7, H7N9 and the latest reassortant H10N8 viruses, with potential threat to poultry industry and human health. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Rhinovirus infection induces distinct transcriptome profiles in polarized human macrophages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rajput, Charu; Walsh, Megan P; Eder, Breanna N; Metitiri, Ediri E; Popova, Antonia P; Hershenson, Marc B

    2018-05-01

    Infections with rhinovirus (RV) cause asthma exacerbations. Recent studies suggest that macrophages play a role in asthmatic airway inflammation and the innate immune response to RV infection. Macrophages exhibit phenotypes based on surface markers and gene expression. We hypothesized that macrophage polarization state alters gene expression in response to RV infection. Cells were derived from human peripheral blood derived monocytes. M1 and M2 polarization was carried out by using IFN-γ and IL-4, respectively, and RNA was extracted for Affymetrix Human Gene ST2.1 exon arrays. Selected genes were validated by quantitative (q)PCR. Treatment of nonactivated (M0) macrophages with IFN-γ and IL-4 induced the expression of 252 and 153 distinct genes, respectively, including previously-identified M1 and M2 markers. RV infection of M0 macrophages induced upregulation of 232 genes; pathway analysis showed significant overrepresentation of genes involved in IFN-α/β signaling and cytokine signaling in the immune system. RV infection induced differential expression of 195 distinct genes in M1-like macrophages but only seven distinct genes in M2-like-polarized cells. In a secondary analysis, comparison between M0-, RV-infected, and M1-like-polarized, RV-infected macrophages revealed differential expression of 227 genes including those associated with asthma and its exacerbation. qPCR demonstrated increased expression of CCL8, CXCL10, TNFSF10, TNFSF18, IL6, NOD2, and GSDMD and reduced expression of VNN1, AGO1, and AGO2. Together, these data show that, in contrast to M2-like-polarized macrophages, gene expression of M1-like macrophages is highly regulated by RV.

  16. Genotype X/C recombinant (putative genotype I) of hepatitis B virus is rare in Hanoi, Vietnam--genotypes B4 and C1 predominate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Phung, Thi Bich Thuy; Alestig, Erik; Nguyen, Thanh Liem; Hannoun, Charles; Lindh, Magnus

    2010-08-01

    There are eight known genotypes of hepatitis B virus, A-H, and several subgenotypes, with rather well-defined geographic distributions. HBV genotypes were evaluated in 153 serum samples from Hanoi, Vietnam. Of the 87 samples that could be genotyped, genotype B was found in 67 (77%) and genotype C in 19 (22%). All genotype C strains were of subgenotype C1, and the majority of genotype B strains were B4, while a few were B2. The genotype X/C recombinant strain, identified previously in Swedish patients of indigenous Vietnamese origin, was found in one sample. This variant, proposed to be classified as genotype I, has been found recently also by others in Vietnam and Laos. The current study indicates that the genotype X/C recombinant may represent approximately 1% of the HBV strains circulating in Vietnam. (c) 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  17. Chemical Composition and Yield of Six Genotypes of Common Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.): An Alternative Source of Omega-3 Fatty Acids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petropoulos, Spyridon Α; Karkanis, Anestis; Fernandes, Ângela; Barros, Lillian; Ferreira, Isabel C F R; Ntatsi, Georgia; Petrotos, Konstantinos; Lykas, Christos; Khah, Ebrahim

    2015-12-01

    Common purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) is an annual weed rich in omega-3 fatty acids which is consumed for its edible leaves and stems. In the present study six different genotypes of common purslane (A-F) were evaluated for their nutritional value and chemical composition. Nutritional value and chemical composition depended on genotype. Oxalic acid content was the lowest for genotype D, whereas genotypes E and F are more promising for commercial cultivation, since they have low oxalic acid content. Genotype E had a very good antioxidant profile and a balanced composition of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Regarding yield, genotype A had the highest yield comparing to the other genotypes, whereas commercial varieties (E and F) did not differ from genotypes B and C. This study provides new information regarding common purslane bioactive compounds as affected by genotype and could be further implemented in food industry for products of high quality and increased added value.

  18. Genotyping and genetic diversity of Arcobacter butzleri by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    On, Stephen L.W.; Atabay, H.I.; Amisu, K.O.

    2004-01-01

    Aims: To investigate the potential of amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) profiling for genotyping Arcobacter butzleri and to obtain further data on the genetic diversity of this organism. Methods and Results: Seventy-three isolates of Danish, British, Turkish, Swedish, Nigerian and Nor...

  19. Molecular characterization of two genotypes of a new polerovirus infecting brassicas in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xiang, Hai-Ying; Dong, Shu-Wei; Shang, Qiao-Xia; Zhou, Cui-Ji; Li, Da-Wei; Yu, Jia-Lin; Han, Cheng-Gui

    2011-12-01

    The genomic RNA sequences of two genotypes of a brassica-infecting polerovirus from China were determined. Sequence analysis revealed that the virus was closely related to but significantly different from turnip yellows virus (TuYV). This virus and other poleroviruses, including TuYV, had less than 90% amino acid sequence identity in all gene products except the coat protein. Based on the molecular criterion (>10% amino acid sequence difference) for species demarcation in the genus Polerovirus, the virus represents a distinct species for which the name Brassica yellows virus (BrYV) is proposed. Interestingly, there were two genotypes of BrYV, which mainly differed in the 5'-terminal half of the genome.

  20. Breed traceability of buffalo meat using microsatellite genotyping technique.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kannur, Bheemashankar H; Fairoze, Md Nadeem; Girish, P S; Karabasanavar, Nagappa; Rudresh, B H

    2017-02-01

    Although buffalo has emerged as a major meat producing animal in Asia, major research on breed traceability has so far been focused on cattle (beef). This research gap on buffalo breed traceability has impelled development and validation of buffalo breed traceability using a set of eight microsatellite (STR) markers in seven Indian buffalo breeds (Bhadawari, Jaffaarabadi, Murrah, Mehsana, Nagpuri, Pandharpuri and Surti). Probability of sharing same profile by two individuals at a specific locus was computed considering different STR numbers, allele pooling in breed and population. Match probabilities per breed were considered and six most polymorphic loci were genotyped. Out of eight microsatellite markers studied, markers CSSMO47, DRB3 and CSSM060 were found most polymorphic. Developed technique was validated with known and unknown, blood and meat samples; wherein, samples were genetically traced in 24 out of 25 samples tested. Results of this study showed potential applications of the methodology and encourage other researchers to address the problem of buffalo traceability so as to create a world-wide archive of breed specific genotypes. This work is the first report of breed traceability of buffalo meat utilizing microsatellite genotyping technique.

  1. Cumulative socioeconomic status risk, allostatic load, and adjustment: a prospective latent profile analysis with contextual and genetic protective factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Brody, Gene H; Yu, Tianyi; Chen, Yi-fu; Kogan, Steven M; Evans, Gary W; Beach, Steven R H; Windle, Michael; Simons, Ronald L; Gerrard, Meg; Gibbons, Frederick X; Philibert, Robert A

    2013-05-01

    The health disparities literature has identified a common pattern among middle-aged African Americans that includes high rates of chronic disease along with low rates of psychiatric disorders despite exposure to high levels of cumulative socioeconomic status (SES) risk. The current study was designed to test hypotheses about the developmental precursors to this pattern. Hypotheses were tested with a representative sample of 443 African American youths living in the rural South. Cumulative SES risk and protective processes were assessed at ages 11-13 years; psychological adjustment was assessed at ages 14-18 years; genotyping at the 5-HTTLPR was conducted at age 16 years; and allostatic load (AL) was assessed at age 19 years. A latent profile analysis identified 5 profiles that evinced distinct patterns of SES risk, AL, and psychological adjustment, with 2 relatively large profiles designated as focal profiles: a physical health vulnerability profile characterized by high SES risk/high AL/low adjustment problems, and a resilient profile characterized by high SES risk/low AL/low adjustment problems. The physical health vulnerability profile mirrored the pattern found in the adult health disparities literature. Multinomial logistic regression analyses indicated that carrying an s allele at the 5-HTTLPR and receiving less peer support distinguished the physical health vulnerability profile from the resilient profile. Protective parenting and planful self-regulation distinguished both focal profiles from the other 3 profiles. The results suggest the public health importance of preventive interventions that enhance coping and reduce the effects of stress across childhood and adolescence.

  2. Emergence of Cryptosporidium hominis Monkey Genotype II and Novel Subtype Family Ik in the Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus) in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Xuehan; Xie, Na; Li, Wei; Zhou, Ziyao; Zhong, Zhijun; Shen, Liuhong; Cao, Suizhong; Yu, Xingming; Hu, Yanchuan; Chen, Weigang; Peng, Gangneng

    2015-01-01

    A single Cryptosporidium isolate from a squirrel monkey with no clinical symptoms was obtained from a zoo in Ya'an city, China, and was genotyped by PCR amplification and DNA sequencing of the small-subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA), 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70), Cryptosporidium oocyst wall protein, and actin genes. This multilocus genetic characterization determined that the isolate was Cryptosporidium hominis, but carried 2, 10, and 6 nucleotide differences in the SSU rRNA, HSP70, and actin loci, respectively, which is comparable to the variations at these loci between C. hominis and the previously reported monkey genotype (2, 3, and 3 nucleotide differences). Phylogenetic studies, based on neighbor-joining and maximum likelihood methods, showed that the isolate identified in the current study had a distinctly discordant taxonomic status, distinct from known C. hominis and also from the monkey genotype, with respect to the three loci. Restriction fragment length polymorphisms of the SSU rRNA gene obtained from this study were similar to those of known C. hominis but clearly differentiated from the monkey genotype. Further subtyping was performed by sequence analysis of the gene encoding the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60). Maximum homology of only 88.3% to C. hominis subtype IdA10G4 was observed for the current isolate, and phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that this particular isolate belonged to a novel C. hominis subtype family, IkA7G4. This study is the first to report C. hominis infection in the squirrel monkey and, based on the observed genetic characteristics, confirms a new C. hominis genotype, monkey genotype II. Thus, these results provide novel insights into genotypic variation in C. hominis.

  3. Phenotype, Genotype, and Drug Resistance in Subtype C HIV-1 Infection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Derache, Anne; Wallis, Carole L; Vardhanabhuti, Saran; Bartlett, John; Kumarasamy, Nagalingeswaran; Katzenstein, David

    2016-01-15

    Virologic failure in subtype C is characterized by high resistance to first-line antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, including efavirenz, nevirapine, and lamivudine, with nucleoside resistance including type 2 thymidine analog mutations, K65R, a T69del, and M184V. However, genotypic algorithms predicting resistance are mainly based on subtype B viruses and may under- or overestimate drug resistance in non-B subtypes. To explore potential treatment strategies after first-line failure, we compared genotypic and phenotypic susceptibility of subtype C human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) following first-line ARV failure. AIDS Clinical Trials Group 5230 evaluated patients failing an initial nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) regimen in Africa and Asia, comparing the genotypic drug resistance and phenotypic profile from the PhenoSense (Monogram). Site-directed mutagenesis studies of K65R and T69del assessed the phenotypic impact of these mutations. Genotypic algorithms overestimated resistance to etravirine and rilpivirine, misclassifying 28% and 32%, respectively. Despite K65R with the T69del in 9 samples, tenofovir retained activity in >60%. Reversion of the K65R increased susceptibility to tenofovir and other nucleosides, while reversion of the T69del showed increased resistance to zidovudine, with little impact on other NRTI. Although genotype and phenotype were largely concordant for first-line drugs, estimates of genotypic resistance to etravirine and rilpivirine may misclassify subtype C isolates compared to phenotype. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

  4. Genotype by energy expenditure interaction with metabolic syndrome traits: the Portuguese healthy family study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Santos, Daniel M V; Katzmarzyk, Peter T; Diego, Vincent P; Souza, Michele C; Chaves, Raquel N; Blangero, John; Maia, José A R

    2013-01-01

    Moderate-to-high levels of physical activity are established as preventive factors in metabolic syndrome development. However, there is variability in the phenotypic expression of metabolic syndrome under distinct physical activity conditions. In the present study we applied a Genotype X Environment interaction method to examine the presence of GxEE interaction in the phenotypic expression of metabolic syndrome. A total of 958 subjects, from 294 families of The Portuguese Healthy Family study, were included in the analysis. Total daily energy expenditure was assessed using a 3 day physical activity diary. Six metabolic syndrome related traits, including waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, glucose, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides, were measured and adjusted for age and sex. GxEE examination was performed on SOLAR 4.3.1. All metabolic syndrome indicators were significantly heritable. The GxEE interaction model fitted the data better than the polygenic model (pmetabolic syndrome traits expression is significantly influenced by the interaction established between total daily energy expenditure and genotypes. Physical activity may be considered an environmental variable that promotes metabolic differences between individuals that are distinctively active.

  5. Genotyping of Brucella melitensis and Brucella abortus strains currently circulating in Xinjiang, China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sun, Ming-Jun; Di, Dong-Dong; Li, Yan; Zhang, Zhi-Cheng; Yan, Hao; Tian, Li-Li; Jing, Zhi-Gang; Li, Jin-Ping; Jiang, Hai; Fan, Wei-Xing

    2016-10-01

    Brucellosis is a well-known zoonotic disease that can cause severe economic and healthcare losses. Xinjiang, one of the biggest livestock husbandry sectors in China, has gone through increasing incidence of brucellosis in cattle and small ruminants recently. In this paper, 50 B. melitensis strains and 9 B. abortus strains collected from across Xinjiang area (from 2010 to 2015) were genotyped using multiple locus variable-number tandem-repeat (VNTR) analysis (MLVA) and multi-locus sequence typing (MLST). Based on 8 loci (MLVA-8), 50 B. melitensis strains were classified into three genotypes. Genotypes 42 (n=38, 76%) and 63 (n=11, 22%) were part of the East Mediterranean group, and one genotype with pattern of 1-5-3-13-2-4-3-2 represents a single-locus variant from genotype 63. MLVA-16 resolved 50 B. melitensis strains into 28 genotypes, of which 15 are unique to Xinjiang and 10 are in common with those in adjacent country Kazakhstan and neighboring provinces of China. Minimum Spanning Tree (MST) analysis implies that B. melitensis strains collected from across Kazakhstan, Xinjiang and China areas may share a common origin. Nine B. abortus strains were sorted into three genotypes by MLVA-8, genotypes 36 (n=7, 77.8%), 86 (n=1, 11.1%) and a new genotype with pattern of 4-5-3-13-2-2-3-1. Each B. abortus strain showed distinct MLVA-16 genotypes, suggesting that B. abortus species may possess more genetic diversity than B. melitensis. Using MLST, most B. melitensis strains (n=49) were identified as sequence type ST8, and most B. abortus strains (n=8) were recognized as ST2. Two new sequence types, ST37 and ST38, represented by single strain from B. melitensis and B. abortus species respectively, were also detected in this study. These results could facilitate the pathogen surveillance in the forthcoming eradication programs and serve as a guide in source tracking in case of new outbreaks occur. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. A genotype network reveals homoplastic cycles of convergent evolution in influenza A (H3N2) haemagglutinin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Andreas

    2014-07-07

    Networks of evolving genotypes can be constructed from the worldwide time-resolved genotyping of pathogens like influenza viruses. Such genotype networks are graphs where neighbouring vertices (viral strains) differ in a single nucleotide or amino acid. A rich trove of network analysis methods can help understand the evolutionary dynamics reflected in the structure of these networks. Here, I analyse a genotype network comprising hundreds of influenza A (H3N2) haemagglutinin genes. The network is rife with cycles that reflect non-random parallel or convergent (homoplastic) evolution. These cycles also show patterns of sequence change characteristic for strong and local evolutionary constraints, positive selection and mutation-limited evolution. Such cycles would not be visible on a phylogenetic tree, illustrating that genotype network analysis can complement phylogenetic analyses. The network also shows a distinct modular or community structure that reflects temporal more than spatial proximity of viral strains, where lowly connected bridge strains connect different modules. These and other organizational patterns illustrate that genotype networks can help us study evolution in action at an unprecedented level of resolution. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

  7. Phenotypes in defined genotypes including siblings with Usher syndrome.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Malm, Eva; Ponjavic, Vesna; Möller, Claes; Kimberling, William J; Andréasson, Sten

    2011-06-01

    To characterize visual function in defined genotypes including siblings with Usher syndrome. Thirteen patients with phenotypically different subtypes of Usher syndrome, including 3 families with affected siblings, were selected. Genetic analysis and ophthalmological examinations including visual fields, full-field electroretinography (ERG), multifocal electroretinography (mf ERG), and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were assessed. The patients' degree of visual handicap was evaluated by a questionnaire (ADL). Twelve of thirteen patients were genotyped as Usher 1B, 1D, 1F, 2A, 2C or 3A. In 12 of 13 patients examined with ERG the 30 Hz flickering light response revealed remaining cone function. In 3 of the patients with Usher type 1 mf ERG demonstrated a specific pattern, with a sharp distinction between the area with reduced function and the central area with remaining macular function and normal peak time. OCT demonstrated loss of foveal depression with distortion of the foveal architecture in the macula in all patients. The foveal thickness ranged from 159 to 384 µm and was not correlated to retinal function. Three siblings shared the same mutation for Usher 2C but in contrast to previous reports regarding this genotype, 1 of them diverged in phenotype with substantially normal visual fields, almost normal OCT and mf ERG findings, and only moderately reduced rod and cone function according to ERG. Evaluation of visual function comprising both the severity of the rod cone degeneration and the function in the macular region confirm phenotypical heterogeneity within siblings and between different genotypes of Usher syndrome.

  8. Expression of NCED gene in colored cotton genotypes subjected to water stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandre M. S. de Souza

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Considering that the NCED gene acts on the biosynthetic cascade of ABA, a hormone involved in the functioning of stomata and consequently in the regulation of transpiration, the aim of this research was to analyze the expression of this gene in colored cotton genotypes subjected to water stress at the beginning of plant growth. Four colored cotton genotypes were used, subjected to two managements, with and without water stress, beginning the treatments when the blade of the first true leaves reached an area that allowed the evaluation of gas exchange. For the studies of the expression of the NCED gene, via RT-qPCR, leaves were collected on three distinct dates: at 4 and 6 days of water stress, and after the plants regained their turgor. The differential expression of NCED was found in all genotypes, with higher levels of expression related to six days of water stress. When the stomatal conductance was around 25%, there was overexpression in the genotype CNPA 2009.13, followed by CNPA 2009.6, BRS SAFIRA and CNPA 2009.11, confirming the data obtained in the semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The NCED gene is involved in the response to water stress in the vegetative phase of colored cotton.

  9. Genotypic characterization of psittacid herpesvirus isolates from Brazil.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luppi, Marcela Miranda; Luiz, Ana Paula Moreira Franco; Coelho, Fabiana Magalhães; Ecco, Roselene; da Fonseca, Flávio Guimarães; Resende, Mauricio

    2016-01-01

    Thirty-six isolates of psittacid herpesvirus (PsHV), obtained from 12 different species of psittacids in Brazil, were genotypically characterized by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and PCR amplification. RFLP analysis with the PstI enzyme revealed four distinct restriction patterns (A1, X, W and Y), of which only A1 (corresponding to PsHV-1) had previously been described. To study PCR amplification patterns, six pairs of primers were used. Using this method, six variants were identified, of which, variants 10, 8, and 9 (in this order) were most prevalent, followed by variants 1, 4, and 5. It was not possible to correlate the PCR and RFLP patterns. Twenty-nine of the 36 isolates were shown to contain a 419bp fragment of the UL16 gene, displaying high similarity to the PsHV-1 sequences available in GenBank. Comparison of the results with the literature data suggests that the 36 Brazilian isolates from this study belong to genotype 1 and serotype 1. Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Microbiologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

  10. Evaluation of a high resolution genotyping method for Chlamydia trachomatis using routine clinical samples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yibing Wang

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available Genital chlamydia infection is the most commonly diagnosed sexually transmitted infection in the UK. C. trachomatis genital infections are usually caused by strains which fall into two pathovars: lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV and the genitourinary genotypes D-K. Although these genotypes can be discriminated by outer membrane protein gene (ompA sequencing or multi-locus sequence typing (MLST, neither protocol affords the high-resolution genotyping required for local epidemiology and accurate contact-tracing.We evaluated variable number tandem repeat (VNTR and ompA sequencing (now called multi-locus VNTR analysis and ompA or "MLVA-ompA" to study local epidemiology in Southampton over a period of six months. One hundred and fifty seven endocervical swabs that tested positive for C. trachomatis from both the Southampton genitourinary medicine (GUM clinic and local GP surgeries were tested by COBAS Taqman 48 (Roche PCR for the presence of C. trachomatis. Samples tested as positive by the commercial NAATs test were genotyped, where possible, by a MLVA-ompA sequencing technique. Attempts were made to isolate C. trachomatis from all 157 samples in cell culture, and 68 (43% were successfully recovered by repeatable passage in culture. Of the 157 samples, 93 (i.e. 59% were fully genotyped by MLVA-ompA. Only one mixed infection (E & D in a single sample was confirmed. There were two distinct D genotypes for the ompA gene. Most frequent ompA genotypes were D, E and F, comprising 20%, 41% and 16% of the type-able samples respectively. Within all genotypes we detected numerous MLVA sub-types.Amongst the common genotypes, there are a significant number of defined MLVA sub-types, which may reflect particular background demographics including age group, geography, high-risk sexual behavior, and sexual networks.

  11. DNA landmarks for genetic relatedness and diversity assessment in Pakistani wheat genotypes using RAPD markers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Siddiqui, M.F.; Iqbal, S.; Naz, N.; Khan, S.; Erum, S.

    2010-01-01

    DNA profiles from 10 Pakistani wheat genotypes were evaluated for diversity assessment based on RAPD markers. A total of 79 DNA fragments were generated by 10 RAPD primers, with an average of 7.9 bands primer-1. Of these, 64 fragments (81%) were polymorphic among 10 genotypes. Genetic diversity was evaluated via UPGMA cluster analysis by constructing dendrogram, which were used for the calculation of similarity coefficients between these genotypes. The greatest similarity (95%) was observed between PR-94 and PR-95, whereas PR-96 with PR-90 showed the lowest similarity (60%). Adoption of this technology would be useful to the plant protection regulatory systems, especially for plant variety identification and registration of new plant varieties, breeding programs and protection purposes. (author)

  12. DNA landmarks for genetic relatedness and diversity assessment in Pakistani wheat genotypes using RAPD markers

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Siddiqui, M F; Iqbal, S; Naz, N; Khan, S [Federal Seed Certification and Registration Dept., Islamabad (Pakistan); Erum, S [National Agricultural Research Centre, Islamabad (Pakistan). Plant Genetic Resources Inst.

    2010-04-15

    DNA profiles from 10 Pakistani wheat genotypes were evaluated for diversity assessment based on RAPD markers. A total of 79 DNA fragments were generated by 10 RAPD primers, with an average of 7.9 bands primer-1. Of these, 64 fragments (81%) were polymorphic among 10 genotypes. Genetic diversity was evaluated via UPGMA cluster analysis by constructing dendrogram, which were used for the calculation of similarity coefficients between these genotypes. The greatest similarity (95%) was observed between PR-94 and PR-95, whereas PR-96 with PR-90 showed the lowest similarity (60%). Adoption of this technology would be useful to the plant protection regulatory systems, especially for plant variety identification and registration of new plant varieties, breeding programs and protection purposes. (author)

  13. Specific gene expression responses to parasite genotypes reveal redundancy of innate immunity in vertebrates.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    David Haase

    Full Text Available Vertebrate innate immunity is the first line of defense against an invading pathogen and has long been assumed to be largely unspecific with respect to parasite/pathogen species. However, recent phenotypic evidence suggests that immunogenetic variation, i.e. allelic variability in genes associated with the immune system, results in host-parasite genotype-by-genotype interactions and thus specific innate immune responses. Immunogenetic variation is common in all vertebrate taxa and this reflects an effective immunological function in complex environments. However, the underlying variability in host gene expression patterns as response of innate immunity to within-species genetic diversity of macroparasites in vertebrates is unknown. We hypothesized that intra-specific variation among parasite genotypes must be reflected in host gene expression patterns. Here we used high-throughput RNA-sequencing to examine the effect of parasite genotypes on gene expression patterns of a vertebrate host, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus. By infecting naïve fish with distinct trematode genotypes of the species Diplostomum pseudospathaceum we show that gene activity of innate immunity in three-spined sticklebacks depended on the identity of an infecting macroparasite genotype. In addition to a suite of genes indicative for a general response against the trematode we also find parasite-strain specific gene expression, in particular in the complement system genes, despite similar infection rates of single clone treatments. The observed discrepancy between infection rates and gene expression indicates the presence of alternative pathways which execute similar functions. This suggests that the innate immune system can induce redundant responses specific to parasite genotypes.

  14. Common genotypes of hepatitis B virus

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Idrees, M.; Khan, S.; Riazuddin, S.

    2004-01-01

    Objective: To find out the frequency of common genotypes of hepatitis-B virus (HBV). Subjects and Methods: HBV genotypes were determined in 112 HBV DNA positive sera by a simple and precise molecular genotyping system base on PCR using type-specific primers for the determination of genotypes of HBV A through H. Results: Four genotypes (A,B,C and D) out of total eight reported genotypes so far were identified. Genotypes A, B and C were predominant. HBV genotype C was the most predominant in this collection, appearing in 46 samples (41.7%). However, the genotypes of a total of 5 (4.46%) samples could not be determined with the present genotyping system. Mixed genotypes were seen in 8(7.14% HBV) isolates. Five of these were infected with genotypes A/D whereas two were with genotypes C/D. One patient was infected with 4 genotypes (A/B/C/D). Genotype A (68%) was predominant in Sindh genotype C was most predominant in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) (68.96) whereas genotype C and B were dominant in Punjab (39.65% and 25.86% respectively). Conclusion: All the four common genotypes of HBV found worldwide (A,B,C and D) were isolated. Genotype C is the predominant Genotypes B and C are predominant in Punjab and N.W.F.P. whereas genotype A is predominant in Sindh. (author)

  15. Radiation-associated breast tumors display a distinct gene expression profile

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Broeks, Annegien; Braaf, Linde M; Wessels, Lodewyk F A

    2010-01-01

    PURPOSE: Women who received irradiation for Hodgkin's lymphoma have a strong increased risk for developing breast cancer. Approximately 90% of the breast cancers in these patients can be attributed to their radiation treatment, rendering such series extremely useful to determine whether a common...... radiation-associated cause underlies the carcinogenic process. METHODS AND MATERIALS: In this study we used gene expression profiling technology to assess gene expression changes in radiation-associated breast tumors compared with a set of control breast tumors of women unexposed to radiation, diagnosed...... at the same age. RNA was obtained from fresh frozen tissue samples from 22 patients who developed breast cancer after Hodgkin's lymphoma (BfHL) and from 20 control breast tumors. RESULTS: Unsupervised hierarchical clustering of the profile data resulted in a clustering of the radiation-associated tumors...

  16. Unit and internal chain profiles of maca amylopectin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Ling; Li, Guantian; Yao, Weirong; Zhu, Fan

    2018-03-01

    Unit chain length distributions of amylopectin and its φ, β-limit dextrins, which reflect amylopectin internal structure from three maca starches, were determined by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with pulsed amperometric detection after debranching, and the samples were compared with maize starch. The amylopectins exhibited average chain lengths ranging from 16.72 to 17.16, with ranges of total internal chain length, external chain length, and internal chain length of the maca amylopectins at 12.49 to 13.68, 11.24 to 11.89, and 4.27 to 4.48. The average chain length, external chain length, internal chain length, and total internal chain length were comparable in three maca amylopectins. Amylopectins of the three maca genotypes studied here presented no significant differences in their unit chain length profiles, but did show significant differences in their internal chain profiles. Additional genetic variations between different maca genotypes need to be studied to provide unit- and internal chain profiles of maca amylopectin. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Quantitative sensory testing somatosensory profiles in patients with cervical radiculopathy are distinct from those in patients with nonspecific neck-arm pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tampin, Brigitte; Slater, Helen; Hall, Toby; Lee, Gabriel; Briffa, Noelle Kathryn

    2012-12-01

    The aim of this study was to establish the somatosensory profiles of patients with cervical radiculopathy and patients with nonspecific neck-arm pain associated with heightened nerve mechanosensitivity (NSNAP). Sensory profiles were compared to healthy control (HC) subjects and a positive control group comprising patients with fibromyalgia (FM). Quantitative sensory testing (QST) of thermal and mechanical detection and pain thresholds, pain sensitivity and responsiveness to repetitive noxious mechanical stimulation was performed in the maximal pain area, the corresponding dermatome and foot of 23 patients with painful C6 or C7 cervical radiculopathy, 8 patients with NSNAP in a C6/7 dermatomal pain distribution, 31 HC and 22 patients with FM. For both neck-arm pain groups, all QST parameters were within the 95% confidence interval of HC data. Patients with cervical radiculopathy were characterised by localised loss of function (thermal, mechanical, vibration detection Ppain area and dermatome (thermal detection, vibration detection, pressure pain sensitivity Ppain groups demonstrated increased cold sensitivity in their maximal pain area (Ppain groups differed from patients with FM, the latter characterised by a widespread gain of function in most nociceptive parameters (thermal, pressure, mechanical pain sensitivity Ppain characteristics between the 2 neck-arm pain groups, distinct sensory profiles were demonstrated for each group. Copyright © 2012 International Association for the Study of Pain. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  18. Metabolic Profiling of IDH Mutation and Malignant Progression in Infiltrating Glioma

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jalbert, Llewellyn E.; Elkhaled, Adam; Phillips, Joanna J.; Neill, Evan; Williams, Aurelia; Crane, Jason C.; Olson, Marram P.; Molinaro, Annette M.; Berger, Mitchel S.; Kurhanewicz, John; Ronen, Sabrina M.; Chang, Susan M.; Nelson, Sarah J.

    2017-03-01

    Infiltrating low grade gliomas (LGGs) are heterogeneous in their behavior and the strategies used for clinical management are highly variable. A key factor in clinical decision-making is that patients with mutations in the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1/2) oncogenes are more likely to have a favorable outcome and be sensitive to treatment. Because of their relatively long overall median survival, more aggressive treatments are typically reserved for patients that have undergone malignant progression (MP) to an anaplastic glioma or secondary glioblastoma (GBM). In the current study, ex vivo metabolic profiles of image-guided tissue samples obtained from patients with newly diagnosed and recurrent LGG were investigated using proton high-resolution magic angle spinning spectroscopy (1H HR-MAS). Distinct spectral profiles were observed for lesions with IDH-mutated genotypes, between astrocytoma and oligodendroglioma histologies, as well as for tumors that had undergone MP. Levels of 2-hydroxyglutarate (2HG) were correlated with increased mitotic activity, axonal disruption, vascular neoplasia, and with several brain metabolites including the choline species, glutamate, glutathione, and GABA. The information obtained in this study may be used to develop strategies for in vivo characterization of infiltrative glioma, in order to improve disease stratification and to assist in monitoring response to therapy.

  19. Impact of inter-genotypic recombination and probe cross-reactivity on the performance of the Abbott RealTime HCV Genotype II assay for hepatitis C genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sridhar, Siddharth; Yip, Cyril C Y; Chan, Jasper F W; To, Kelvin K W; Cheng, Vincent C C; Yuen, Kwok-Yung

    2018-05-01

    The Abbott RealTime HCV Genotype II assay (Abbott-RT-HCV assay) is a real-time PCR based genotyping method for hepatitis C virus (HCV). This study measured the impact of inter-genotypic recombination and probe cross-reactivity on the performance of the Abbott-RT-HCV assay. 517 samples were genotyped using the Abbott-RT-HCV assay over a one-year period, 34 (6.6%) were identified as HCV genotype 1 without further subtype designation raising the possibility of inaccurate genotyping. These samples were subjected to confirmatory sequencing. 27 of these 34 (79%) samples were genotype 1b while five (15%) were genotype 6. One HCV isolate was an inter-genotypic 1a/4o recombinant. This is a novel natural HCV recombinant that has never been reported. Inter-genotypic recombination and probe cross-reactivity can affect the accuracy of the Abbott-RT-HCV assay, both of which have significant implications on antiviral regimen choice. Confirmatory sequencing of ambiguous results is crucial for accurate genotyping. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  20. Combining quantitative trait loci analysis with physiological models to predict genotype-specific transpiration rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reuning, Gretchen A; Bauerle, William L; Mullen, Jack L; McKay, John K

    2015-04-01

    Transpiration is controlled by evaporative demand and stomatal conductance (gs ), and there can be substantial genetic variation in gs . A key parameter in empirical models of transpiration is minimum stomatal conductance (g0 ), a trait that can be measured and has a large effect on gs and transpiration. In Arabidopsis thaliana, g0 exhibits both environmental and genetic variation, and quantitative trait loci (QTL) have been mapped. We used this information to create a genetically parameterized empirical model to predict transpiration of genotypes. For the parental lines, this worked well. However, in a recombinant inbred population, the predictions proved less accurate. When based only upon their genotype at a single g0 QTL, genotypes were less distinct than our model predicted. Follow-up experiments indicated that both genotype by environment interaction and a polygenic inheritance complicate the application of genetic effects into physiological models. The use of ecophysiological or 'crop' models for predicting transpiration of novel genetic lines will benefit from incorporating further knowledge of the genetic control and degree of independence of core traits/parameters underlying gs variation. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  1. Evaluation of the Abbott Real Time HCV genotype II assay for Hepatitis C virus genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sariguzel, Fatma Mutlu; Berk, Elife; Gokahmetoglu, Selma; Ercal, Baris Derya; Celik, Ilhami

    2015-01-01

    The determination of HCV genotypes and subtypes is very important for the selection of antiviral therapy and epidemiological studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II assay in HCV genotyping of HCV infected patients in Kayseri, Turkey. One hundred patients with chronic hepatitis C admitted to our hospital were evaluated between June 2012 and December 2012, HCV RNA levels were determined by the COBAS® AmpliPrep/COBAS® TaqMan® 48 HCV test. HCV genotyping was investigated by the Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II assay. With the exception of genotype 1, subtypes of HCV genotypes could not be determined by Abbott assay. Sequencing analysis was used as the reference method. Genotypes 1, 2, 3 and 4 were observed in 70, 4, 2 and 24 of the 100 patients, respectively, by two methods. The concordance between the two systems to determine HCV major genotypes was 100%. Of 70 patients with genotype 1, 66 showed infection with subtype 1b and 4 with subtype 1a by Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II assay. Using sequence analysis, 61 showed infection with subtype 1b and 9 with subtype 1a. In determining of HCV genotype 1 subtypes, the difference between the two methods was not statistically significant (P>0.05). HCV genotype 4 and 3 samples were found to be subtype 4d and 3a, respectively, by sequence analysis. There were four patients with genotype 2. Sequence analysis revealed that two of these patients had type 2a and the other two had type 2b. The Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II assay yielded results consistent with sequence analysis. However, further optimization of the Abbott Real Time HCV Genotype II assay for subtype identification of HCV is required.

  2. Distinct genetic architectures for phenotype means and plasticities in Zea mays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kusmec, Aaron; Srinivasan, Srikant; Nettleton, Dan; Schnable, Patrick S

    2017-09-01

    Phenotypic plasticity describes the phenotypic variation of a trait when a genotype is exposed to different environments. Understanding the genetic control of phenotypic plasticity in crops such as maize is of paramount importance for maintaining and increasing yields in a world experiencing climate change. Here, we report the results of genome-wide association analyses of multiple phenotypes and two measures of phenotypic plasticity in a maize nested association mapping (US-NAM) population grown in multiple environments and genotyped with ~2.5 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms. We show that across all traits the candidate genes for mean phenotype values and plasticity measures form structurally and functionally distinct groups. Such independent genetic control suggests that breeders will be able to select semi-independently for mean phenotype values and plasticity, thereby generating varieties with both high mean phenotype values and levels of plasticity that are appropriate for the target performance environments.

  3. Genomic profiling of rice sperm cell transcripts reveals conserved and distinct elements in the flowering plant male germ lineage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Russell, Scott D; Gou, Xiaoping; Wong, Chui E; Wang, Xinkun; Yuan, Tong; Wei, Xiaoping; Bhalla, Prem L; Singh, Mohan B

    2012-08-01

    Genomic assay of sperm cell RNA provides insight into functional control, modes of regulation, and contributions of male gametes to double fertilization. Sperm cells of rice (Oryza sativa) were isolated from field-grown, disease-free plants and RNA was processed for use with the full-genome Affymetrix microarray. Comparison with Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) reference arrays confirmed expressionally distinct gene profiles. A total of 10,732 distinct gene sequences were detected in sperm cells, of which 1668 were not expressed in pollen or seedlings. Pathways enriched in male germ cells included ubiquitin-mediated pathways, pathways involved in chromatin modeling including histones, histone modification and nonhistone epigenetic modification, and pathways related to RNAi and gene silencing. Genome-wide expression patterns in angiosperm sperm cells indicate common and divergent themes in the male germline that appear to be largely self-regulating through highly up-regulated chromatin modification pathways. A core of highly conserved genes appear common to all sperm cells, but evidence is still emerging that another class of genes have diverged in expression between monocots and dicots since their divergence. Sperm cell transcripts present at fusion may be transmitted through plasmogamy during double fertilization to effect immediate post-fertilization expression of early embryo and (or) endosperm development. © 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust.

  4. Comparative transcriptome profiling of potassium starvation responsiveness in two contrasting watermelon genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fan, Molin; Huang, Yuan; Zhong, Yaqin; Kong, Qiusheng; Xie, Junjun; Niu, Mengliang; Xu, Yong; Bie, Zhilong

    2014-02-01

    Potassium (K) is one of the essential nutrients for crops, and K⁺ deficiency highly restricts crop yield and quality. Watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] is an economically important crop that often suffers from K⁺ deficiency. To elucidate the underlying tolerance mechanism of watermelon to K⁺ deficiency and to improve K efficiency of watermelon and other crops in the future, two watermelon genotypes, namely, YS and 8424, that exhibit contrasting K efficiencies were studied to compare their response mechanisms to K⁺ deficiency. YS was more tolerant of K⁺ deficiency and displayed less inhibited root growth than 8424. Roots of YS and 8424 seedlings with or without K⁺ supply were harvested at 6 and 120 h after treatment (HAT), and their transcriptomes were analyzed by Illumina RNA sequencing. Different regulation mechanisms of the root K⁺-uptake genes for short- and long-term stress were observed. Genes involved in jasmonic acid and reactive oxygen species production; Ca²⁺ and receptor-like kinase signaling; lignin biosynthesis; and other stress-related genes were repressed in YS, whereas a large number of such stress-related genes were induced in 8424 at 120 HAT. These results suggested that repressed defense and stress response can save energy for better root growth in YS, which can facilitate K⁺ uptake and increase K efficiency and tolerance to K⁺ deficiency. This study presents the first global root transcriptome in watermelon and provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying tolerance to K⁺ deficiency of K-efficient watermelon genotypes.

  5. Distinctive serum miRNA profile in mouse models of striated muscular pathologies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nicolas Vignier

    Full Text Available Biomarkers are critically important for disease diagnosis and monitoring. In particular, close monitoring of disease evolution is eminently required for the evaluation of therapeutic treatments. Classical monitoring methods in muscular dystrophies are largely based on histological and molecular analyses of muscle biopsies. Such biopsies are invasive and therefore difficult to obtain. The serum protein creatine kinase is a useful biomarker, which is however not specific for a given pathology and correlates poorly with the severity or course of the muscular pathology. The aim of the present study was the systematic evaluation of serum microRNAs (miRNAs as biomarkers in striated muscle pathologies. Mouse models for five striated muscle pathologies were investigated: Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2D (LGMD2D, limb-girdle muscular dystrophy type 2C (LGMD2C, Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM. Two-step RT-qPCR methodology was elaborated, using two different RT-qPCR miRNA quantification technologies. We identified miRNA modulation in the serum of all the five mouse models. The most highly dysregulated serum miRNAs were found to be commonly upregulated in DMD, LGMD2D and LGMD2C mouse models, which all exhibit massive destruction of striated muscle tissues. Some of these miRNAs were down rather than upregulated in the EDMD mice, a model without massive myofiber destruction. The dysregulated miRNAs identified in the HCM model were different, with the exception of one dysregulated miRNA common to all pathologies. Importantly, a specific and distinctive circulating miRNA profile was identified for each studied pathological mouse model. The differential expression of a few dysregulated miRNAs in the DMD mice was further evaluated in DMD patients, providing new candidates of circulating miRNA biomarkers for DMD.

  6. Context matters — the complex interplay between resistome genotypes and resistance phenotypes

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Dantas, Gautam; Sommer, Morten

    2012-01-01

    Application of metagenomic functional selections to study antibiotic resistance genes is revealing a highly diverse and complex network of genetic exchange between bacterial pathogens and environmental reservoirs, which likely contributes significantly to increasing resistance levels in pathogens...... the resistome genotype, and we highlight examples of genes and their hosts where this distinction becomes important in order to understand the relevance of environmental niches that contribute most to clinical problems associated with antibiotic resistance....

  7. Evolution of Dengue Virus Type 3 Genotype III in Venezuela: Diversification, Rates and Population Dynamics

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    Background Dengue virus (DENV) is a member of the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae. DENV are comprised of four distinct serotypes (DENV-1 through DENV-4) and each serotype can be divided in different genotypes. Currently, there is a dramatic emergence of DENV-3 genotype III in Latin America. Nevertheless, we still have an incomplete understanding of the evolutionary forces underlying the evolution of this genotype in this region of the world. In order to gain insight into the degree of genetic variability, rates and patterns of evolution of this genotype in Venezuela and the South American region, phylogenetic analysis, based on a large number (n = 119) of envelope gene sequences from DENV-3 genotype III strains isolated in Venezuela from 2001 to 2008, were performed. Results Phylogenetic analysis revealed an in situ evolution of DENV-3 genotype III following its introduction in the Latin American region, where three different genetic clusters (A to C) can be observed among the DENV-3 genotype III strains circulating in this region. Bayesian coalescent inference analyses revealed an evolutionary rate of 8.48 × 10-4 substitutions/site/year (s/s/y) for strains of cluster A, composed entirely of strains isolated in Venezuela. Amino acid substitution at position 329 of domain III of the E protein (A→V) was found in almost all E proteins from Cluster A strains. Conclusions A significant evolutionary change between DENV-3 genotype III strains that circulated in the initial years of the introduction in the continent and strains isolated in the Latin American region in recent years was observed. The presence of DENV-3 genotype III strains belonging to different clusters was observed in Venezuela, revealing several introduction events into this country. The evolutionary rate found for Cluster A strains circulating in Venezuela is similar to the others previously established for this genotype in other regions of the world. This suggests a lack of correlation

  8. Evolution of Dengue Virus Type 3 Genotype III in Venezuela: Diversification, Rates and Population Dynamics

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moratorio Gonzalo

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Dengue virus (DENV is a member of the genus Flavivirus of the family Flaviviridae. DENV are comprised of four distinct serotypes (DENV-1 through DENV-4 and each serotype can be divided in different genotypes. Currently, there is a dramatic emergence of DENV-3 genotype III in Latin America. Nevertheless, we still have an incomplete understanding of the evolutionary forces underlying the evolution of this genotype in this region of the world. In order to gain insight into the degree of genetic variability, rates and patterns of evolution of this genotype in Venezuela and the South American region, phylogenetic analysis, based on a large number (n = 119 of envelope gene sequences from DENV-3 genotype III strains isolated in Venezuela from 2001 to 2008, were performed. Results Phylogenetic analysis revealed an in situ evolution of DENV-3 genotype III following its introduction in the Latin American region, where three different genetic clusters (A to C can be observed among the DENV-3 genotype III strains circulating in this region. Bayesian coalescent inference analyses revealed an evolutionary rate of 8.48 × 10-4 substitutions/site/year (s/s/y for strains of cluster A, composed entirely of strains isolated in Venezuela. Amino acid substitution at position 329 of domain III of the E protein (A→V was found in almost all E proteins from Cluster A strains. Conclusions A significant evolutionary change between DENV-3 genotype III strains that circulated in the initial years of the introduction in the continent and strains isolated in the Latin American region in recent years was observed. The presence of DENV-3 genotype III strains belonging to different clusters was observed in Venezuela, revealing several introduction events into this country. The evolutionary rate found for Cluster A strains circulating in Venezuela is similar to the others previously established for this genotype in other regions of the world. This suggests a

  9. Distinct roles of jasmonates and aldehydes in plant-defense responses.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E Wassim Chehab

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Many inducible plant-defense responses are activated by jasmonates (JAs, C(6-aldehydes, and their corresponding derivatives, produced by the two main competing branches of the oxylipin pathway, the allene oxide synthase (AOS and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL branches, respectively. In addition to competition for substrates, these branch-pathway-derived metabolites have substantial overlap in regulation of gene expression. Past experiments to define the role of C(6-aldehydes in plant defense responses were biased towards the exogenous application of the synthetic metabolites or the use of genetic manipulation of HPL expression levels in plant genotypes with intact ability to produce the competing AOS-derived metabolites. To uncouple the roles of the C(6-aldehydes and jasmonates in mediating direct and indirect plant-defense responses, we generated Arabidopsis genotypes lacking either one or both of these metabolites. These genotypes were subsequently challenged with a phloem-feeding insect (aphids: Myzus persicae, an insect herbivore (leafminers: Liriomyza trifolii, and two different necrotrophic fungal pathogens (Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola. We also characterized the volatiles emitted by these plants upon aphid infestation or mechanical wounding and identified hexenyl acetate as the predominant compound in these volatile blends. Subsequently, we examined the signaling role of this compound in attracting the parasitoid wasp (Aphidius colemani, a natural enemy of aphids. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This study conclusively establishes that jasmonates and C(6-aldehydes play distinct roles in plant defense responses. The jasmonates are indispensable metabolites in mediating the activation of direct plant-defense responses, whereas the C(6-aldehyes are not. On the other hand, hexenyl acetate, an acetylated C(6-aldehyde, is the predominant wound-inducible volatile signal that mediates indirect defense responses by directing tritrophic

  10. Molecular epidemiology, genotype-phenotype correlation and BH4 responsiveness in Spanish patients with phenylketonuria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aldámiz-Echevarría, Luis; Llarena, Marta; Bueno, María A; Dalmau, Jaime; Vitoria, Isidro; Fernández-Marmiesse, Ana; Andrade, Fernando; Blasco, Javier; Alcalde, Carlos; Gil, David; García, María C; González-Lamuño, Domingo; Ruiz, Mónica; Ruiz, María A; Peña-Quintana, Luis; González, David; Sánchez-Valverde, Felix; Desviat, Lourdes R; Pérez, Belen; Couce, María L

    2016-08-01

    Phenylketonuria (PKU), the most common inborn error of amino acid metabolism, is caused by mutations in the phenylalanine-4-hydroxylase (PAH) gene. This study aimed to assess the genotype-phenotype correlation in the PKU Spanish population and the usefulness in establishing genotype-based predictions of BH4 responsiveness in our population. It involved the molecular characterization of 411 Spanish PKU patients: mild hyperphenylalaninemia non-treated (mild HPA-NT) (34%), mild HPA (8.8%), mild-moderate (20.7%) and classic (36.5%) PKU. BH4 responsiveness was evaluated using a 6R-BH4 loading test. We assessed genotype-phenotype associations and genotype-BH4 responsiveness in our population according to literature and classification of the mutations. The mutational spectrum analysis showed 116 distinct mutations, most missense (70.7%) and located in the catalytic domain (62.9%). The most prevalent mutations were c.1066-11G>A (9.7%), p.Val388Met (6.6%) and p.Arg261Gln (6.3%). Three novel mutations (c.61-13del9, p.Ile283Val and p.Gly148Val) were reported. Although good genotype-phenotype correlation was observed, there was no exact correlation for some genotypes. Among the patients monitored for the 6R-BH4 loading test: 102 were responders (87, carried either one or two BH4-responsive alleles) and 194 non-responders (50, had two non-responsive mutations). More discrepancies were observed in non-responders. Our data reveal a great genetic heterogeneity in our population. Genotype is quite a good predictor of phenotype and BH4 responsiveness, which is relevant for patient management, treatment and follow-up.

  11. Hemostatic profile changes in patients with traumatic brain injury with regard to the genotypes of -675 4G/5G polymorphism of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    O. O. Potapov

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Traumatic brain injury (TBI is a significant problem in modern clinical medicine that has both medical and social importance. Analysis of hemostatic changes is a very important aspect of clinical course of TBI and should be paid special attention on it. This analysis is necessary to make prognosis for the treatment outcomes taking into account associations with genetic factors. The aim of research was to analyze hemostatic profile changes in patients with TBI with regard to the genotype of -675 4G/5G polymorphism of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 gene (РАІ-1. Methods and materials. The research was based on the investigation results of 200 patients with isolated TBI, who were undergoing in-patient treatment at the neurosurgery department at Sumy Regional Clinical Hospital in 2011–2013, and 95 apparently healthy individuals of the control group. The following change cycling was confirmed during the study: a tendency to hypercoagulability on the 1st day transforming into a state of being incapable of coagulation on the 3rd day. On the 7 day hypercoagulability signs dominated and by the 14 day the laboratory findings had gradually become normal. Conclusions. According to the analysis of routine hemostatic profile parameters (activated partial thromboplastin time, prothrombin index, platelet count, plasma tolerance to heparin, activated recalcification time, euglobulin clot lysis assay, plasma fibrinogen level we concluded that there is no association between the studied parameters and the genotypes of the -675 4G/5G polymorphism in the PAI-1 gene in patients with TBI and controls. Our study confirms the necessity of further monitoring of fibrinolytic system, since routine laboratory tests of haemostasis are not always informative as for the fibrinolytic disorders in patients with TBI.

  12. ASD and schizophrenia show distinct developmental profiles in common genetic overlap with population-based social communication difficulties.

    Science.gov (United States)

    St Pourcain, B; Robinson, E B; Anttila, V; Sullivan, B B; Maller, J; Golding, J; Skuse, D; Ring, S; Evans, D M; Zammit, S; Fisher, S E; Neale, B M; Anney, R J L; Ripke, S; Hollegaard, M V; Werge, T; Ronald, A; Grove, J; Hougaard, D M; Børglum, A D; Mortensen, P B; Daly, M J; Davey Smith, G

    2018-02-01

    Difficulties in social communication are part of the phenotypic overlap between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and schizophrenia. Both conditions follow, however, distinct developmental patterns. Symptoms of ASD typically occur during early childhood, whereas most symptoms characteristic of schizophrenia do not appear before early adulthood. We investigated whether overlap in common genetic influences between these clinical conditions and impairments in social communication depends on the developmental stage of the assessed trait. Social communication difficulties were measured in typically-developing youth (Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, N⩽5553, longitudinal assessments at 8, 11, 14 and 17 years) using the Social Communication Disorder Checklist. Data on clinical ASD (PGC-ASD: 5305 cases, 5305 pseudo-controls; iPSYCH-ASD: 7783 cases, 11 359 controls) and schizophrenia (PGC-SCZ2: 34 241 cases, 45 604 controls, 1235 trios) were either obtained through the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium (PGC) or the Danish iPSYCH project. Overlap in genetic influences between ASD and social communication difficulties during development decreased with age, both in the PGC-ASD and the iPSYCH-ASD sample. Genetic overlap between schizophrenia and social communication difficulties, by contrast, persisted across age, as observed within two independent PGC-SCZ2 subsamples, and showed an increase in magnitude for traits assessed during later adolescence. ASD- and schizophrenia-related polygenic effects were unrelated to each other and changes in trait-disorder links reflect the heterogeneity of genetic factors influencing social communication difficulties during childhood versus later adolescence. Thus, both clinical ASD and schizophrenia share some genetic influences with impairments in social communication, but reveal distinct developmental profiles in their genetic links, consistent with the onset of clinical symptoms.

  13. BDNF rs6265 methylation and genotype interact on risk for schizophrenia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ursini, Gianluca; Cavalleri, Tommaso; Fazio, Leonardo; Angrisano, Tiziana; Iacovelli, Luisa; Porcelli, Annamaria; Maddalena, Giancarlo; Punzi, Giovanna; Mancini, Marina; Gelao, Barbara; Romano, Raffaella; Masellis, Rita; Calabrese, Francesca; Rampino, Antonio; Taurisano, Paolo; Di Giorgio, Annabella; Keller, Simona; Tarantini, Letizia; Sinibaldi, Lorenzo; Quarto, Tiziana; Popolizio, Teresa; Caforio, Grazia; Blasi, Giuseppe; Riva, Marco A; De Blasi, Antonio; Chiariotti, Lorenzo; Bollati, Valentina; Bertolino, Alessandro

    2016-01-01

    Epigenetic mechanisms can mediate gene-environment interactions relevant for complex disorders. The BDNF gene is crucial for development and brain plasticity, is sensitive to environmental stressors, such as hypoxia, and harbors the functional SNP rs6265 (Val(66)Met), which creates or abolishes a CpG dinucleotide for DNA methylation. We found that methylation at the BDNF rs6265 Val allele in peripheral blood of healthy subjects is associated with hypoxia-related early life events (hOCs) and intermediate phenotypes for schizophrenia in a distinctive manner, depending on rs6265 genotype: in ValVal individuals increased methylation is associated with exposure to hOCs and impaired working memory (WM) accuracy, while the opposite is true for ValMet subjects. Also, rs6265 methylation and hOCs interact in modulating WM-related prefrontal activity, another intermediate phenotype for schizophrenia, with an analogous opposite direction in the 2 genotypes. Consistently, rs6265 methylation has a different association with schizophrenia risk in ValVals and ValMets. The relationships of methylation with BDNF levels and of genotype with BHLHB2 binding likely contribute to these opposite effects of methylation. We conclude that BDNF rs6265 methylation interacts with genotype to bridge early environmental exposures to adult phenotypes, relevant for schizophrenia. The study of epigenetic changes in regions containing genetic variation relevant for human diseases may have beneficial implications for the understanding of how genes are actually translated into phenotypes.

  14. Effects of MAOA-genotype, alcohol consumption, and aging on violent behavior.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tikkanen, Roope; Sjöberg, Rickard L; Ducci, Francesca; Goldman, David; Holi, Matti; Tiihonen, Jari; Virkkunen, Matti

    2009-03-01

    Environmental factors appear to interact with a functional polymorphism (MAOA-LPR) in the promoter region of the monoamine oxidase A gene (MAOA) in determining some forms of antisocial behavior. However, how MAOA-LPR modulates the effects of other factors such as alcohol consumption related to antisocial behavior is not completely understood. This study examines the conjunct effect of MAOA-LPR, alcohol consumption, and aging on the risk for violent behavior. Recidivism in severe impulsive violent behavior was assessed after 7 to 15 years in a sample of 174 Finnish alcoholic offenders, the majority of whom exhibited antisocial or borderline personality disorder or both, and featured impulsive temperament traits. The risk for committing new acts of violence increased by 2.3% for each kilogram of increase in yearly mean alcohol consumption (p = 0.004) and decreased by 7.3% for every year among offenders carrying the high activity MAOA genotype. In contrast, alcohol consumption and aging failed to affect violent behavior in the low activity MAOA genotyped offenders. MAOA-LPR showed no main effect on the risk for recidivistic violence. Violent offenders carrying the high activity MAOA genotype differ in several ways from carriers with the low activity MAOA risk allele previously associated with antisocial behavior. Finnish high activity MAOA genotyped risk alcoholics exhibiting antisocial behavior, high alcohol consumption, and abnormal alcohol-related impulsive and uncontrolled violence might represent an etiologically distinct alcohol dependence subtype.

  15. Genotype 3 is the predominant hepatitis C genotype in a multi-ethnic Asian population in Malaysia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ho, Shiaw-Hooi; Ng, Kee-Peng; Kaur, Harvinder; Goh, Khean-Lee

    2015-06-01

    Genotypes of hepatitis C virus (HCV) are distributed differently across the world. There is a paucity of such data in a multi-ethnic Asian population like Malaysia. The objectives of this study were to determine the distribution of HCV genotypes between major ethnic groups and to ascertain their association with basic demographic variables like age and gender. This was a cross-sectional prospective study conducted from September 2007 to September 2013. Consecutive patients who were detected to have anti-HCV antibodies in the University of Malaya Medical Centre were included and tested for the presence of HCV RNA using Roche Cobas Amplicor Analyzer and HCV genotype using Roche single Linear Array HCV Genotyping strip. Five hundred and ninety-six subjects were found to have positive anti-HCV antibodies during this period of time. However, only 396 (66.4%) were HCV RNA positive and included in the final analysis. Our results showed that HCV genotype 3 was the predominant genotype with overall frequency of 61.9% followed by genotypes 1 (35.9%), 2 (1.8%) and 6 (0.5%). There was a slightly higher prevalence of HCV genotype 3 among the Malays when compared to the Chinese (P=0.043). No other statistical significant differences were observed in the distribution of HCV genotypes among the major ethnic groups. There was also no association between the predominant genotypes and basic demographic variables. In a multi-ethnic Asian society in Malaysia, genotype 3 is the predominant genotype among all the major ethnic groups with genotype 1 as the second commonest genotype. Both genotypes 2 and 6 are uncommon. Neither genotype 4 nor 5 was detected. There is no identification of HCV genotype according to ethnic origin, age and gender.

  16. PRDM16 Gene Polymorphism Is Associated with Obesity and Blood Lipids Profiles in Saudi Population

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    Aishah AlAmrani

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Aims: The PR domain containing 16 (PRDM16 gene and the Phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4 gene are both an essential regulators in the thermogenesis process in the brown adipose tissues (BAT. The influence of polymorphisms in those genes on obesity and blood lipids profile is unknown particularly in the Saudi population, so the current study is aiming to explore that. Methods: A case control format was used that involved 89 obese individual and 84 non-obese (control. The PRDM16 (rs2651899 and PDE4D (rs295978 polymorphisms were genotyped using KASP™ (Competitive Allele-Specific PCR method. Results: The distributions of the AA, GG, and AG genotypes of PRDM16 (rs2651899 polymorphism were 0.19, 0.26 and 0.54, respectively. While the distribution of the mutated allele A was 0.7 in the obese group comparing to 0.34 in the non-obese group. Participants with the mutated genotypes, AA and AG, of PRDM16 (rs2651899 polymorphism were significantly more likely to be obese as compared to participants with wild type genotype (OR = 21, 95% CI = 5.4190 to 84.4231, p value < 0.0001 and OR = 44.6, 95% CI = 11.5984 to 172.0157, p value < 0.0001, respectively. The wild type GG genotype of this polymorphism was associated with higher blood cholesterol, HDL and LDL but lower blood triglyceride compared with the mutated genotypes (p = 0.003, p = 0.008, p = 0.02 and p = 0.003, respectively. In contrast, PDE4D (rs295978 polymorphism was not associated with risk of obesity and had no effects on blood lipids profile. Conclusions: We found that the PRDM16 polymorphism (rs2651899 is a risk factor for obesity and influence blood lipids profiles significantly in Saudi population. While the PDE4D (rs295978 polymorphism didn’t show significant effect on risk of obesity or blood lipids profiles.

  17. Serum Proteome Changes in Healthy Subjects with Different Genotypes of NOS1AP in the Chinese Population

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    Feng Jiang

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Type 2 diabetes and its chronic complications have become a worldwide epidemic nowadays. However, its molecular mechanism is still unknown. We have previously identified a novel variant rs12742393 of NOS1AP for type 2 diabetes susceptibility in the Chinese population. In this study, we analyzed the total serum profiling among three genotypes of rs12742393 to discover potential crosstalk under the variant and the disease through proteomic analyses for the first time. We used OFFGEL peptide fractionation, LC-MS/MS analysis, and label-free quantification to profile the fasting human serum samples of the genotypes in rs12742393 (n=4, for CC, AC, and AA, resp.. Four proteins were identified, including apoA4, alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10, with blood levels changed significantly between CC and AA homozygotes of rs12742393. Compared with AA group, the levels of apoA4 increased (P=0.000265, whereas the concentration of alpha1-ACT, HABP2, and keratin 10 decreased in CC group (P=0.011116, 0.021175, and 0.015661, resp.. Then we selected additional fasting serum samples for ELISA and western blot validation. However, no significant differences were identified by neither ELISA nor western blot (P>0.05. The protein profiling changes between the genotypes of rs12742393 indicated that this SNP might play a role in the development of type 2 diabetes.

  18. Evidence for Gender-Dependent Genotype by Environment Interaction in Adult Depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molenaar, Dylan; Middeldorp, Christel M; Willemsen, Gonneke; Ligthart, Lannie; Nivard, Michel G; Boomsma, Dorret I

    2015-10-14

    Depression in adults is heritable with about 40 % of the phenotypic variance due to additive genetic effects and the remaining phenotypic variance due to unique (unshared) environmental effects. Common environmental effects shared by family members are rarely found in adults. One possible explanation for this finding is that there is an interaction between genes and the environment which may mask effects of the common environment. To test this hypothesis, we investigated genotype by environment interaction in a large sample of female and male adult twins aged 18-70 years. The anxious depression subscale of the Adult Self Report from the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessment (Achenbach and Rescorla in Manual for the ASEBA adult: forms and profiles, 2003) was completed by 13,022 twins who participate in longitudinal studies of the Netherlands Twin Register. In a single group analysis, we found genotype by unique environment interaction, but no genotype by common environment interaction. However, when conditioning on gender, we observed genotype by common environment interaction in men, with larger common environmental variance in men who are genetically less at risk to develop depression. Although the effect size of the interaction is characterized by large uncertainty, the results show that there is at least some variance due to the common environment in adult depression in men.

  19. Meat quality and fatty acid profile of Brazilian goats subjected to different nutritional treatments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lopes, L S; Martins, S R; Chizzotti, M L; Busato, K C; Oliveira, I M; Machado Neto, O R; Paulino, P V R; Lanna, D P D; Ladeira, M M

    2014-08-01

    This study evaluated the effect of feed restriction and goat genotype on meat quality. Three genotypes (Brazilian native breed Canindé; Brazilian native breed Moxotó; and F1 Boer crossbred animals obtained by crossing Boer bucks with local breed does) and three different feeding regimens (ad libitum fed, AL; restricted fed at 75% of the ad libitum, R.75; or restricted fed at 50% of the average ad libitum intake, R.50) were used. There was no difference (P>0.05) in chemical composition, total and soluble collagen, and shear force of the Longissimus lumborum muscle among genotypes. However, AL had greater amounts of soluble collagen and crude protein in the muscle (P0.05) was observed for the myofibrillar fragmentation index. The goat genotype presented few differences in their fatty acid profiles. However, goats fed ad libitum had a more favorable fatty acid profile for human health with greater concentrations of oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acids, and conjugated linoleic acid. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  20. Trait specific expression profiling of salt stress responsive genes in diverse rice genotypes as determined by modified Significance Analysis of Microarrays

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    Mohammad Rashed Hossain

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available Stress responsive gene expression is commonly profiled in a comparative manner involving different stress conditions or genotypes with contrasting reputation of tolerance/resistance. In contrast, this research exploited a wide natural variation in terms of taxonomy, origin and salt sensitivity in eight genotypes of rice to identify the trait specific patterns of gene expression under salt stress. Genome wide transcptomic responses were interrogated by the weighted continuous morpho-physiological trait responses using modified Significance Analysis of Microarrays. More number of genes was found to be differentially expressed under salt stressed compared to that of under unstressed conditions. Higher numbers of genes were observed to be differentially expressed for the traits shoot Na+/K+, shoot Na+, root K+, biomass and shoot Cl-, respectively. The results identified around sixty genes to be involved in Na+, K+ and anion homeostasis, transport and transmembrane activity under stressed conditions. Gene Ontology (GO enrichment analysis identified 1.36% (578 genes of the entire transcriptome to be involved in the major molecular functions such as signal transduction (>150 genes, transcription factor (81 genes and translation factor activity (62 genes etc. under salt stress. Chromosomal mapping of the genes suggests that majority of the genes are located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 6 & 7. The gene network analysis showed that the transcription factors and translation initiation factors formed the major gene networks and are mostly active in nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria whereas the membrane and vesicle bound proteins formed a secondary network active in plasma membrane and vacuoles. The novel genes and the genes with unknown functions thus identified provide picture of a synergistic salinity response representing the potentially fundamental mechanisms that are active in the wide natural genetic background of rice and will be of greater use once

  1. Identification of a natural intergenotypic recombinant hepatitis delta virus genotype 1 and 2 in Vietnamese HBsAg-positive patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sy, B T; Nguyen, H M; Toan, N L; Song, L H; Tong, H V; Wolboldt, C; Binh, V Q; Kremsner, P G; Velavan, T P; Bock, C-T

    2015-01-01

    Hepatitis D virus (HDV) infection is acquired as a co- /superinfection of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and can modulate the pathophysiology of chronic hepatitis B and related liver diseases including hepatocellular carcinoma. Among the eight distinct HDV genotypes reported, relatively few studies have attempted to investigate the prevalence of HDV mixed genotypes and RNA recombination of HDV. With a recorded prevalence of 10-20% HBV infection in Vietnam, this study investigated the HDV variability, HDV genotypes and HDV recombination among twenty-one HDV isolates in Vietnamese HBsAg-positive patients. HDV subgenomic and full-length genome sequences were obtained using newly established HDV-specific RT-PCR techniques. The nucleotide homology was observed from 74.6% to 99.4% among the investigated full-length genome of the HDV isolates. We observed HDV genotype 1 and HDV genotype 2 in the investigated Vietnamese patients. Although no HDV genotype mixtures were observed, we report here a newly identified recombinant of HDV genotypes (HDV 1 and HDV 2). The identified recombinant HDV isolate C03 revealed sequence homology to both HDV genotype 1 (nt1 to nt907) and HDV genotype 2 (nt908 to nt1675; HDAg coding region) with a breakpoint at nt908. Our findings demonstrate the prevalence of intergenotypic recombination between HDV genotypes 1 and 2 in a Vietnamese HBsAg-positive patient. Extended investigation on the distribution and prevalence of HDV, HDV mixed genotypes and recombinant HDV genotypes in a larger Vietnamese population offers vital insights into understanding of the micro-epidemiology of HDV and subsequent pathophysiology in chronic HBV- /HDV-related liver diseases. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  2. Comparative study of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection due to genotypes 1 and 3 referred for treatment in southeast Brazil

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    Gonçales Fernando L

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The progression of liver disease in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is influenced by host and viral factors. Distinct clinical outcomes in patients infected with different HCV genotypes have been described in the literatute. However, the association between specific HCV genotype and clinical outcome remains unclear. We set out to study the natural history of HCV genotype 1 and 3 infections in Campinas, São Paulo state, Brazil, focusing on epidemiological, clinical, biochemical, and histological characteristics. Methods Patients with HCV infection referred for treatment between January 2003 and December 2006 were included in this study. We collected epidemiological, clinical, and laboratorial data using standard forms. Results A total of 283 patients were included; genotype 1 was idenfied in 163 (57.6% patients, genotype 3 in 112 (39.6%, genotype 2 in 7 (2.5%, and genotype 4 in 1 (0.35%. Patients with genotype 2 and 4 were excluded from analysis. Multivariate analysis showed that intravenous energetic drug, positive cryoglobulin, and cirrhosis were independently and significantly associated with HCV genotype 3 (p Conclusion Genotype 3 currently seems to be associated with intravenous energetic drug, high frequency of cryoglobulinemia, and advanced liver disease in our region. Understanding the distribution of the different HCV genotypes can elucidate transmission of HCV and support optimal prevention strategies.

  3. Comparative virulence genotyping and antimicrobial susceptibility profiling of environmental and clinical Salmonella enterica from Cochin, India

    Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

    Parvathi, A; Vijayan, J.; Murali, G.; Chandran, P.

    Salmonella enterica serotype Newport is an important cause of non-typhoidal salmonellosis, a clinically less severe infection than typhoid fever caused by S. enterica serotype Typhi. In this investigation, the virulence genotypes of S. enterica...

  4. RNA-Seq reveals genotype-specific molecular responses to water deficit in eucalyptus

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background In a context of climate change, phenotypic plasticity provides long-lived species, such as trees, with the means to adapt to environmental variations occurring within a single generation. In eucalyptus plantations, water availability is a key factor limiting productivity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the adaptation of eucalyptus to water shortage remain unclear. In this study, we compared the molecular responses of two commercial eucalyptus hybrids during the dry season. Both hybrids differ in productivity when grown under water deficit. Results Pyrosequencing of RNA extracted from shoot apices provided extensive transcriptome coverage - a catalog of 129,993 unigenes (49,748 contigs and 80,245 singletons) was generated from 398 million base pairs, or 1.14 million reads. The pyrosequencing data enriched considerably existing Eucalyptus EST collections, adding 36,985 unigenes not previously represented. Digital analysis of read abundance in 14,460 contigs identified 1,280 that were differentially expressed between the two genotypes, 155 contigs showing differential expression between treatments (irrigated vs. non irrigated conditions during the dry season), and 274 contigs with significant genotype-by-treatment interaction. The more productive genotype displayed a larger set of genes responding to water stress. Moreover, stress signal transduction seemed to involve different pathways in the two genotypes, suggesting that water shortage induces distinct cellular stress cascades. Similarly, the response of functional proteins also varied widely between genotypes: the most productive genotype decreased expression of genes related to photosystem, transport and secondary metabolism, whereas genes related to primary metabolism and cell organisation were over-expressed. Conclusions For the most productive genotype, the ability to express a broader set of genes in response to water availability appears to be a key characteristic in the maintenance

  5. A new HCV genotype 6 subtype designated 6v was confirmed with three complete genome sequences.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Yizhong; Xia, Xueshan; Li, Chunhua; Maneekarn, Niwat; Xia, Wenjie; Zhao, Wenhua; Feng, Yue; Kung, Hsiang Fu; Fu, Yongshui; Lu, Ling

    2009-03-01

    Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 is classified into 21 subtypes, 6a-6u, new variants continue to be identified. To characterize the full-length genomes of three novel HCV genotype 6 variants: KMN02, KM046 and KM181. From sera of patients with HCV infection, the entire HCV genome was amplified by RT-PCR followed by direct DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The sera contained HCV genomes of 9461, 9429, and 9461nt in length, and each harboured a single ORF of 9051nt. The genomes showed 95.3-98.1% nucleotide similarity to each other and 72.2-75.4% similarity to 23 genotype 6 reference sequences, which represent subtypes 6a-6u and unassigned variants km41 and gz52557. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that they were genotype 6, but were subtypically distinct. Based on the current criteria of HCV classification, they were designed to represent a new subtype, 6v. Analysis of E1 and NS5B region partial sequences revealed two additional related variants, CMBD-14 and CMBD-86 that had been previously reported in northern Thailand and sequences dropped into Genbank. Three novel HCV genotype 6 variants were entirely sequenced and designated subtype 6v.

  6. PopAffiliator: online calculator for individual affiliation to a major population group based on 17 autosomal short tandem repeat genotype profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pereira, Luísa; Alshamali, Farida; Andreassen, Rune; Ballard, Ruth; Chantratita, Wasun; Cho, Nam Soo; Coudray, Clotilde; Dugoujon, Jean-Michel; Espinoza, Marta; González-Andrade, Fabricio; Hadi, Sibte; Immel, Uta-Dorothee; Marian, Catalin; Gonzalez-Martin, Antonio; Mertens, Gerhard; Parson, Walther; Perone, Carlos; Prieto, Lourdes; Takeshita, Haruo; Rangel Villalobos, Héctor; Zeng, Zhaoshu; Zhivotovsky, Lev; Camacho, Rui; Fonseca, Nuno A

    2011-09-01

    Because of their sensitivity and high level of discrimination, short tandem repeat (STR) maker systems are currently the method of choice in routine forensic casework and data banking, usually in multiplexes up to 15-17 loci. Constraints related to sample amount and quality, frequently encountered in forensic casework, will not allow to change this picture in the near future, notwithstanding the technological developments. In this study, we present a free online calculator named PopAffiliator ( http://cracs.fc.up.pt/popaffiliator ) for individual population affiliation in the three main population groups, Eurasian, East Asian and sub-Saharan African, based on genotype profiles for the common set of STRs used in forensics. This calculator performs affiliation based on a model constructed using machine learning techniques. The model was constructed using a data set of approximately fifteen thousand individuals collected for this work. The accuracy of individual population affiliation is approximately 86%, showing that the common set of STRs routinely used in forensics provide a considerable amount of information for population assignment, in addition to being excellent for individual identification.

  7. Validation of the DNATyper™15 PCR Genotyping System for Forensic Application

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    Jian Ye

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available We describe the optimization and validation of the DNATyper™15 multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR genotyping system for autosomal short tandem repeat (STR amplification at 14 autosomal loci (D6S1043, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D2S1338, D3S1358, D13S317, D8S1179, D16S539, Penta E, D5S818, vWA, D18S51, and FGA and  amelogenin, a sex-determining locus. Several DNATyper™15 assay variables were optimized, including hot start Taq polymerase concentration, Taq polymerase activation time, magnesium concentration, primer concentration, annealing temperature, reaction volume, and cycle number. The performance of the assay was validated with respect to species specificity, sensitivity to template concentration, stability, accuracy, influence of the DNA extraction methods, and the ability to genotype the mixture samples. The performance of the DNATyper™15 system on casework samples was compared with that of two widely used STR amplification kits, Identifiler™ (Applied Biosystems, Carlsbad, CA, USA and PowerPlex 16 ® (Promega, Madison, WI, USA. The conditions for PCR-based DNATyper™15 genotyping were optimized. Contamination from forensically relevant nonhuman DNA was not found to impact genotyping results, and full profiles were generated for all the reactions containing ≥ 0.125 ng of DNA template. No significant difference in performance was observed even after the DNATyper™15 assay components were subjected to 20 freeze-thaw cycles. The performances of DNATyper™15, Identifiler™, and PowerPlex 16 ® were comparable in terms of sensitivity and the ability to genotype the mixed samples and case-type samples, with the assays giving the same genotyping results for all the shared loci. The DNA extraction methods did not affect the performance of any of the systems. Our results demonstrate that the DNATyper™15 system is suitable for genotyping in both forensic DNA database work and case-type samples.

  8. Distinct DNA Methylation Profiles in Ovarian Tumors: Opportunities for Novel Biomarkers

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    Lorena Losi

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Aberrant methylation of multiple promoter CpG islands could be related to the biology of ovarian tumors and its determination could help to improve treatment strategies. DNA methylation profiling was performed using the Methylation Ligation-dependent Macroarray (MLM, an array-based analysis. Promoter regions of 41 genes were analyzed in 102 ovarian tumors and 17 normal ovarian samples. An average of 29% of hypermethylated promoter genes was observed in normal ovarian tissues. This percentage increased slightly in serous, endometrioid, and mucinous carcinomas (32%, 34%, and 45%, respectively, but decreased in germ cell tumors (20%. Ovarian tumors had methylation profiles that were more heterogeneous than other epithelial cancers. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering identified four groups that are very close to the histological subtypes of ovarian tumors. Aberrant methylation of three genes (BRCA1, MGMT, and MLH1, playing important roles in the different DNA repair mechanisms, were dependent on the tumor subtype and represent powerful biomarkers for precision therapy. Furthermore, a promising relationship between hypermethylation of MGMT, OSMR, ESR1, and FOXL2 and overall survival was observed. Our study of DNA methylation profiling indicates that the different histotypes of ovarian cancer should be treated as separate diseases both clinically and in research for the development of targeted therapies.

  9. Association of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Genotype, Insertion/Deletion Polymorphism and Saphenous Vein Graft Atherosclerosis in Iranian Patients

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    Neda Zeinali

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate possible interactions among Angiotensin-I converting enzyme genotype, insertion/deletion polymorphism and atherosclerosis of vein grafts in Iranian patients, and characterize their clinical and demographic profile. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, patients who underwent coronary artery bypass graft surgery more than five years ago, were included for angiographic analysis. Atherosclerosis was determined by quantitative angiography and adjusted Gensini score. The gene angiotensin converting enzyme I/D polymorphism was detected by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: A total of 102 patients participated in this study. Eighty-four patients were male. The frequency distribution of DD, ID and II polymorphism were 23.6%, 62.7% and 13.7% respectively. There were no differences among genotypic groups in age, sex, number of risk factors, number of vein grafts and months since bypass surgery. According to adjusted Gensini score [0.18±0.12 (II vs. 0.11±0.09 (ID and 0.1±0.09 (DD P=0.021] the II genotype was associated with severity of vein graft atherosclerosis. CONCLUSION: Although there are conflicting results about gene angiotensin converting enzyme I/D polymorphism and the degree of venous bypass graft degeneration, this study suggests an association between ACE genotype II and atherosclerosis of saphenous vein grafts, however, large samples considering clinical, demographic and ethnic profile are necessary to confirm these results.

  10. Ovine leukocyte profiles do not associate with variation in the prion gene, but are breed-dependent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Prion genotype in sheep confer resistance to scrapie. In cattle, lymphocyte profile has been found to be associated with prion genotype. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine if variations in the sheep prion gene were associated with leukocyte populations as measured by complete blood ce...

  11. Dry matter intake and feed efficiency profiles of 3 genotypes of Holstein-Friesian within pasture-based systems of milk production.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coleman, J; Berry, D P; Pierce, K M; Brennan, A; Horan, B

    2010-09-01

    The primary objective of the study was to quantify the effect of genetic improvement using the Irish total merit index (Economic Breeding Index) on dry matter intake and feed efficiency across lactation and to quantify the variation in performance among alternative definitions of feed efficiency. Three genotypes of Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle were established from within the Moorepark dairy research herd: 1) low Economic Breeding Index North American Holstein-Friesian representative of the Irish national average dairy cow, 2) high genetic merit North American Holstein-Friesian, and 3) high genetic merit New Zealand Holstein-Friesian. Animals from within each genotype were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 possible intensive pasture-based feed systems: 1) the Moorepark pasture system (2.64 cows/ha and 500 kg of concentrate supplement per cow per lactation) and 2) a high output per hectare pasture system (2.85 cows/ha and 1,200 kg of concentrate supplement per cow per lactation). A total of 128 and 140 spring-calving dairy cows were used during the years 2007 and 2008, respectively. Each group had an individual farmlet of 17 paddocks, and all groups were managed similarly throughout the study. The effects of genotype, feed system, and the interaction between genotype and feed system on dry matter intake, milk production, body weight, body condition score, and different definitions of feed efficiency were studied using mixed models with factorial arrangements of genotypes and feed systems accounting for the repeated cow records across years. No significant genotype-by-feed-system interactions were observed for any of the variables measured. Results showed that aggressive selection using the Irish Economic Breeding Index had no effect on dry matter intake across lactation when managed on intensive pasture-based systems of milk production, although the ranking of genotypes for feed efficiency differed depending on the definition of feed efficiency used. Performance of

  12. Comparison of virulence of Francisella tularensis ssp. holarctica genotypes B.12 and B.FTNF002-00.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kreizinger, Zsuzsa; Erdélyi, Károly; Felde, Orsolya; Fabbi, Massimo; Sulyok, Kinga M; Magyar, Tibor; Gyuranecz, Miklós

    2017-02-10

    Two main genetic groups (B.12 and B.FTNF002-00) of Francisella tularensis ssp. holarctica are endemic in Europe. The B.FTNF002-00 group proved to be dominant in Western European countries, while strains of the B.12 group were isolated mainly in Northern, Central and Eastern Europe. The clinical course of tularemia in the European brown hare (Lepus europaeus) also shows distinct patterns according to the geographical area. Acute course of the disease is observed in hares in Western European countries, while signs of sub-acute or chronic infection are more frequently detected in the eastern part of the continent. The aim of the present study was to examine whether there is any difference in the virulence of the strains belonging to the B.FTNF002-00 and B.12 genetic clades. Experimental infection of Fischer 344 rats was performed by intra-peritoneal injection of three dilutions of a Hungarian (B.12 genotype) and an Italian (B.FTNF002-00 genotype) F. tularensis ssp. holarctica strain. Moderate difference was observed in the virulence of the two genotypes. Significant differences were observed in total weight loss values and scores of clinical signs between the two genotypes with more rats succumbing to tularemia in groups infected with the B.FTNF002-00 genotype. Results of the experimental infection are consistent with previous clinical observations and pathological studies suggesting that F. tularensis ssp. holarctica genotype B.FTNF002-00 has higher pathogenic potential than the B.12 genotype.

  13. Large-scale survey for novel genotypes of Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine-resistance gene pfcrt

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takahashi Nobuyuki

    2012-03-01

    is rare. However, in the mutant pfcrt genotypes, amino acid changes at positions 72, 74 and 75 appear to have recently been generated at least several times, producing distinct pfcrt mutant genotypes. The occurrence of new mutations flanking K76T may yield stronger resistance to CQ and/or a higher fitness than the original pfcrt mutant.

  14. Distinct gene expression profiles in ovarian cancer linked to Lynch syndrome

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jönsson, Jenny-Maria; Bartuma, Katarina; Dominguez-Valentin, Mev

    2014-01-01

    Ovarian cancer linked to Lynch syndrome represents a rare subset that typically presents at young age as early-stage tumors with an overrepresentation of endometrioid and clear cell histologies. We investigated the molecular profiles of Lynch syndrome-associated and sporadic ovarian cancer...... with the aim to identify key discriminators and central tumorigenic mechanisms in hereditary ovarian cancer. Global gene expression profiling using whole-genome c-DNA-mediated Annealing, Selection, extension, and Ligation was applied to 48 histopathologically matched Lynch syndrome-associated and sporadic...... ovarian cancers. Lynch syndrome-associated and sporadic ovarian cancers differed by 349 significantly deregulated genes, including PTPRH, BIRC3, SHH and TNFRSF6B. The genes involved were predominantly linked to cell growth, proliferation, and cell-to-cell signaling and interaction. When stratified...

  15. High degree of genetic diversity among genotypes of the forage grass Brachiaria ruziziensis (Poaceae) detected with ISSR markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azevedo, A L S; Costa, P P; Machado, M A; de Paula, C M P; Sobrinho, F S

    2011-11-17

    The grasses of the genus Brachiaria account for 80% of the cultivated pastures in Brazil. Despite its importance for livestock production, little information is available for breeding purposes. Embrapa has a population of B. ruziziensis from different regions of Brazil, representing most of existing variability. This population was used to initiate an improvement program based on recurrent selection. In order to assist the genetic improvement program, we estimated the molecular variability among 93 genotypes of Embrapa's collection using ISSR (inter-simple sequence repeat) markers. DNA was extracted from the leaves. Twelve ISSR primers generated 89 polymorphic bands in the 93 genotypes. The number of bands identified by each primer ranged from two to 13, with a mean of 7.41. Cluster analysis revealed a clearly distinct group, containing most of the B. ruziziensis genotypes apart from the outgroup genotypes. Genetic similarity coefficients ranged from 0.0 to 0.95, with a mean of 0.50 and analysis of molecular variance indicated higher variation within (73.43%) than among species (26.57%). We conclude that there is a high genetic diversity among these B. ruziziensis genotypes, which could be explored by breeding programs.

  16. Decoding noises in HIV computational genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jia, MingRui; Shaw, Timothy; Zhang, Xing; Liu, Dong; Shen, Ye; Ezeamama, Amara E; Yang, Chunfu; Zhang, Ming

    2017-11-01

    Lack of a consistent and reliable genotyping system can critically impede HIV genomic research on pathogenesis, fitness, virulence, drug resistance, and genomic-based healthcare and treatment. At present, mis-genotyping, i.e., background noises in molecular genotyping, and its impact on epidemic surveillance is unknown. For the first time, we present a comprehensive assessment of HIV genotyping quality. HIV sequence data were retrieved from worldwide published records, and subjected to a systematic genotyping assessment pipeline. Results showed that mis-genotyped cases occurred at 4.6% globally, with some regional and high-risk population heterogeneities. Results also revealed a consistent mis-genotyping pattern in gp120 in all studied populations except the group of men who have sex with men. Our study also suggests novel virus diversities in the mis-genotyped cases. Finally, this study reemphasizes the importance of implementing a standardized genotyping pipeline to avoid genotyping disparity and to advance our understanding of virus evolution in various epidemiological settings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Dynamics and genotypic composition of Emiliania huxleyi and their co-occurring viruses during a coccolithophore bloom in the North Sea.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Martínez, Joaquín Martínez; Schroeder, Declan C; Wilson, William H

    2012-08-01

    We studied the temporal succession of vertical profiles of Emiliania huxleyi and their specific viruses (EhVs) during the progression of a natural phytoplankton bloom in the North Sea in June 1999. Genotypic richness was assessed by exploiting the variations in a gene encoding a protein with calcium-binding motifs (GPA) for E. huxleyi and in the viral major capsid protein gene for EhVs. Using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and sequencing analysis, we showed at least three different E. huxleyi and EhV genotypic profiles during the period of study, revealing a complex, and changing assemblage at the molecular level. Our results also indicate that the dynamics of EhV genotypes reflect fluctuations in abundance of potential E. huxleyi host cells. The presence and concentration of specific EhVs in the area prior to the bloom, or EhVs transported into the area by different water masses, are significant factors affecting the structure and intraspecific succession of E. huxleyi during the phytoplankton bloom. © 2012 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by Blackwell Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Phylogeography of Japanese encephalitis virus: genotype is associated with climate.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Amy J Schuh

    Full Text Available The circulation of vector-borne zoonotic viruses is largely determined by the overlap in the geographical distributions of virus-competent vectors and reservoir hosts. What is less clear are the factors influencing the distribution of virus-specific lineages. Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV is the most important etiologic agent of epidemic encephalitis worldwide, and is primarily maintained between vertebrate reservoir hosts (avian and swine and culicine mosquitoes. There are five genotypes of JEV: GI-V. In recent years, GI has displaced GIII as the dominant JEV genotype and GV has re-emerged after almost 60 years of undetected virus circulation. JEV is found throughout most of Asia, extending from maritime Siberia in the north to Australia in the south, and as far as Pakistan to the west and Saipan to the east. Transmission of JEV in temperate zones is epidemic with the majority of cases occurring in summer months, while transmission in tropical zones is endemic and occurs year-round at lower rates. To test the hypothesis that viruses circulating in these two geographical zones are genetically distinct, we applied Bayesian phylogeographic, categorical data analysis and phylogeny-trait association test techniques to the largest JEV dataset compiled to date, representing the envelope (E gene of 487 isolates collected from 12 countries over 75 years. We demonstrated that GIII and the recently emerged GI-b are temperate genotypes likely maintained year-round in northern latitudes, while GI-a and GII are tropical genotypes likely maintained primarily through mosquito-avian and mosquito-swine transmission cycles. This study represents a new paradigm directly linking viral molecular evolution and climate.

  19. Metabolite profiles of rice cultivars containing bacterial blight-resistant genes are distinctive from susceptible rice

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Jiao Wu; Haichuan Yu; Haofu Dai; Wenli Mei; Xin Huang; Shuifang Zhu; Ming Peng

    2012-01-01

    The metabolic changes of bacterial blight-resistant line C418/Xa23 generated by molecular marker-assisted selection (n =12),transgenic variety C418-Xa21 generated by using the Agrobacterium-mediated system (n =12),and progenitor cultivar C418 (n =12) were monitored using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.The validation,discrimination,and establishment of correlative relationships between metabolite signals were performed by cluster analysis,principal component analysis,and partial least squares-discriminant analysis.Significant and unintended changes were observed in 154 components in C418/Xa23 and 48 components in C418-Xa21 compared with C418 (P < 0.05,Fold change > 2.0).The most significant decreases detected (P< 0.001) in both C418/Xa23 and C418-Xa21 were in three amino acids: glycine,tyrosine,and alanine,and four identified metabolites: malic acid,ferulic acid,succinic acid,and glycerol.Linoleic acid was increased specifically in C418/Xa23 which was derived from traditional breeding.This line,possessing a distinctive metabolite profile as a positive control,shows more differences vs.the parental than the transgenic line.Only succinic acid that falls outside the boundaries of natural variability between the two non-transgenic varieties C418 and C418/Xa23 should be further investigated with respect to safety or nutritional impact.

  20. Spatial and temporal patterns of chickpea genotypes (Cicer arietinum L. root growth under waterlogging stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ali ganjali

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available The dynamic of root growth of chickpea genotypes; including Rupali (Desi and Flip 97-530 (Kabuli were evaluated under waterlogging stress in a Glasshouse experiment at CSIRO, Perth, WA. during 2005. Root growth boxes (0.1×0.24×1.0 m with one wall of glass were used as experimental units. Data were analyzed based on Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Waterlogging was induced when the first root reached 50cm. The water level was maintained on the soil surface for 12 days. After that, waterlogging was finished by draining the root growth boxes. In soil profile, root growth rate were calculated based on recorded information on transparent films during growing season. There was positive and strong linear correlation between the root traits that were measured in soil (direct measurment and transparent films (indirect measurment. Decay and death of roots caused a severe decrease on root growth rate during waterlogging, but root growth rate was sharply increased at the end of recovery period on 0-40 cm layer of soil surface. In both genotypes, spatial and temporal patterns of the root growth were different. Root growth rate was highest on distinc time for each layer of soil profile. In both genotypes, RLD decreased with increasing soil depth. Results showed that more distribution of root system on upper soil layers (0-40 cm is a strategy for chickpea plants, and so, soil management is very important on this layer. In stress and non stress environments, Flip 97-530 showed better root characteristics than the Rupali during growing season, so this genotype is probably more tolerate to water logging stress.

  1. Dynamic variable selection in SNP genotype autocalling from APEX microarray data

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zamar Ruben H

    2006-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs are DNA sequence variations, occurring when a single nucleotide – adenine (A, thymine (T, cytosine (C or guanine (G – is altered. Arguably, SNPs account for more than 90% of human genetic variation. Our laboratory has developed a highly redundant SNP genotyping assay consisting of multiple probes with signals from multiple channels for a single SNP, based on arrayed primer extension (APEX. This mini-sequencing method is a powerful combination of a highly parallel microarray with distinctive Sanger-based dideoxy terminator sequencing chemistry. Using this microarray platform, our current genotype calling system (known as SNP Chart is capable of calling single SNP genotypes by manual inspection of the APEX data, which is time-consuming and exposed to user subjectivity bias. Results Using a set of 32 Coriell DNA samples plus three negative PCR controls as a training data set, we have developed a fully-automated genotyping algorithm based on simple linear discriminant analysis (LDA using dynamic variable selection. The algorithm combines separate analyses based on the multiple probe sets to give a final posterior probability for each candidate genotype. We have tested our algorithm on a completely independent data set of 270 DNA samples, with validated genotypes, from patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU of St. Paul's Hospital (plus one negative PCR control sample. Our method achieves a concordance rate of 98.9% with a 99.6% call rate for a set of 96 SNPs. By adjusting the threshold value for the final posterior probability of the called genotype, the call rate reduces to 94.9% with a higher concordance rate of 99.6%. We also reversed the two independent data sets in their training and testing roles, achieving a concordance rate up to 99.8%. Conclusion The strength of this APEX chemistry-based platform is its unique redundancy having multiple probes for a single SNP. Our

  2. NMR-Based Metabolic Profiling of Field-Grown Leaves from Sugar Beet Plants Harbouring Different Levels of Resistance to Cercospora Leaf Spot Disease

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yasuyo Sekiyama

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cercospora leaf spot (CLS is one of the most serious leaf diseases for sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L. worldwide. The breeding of sugar beet cultivars with both high CLS resistance and high yield is a major challenge for breeders. In this study, we report the nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR-based metabolic profiling of field-grown leaves for a subset of sugar beet genotypes harbouring different levels of CLS resistance. Leaves were collected from 12 sugar beet genotypes at four time points: seedling, early growth, root enlargement, and disease development stages. 1H-NMR spectra of foliar metabolites soluble in a deuterium-oxide (D2O-based buffer were acquired and subjected to multivariate analyses. A principal component analysis (PCA of the NMR data from the sugar beet leaves shows clear differences among the growth stages. At the later time points, the sugar and glycine betaine contents were increased, whereas the choline content was decreased. The relationship between the foliar metabolite profiles and resistance level to CLS was examined by combining partial least squares projection to latent structure (PLS or orthogonal PLS (OPLS analysis and univariate analyses. It was difficult to build a robust model for predicting precisely the disease severity indices (DSIs of each genotype; however, GABA and Gln differentiated susceptible genotypes (genotypes with weak resistance from resistant genotypes (genotypes with resistance greater than a moderate level before inoculation tests. The results suggested that breeders might exclude susceptible genotypes from breeding programs based on foliar metabolites profiled without inoculation tests, which require an enormous amount of time and effort.

  3. Genotype x environment interaction for grain yield of wheat genotypes tested under water stress conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sail, M.A.; Dahot, M.U.; Mangrio, S.M.; Memon, S.

    2007-01-01

    Effect of water stress on grain yield in different wheat genotypes was studied under field conditions at various locations. Grain yield is a complex polygenic trait influenced by genotype, environment and genotype x environment (GxE) interaction. To understand the stability among genotypes for grain yield, twenty-one wheat genotypes developed Through hybridization and radiation-induced mutations at Nuclear Institute of Agriculture (NIA) TandoJam were evaluated with four local check varieties (Sarsabz, Thori, Margalla-99 and Chakwal-86) in multi-environmental trails (MET/sub s/). The experiments were conducted over 5 different water stress environments in Sindh. Data on grain yield were recorded from each site and statistically analyzed. Combined analysis of variance for all the environments indicated that the genotype, environment and genotype x environment (GxE) interaction were highly significant (P greater then 0.01) for grain yield. Genotypes differed in their response to various locations. The overall highest site mean yield (4031 kg/ha) recorded at Moro and the lowest (2326 kg/ha) at Thatta. Six genotypes produced significantly (P=0.01) the highest grain yield overall the environments. Stability analysis was applied to estimate stability parameters viz., regression coefficient (b), standard error of regression coefficient and variance due to deviation from regression (S/sub 2/d) genotypes 10/8, BWS-78 produced the highest mean yield over all the environments with low regression coefficient (b=0.68, 0.67 and 0.63 respectively and higher S/sup 2/ d value, showing specific adaptation to poor (un favorable) environments. Genotype 8/7 produced overall higher grain yield (3647 kg/ha) and ranked as third high yielding genotype had regression value close to unity (b=0.9) and low S/sup d/ value, indicating more stability and wide adaptation over the all environments. The knowledge of the presence and magnitude of genotype x environment (GE) interaction is important to

  4. Genotype-dependent Burst of Transposable Element Expression in Crowns of Hexaploid Wheat (Triticum aestivum L. during Cold Acclimation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Debbie Laudencia-Chingcuanco

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The expression of 1,613 transposable elements (TEs represented in the Affymetrix Wheat Genome Chip was examined during cold treatment in crowns of four hexaploid wheat genotypes that vary in tolerance to cold and in flowering time. The TE expression profiles showed a constant level of expression throughout the experiment in three of the genotypes. In winter Norstar, the most cold-hardy of the four genotypes, a subset of the TEs showed a burst of expression after vernalization saturation was achieved. About 47% of the TEs were expressed, and both Class I (retrotransposons and Class II (DNA transposons types were well represented. Gypsy and Copia were the most represented among the retrotransposons while CACTA and Mariner were the most represented DNA transposons. The data suggests that the Vrn-A1 region plays a role in the stage-specific induction of TE expression in this genotype.

  5. Geographic distribution of hepatitis C virus genotype 6 subtypes in Thailand.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Akkarathamrongsin, Srunthron; Praianantathavorn, Kesmanee; Hacharoen, Nisachol; Theamboonlers, Apiradee; Tangkijvanich, Pisit; Tanaka, Yasuhito; Mizokami, Masashi; Poovorawan, Yong

    2010-02-01

    The nucleotide sequence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 6 found mostly in south China and south-east Asia, displays profound genetic diversity. The aim of this study to determine the genetic variability of HCV genotype 6 (HCV-6) in Thailand and locate the subtype distribution of genotype 6 in various geographic areas. Four hundred nineteen anti-HCV positive serum samples were collected from patients residing in - the central part of the country. HCV RNA positive samples based on reverse transcriptase- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of the 5'UTR were amplified with primers specific for the core and NS5B regions. Nucleotide sequences of both regions were analyzed for the genotype by phylogenetic analysis. To determine geographic distribution of HCV-6 subtypes, a search of the international database on subtype distribution in the respective countries was conducted. Among 375 HCV RNA positive samples, 71 had HCV-6 based on phylogenetic analysis of partial core and NS5B regions. The subtype distribution in order of predominance was 6f (56%), 6n (22%), 6i (11%), 6j (10%), and 6e (1%). Among the 13 countries with different subtypes of HCV-6, most sequences have been reported from Vietnam. Subtype 6f was found exclusively in Thailand where five distinct HCV-6 subtypes are circulating. HCV-6, which is endemic in south China and south-east Asia, displays profound genetic diversity and may have evolved over a considerable period of time. (c) 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  6. HBV genotypic variability in Cuba.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carmen L Loureiro

    Full Text Available The genetic diversity of HBV in human population is often a reflection of its genetic admixture. The aim of this study was to explore the genotypic diversity of HBV in Cuba. The S genomic region of Cuban HBV isolates was sequenced and for selected isolates the complete genome or precore-core sequence was analyzed. The most frequent genotype was A (167/250, 67%, mainly A2 (149, 60% but also A1 and one A4. A total of 77 isolates were classified as genotype D (31%, with co-circulation of several subgenotypes (56 D4, 2 D1, 5 D2, 7 D3/6 and 7 D7. Three isolates belonged to genotype E, two to H and one to B3. Complete genome sequence analysis of selected isolates confirmed the phylogenetic analysis performed with the S region. Mutations or polymorphisms in precore region were more common among genotype D compared to genotype A isolates. The HBV genotypic distribution in this Caribbean island correlates with the Y lineage genetic background of the population, where a European and African origin prevails. HBV genotypes E, B3 and H isolates might represent more recent introductions.

  7. HBV Genotypic Variability in Cuba

    Science.gov (United States)

    Loureiro, Carmen L.; Aguilar, Julio C.; Aguiar, Jorge; Muzio, Verena; Pentón, Eduardo; Garcia, Daymir; Guillen, Gerardo; Pujol, Flor H.

    2015-01-01

    The genetic diversity of HBV in human population is often a reflection of its genetic admixture. The aim of this study was to explore the genotypic diversity of HBV in Cuba. The S genomic region of Cuban HBV isolates was sequenced and for selected isolates the complete genome or precore-core sequence was analyzed. The most frequent genotype was A (167/250, 67%), mainly A2 (149, 60%) but also A1 and one A4. A total of 77 isolates were classified as genotype D (31%), with co-circulation of several subgenotypes (56 D4, 2 D1, 5 D2, 7 D3/6 and 7 D7). Three isolates belonged to genotype E, two to H and one to B3. Complete genome sequence analysis of selected isolates confirmed the phylogenetic analysis performed with the S region. Mutations or polymorphisms in precore region were more common among genotype D compared to genotype A isolates. The HBV genotypic distribution in this Caribbean island correlates with the Y lineage genetic background of the population, where a European and African origin prevails. HBV genotypes E, B3 and H isolates might represent more recent introductions. PMID:25742179

  8. Interlobular and intralobular mammary stroma: Genotype may not reflect phenotype

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meltzer PS

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The normal growth and function of mammary epithelial cells depend on interactions with the supportive stroma. Alterations in this communication can lead to the progression or expansion of malignant growth. The human mammary gland contains two distinctive types of fibroblasts within the stroma. The epithelial cells are surrounded by loosely connected intralobular fibroblasts, which are subsequently surrounded by the more compacted interlobular fibroblasts. The different proximity of these fibroblasts to the epithelial cells suggests distinctive functions for these two subtypes. In this report, we compared the gene expression profiles between the two stromal subtypes. Methods Fresh normal breast tissue was collected from reduction mammoplasty patients and immediately placed into embedding medium and frozen on dry ice. Tissue sections were subjected to laser capture microscopy to isolate the interlobular from the intralobular fibroblasts. RNA was prepared and subjected to microarray analysis using the Affymetrix Human Genome U133 GeneChip®. Data was analyzed using the Affy and Limma packages available from Bioconductor. Findings from the microarray analysis were validated by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry. Results No statistically significant difference was detected between the gene expression profiles of the interlobular and intralobular fibroblasts by microarray analysis and RT-PCR. However, for some of the genes tested, the protein expression patterns between the two subtypes of fibroblasts were significantly different. Conclusion This study is the first to report the gene expression profiles of the two distinct fibroblast populations within the human mammary gland. While there was no significant difference in the gene expression profiles between the groups, there was an obvious difference in the expression pattern of several proteins tested. This report also highlights the importance of studying gene regulation at both the

  9. Expression profile of genes coding for carotenoid biosynthetic ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Fruit ripening process is associated with change in carotenoid profile and accumulation of lycopene in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). In this study, we quantified the -carotene and lycopene content at green, breaker and red-ripe stages of fruit ripening in eight tomato genotypes by using high-performance liquid ...

  10. Short communication: relationship of call rate and accuracy of single nucleotide polymorphism genotypes in dairy cattle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cooper, T A; Wiggans, G R; VanRaden, P M

    2013-05-01

    Call rates on both a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) basis and an animal basis are used as measures of data quality and as screening tools for genomic studies and evaluations of dairy cattle. To investigate the relationship of SNP call rate and genotype accuracy for individual SNP, the correlation between percentages of missing genotypes and parent-progeny conflicts for each SNP was calculated for 103,313 Holsteins. Correlations ranged from 0.14 to 0.38 for the BovineSNP50 and BovineLD (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA) and GeneSeek Genomic Profiler (Neogen Corp., Lincoln, NE) chips, with lower correlations for newer chips. For US genomic evaluations, genotypes are excluded for animals with a call rate of call rate for 220,175 Holstein, Jersey, and Brown Swiss genotypes was 99.6%. Animal genotypes with a call rate of ≤99% were examined from the US Department of Agriculture genotype database to determine how genotype call rate is related to accuracy of calls on an animal basis. Animal call rate was determined from SNP used in genomic evaluation and is the number of called autosomal and X-specific SNP genotypes divided by the number of SNP from that type of chip. To investigate the relationship of animal call rate and parentage validation, conflicts between a genotyped animal and its sire or dam were determined through a duo test (opposite homozygous SNP genotypes between sire and progeny; 1,374 animal genotypes) and a trio test (also including conflicts with dam and heterozygous SNP genotype for the animal when both parents are the same homozygote; 482 animal genotypes). When animal call rate was ≤ 80%, parentage validation was no longer reliable with the duo test. With the trio test, parentage validation was no longer reliable when animal call rate was ≤ 90%. To investigate how animal call rate was related to genotyping accuracy for animals with multiple genotypes, concordance between genotypes for 1,216 animals that had a genotype with a call rate of ≤ 99

  11. Disentangling the influence of parasite genotype, host genotype and maternal environment on different stages of bacterial infection in Daphnia magna.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hall, Matthew D; Ebert, Dieter

    2012-08-22

    Individuals naturally vary in the severity of infectious disease when exposed to a parasite. Dissecting this variation into genetic and environmental components can reveal whether or not this variation depends on the host genotype, parasite genotype or a range of environmental conditions. Complicating this task, however, is that the symptoms of disease result from the combined effect of a series of events, from the initial encounter between a host and parasite, through to the activation of the host immune system and the exploitation of host resources. Here, we use the crustacean Daphnia magna and its parasite Pasteuria ramosa to show how disentangling genetic and environmental factors at different stages of infection improves our understanding of the processes shaping infectious disease. Using compatible host-parasite combinations, we experimentally exclude variation in the ability of a parasite to penetrate the host, from measures of parasite clearance, the reduction in host fecundity and the proliferation of the parasite. We show how parasite resistance consists of two components that vary in environmental sensitivity, how the maternal environment influences all measured aspects of the within-host infection process and how host-parasite interactions following the penetration of the parasite into the host have a distinct temporal component.

  12. Increased level of acute phase reactants in patients infected with modern Mycobacterium tuberculosis genotypes in Mwanza, Tanzania

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Stavrum, Ruth; PrayGod, George; Range, Nyagosya

    2014-01-01

    a distinct genetic ancestry. This study describes the genetic biodiversity of M. tuberculosis genotypes in Mwanza city, Tanzania and the clinical presentation of the disease caused by isolates of different lineages. METHODS: Two-hundred-fifty-two isolates from pulmonary TB patients in Mwanza, Tanzania were......BACKGROUND: There is increasing evidence to suggest that different Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages cause variations in the clinical presentation of tuberculosis (TB). Certain M. tuberculosis genotypes/lineages have been shown to be more likely to cause active TB in human populations from....... tuberculosis lineage of the infectious agent for each patient. RESULTS: The most frequent genotype was ST59 (48 out of 248 [19.4%]), belonging to the Euro-American lineage LAM11_ZWE, followed by ST21 (CAS_KILI lineage [44 out of 248 [17.7%]). A low degree of diversity (15.7% [39 different ST's out of 248...

  13. Desmanthus GENOTYPES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    JOSÉ HENRIQUE DE ALBUQUERQUE RANGEL

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Desmanthus is a genus of forage legumes with potential to improve pastures and livestock produc-tion on clay soils of dry tropical and subtropical regions such as the existing in Brazil and Australia. Despite this patterns of natural or enforced after-ripening of Desmanthus seeds have not been well established. Four year old seed banks of nine Desmanthus genotypes at James Cook University were accessed for their patterns of seed softe-ning in response to a range of temperatures. Persistent seed banks were found to exist under all of the studied ge-notypes. The largest seeds banks were found in the genotypes CPI 78373 and CPI 78382 and the smallest in the genotypes CPI’s 37143, 67643, and 83563. An increase in the percentage of softened seeds was correlated with higher temperatures, in two patterns of response: in some accessions seeds were not significantly affected by tempe-ratures below 80º C; and in others, seeds become soft when temperature rose to as little as 60 ºC. At 80 °C the heat started to depress germination. High seed production of Desmanthus associated with dependence of seeds on eleva-ted temperatures to softening can be a very important strategy for plants to survive in dry tropical regions.

  14. Transcriptome sequencing in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia identifies fusion genes associated with distinct DNA methylation profiles

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    Yanara Marincevic-Zuniga

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Structural chromosomal rearrangements that lead to expressed fusion genes are a hallmark of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL. In this study, we performed transcriptome sequencing of 134 primary ALL patient samples to comprehensively detect fusion transcripts. Methods We combined fusion gene detection with genome-wide DNA methylation analysis, gene expression profiling, and targeted sequencing to determine molecular signatures of emerging ALL subtypes. Results We identified 64 unique fusion events distributed among 80 individual patients, of which over 50% have not previously been reported in ALL. Although the majority of the fusion genes were found only in a single patient, we identified several recurrent fusion gene families defined by promiscuous fusion gene partners, such as ETV6, RUNX1, PAX5, and ZNF384, or recurrent fusion genes, such as DUX4-IGH. Our data show that patients harboring these fusion genes displayed characteristic genome-wide DNA methylation and gene expression signatures in addition to distinct patterns in single nucleotide variants and recurrent copy number alterations. Conclusion Our study delineates the fusion gene landscape in pediatric ALL, including both known and novel fusion genes, and highlights fusion gene families with shared molecular etiologies, which may provide additional information for prognosis and therapeutic options in the future.

  15. Molecular characterization and multilocus genotypes of Enterocytozoon bieneusi among horses in southwestern China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lei Deng

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Enterocytozoon bieneusi is one of the most prevalent causative species of diarrhea and enteric diseases in various hosts. E. bieneusi has been identified in humans, mammals, birds, rodents and reptiles in China, but few studies have reported E. bieneusi in horses. Therefore, the present study was conducted to assess the prevalence, molecular characteristics and zoonotic potential of E. bieneusi among horses in southwestern China. Findings Three hundred and thirty-three fecal specimens were collected from horses on five farms in the Sichuan and Yunnan provinces of southwestern China. The prevalence of E. bieneusi was 22.5 % (75/333, as determined by nested polymerase chain reaction and sequencing analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region of the ribosomal RNA gene of E. bieneusi. Altogether, 10 genotypes were identified among the 75 E. bieneusi-positive samples: four of these genotypes were known (horse1, horse2, SC02 and D and six were novel (SCH1-4 and YNH1-2. Multilocus sequence typing using three microsatellites (MS1, MS3 and MS7 and one minisatellite (MS4 revealed three, two, three and three genotypes at these four loci, respectively. In phylogenetic analysis, all the genotypes of E. bieneusi obtained in this study were clustered into three distinct groups: D, SC02 and SCH1-3 were clustered into group 1 (zoonotic potential; SCH4 was clustered into group 2 (cattle-hosted; whereas horse2, YNH1 and YNH2 were clustered into group 6 (unclear zoonotic potential. Conclusions This is the first report of E. bieneusi among horses in southwestern China. This is also the first multilocus genotyping analysis using microsatellite and minisatellite markers of E. bieneusi in horses. The presence of genotype D, which was previously identified in humans, and genotypes SC02 and SCH1-3, which belong to potential zoonotic group 1, these results indicate that horses are a potential source of human E. bieneusi infections in China.

  16. Predictive profiling and its legal limits : Effectiveness gone forever

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Lammerant, Hans; de Hert, Paul; van der Sloot, B.; Broeders, D.; Schrijvers, E.

    2016-01-01

    We examine predictive group profiling in the Big Data context as an instrument of governmental control and regulation. We first define profiling by drawing some useful distinctions (section 6.1). We then discuss examples of predictive group profiling from policing (such as parole prediction methods

  17. Differential tolerance to cyanobacterial exposure between geographically distinct populations of Perca fluviatilis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Persson, Karl-Johan; Bergström, Kristofer; Mazur-Marzec, Hannah; Legrand, Catherine

    2013-12-15

    Toxic cyanobacterial blooms are an important problem worldwide. Cyanobacteria may negatively impact young-of-the-year (YOY) fish directly (toxin production, turbidity, decrease in water quality) or indirectly (trophic toxin transfer, changes in prey species composition). Here we test whether there are any differences in cyanobacterial tolerance between four geographically distinct populations of European perch (Perca fluviatilis). We show that P. fluviatilis may develop tolerance against cyanobacteria demonstrated by the ability of individuals from a marine site (exposed to annual cyanobacterial blooms) to increase their detoxification more than individuals from an oligotrophic site (rarely exposed to cyanobacteria). Our results also revealed significant interaction effects between genotypes within a population and response to cyanobacterial exposure in terms of absolute growth and detoxification activity. This genotype by treatment interaction may result in local adaptations to cyanobacterial exposure in P. fluviatilis. Hence, the sensitivity against cyanobacterial exposure may differ between within species populations increasing the importance of local management of fish populations. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. High prevalence of ACE DD genotype among north Indian end stage renal disease patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pandirikkal Baburajan Vinod

    2006-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Renin-Angiotensin system (RAS is a key regulator of both blood pressure and kidney functions and their interaction. In such a situation, genetic variability in the genes of different components of RAS is likely to contribute for its heterogeneous association in the renal disease patients. Angiotensin converting enzyme-1 (ACE-1 is an important component of RAS which determines the vasoactive peptide Angiotensin-II. Methods In the present study, we have investigated 127 ESRD patients and 150 normal healthy controls from north India to deduce the association between ACE gene polymorphism and ESRD. The inclusion criteria for patients included a constantly elevated serum creatinine level above normal range (ranging from 3.4 to 15.8 and further the patients were recommended for renal transplantation. A total of 150 normal healthy controls were also genotyped for ACE I/D polymorphism. The criterion of defining control sample as normal was totally based on the absence of any kidney disease determined from the serum creatinin level. Genotyping of ACE I/D were assayed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR based DNA amplification using specific flanking primers Based on the method described elsewhere. Results The difference of DD and II genotypes was found highly significant among the two groups (p = 0.025; OR = 3.524; 95%CI = 1.54-8.07. The combined genotype DD v/s ID+II comparison validated that DD genotype is a high risk genotype for ESRD (p = 0.001; OR = 5.74; 95%CI limit = 3.4-8.5. However, no correlation was obtained for different biochemical parameters of lipid profile and renal function among DD and non DD genotype. Interestingly, ~87% of the DD ESRD patients were found hypertensive in comparison to the 65% patients of non DD genotype Conclusion Based on these observations we conclude that ACE DD genotype implicate a strong possible role in the hypertensive state and in renal damage among north Indians. The study will help in

  19. Distribution of genotype network sizes in sequence-to-structure genotype-phenotype maps.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manrubia, Susanna; Cuesta, José A

    2017-04-01

    An essential quantity to ensure evolvability of populations is the navigability of the genotype space. Navigability, understood as the ease with which alternative phenotypes are reached, relies on the existence of sufficiently large and mutually attainable genotype networks. The size of genotype networks (e.g. the number of RNA sequences folding into a particular secondary structure or the number of DNA sequences coding for the same protein structure) is astronomically large in all functional molecules investigated: an exhaustive experimental or computational study of all RNA folds or all protein structures becomes impossible even for moderately long sequences. Here, we analytically derive the distribution of genotype network sizes for a hierarchy of models which successively incorporate features of increasingly realistic sequence-to-structure genotype-phenotype maps. The main feature of these models relies on the characterization of each phenotype through a prototypical sequence whose sites admit a variable fraction of letters of the alphabet. Our models interpolate between two limit distributions: a power-law distribution, when the ordering of sites in the prototypical sequence is strongly constrained, and a lognormal distribution, as suggested for RNA, when different orderings of the same set of sites yield different phenotypes. Our main result is the qualitative and quantitative identification of those features of sequence-to-structure maps that lead to different distributions of genotype network sizes. © 2017 The Author(s).

  20. High Resolution Melting (HRM) for High-Throughput Genotyping-Limitations and Caveats in Practical Case Studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Słomka, Marcin; Sobalska-Kwapis, Marta; Wachulec, Monika; Bartosz, Grzegorz; Strapagiel, Dominik

    2017-11-03

    High resolution melting (HRM) is a convenient method for gene scanning as well as genotyping of individual and multiple single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). This rapid, simple, closed-tube, homogenous, and cost-efficient approach has the capacity for high specificity and sensitivity, while allowing easy transition to high-throughput scale. In this paper, we provide examples from our laboratory practice of some problematic issues which can affect the performance and data analysis of HRM results, especially with regard to reference curve-based targeted genotyping. We present those examples in order of the typical experimental workflow, and discuss the crucial significance of the respective experimental errors and limitations for the quality and analysis of results. The experimental details which have a decisive impact on correct execution of a HRM genotyping experiment include type and quality of DNA source material, reproducibility of isolation method and template DNA preparation, primer and amplicon design, automation-derived preparation and pipetting inconsistencies, as well as physical limitations in melting curve distinction for alternative variants and careful selection of samples for validation by sequencing. We provide a case-by-case analysis and discussion of actual problems we encountered and solutions that should be taken into account by researchers newly attempting HRM genotyping, especially in a high-throughput setup.

  1. Molecular epidemiology and genotyping of hepatitis B virus of HBsAg-positive patients in Oman.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Al Baqlani, Said Ali; Sy, Bui Tien; Ratsch, Boris A; Al Naamani, Khalid; Al Awaidy, Salah; Busaidy, Suleiman Al; Pauli, Georg; Bock, C-Thomas

    2014-01-01

    Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major global health burden with distinct geographic public health significance. Oman is a country with intermediate HBV carrier prevalence; however, little is known about the incidence of HBV variants in circulation. We investigated the HBV genotype distribution, the occurrence of antiviral resistance, and HBV surface antigen (HBsAg) escape mutations in HBsAg-positive patients in Oman. Serum samples were collected from 179 chronically HBV-infected patients enrolled in various gastroenterology clinics in Oman. HBV genotypes were determined by sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Mutations in the HBV polymerase and the HBsAg gene were characterized by mutational analysis. HBV genotypes D (130/170; 76.47%) and A (32/170; 18.28%) are predominant in Oman. The HBV genotypes C and E were less frequent (each 1.18%), while the HBV genotypes B, G, F, and H were not detected. Four patients revealed HBV genotype mixtures (HBV-A/D and D/C). The analyses of vaccine escape mutations yield that 148/170 (87.06%) HBV sequences were wild type. 22/170 (12.94%) HBV sequences showed mutations in the "a" determinant of the HBsAg domain. Two patients showed the described HBV vaccine escape mutation sP120T. 8/146 (5.48%) HBV isolates harbored mutations in the HBV polymerase known to confer resistance against antiviral therapy. Especially the lamivudine resistance mutations rtL180M/rtM204V and rtM204I were detected. This study shows the distribution of HBV genotypes, therapy resistance, and vaccine escape mutations in HBV-infected patients in Oman. Our findings will have a major impact on therapy management and diagnostics of chronic HBV infections in Oman to control HBV infection in this intermediate HBV-endemic country.

  2. Further characterization of field strains of rotavirus from Nigeria VP4 genotype P6 most frequently identified among symptomatically infected children.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Adah, M I; Rohwedder, A; Olaleye, O D; Durojaiye, O A; Werchau, H

    1997-10-01

    Polymerase chain reaction was utilized to characterize the VP4 types of 39 Rotavirus field isolates from symptomatically infected children in Nigeria. Genotype P6 was identified most frequently, occurring in 41.03 per cent of the typed specimens. Genotype P8 was identified as the next most prevalent (33.3% per cent). Genotype p6 was widespread (68.75 per cent) among infected neonates in Southern Nigeria, but mix infection was more prevalent (70 per cent) among Northern Nigerian children. Four distinct strains were identified with four different P genotypes. Overall strain G1P8 predominated (22.22 per cent) followed by G3P6 (17.8 per cent). Strain G1P8 was most prevalent (70 per cent) among infants aged 3.1-9 months, but strain G3P6 was most frequently identified among neonates occurance of mix infection genotype demonstrates the potential for reassortment events among different rotavirus genogroups in Nigeria. The epidemiological implications of these findings for rotavirus vaccine development and application in the country were discussed.

  3. The prevalence and genotype of human papillomavirus on cervical samples from an Irish female population with external genital warts.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Cremin, Suzanne M

    2012-07-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the cervical genotype profile of females who presented to an STI Clinic with external genital warts (EGW); and to determine the potential vaccine coverage prior to the uptake of the HPV vaccines. Sixty-one cervical scrapings were taken from females aged 18-35 y who had external genital warts or a history of external genital warts. The resulting 50 samples that were positive for HPV-DNA were subjected to genotype identification. Forty-six of these samples had detectable genotypes by LIPA analysis and most (78%, 36\\/46) had multiple low risk (LR) and high risk (HR) genotypes on the cervix. Twenty-five of these samples (54%) had more than 1 HR genotype. Of the 36 patients who had any HR genotypes, 18 (50%) were identified to have the most oncogenic HPV genotypes, namely 16 and 18. Three of these samples had both 16 and 18 on the cervix. The presence of multiple HR genotypes on the majority of cervical samples from a self-referred population of females with EGW is presented. This study is of importance since persistent HR-HPV is the necessary risk factor in the development of precancerous and cancerous lesions of the cervix. Gardisil, the quadrivalent HPV vaccine would have been useful in the prevention of 28% (13\\/46) of these infections.

  4. Transforming microbial genotyping: a robotic pipeline for genotyping bacterial strains.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian O'Farrell

    Full Text Available Microbial genotyping increasingly deals with large numbers of samples, and data are commonly evaluated by unstructured approaches, such as spread-sheets. The efficiency, reliability and throughput of genotyping would benefit from the automation of manual manipulations within the context of sophisticated data storage. We developed a medium- throughput genotyping pipeline for MultiLocus Sequence Typing (MLST of bacterial pathogens. This pipeline was implemented through a combination of four automated liquid handling systems, a Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS consisting of a variety of dedicated commercial operating systems and programs, including a Sample Management System, plus numerous Python scripts. All tubes and microwell racks were bar-coded and their locations and status were recorded in the LIMS. We also created a hierarchical set of items that could be used to represent bacterial species, their products and experiments. The LIMS allowed reliable, semi-automated, traceable bacterial genotyping from initial single colony isolation and sub-cultivation through DNA extraction and normalization to PCRs, sequencing and MLST sequence trace evaluation. We also describe robotic sequencing to facilitate cherrypicking of sequence dropouts. This pipeline is user-friendly, with a throughput of 96 strains within 10 working days at a total cost of 200,000 items were processed by two to three people. Our sophisticated automated pipeline can be implemented by a small microbiology group without extensive external support, and provides a general framework for semi-automated bacterial genotyping of large numbers of samples at low cost.

  5. Optimization of a method for the profiling and quantification of saponins in different green asparagus genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vázquez-Castilla, Sara; Jaramillo-Carmona, Sara; Fuentes-Alventosa, Jose María; Jiménez-Araujo, Ana; Rodriguez-Arcos, Rocío; Cermeño-Sacristán, Pedro; Espejo-Calvo, Juan Antonio; Guillén-Bejarano, Rafael

    2013-07-03

    The main goal of this study was the optimization of a HPLC-MS method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of asparagus saponins. The method includes extraction with aqueous ethanol, cleanup by solid phase extraction, separation by reverse phase chromatography, electrospray ionization, and detection in a single quadrupole mass analyzer. The method was used for the comparison of selected genotypes of Huétor-Tájar asparagus landrace and selected varieties of commercial diploid hybrids of green asparagus. The results showed that while protodioscin was almost the only saponin detected in the commercial hybrids, eight different saponins were detected in the Huétor-Tájar asparagus genotypes. The mass spectra indicated that HT saponins are derived from a furostan type steroidal genin having a single bond between carbons 5 and 6 of the B ring. The total concentration of saponins was found to be higher in triguero asparagus than in commercial hybrids.

  6. Cytokines in systemic lupus erythematosus: far beyond Th1/Th2 dualism lupus: cytokine profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guimarães, Poliana Macedo; Scavuzzi, Bruna Miglioranza; Stadtlober, Nicole Perugini; Franchi Santos, Lorena Flor da Rosa; Lozovoy, Marcell Alysson Batisti; Iriyoda, Tatiana Mayumi Veiga; Costa, Neide Tomimura; Reiche, Edna Maria Vissoci; Maes, Michael; Dichi, Isaias; Simão, Andréa Name Colado

    2017-10-01

    The aims of this study were to delineate cytokine profiles of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), construct prediction models for diagnosis and disease activity using those profiles, and to examine the associations between TNFB Ncol polymorphism, body mass index (BMI) and vitamin D levels with cytokine levels. Two hundred SLE patients and 196 healthy controls participated in this case-control study. Plasma cytokines levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL- 4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-17 were measured and cytokines profiles were computed. IL-6, IL-12, IL-17, IFN-γ and IL-10 levels were significantly higher in SLE, while IL-4 was lower in SLE. The Th1/Th2 and Th1+Th17/Th2 profiles were significantly higher in SLE than in healthy controls, whereas there were no significant differences in the proinflammatory cytokine profile (TNFα+IL-6+IL-1β). In total, 90.4% of all subjects were correctly classified using Th1+Th17 profile and IL-10 (positively associated) and IL-4 (negatively associated) as predictor variables (sensitivity=66.7% and specificity=96.9%). In all, 20.9% of the variance in the SLE Disease Activity Index was predicted by the Th1+Th17/Th2 ratio, IL-10 and BMI (all positively) and proinflammatory profile (inversely associated). B1/B1 genotype is accompanied by increased IL-17 and Th17/Th2 ratio, while B1/B2 genotype is accompanied by higher IL-4 and IFNγ values. 25-OH vitamin D was inversely associated with IFN-γ levels. SLE is accompanied by Th1, Th17 and Treg profile and lowered IL-4 production. Lowered vitamin D levels and B1/B1 genotype, but not BMI, contribute to changes in cytokines profiles. Future treatments should target Th1, Th2 and Th17 profiles rather than inflammatory cytokines.

  7. Differential transcript abundance and genotypic variation of four putative allergen-encoding gene families in melting peach

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yang, Z.; Ma, Y.; Chen, L.; Xie, R.; Zhang, X.; Zhang, B.; Lu, M.; Wu, S.; Gilissen, L.J.W.J.; Ree, van R.; Gao, Z.

    2011-01-01

    We analysed the temporal and spatial transcript expression of the panel of 18 putative isoallergens from four gene families (Pru p 1–4) in the peach fruit, anther and leaf of two melting cultivars, to gain insight into their expression profiles and to identify the key family members. Genotypic

  8. Spatial overlap links seemingly unconnected genotype-matched TB cases in rural Uganda

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kato-Maeda, Midori; Emperador, Devy M.; Wandera, Bonnie; Mugagga, Olive; Crandall, John; Janes, Michael; Marquez, Carina; Kamya, Moses R.; Charlebois, Edwin D.; Havlir, Diane V.

    2018-01-01

    Introduction Incomplete understanding of TB transmission dynamics in high HIV prevalence settings remains an obstacle for prevention. Understanding where transmission occurs could provide a platform for case finding and interrupting transmission. Methods From 2012–2015, we sought to recruit all adults starting TB treatment in a Ugandan community. Participants underwent household (HH) contact investigation, and provided names of social contacts, sites of work, healthcare and socializing, and two sputum samples. Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture-positive specimens underwent 24-loci MIRU-VNTR and spoligotyping. We sought to identify epidemiologic links between genotype-matched cases by analyzing social networks and mapping locations where cases reported spending ≥12 hours over the one-month pre-treatment. Sites of spatial overlap (≤100m) between genotype-matched cases were considered potential transmission sites. We analyzed social networks stratified by genotype clustering status, with cases linked by shared locations, and compared network density by location type between clustered vs. non-clustered cases. Results Of 173 adults with TB, 131 (76%) were enrolled, 108 provided sputum, and 84/131 (78%) were MTB culture-positive: 52% (66/131) tested HIV-positive. Of 118 adult HH contacts, 105 (89%) were screened and 3 (2.5%) diagnosed with active TB. Overall, 33 TB cases (39%) belonged to 15 distinct MTB genotype-matched clusters. Within each cluster, no cases shared a HH or reported shared non-HH contacts. In 6/15 (40%) clusters, potential epidemiologic links were identified by spatial overlap at specific locations: 5/6 involved health care settings. Genotype-clustered TB social networks had significantly greater network density based on shared clinics (p<0.001) and decreased density based on shared marketplaces (p<0.001), compared to non-clustered networks. Conclusions In this molecular epidemiologic study, links between MTB genotype-matched cases were only

  9. Hepatitis B, C, and D virus infection showing distinct patterns between injection drug users and the general population.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Fei; Zhang, Jian; Guo, Fengfan; Wen, Bo; Luo, Shan; Yuan, Dongping; Lin, Yingbiao; Ou, Wensheng; Tang, Ping; Dai, Guozhi; Li, Fangfang; Liu, Wenpei; Qu, Xiaowang

    2017-02-01

    Hepatitis B, C, and D virus (HBV, HCV, and HDV) infections are known to be prevalent in injection drug users (IDUs); however, the relationship between the molecular epidemiologic features of hepatitis virus infection in high-risk individuals and the general population has not yet been established. In total, 1049 IDUs and 672 individuals who underwent physical examinations at Chenzhou hospital, Hunan Province, China, were enrolled. HBV, HCV, and HDV infections were screened with serologic tests in both populations. HBsAg-positive, anti-HCV IgG-positive, and anti-HDV IgG-positive samples were further confirmed by polymerase chain reaction, quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and DNA sequencing. Significantly higher HBV (21.54 vs 16.52%, P = 0.01), HCV (45.95% vs 1.34%, P infections were detected in IDUs compared with the general population. The dual infection of HBV/HCV or HBV/HDV was also significantly higher in IDUs than in the general population. HBV genotype B and HDV genotype II were dominants in both populations. HCV infection showed genotype 6a (49.52%) dominant in IDUs, but genotype 1b accounted for 50% infection, which was followed by genotype 6a (33.33%) in the general population. Higher viral loads were associated with HBV genotype B and HCV genotype 6a compared with non-dominant genotypic infections. HBV and HDV infections shared similar patterns by IDUs and the general populations, and HCV infection exhibited distinct features between two populations. Our results suggest different molecular epidemiologic characteristics of HBV, HCV, and HDV infection in two populations. © 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

  10. Internal validation of STRmix™ for the interpretation of single source and mixed DNA profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moretti, Tamyra R; Just, Rebecca S; Kehl, Susannah C; Willis, Leah E; Buckleton, John S; Bright, Jo-Anne; Taylor, Duncan A; Onorato, Anthony J

    2017-07-01

    The interpretation of DNA evidence can entail analysis of challenging STR typing results. Genotypes inferred from low quality or quantity specimens, or mixed DNA samples originating from multiple contributors, can result in weak or inconclusive match probabilities when a binary interpretation method and necessary thresholds (such as a stochastic threshold) are employed. Probabilistic genotyping approaches, such as fully continuous methods that incorporate empirically determined biological parameter models, enable usage of more of the profile information and reduce subjectivity in interpretation. As a result, software-based probabilistic analyses tend to produce more consistent and more informative results regarding potential contributors to DNA evidence. Studies to assess and internally validate the probabilistic genotyping software STRmix™ for casework usage at the Federal Bureau of Investigation Laboratory were conducted using lab-specific parameters and more than 300 single-source and mixed contributor profiles. Simulated forensic specimens, including constructed mixtures that included DNA from two to five donors across a broad range of template amounts and contributor proportions, were used to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the system via more than 60,000 tests comparing hundreds of known contributors and non-contributors to the specimens. Conditioned analyses, concurrent interpretation of amplification replicates, and application of an incorrect contributor number were also performed to further investigate software performance and probe the limitations of the system. In addition, the results from manual and probabilistic interpretation of both prepared and evidentiary mixtures were compared. The findings support that STRmix™ is sufficiently robust for implementation in forensic laboratories, offering numerous advantages over historical methods of DNA profile analysis and greater statistical power for the estimation of evidentiary weight, and

  11. Differential effects of 5-HTTLPR genotypes on mood, memory, and attention bias following acute tryptophan depletion and stress exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Firk, Christine; Markus, C Rob

    2009-05-01

    Polymorphisms of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTLPR) may be associated with increased vulnerability to acute tryptophan depletion (ATD) and depression vulnerability especially following stressful life events. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of ATD in subjects with different 5-HTTLPR profiles before and after stress exposure on affective and cognitive-attentional changes. Eighteen subjects with homozygotic short alleles (S'/S') and 17 subjects with homozygotic long alleles (L'/L') of the 5-HTTLPR participated in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design to measure the effects of ATD on mood, memory, and attention before and after acute stress exposure. ATD lowered mood in all subjects independent of genotype. In S'/S' genotypes, mild acute stress increased depressive mood and in L'/L' genotypes increased feelings of vigor. Furthermore, S'/S' genotypes differed from L'/L' genotypes on measures of attention independent of treatment and memory following ATD. Polymorphisms of the 5-HTTLPR differentially affect responses to mild stress and ATD, suggesting greater vulnerability of S'/S' carriers to serotonergic manipulations and supporting increased depression vulnerability.

  12. Human papillomavirus genotyping using an automated film-based chip array.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Erali, Maria; Pattison, David C; Wittwer, Carl T; Petti, Cathy A

    2009-09-01

    The INFINITI HPV-QUAD assay is a commercially available genotyping platform for human papillomavirus (HPV) that uses multiplex PCR, followed by automated processing for primer extension, hybridization, and detection. The analytical performance of the HPV-QUAD assay was evaluated using liquid cervical cytology specimens, and the results were compared with those results obtained using the digene High-Risk HPV hc2 Test (HC2). The specimen types included Surepath and PreservCyt transport media, as well as residual SurePath and HC2 transport media from the HC2 assay. The overall concordance of positive and negative results following the resolution of indeterminate and intermediate results was 83% among the 197 specimens tested. HC2 positive (+) and HPV-QUAD negative (-) results were noted in 24 specimens that were shown by real-time PCR and sequence analysis to contain no HPV, HPV types that were cross-reactive in the HC2 assay, or low virus levels. Conversely, HC2 (-) and HPV-QUAD (+) results were noted in four specimens and were subsequently attributed to cross-contamination. The most common HPV types to be identified in this study were HPV16, HPV18, HPV52/58, and HPV39/56. We show that the HPV-QUAD assay is a user friendly, automated system for the identification of distinct HPV genotypes. Based on its analytical performance, future studies with this platform are warranted to assess its clinical utility for HPV detection and genotyping.

  13. Typing of 48 autosomal SNPs and amelogenin with GenPlex SNP genotyping system in forensic genetics

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Tomas Mas, Carmen; Stangegaard, Michael; Børsting, Claus

    2008-01-01

    , Somalia and Greenland were investigated with GenPlex using a Biomek 3000 (Beckman Coulter) robot. The results were compared to results obtained with an ISO 17025 accredited SNP typing assay based on single base extension (SBE). With the GenPlex SNP genotyping system, full SNP profiles were obtained in 97.......6% of the investigations. Perfect concordance was obtained in duplicate investigations and the SNP genotypes obtained with the GenPlex system were concordant with those of the accredited SBE based SNP typing system except for one result in rs901398 in one of 286 individuals most likely due to a mutation 6 bp downstream...

  14. Rotavirus genotype shifts among Swedish children and adults-Application of a real-time PCR genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersson, Maria; Lindh, Magnus

    2017-11-01

    It is well known that human rotavirus group A is the most important cause of severe diarrhoea in infants and young children. Less is known about rotavirus infections in other age groups, and about how rotavirus genotypes change over time in different age groups. Develop a real-time PCR to easily genotype rotavirus strains in order to monitor the pattern of circulating genotypes. In this study, rotavirus strains in clinical samples from children and adults in Western Sweden during 2010-2014 were retrospectively genotyped by using specific amplification of VP 4 and VP 7 genes with a new developed real-rime PCR. A genotype was identified in 97% of 775 rotavirus strains. G1P[8] was the most common genotype representing 34.9%, followed by G2P[4] (28.3%), G9P[8] (11.5%), G3P[8] (8.1%), and G4P[8] (7.9%) The genotype distribution changed over time, from predominance of G1P[8] in 2010-2012 to predominance of G2P[4] in 2013-2014. There were also age-related differences, with G1P[8] being the most common genotype in children under 2 years (47.6%), and G2P[4] the most common in those over 70 years of age (46.1%.). The shift to G2P[4] in 2013-2014 was associated with a change in the age distribution, with a greater number of rotavirus positive cases in elderly than in children. By using a new real-time PCR method for genotyping we found that genotype distribution was age related and changed over time with a decreasing proportion of G1P[8]. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  15. Genotypic Diversity and Short-term Response to Shading Stress in a Threatened Seagrass: Does Low Diversity Mean Low Resilience?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suzanna M. Evans

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Seagrasses that are predominantly clonal often have low levels of genetic variation within populations and predicting their response to changing conditions requires an understanding of whether genetic variation confers increased resistance to environmental stressors. A higher level of genetic diversity is assumed to benefit threatened species due to the increased likelihood of those populations having genotypes that can persist under environmental change. To test this idea, we conducted an in situ shading experiment with six geographically distinct meadows of the threatened seagrass Posidonia australis that vary in genetic diversity. Different genotypes within meadows varied widely in their physiological and growth responses to reduced light during a simulated short-term turbidity event. The majority of meadows were resistant to the sudden reduction in light availability, but a small subset of meadows with low genotypic diversity were particularly vulnerable to the early effects of shading, showing substantially reduced growth rates after only 3 weeks. Using the photosynthetic performance (maximum quantum yield of known genotypes, we simulated meadows of varying genetic diversity to show that higher diversity can increase meadow resilience to stress by ensuring a high probability of including a high-performing genotype. These results support the hypothesis that complementarity among genotypes enhances the adaptive capacity of a population, and have significant implications for the conservation of declining P. australis meadows close to the species range edge on the east coast of Australia, where the genotypic diversity is low.

  16. Genotypic Diversity and Short-term Response to Shading Stress in a Threatened Seagrass: Does Low Diversity Mean Low Resilience?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Evans, Suzanna M; Vergés, Adriana; Poore, Alistair G B

    2017-01-01

    Seagrasses that are predominantly clonal often have low levels of genetic variation within populations and predicting their response to changing conditions requires an understanding of whether genetic variation confers increased resistance to environmental stressors. A higher level of genetic diversity is assumed to benefit threatened species due to the increased likelihood of those populations having genotypes that can persist under environmental change. To test this idea, we conducted an in situ shading experiment with six geographically distinct meadows of the threatened seagrass Posidonia australis that vary in genetic diversity. Different genotypes within meadows varied widely in their physiological and growth responses to reduced light during a simulated short-term turbidity event. The majority of meadows were resistant to the sudden reduction in light availability, but a small subset of meadows with low genotypic diversity were particularly vulnerable to the early effects of shading, showing substantially reduced growth rates after only 3 weeks. Using the photosynthetic performance (maximum quantum yield) of known genotypes, we simulated meadows of varying genetic diversity to show that higher diversity can increase meadow resilience to stress by ensuring a high probability of including a high-performing genotype. These results support the hypothesis that complementarity among genotypes enhances the adaptive capacity of a population, and have significant implications for the conservation of declining P. australis meadows close to the species range edge on the east coast of Australia, where the genotypic diversity is low.

  17. A multi locus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA scheme for Streptococcus agalactiae genotyping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mereghetti Laurent

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Multilocus sequence typing (MLST is currently the reference method for genotyping Streptococcus agalactiae strains, the leading cause of infectious disease in newborns and a major cause of disease in immunocompromised children and adults. We describe here a genotyping method based on multiple locus variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR analysis (MLVA applied to a population of S. agalactiae strains of various origins characterized by MLST and serotyping. Results We studied a collection of 186 strains isolated from humans and cattle and three reference strains (A909, NEM316 and 2603 V/R. Among 34 VNTRs, 6 polymorphic VNTRs loci were selected for use in genotyping of the bacterial population. The MLVA profile consists of a series of allele numbers, corresponding to the number of repeats at each VNTR locus. 98 MLVA genotypes were obtained compared to 51 sequences types generated by MLST. The MLVA scheme generated clusters which corresponded well to the main clonal complexes obtained by MLST. However it provided a higher discriminatory power. The diversity index obtained with MLVA was 0.960 compared to 0.881 with MLST for this population of strains. Conclusions The MLVA scheme proposed here is a rapid, cheap and easy genotyping method generating results suitable for exchange and comparison between different laboratories and for the epidemiologic surveillance of S. agalactiae and analyses of outbreaks.

  18. Genotyping Applications for Transplantation and Transfusion Management: The Emory Experience.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fasano, Ross M; Sullivan, Harold Cliff; Bray, Robert A; Gebel, Howard M; Meyer, Erin K; Winkler, Annie M; Josephson, Cassandra D; Stowell, Sean R; Sandy Duncan, Alexander; Roback, John D

    2017-03-01

    Current genotyping methodologies for transplantation and transfusion management employ multiplex systems that allow for simultaneous detection of multiple HLA antigens, human platelet antigens, and red blood cell (RBC) antigens. The development of high-resolution, molecular HLA typing has led to improved outcomes in unrelated hematopoietic stem cell transplants by better identifying compatible alleles of the HLA-A, B, C, DRB1, and DQB1 antigens. In solid organ transplantation, the combination of high-resolution HLA typing with solid-phase antibody identification has proven of value for highly sensitized patients and has significantly reduced incompatible crossmatches at the time of organ allocation. This database-driven, combined HLA antigen/antibody testing has enabled routine implementation of "virtual crossmatching" and may even obviate the need for physical crossmatching. In addition, DNA-based testing for RBC antigens provides an alternative typing method that mitigates many of the limitations of hemagglutination-based phenotyping. Although RBC genotyping has utility in various transfusion settings, it has arguably been most useful for minimizing alloimmunization in the management of transfusion-dependent patients with sickle cell disease or thalassemia. The availability of high-throughput RBC genotyping for both individuals and large populations of donors, along with coordinated informatics systems to compare patients' antigen profiles with available antigen-negative and/or rare blood-typed donors, holds promise for improving the efficiency, reliability, and extent of RBC matching for this population.

  19. Expression profiles of genes involved in tanshinone biosynthesis of ...

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    Expression profiles of genes involved in tanshinone biosynthesis of two. Salvia miltiorrhiza genotypes with different tanshinone contents. Zhenqiao Song, Jianhua Wang and Xingfeng Li. J. Genet. 95, 433–439. Table 1. S. miltiorrhiza genes and primer pairs used for qRT-PCR. Gene. GenBank accession. Primer name.

  20. Signaling Pathways Related to Protein Synthesis and Amino Acid Concentration in Pig Skeletal Muscles Depend on the Dietary Protein Level, Genotype and Developmental Stages.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yingying; Li, Fengna; Kong, Xiangfeng; Tan, Bie; Li, Yinghui; Duan, Yehui; Blachier, François; Hu, Chien-An A; Yin, Yulong

    2015-01-01

    Landrace pigs. These findings indicated that the dynamic consequences of AA profile and protein deposition in muscle tissues are the concerted effort of distinctive genotype, nutrient status, age, and muscle type. Our results provide valuable information for animal feeding strategy.

  1. Brief communication genotyping of Burkholderia pseudomallei revealed high genetic variability among isolates from a single population group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zueter, Abdelrahman Mohammad; Rahman, Zaidah Abdul; Yean, Chan Yean; Harun, Azian

    2015-01-01

    Burkholderia pseudomallei is a soil dwelling Gram-negative bacteria predominates in Southeast Asia zone and the tropical part of Australia. Genetic diversity has been explored among various populations and environments worldwide. To date, little data is available on MLST profiling of clinical B. pseudomallei isolates in peninsular Malaysia. In this brief report, thirteen culture positive B. pseudomallei cases collected from a single population of Terengganu state in the Western Peninsular Malaysia and were confirmed by In-house TTS1-PCR. Isolates were subjected for multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) to explore their genotypic diversity and to investigate for possible clonal clustering of a certain sequence type. Patient's clinical information was examined to investigate for clinical correlation among the different genotypes. In spite of small sample set, MLST results indicated predictive results; considerable genotypic diversity, predominance and novelty among B. pseudomallei collected over a single geographically-located population in Malaysia. Massive genotypic heterogeneity was observed; 8 different sequence types with predominance of sequence type 54 and discovery of two novel sequence types. However, no clear pathogenomic or organ tropism clonal relationships were predicted.

  2. MicroRNA profiling of primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphomas.

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    Lianne Koens

    Full Text Available Aberrant expression of microRNAs is widely accepted to be pathogenetically involved in nodal diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs. However, the microRNAs profiles of primary cutaneous large B-cell lymphomas (PCLBCLs are not yet described. Its two main subtypes, i.e., primary cutaneous diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, leg type (PCLBCL-LT and primary cutaneous follicle center lymphoma (PCFCL are characterized by an activated B-cell (ABC-genotype and a germinal center B-cell (GCB-genotype, respectively. We performed high-throughput sequencing analysis on frozen tumor biopsies from 19 cases of PCFCL and PCLBCL-LT to establish microRNA profiles. Cluster analysis of the complete microRNome could not distinguish between the two subtypes, but 16 single microRNAs were found to be differentially expressed. Single microRNA RT-qPCR was conducted on formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumor biopsies of 20 additional cases, confirming higher expression of miR-9-5p, miR-31-5p, miR-129-2-3p and miR-214-3p in PCFCL as compared to PCLBCL-LT. MicroRNAs previously described to be higher expressed in ABC-type as compared to GCB-type nodal DLBCL were not differentially expressed between PCFCL and PCLBCL-LT. In conclusion, PCFCL and PCLBCL-LT differ in their microRNA profiles. In contrast to their gene expression profile, they only show slight resemblance with the microRNA profiles found in GCB- and ABC-type nodal DLBCL.

  3. Distinct microbial populations are tightly linked to the profile of dissolved iron in the methanic sediments of the Helgoland mud area, North Sea

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    Oluwatobi Emmanuel Oni

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Iron reduction in subseafloor sulfate-depleted and methane-rich marine sediments is currently a subject of interest in subsurface geomicrobiology. While iron reduction and microorganisms involved have been well studied in marine surface sediments, little is known about microorganisms responsible for iron reduction in deep methanic sediments. Here, we used quantitative PCR (Q-PCR-based 16S rRNA gene copy numbers and pyrosequencing-based relative abundances of bacteria and archaea to investigate covariance between distinct microbial populations and specific geochemical profiles in the top 5 m of sediment cores from the Helgoland mud area, North Sea. We found that gene copy numbers of bacteria and archaea were specifically higher around the peak of dissolved iron in the methanic zone (250-350 cm. The higher copy numbers at these depths were also reflected by the relative sequence abundances of members of the candidate division JS1, methanogenic and Methanohalobium/ANME-3 related archaea. The distribution of these populations was strongly correlated to the profile of pore-water Fe2+ while that of Desulfobacteraceae corresponded to the pore-water sulfate profile. Furthermore, specific JS1 populations also strongly co-varied with the distribution of Methanosaetaceae in the methanic zone. Our data suggest that the interplay among JS1 bacteria, methanogenic archaea and Methanohalobium/ANME-3-related archaea may be important for iron reduction and methane cycling in deep methanic sediments of the Helgoland mud area and perhaps in other methane-rich depositional environments.

  4. A genetically diverse but distinct North American population of Sarcocystis neurona includes an overrepresented clone described by 12 microsatellite alleles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asmundsson, Ingrid M; Dubey, J P; Rosenthal, Benjamin M

    2006-09-01

    The population genetics and systematics of most coccidians remain poorly defined despite their impact on human and veterinary health. Non-recombinant parasite clones characterized by distinct transmission and pathogenesis traits persist in the coccidian Toxoplasma gondii despite opportunities for sexual recombination. In order to determine whether this may be generally true for tissue-cyst forming coccidia, and to address evolutionary and taxonomic problems within the genus Sarcocystis, we characterized polymorphic microsatellite markers in Sarcocystis neurona, the major causative agent of equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM). Bayesian statistical modeling, phylogenetic reconstruction based on genotypic chord distances, and analyses of linkage disequilibrium were employed to examine the population structure within S. neurona and closely related Sarcocystis falcatula isolates from North and South America. North American S. neurona were clearly differentiated from those of South America and also from isolates of S. falcatula. Although S. neurona is characterized by substantial allelic and genotypic diversity typical of interbreeding populations, one genotype occurs with significantly excessive frequency; thus, some degree of asexual propagation of S. neurona clones may naturally occur. Finally, S. neurona isolated from disparate North American localities and diverse hosts (opossums, a Southern sea otter, and horses) comprise a single genetic population. Isolates associated with clinical neurological disease bear no obvious distinction as measured by these presumably neutral genetic markers.

  5. Gene expression profiling reveals distinct molecular signatures associated with the rupture of intracranial aneurysm.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nakaoka, Hirofumi; Tajima, Atsushi; Yoneyama, Taku; Hosomichi, Kazuyoshi; Kasuya, Hidetoshi; Mizutani, Tohru; Inoue, Ituro

    2014-08-01

    The rupture of intracranial aneurysm (IA) causes subarachnoid hemorrhage associated with high morbidity and mortality. We compared gene expression profiles in aneurysmal domes between unruptured IAs and ruptured IAs (RIAs) to elucidate biological mechanisms predisposing to the rupture of IA. We determined gene expression levels of 8 RIAs, 5 unruptured IAs, and 10 superficial temporal arteries with the Agilent microarrays. To explore biological heterogeneity of IAs, we classified the samples into subgroups showing similar gene expression patterns, using clustering methods. The clustering analysis identified 4 groups: superficial temporal arteries and unruptured IAs were aggregated into their own clusters, whereas RIAs segregated into 2 distinct subgroups (early and late RIAs). Comparing gene expression levels between early RIAs and unruptured IAs, we identified 430 upregulated and 617 downregulated genes in early RIAs. The upregulated genes were associated with inflammatory and immune responses and phagocytosis including S100/calgranulin genes (S100A8, S100A9, and S100A12). The downregulated genes suggest mechanical weakness of aneurysm walls. The expressions of Krüppel-like family of transcription factors (KLF2, KLF12, and KLF15), which were anti-inflammatory regulators, and CDKN2A, which was located on chromosome 9p21 that was the most consistently replicated locus in genome-wide association studies of IA, were also downregulated. We demonstrate that gene expression patterns of RIAs were different according to the age of patients. The results suggest that macrophage-mediated inflammation is a key biological pathway for IA rupture. The identified genes can be good candidates for molecular markers of rupture-prone IAs and therapeutic targets. © 2014 American Heart Association, Inc.

  6. Genetic diversity of "Pimenta Longa" genotypes (Piper spp., Piperaceae of the Embrapa Acre germplasm collection

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    Lúcia Helena de Oliveira Wadt

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available The commonly known Pimenta longa is a commercially valuable natural resource found wild in Acre, Brazil. Specifically, three Piperaceae species with contested taxonomic status were studied, Piper hispidinervum, Piper aduncum, and Piper hispidum, to assesses the inter- and intra-specific genetic relationship of 49 Piper genotypes kept in the Pimenta longa germplasm collection at Embrapa Acre, using sixty six Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD markers. The DNA polymorphism level detected was high (96.97%, but the marker frequencies for each species showed polymorphism levels of 79.4% for Piper hispidinervum and 5.3% for P. aduncum. The genetic similarity clustering analysis resulted in three distinct groups corresponding to Piper hispidinervum, Piper aduncum, and Piper hispidum. Four and nine characteristic RAPD markers were identified for P. hispidinervum and P. aduncum, respectively, supporting the existence of two separate species. However, six genotypes collected in Tarauacá county formed a distinct subgroup within the P. hispidinervum group and may be considered as an ecotype of this species or an intermediate between the P. hispidinervum and P. aduncum groups. More extensive sampling of both P. hispidinervum and P. aduncum populations throughout the region are needed to further establish their relation and its implication for breeding efforts.

  7. Discovery of novel variants in genotyping arrays improves genotype retention and reduces ascertainment bias

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    Didion John P

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background High-density genotyping arrays that measure hybridization of genomic DNA fragments to allele-specific oligonucleotide probes are widely used to genotype single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs in genetic studies, including human genome-wide association studies. Hybridization intensities are converted to genotype calls by clustering algorithms that assign each sample to a genotype class at each SNP. Data for SNP probes that do not conform to the expected pattern of clustering are often discarded, contributing to ascertainment bias and resulting in lost information - as much as 50% in a recent genome-wide association study in dogs. Results We identified atypical patterns of hybridization intensities that were highly reproducible and demonstrated that these patterns represent genetic variants that were not accounted for in the design of the array platform. We characterized variable intensity oligonucleotide (VINO probes that display such patterns and are found in all hybridization-based genotyping platforms, including those developed for human, dog, cattle, and mouse. When recognized and properly interpreted, VINOs recovered a substantial fraction of discarded probes and counteracted SNP ascertainment bias. We developed software (MouseDivGeno that identifies VINOs and improves the accuracy of genotype calling. MouseDivGeno produced highly concordant genotype calls when compared with other methods but it uniquely identified more than 786000 VINOs in 351 mouse samples. We used whole-genome sequence from 14 mouse strains to confirm the presence of novel variants explaining 28000 VINOs in those strains. We also identified VINOs in human HapMap 3 samples, many of which were specific to an African population. Incorporating VINOs in phylogenetic analyses substantially improved the accuracy of a Mus species tree and local haplotype assignment in laboratory mouse strains. Conclusion The problems of ascertainment bias and missing

  8. Tracing Males From Different Continents by Genotyping JC Polyomavirus in DNA From Semen Samples.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rotondo, John Charles; Candian, Tommaso; Selvatici, Rita; Mazzoni, Elisa; Bonaccorsi, Gloria; Greco, Pantaleo; Tognon, Mauro; Martini, Fernanda

    2017-05-01

    The human JC polyomavirus (JCPyV) is an ubiquitous viral agent infecting approximately 60% of humans. Recently, JCPyV sequences have been detected in semen samples. The aim of this investigation was to test whether semen JCPyV genotyping can be employed to trace the origin continent of males. Semen DNA samples (n = 170) from males of different Continents were investigated by PCR for the polymorphic JCPyV viral capsid protein 1 (VP1) sequences, followed by DNA sequencing. JCPyV sequences were detected with an overall prevalence of 27.6% (47/170). DNA sequencing revealed that European males carried JCPyV types 1A (71.4%), 4 (11.4%), 2B (2.9%), 2D1 (2.9%), and 3A (2.9%). Asians JCPyV type 2D1 (66.7%) and Africans JCPyV types 3A (33.3%) and 1A (33.3%). In 10.6% of males, two different JCPyV genotypes were detected, suggesting that the second JCPyV genotype was acquired in the destination country. This study indicates that the majority of semen samples found to be JCPyV-positive, were infected with the JCPyV genotype found in the geographic area of male origin. Therefore, semen JCPyV genotyping could be employed to trace the origin continent of males. Our findings could be applied to forensic investigations, in case of for instance sexual crimes. Indeed, JCPyV genotyping should enable investigators to make additional detailed profiling of the offender. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 982-985, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Myanmar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Win, Nan Nwe; Kanda, Tatsuo; Nakamoto, Shingo; Yokosuka, Osamu; Shirasawa, Hiroshi

    2016-07-21

    Myanmar is adjacent to India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Laos and China. In Myanmar, the prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is 2%, and HCV infection accounts for 25% of hepatocellular carcinoma. In this study, we reviewed the prevalence of HCV genotypes in Myanmar. HCV genotypes 1, 3 and 6 were observed in volunteer blood donors in and around the Myanmar city of Yangon. Although there are several reports of HCV genotype 6 and its variants in Myanmar, the distribution of the HCV genotypes has not been well documented in areas other than Yangon. Previous studies showed that treatment with peginterferon and a weight-based dose of ribavirin for 24 or 48 wk could lead to an 80%-100% sustained virological response (SVR) rates in Myanmar. Current interferon-free treatments could lead to higher SVR rates (90%-95%) in patients infected with almost all HCV genotypes other than HCV genotype 3. In an era of heavy reliance on direct-acting antivirals against HCV, there is an increasing need to measure HCV genotypes, and this need will also increase specifically in Myanmar. Current available information of HCV genotypes were mostly from Yangon and other countries than Myanmar. The prevalence of HCV genotypes in Myanmar should be determined.

  10. Utilization of ACL Injury Biomechanical and Neuromuscular Risk Profile Analysis to Determine the Effectiveness of Neuromuscular Training.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hewett, Timothy E; Ford, Kevin R; Xu, Yingying Y; Khoury, Jane; Myer, Gregory D

    2016-12-01

    The widespread use of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury prevention interventions has not been effective in reducing the injury incidence among female athletes who participate in high-risk sports. The purpose of this study was to determine if biomechanical and neuromuscular factors that contribute to the knee abduction moment (KAM), a predictor of future ACL injuries, could be used to characterize athletes by a distinct factor. Specifically, we hypothesized that a priori selected biomechanical and neuromuscular factors would characterize participants into distinct at-risk profiles. Controlled laboratory study. A total of 624 female athletes who participated in jumping, cutting, and pivoting sports underwent testing before their competitive season. During testing, athletes performed drop-jump tasks from which biomechanical measures were captured. Using data from these tasks, latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify distinct profiles based on preintervention biomechanical and neuromuscular measures. As a validation, we examined whether the profile membership was a significant predictor of the KAM. LPA using 6 preintervention biomechanical measures selected a priori resulted in 3 distinct profiles, including a low (profile 1), moderate (profile 2), and high (profile 3) risk for ACL injuries. Athletes with profiles 2 and 3 had a significantly higher KAM compared with those with profile 1 (P risk profiles. Three distinct risk groups were identified based on differences in the peak KAM. These findings demonstrate the existence of discernable groups of athletes that may benefit from injury prevention interventions. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT identifier: NCT01034527. © 2016 The Author(s).

  11. Distribution of the type III DNA methyltransferases modA, modB and modD among Neisseria meningitidis genotypes: implications for gene regulation and virulence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tan, Aimee; Hill, Dorothea M C; Harrison, Odile B; Srikhanta, Yogitha N; Jennings, Michael P; Maiden, Martin C J; Seib, Kate L

    2016-02-12

    Neisseria meningitidis is a human-specific bacterium that varies in invasive potential. All meningococci are carried in the nasopharynx, and most genotypes are very infrequently associated with invasive meningococcal disease; however, those belonging to the 'hyperinvasive lineages' are more frequently associated with sepsis or meningitis. Genome content is highly conserved between carriage and disease isolates, and differential gene expression has been proposed as a major determinant of the hyperinvasive phenotype. Three phase variable DNA methyltransferases (ModA, ModB and ModD), which mediate epigenetic regulation of distinct phase variable regulons (phasevarions), have been identified in N. meningitidis. Each mod gene has distinct alleles, defined by their Mod DNA recognition domain, and these target and methylate different DNA sequences, thereby regulating distinct gene sets. Here 211 meningococcal carriage and >1,400 disease isolates were surveyed for the distribution of meningococcal mod alleles. While modA11-12 and modB1-2 were found in most isolates, rarer alleles (e.g., modA15, modB4, modD1-6) were specific to particular genotypes as defined by clonal complex. This suggests that phase variable Mod proteins may be associated with distinct phenotypes and hence invasive potential of N. meningitidis strains.

  12. Laboratory Information Management Software for genotyping workflows: applications in high throughput crop genotyping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Prasanth VP

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background With the advances in DNA sequencer-based technologies, it has become possible to automate several steps of the genotyping process leading to increased throughput. To efficiently handle the large amounts of genotypic data generated and help with quality control, there is a strong need for a software system that can help with the tracking of samples and capture and management of data at different steps of the process. Such systems, while serving to manage the workflow precisely, also encourage good laboratory practice by standardizing protocols, recording and annotating data from every step of the workflow. Results A laboratory information management system (LIMS has been designed and implemented at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT that meets the requirements of a moderately high throughput molecular genotyping facility. The application is designed as modules and is simple to learn and use. The application leads the user through each step of the process from starting an experiment to the storing of output data from the genotype detection step with auto-binning of alleles; thus ensuring that every DNA sample is handled in an identical manner and all the necessary data are captured. The application keeps track of DNA samples and generated data. Data entry into the system is through the use of forms for file uploads. The LIMS provides functions to trace back to the electrophoresis gel files or sample source for any genotypic data and for repeating experiments. The LIMS is being presently used for the capture of high throughput SSR (simple-sequence repeat genotyping data from the legume (chickpea, groundnut and pigeonpea and cereal (sorghum and millets crops of importance in the semi-arid tropics. Conclusion A laboratory information management system is available that has been found useful in the management of microsatellite genotype data in a moderately high throughput genotyping

  13. Toxoplasma gondii seroprevalence and genotype diversity in select wildlife species from the southeastern United States

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    Richard W. Gerhold

    2017-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread protozoan parasite that infects humans and other animals. Previous studies indicate some genotypes of T. gondii are more frequently isolated in wildlife than agricultural animals, suggesting a wild/feral animal diversity model. To determine seroprevalence and genetic diversity of T. gondii in southeastern US wildlife, we collected sera from 471 wild animals, including 453 mammals and 18 birds, between 2011 and 2014. These serum samples were assayed for T. gondii infection using the modified agglutination test (MAT. Heart or tongue tissues from 66 seropositive animals were bioassayed in mice and 19 isolates were obtained. The isolated parasites were genotyped by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP method employing 10 genetic markers. Results One hundred and ninety-six of 471 samples (41.6% had a titer ≥1:32 and were considered positive for T. gondii infection. Of 453 mammals, 195 (43% were seropositive, whereas only one (5.6% of 18 birds was seropositive. The seroprevalence in mammals was significantly higher than in the birds. Mammalian hosts with adequate samples size (≥ 20 comprised white-tailed deer (n = 241, feral hogs (n = 100, raccoons (n = 34 and coyotes (n = 22, with seroprevalences of 41.0%, 51.0%, 50.0% and 72.7%, respectively. Coyotes had significantly higher seroprevalence than the white-tailed deer. Genotyping revealed five distinct genotypes, including the ToxoDB PCR-RFLP genotype #5 (a.k.a type 12 for 15 isolates, genotype #3 (a.k.a. type II for 1 isolate, and genotypes #154, #167 and #216, each for 1 isolate. The results showed moderate to high infection rates of T. gondii in white-tailed deer, feral hogs, raccoons and coyotes. Genotyping results indicated limited genetic diversity and a dominance of genotype #5, which has been reported as a major type in wildlife in North America. Conclusions We conclude that T. gondii

  14. Genotyping of canine distemper virus strains circulating in Brazil from 2008 to 2012.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Budaszewski, Renata da Fontoura; Pinto, Luciane Dubina; Weber, Matheus Nunes; Caldart, Eloiza Teles; Alves, Christian Diniz Beduschi Travassos; Martella, Vito; Ikuta, Nilo; Lunge, Vagner Ricardo; Canal, Cláudio Wageck

    2014-02-13

    Canine distemper virus (CDV) is a major pathogen of dogs and represents a serious threat to both unvaccinated and vaccinated animals. This study surveyed dogs with or without clinical signs related to canine distemper from different regions of Brazil from 2008 to 2012. A total of 155 out of 386 animals were found to be CDV positive by RT-PCR; 37 (23.8%) dogs were asymptomatic at the time of sampling, and 90 (58%) displayed clinical signs suggestive of distemper. Nineteen (12.2%) dogs had a record of complete vaccination, 15 (9.6%) had an incomplete vaccination protocol, and 76 (49%) had no vaccination record. Based on the sequence analysis of the complete hemagglutinin gene of 13 samples, 12 of the strains were characterized as Genotype South America-I/Europe. Considering criteria of at least 95% nucleotide identity to define a genotype and 98% to define a subgenotype, South America-I/Europe sequences segregated into eight different phylogenetically well-defined clusters that circulated or co-circulated in distinct geographical areas. Together, these findings highlight the relevance of CDV infection in Brazilian dogs, demonstrate the predominance of one genotype in Brazil and support the need to intensify the current control measures. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Assessment of RAPD Markers to Analyse the Genetic Diversity among Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. Genotypes

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    Ali Raza

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Genetic diversity estimation among different species is an important tool for genetic improvement to maximize the yield, desirable quality, wider adaptation, pest and insect resistance that ultimately boosting traditional plant breeding methods. The most efficient way of diversity estimation is application of molecular markers. In this study, twenty random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD primers were utilized to estimate the genetic diversity between ten sunflower genotypes. Overall 227 bands were amplified by 20 primers with an average of 11.35 bands per primer. RAPD data showed 86.34% polymorophic bands and 13.65% of monomorophic bands. Genetic similarity was ranged from 50.22% to 87.22%. The lowest similarity (50.22% was observed between FH-352 and FH-359 and the maximum similarity 87.22% was observed between A-23 and G-46. Polymorphic information content (PIC values were varying from 0.05 to 0.12 with a mean of 0.09. Cluster analysis based on RAPD results displayed two major distinct groups 1 and 2. Group-2 contains FH-352 which was the most diverse genotype, while group-1 consists of few sub groups with all other genotypes. Ample diversity was found in all the genotypes. Present study reveals novel information about sunflower genome which can be used in future studies for sunflower improvement.

  16. Genotypic differences in architectural and physiological responses to water restriction in rose bush

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li-Marchetti, Camille; Le Bras, Camille; Relion, Daniel; Citerne, Sylvie; Huché-Thélier, Lydie; Sakr, Soulaiman; Morel, Philippe; Crespel, Laurent

    2015-01-01

    The shape and, therefore, the architecture of the plant are dependent on genetic and environmental factors such as water supply. The architecture determines the visual quality, a key criterion underlying the decision to purchase an ornamental potted plant. The aim of this study was to analyze genotypic responses of eight rose bush cultivars to alternation of water restriction and re-watering periods, with soil water potential of -20 and -10 kPa respectively. Responses were evaluated at the architectural level through 3D digitalization using six architectural variables and at the physiological level by measuring stomatal conductance, water content, hormones [abscisic acid (ABA), auxin, cytokinins, jasmonic acid, and salicylic acid (SA)], sugars (sucrose, fructose, and glucose), and proline. Highly significant genotype and watering effects were revealed for all the architectural variables measured, as well as genotype × watering interaction, with three distinct genotypic architectural responses to water restriction – weak, moderate and strong – represented by Hw336, ‘Baipome’ and ‘The Fairy,’ respectively. The physiological analysis explained, at least in part, the more moderate architectural response of ‘Baipome’ compared to ‘The Fairy,’ but not that of Hw336 which is an interspecific hybrid. Such physiological responses in ‘Baipome’ could be related to: (i) the maintenance of the stimulation of budbreak and photosynthetic activity during water restriction periods due to a higher concentration in conjugated cytokinins (cCK) and to a lower concentration in SA; (ii) a better resumption of budbreak during the re-watering periods due to a lower concentration in ABA during this period. When associated with the six architectural descriptors, cCK, SA and ABA, which explained the genotypic differences in this study, could be used as selection criteria for breeding programs aimed at improving plant shape and tolerance to water restriction. PMID

  17. The first report of human-derived G10 genotype of Echinococcus canadensis in China and possible sources and routes of transmission.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Dong; Zhang, Tiemin; Zeng, Zhaolin; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Weizhe; Liu, Aiqin

    2015-10-01

    Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is one of the most important parasitic zoonoses. 10 distinct genotypes, designated G1-G10 genotypes of Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.), have been split into 4 species: Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) (G1-G3), Echinococcus equinus (G4), Echinococcus ortleppi (G5) and Echinococcus canadensis (G6-G10); Echinococcus felidis has also been suggested as a sister taxon of E. granulosus s.s. recently. Four genotypes belonging to two species (G1 and G3 genotypes of E. granulosus s.s., and G6 and G7 genotypes of E. canadensis) have been identified in humans and animals in China. In the present study, a human-derived hydatid cyst from a patient in northeastern China's Heilongjiang Province was identified as G10 genotype of E. canadensis based on mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1), cytochrome b (cytb) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 (nad1) genes. Homology analysis showed the cox1 gene sequence of G10 genotype of E. canadensis had 100% homology with those from wolves in Mongolia and from a moose in Russia. The cytb and nad1 gene sequences of G10 genotype of E. canadensis had 100% homology with the complete sequence from a moose in Finland at an amino acid level. The infection source of the CE patient here might be primarily attributable to wolves. This is the first report of G10 genotype of E. canadensis in a human in China. The finding of G10 genotype of E. canadensis in China shows that this genotype possibly has a more wide geographical distribution than previously considered. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Stepwise threshold clustering: a new method for genotyping MHC loci using next-generation sequencing technology.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    William E Stutz

    Full Text Available Genes of the vertebrate major histocompatibility complex (MHC are of great interest to biologists because of their important role in immunity and disease, and their extremely high levels of genetic diversity. Next generation sequencing (NGS technologies are quickly becoming the method of choice for high-throughput genotyping of multi-locus templates like MHC in non-model organisms. Previous approaches to genotyping MHC genes using NGS technologies suffer from two problems:1 a "gray zone" where low frequency alleles and high frequency artifacts can be difficult to disentangle and 2 a similar sequence problem, where very similar alleles can be difficult to distinguish as two distinct alleles. Here were present a new method for genotyping MHC loci--Stepwise Threshold Clustering (STC--that addresses these problems by taking full advantage of the increase in sequence data provided by NGS technologies. Unlike previous approaches for genotyping MHC with NGS data that attempt to classify individual sequences as alleles or artifacts, STC uses a quasi-Dirichlet clustering algorithm to cluster similar sequences at increasing levels of sequence similarity. By applying frequency and similarity based criteria to clusters rather than individual sequences, STC is able to successfully identify clusters of sequences that correspond to individual or similar alleles present in the genomes of individual samples. Furthermore, STC does not require duplicate runs of all samples, increasing the number of samples that can be genotyped in a given project. We show how the STC method works using a single sample library. We then apply STC to 295 threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus samples from four populations and show that neighboring populations differ significantly in MHC allele pools. We show that STC is a reliable, accurate, efficient, and flexible method for genotyping MHC that will be of use to biologists interested in a variety of downstream applications.

  19. Genotyping of Kell, Duffy, Kidd and RHD in patients with b Thalassemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Castilho Lilian

    2000-01-01

    Full Text Available Determination of Rh, Kell, Duffy and Kidd phenotypes in addition to ABO is used to prevent the alloimmunization to red blood cells (RBCs antigens and as part of the antibody identification process in patients with beta Thalassemia. However, phenotyping in these patients can be time consuming and difficult to interpret. In these situations, it would be valuable to have an alternative to hemagglutination tests to determine the patient's antigen profile. We used PCR-RFLP to genotype such patients. DNA was prepared from 50 patients with beta Thalassemia who had been phenotyped by routine hemagglutination, and tested for Kell, Kidd, Duffy/GATA mutation by PCR-RFLP. RHD/non-D was analysed by PCR product size associated to RHD gene sequence in intron 4 and exon 10/3'UTR. The genotyping assays were performed without knowledge of phenotype results. For RHD/non-D, 47 were RhD+ and RHD+/RHCE+, and 3 were RhD- and RHD-/RHCE+. For Kell, 48 kk were K2K2 and 2 Kk were K1K2. For Duffy, of 44 samples that had normal GATA box, 8 Fy(a+b- were FYA/FYA, 15 Fy(a+b+ were FYB/FYB, and 19 Fy(a+b+ were FYA/FYB; of the other 4 samples 3 were FYA/FYB and heterozygous GATA mutation, and 1 Fy(a-b- was FYB/FYB, homozygous GATA mutation. Two samples phenotyped as Fy(a+b- that had normal GATA , presented the 265T/298A mutations and two samples phenotyped as Fy(a-b+ were genotyped was FYA/FYB.. For Kidd , 15 Jk(a+b were JKA/JKA, 12 Jk(a-b+ were JKB/JKB, and 20 Jk(a+b+ were JKA/JKB. Three samples phenotyped as JK(a+b+ were genotyped as JKB/JKB. Genotype is more accurate than phenotype for determination of blood groups in polytransfused patients with betaThalassemia. Genotyping in these patients can be helpful to select antigen-negative RBCs for transfusion.

  20. Fruit metabolite networks in engineered and non-engineered tomato genotypes reveal fluidity in a hormone and agroecosystem specific manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fatima, Tahira; Sobolev, Anatoly P; Teasdale, John R; Kramer, Matthew; Bunce, Jim; Handa, Avtar K; Mattoo, Autar K

    Metabolomics provides a view of endogenous metabolic patterns not only during plant growth, development and senescence but also in response to genetic events, environment and disease. The effects of the field environment on plant hormone-specific metabolite profiles are largely unknown. Few studies have analyzed useful phenotypes generated by introducing single or multiple gene events alongside the non-engineered wild type control at field scale to determine the robustness of the genetic trait and its modulation in the metabolome as a function of specific agroecosystem environments. We evaluated the influence of genetic background (high polyamine lines; low methyl jasmonate line; low ethylene line; and isogenic genotypes carrying double transgenic events) and environments (hairy vetch, rye, plastic black mulch and bare soil mulching systems) on the metabolomic profile of isogenic reverse genetic mutations and selected mulch based cropping systems in tomato fruit. Net photosynthesis and fruit yield were also determined. NMR spectroscopy was used for quantifying metabolites that are central to primary metabolism. We analyzed both the first moment (means) of metabolic response to genotypes and agroecosystems by traditional univariate/multivariate methods, and the second moment (covariances) of responses by creating networks that depicted changes in correlations of paired metabolites. This particular approach is novel and was necessary because our experimental material yielded highly variable metabolic responses that could not be easily understood using the traditional analytical approaches for first moment statistics. High endogenous spermidine and spermine content exhibited strong effects on amino acids, Krebs cycle intermediates and energy molecules (ADP + ATP) in ripening fruits of plants grown under different agroecosystem environments. The metabolic response to high polyamine genotypes was similar to the response to hairy vetch cover crop mulch; supported by

  1. Parent Prevention Communication Profiles and Adolescent Substance Use: A Latent Profile Analysis and Growth Curve Model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Hye Jeong; Miller-Day, Michelle; Shin, YoungJu; Hecht, Michael L.; Pettigrew, Jonathan; Krieger, Janice L.; Lee, JeongKyu; Graham, John W.

    2017-01-01

    This current study identifies distinct parent prevention communication profiles and examines whether youth with different parental communication profiles have varying substance use trajectories over time. Eleven schools in two rural school districts in the Midwestern United States were selected, and 784 students were surveyed at three time points from the beginning of 7th grade to the end of 8th grade. A series of latent profile analyses were performed to identify discrete profiles/subgroups of substance-specific prevention communication (SSPC). The results revealed a 4-profile model of SSPC: Active-Open, Passive-Open, Active-Silent, and Passive-Silent. A growth curve model revealed different rates of lifetime substance use depending on the youth’s SSPC profile. These findings have implications for parenting interventions and tailoring messages for parents to fit specific SSPC profiles. PMID:29056872

  2. Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Subclinical Infection in Pigs: Bacteriological and Genotypic Characterization and Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moredo, Fabiana A; Piñeyro, Pablo E; Márquez, Gabriela C; Sanz, Marcelo; Colello, Rocío; Etcheverría, Analía; Padola, Nora L; Quiroga, María A; Perfumo, Carlos J; Galli, Lucía; Leotta, Gerardo A

    2015-08-01

    Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) is the major pathogen responsible for neonatal diarrhea, postweaning diarrhea, and edema disease in pigs. Although it can be harmless, ETEC is also present in the intestines of other animal species and humans, causing occasional diarrhea outbreaks. The evaluation of this pathogen's presence in food sources is becoming an increasingly important issue in human health. In order to determine the prevalence of ETEC in nondiarrheic pigs, 990 animals from 11 pig farms were sampled. Using end-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), eltA, estI genes, or both, were detected in 150 (15.2%) animals. From the positive samples, 40 (26.6%) ETEC strains were isolated, showing 19 antibiotic-resistance patterns; 52.5% of these strains had multiple antibiotic resistances, and 17.5% carried the intI2 gene. The most prevalent genotypes were rfb(O157)/estII/aidA (32.5%) and estI/estII (25.0%). The estII gene was identified most frequently (97.5%), followed by estI (37.5%), astA (20.0%), and eltA (12.5%). The genes coding the fimbriae F5, F6, and F18 were detected in three single isolates. The aidA gene was detected in 20 ETEC strains associated with the estII gene. Among the isolated ETEC strains, stx(2e)/estI, stx(2e)/estI/estII, and stx(2e)/estI/estII/intI2 genotypes were identified. The ETEC belonged to 12 different serogroups; 37.5% of them belonged to serotype O157:H19. Isolates were grouped by enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus-PCR into 5 clusters with 100.0% similarity. In this study, we demonstrated that numerous ETEC genotypes cohabit and circulate in swine populations without clinical manifestation of neonatal diarrhea, postweaning diarrhea, or edema disease in different production stages. The information generated is important not only for diagnostic and epidemiological purposes, but also for understanding the dynamics and ecology of ETEC in pigs in different production stages that can be potentially transmitted to humans

  3. Ensemble Classifiers for Predicting HIV-1 Resistance from Three Rule-Based Genotypic Resistance Interpretation Systems.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raposo, Letícia M; Nobre, Flavio F

    2017-08-30

    Resistance to antiretrovirals (ARVs) is a major problem faced by HIV-infected individuals. Different rule-based algorithms were developed to infer HIV-1 susceptibility to antiretrovirals from genotypic data. However, there is discordance between them, resulting in difficulties for clinical decisions about which treatment to use. Here, we developed ensemble classifiers integrating three interpretation algorithms: Agence Nationale de Recherche sur le SIDA (ANRS), Rega, and the genotypic resistance interpretation system from Stanford HIV Drug Resistance Database (HIVdb). Three approaches were applied to develop a classifier with a single resistance profile: stacked generalization, a simple plurality vote scheme and the selection of the interpretation system with the best performance. The strategies were compared with the Friedman's test and the performance of the classifiers was evaluated using the F-measure, sensitivity and specificity values. We found that the three strategies had similar performances for the selected antiretrovirals. For some cases, the stacking technique with naïve Bayes as the learning algorithm showed a statistically superior F-measure. This study demonstrates that ensemble classifiers can be an alternative tool for clinical decision-making since they provide a single resistance profile from the most commonly used resistance interpretation systems.

  4. Use of Sequenom sample ID Plus® SNP genotyping in identification of FFPE tumor samples.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jessica K Miller

    Full Text Available Short tandem repeat (STR analysis, such as the AmpFlSTR® Identifiler® Plus kit, is a standard, PCR-based human genotyping method used in the field of forensics. Misidentification of cell line and tissue DNA can be costly if not detected early; therefore it is necessary to have quality control measures such as STR profiling in place. A major issue in large-scale research studies involving archival formalin-fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE tissues is that varying levels of DNA degradation can result in failure to correctly identify samples using STR genotyping. PCR amplification of STRs of several hundred base pairs is not always possible when DNA is degraded. The Sample ID Plus® panel from Sequenom allows for human DNA identification and authentication using SNP genotyping. In comparison to lengthy STR amplicons, this multiplexing PCR assay requires amplification of only 76-139 base pairs, and utilizes 47 SNPs to discriminate between individual samples. In this study, we evaluated both STR and SNP genotyping methods of sample identification, with a focus on paired FFPE tumor/normal DNA samples intended for next-generation sequencing (NGS. The ability to successfully validate the identity of FFPE samples can enable cost savings by reducing rework.

  5. Carotenoids and carotenoid esters of orange- and yellow-fleshed mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota (Jacq.) H.E. Moore & Stearn) fruit and their post-prandial absorption in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chacón-Ordóñez, Tania; Schweiggert, Ralf M; Bosy-Westphal, Anja; Jiménez, Víctor M; Carle, Reinhold; Esquivel, Patricia

    2017-04-15

    Although different genotypes of mamey sapote with distinct pulp colors are consumed in countries from Central to South America, in-depth knowledge on genotype-related differences of their carotenoid profile is lacking. Since the fruit was found to contain the potentially vitamin A-active keto-carotenoids sapotexanthin and cryptocapsin, we sought to qualitatively and quantitatively describe the carotenoid profile of different genotypes by HPLC-DAD-MS n . Sapotexanthin and cryptocapsin were present in all genotypes. Keto-carotenoids such as cryptocapsin, capsoneoxanthin, and their esters were most abundant in orange-fleshed fruit, whereas several carotenoid epoxides prevailed in yellow-fleshed fruit. Differing carotenoid profiles were associated with different color hues of the fruit pulp, while the widely variable carotenoid content (3.7-8.0mg/100gFW) was mainly reflected by differences in color intensity (chroma C ∗ ). Furthermore, the post-prandial absorption of sapotexanthin to human plasma was proven for the first time. Besides sapotexanthin, cryptocapsin was found to be resorbed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Distinct developmental defense activations in barley embryos identified by transcriptome profiling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, ME; Lok, F; Nielsen, Henrik Bjørn

    2006-01-01

    analyses of > 22,000 genes, which together with measurements of jasmonic acid and salicylic acid during embryo development provide new information on the initiation in the developing barley embryo of at least two distinct types of developmental defense activation (DDA). Early DDA is characterized by the up......-regulation of several PR genes is notable. Throughout barley embryo development, there are no indications of an increased biosynthesis of either jasmonic acid or salicylic acid. Collectively, the results help explain how the proposed DDA enables protection of the developing barley embryo and grain for purposes...

  7. Identification of four distinct genotypes of Candida dubliniensis and detection of microevolution in vitro and in vivo.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Gee, S.F.; Joly, S.; Soll, D.R.; Meis, J.F.G.M.; Verweij, P.E.; Polacheck, I.; Sullivan, D.J.; Coleman, D.C.

    2002-01-01

    The present study investigates further the population structure of Candida dubliniensis and its ability to exhibit microevolution. Using 98 isolates (including 80 oral isolates) from 94 patients in 15 countries, we confirmed the existence of two distinct populations within the species C.

  8. Comparison of leaf proteomes of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz cultivar NZ199 diploid and autotetraploid genotypes.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Feifei An

    Full Text Available Cassava polyploid breeding has drastically improved our knowledge on increasing root yield and its significant tolerance to stresses. In polyploid cassava plants, increases in DNA content highly affect cell volumes and anatomical structures. However, the mechanism of this effect is poorly understood. The purpose of the present study was to compare and validate the changes between cassava cultivar NZ199 diploid and autotetraploid at proteomic levels. The results showed that leaf proteome of cassava cultivar NZ199 diploid was clearly differentiated from its autotetraploid genotype using 2-DE combined MS technique. Sixty-five differential protein spots were seen in 2-DE image of autotetraploid genotype in comparison with that of diploid. Fifty-two proteins were identified by MALDI-TOF-MS/MS, of which 47 were up-regulated and 5 were down-regulated in autotetraploid genotype compared with diploid genotype. The classified functions of 32 up-regulated proteins were associated with photosynthesis, defense system, hydrocyanic acid (HCN metabolism, protein biosynthesis, chaperones, amino acid metabolism and signal transduction. The remarkable variation in photosynthetic activity, HCN content and resistance to salt stress between diploid and autotetraploid genotypes is closely linked with expression levels of proteomic profiles. The analysis of protein interaction networks indicated there are direct interactions between the 15 up-regulation proteins involved in the pathways described above. This work provides an insight into understanding the protein regulation mechanism of cassava polyploid genotype, and gives a clue to improve cassava polyploidy breeding in increasing photosynthesis and resistance efficiencies.

  9. Comparison of three boosting methods in parent-offspring trios for genotype imputation using simulation study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abbas Mikhchi

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Genotype imputation is an important process of predicting unknown genotypes, which uses reference population with dense genotypes to predict missing genotypes for both human and animal genetic variations at a low cost. Machine learning methods specially boosting methods have been used in genetic studies to explore the underlying genetic profile of disease and build models capable of predicting missing values of a marker. Methods In this study strategies and factors affecting the imputation accuracy of parent-offspring trios compared from lower-density SNP panels (5 K to high density (10 K SNP panel using three different Boosting methods namely TotalBoost (TB, LogitBoost (LB and AdaBoost (AB. The methods employed using simulated data to impute the un-typed SNPs in parent-offspring trios. Four different datasets of G1 (100 trios with 5 k SNPs, G2 (100 trios with 10 k SNPs, G3 (500 trios with 5 k SNPs, and G4 (500 trio with 10 k SNPs were simulated. In four datasets all parents were genotyped completely, and offspring genotyped with a lower density panel. Results Comparison of the three methods for imputation showed that the LB outperformed AB and TB for imputation accuracy. The time of computation were different between methods. The AB was the fastest algorithm. The higher SNP densities resulted the increase of the accuracy of imputation. Larger trios (i.e. 500 was better for performance of LB and TB. Conclusions The conclusion is that the three methods do well in terms of imputation accuracy also the dense chip is recommended for imputation of parent-offspring trios.

  10. Genomic evaluations with many more genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wiggans George R

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Genomic evaluations in Holstein dairy cattle have quickly become more reliable over the last two years in many countries as more animals have been genotyped for 50,000 markers. Evaluations can also include animals genotyped with more or fewer markers using new tools such as the 777,000 or 2,900 marker chips recently introduced for cattle. Gains from more markers can be predicted using simulation, whereas strategies to use fewer markers have been compared using subsets of actual genotypes. The overall cost of selection is reduced by genotyping most animals at less than the highest density and imputing their missing genotypes using haplotypes. Algorithms to combine different densities need to be efficient because numbers of genotyped animals and markers may continue to grow quickly. Methods Genotypes for 500,000 markers were simulated for the 33,414 Holsteins that had 50,000 marker genotypes in the North American database. Another 86,465 non-genotyped ancestors were included in the pedigree file, and linkage disequilibrium was generated directly in the base population. Mixed density datasets were created by keeping 50,000 (every tenth of the markers for most animals. Missing genotypes were imputed using a combination of population haplotyping and pedigree haplotyping. Reliabilities of genomic evaluations using linear and nonlinear methods were compared. Results Differing marker sets for a large population were combined with just a few hours of computation. About 95% of paternal alleles were determined correctly, and > 95% of missing genotypes were called correctly. Reliability of breeding values was already high (84.4% with 50,000 simulated markers. The gain in reliability from increasing the number of markers to 500,000 was only 1.6%, but more than half of that gain resulted from genotyping just 1,406 young bulls at higher density. Linear genomic evaluations had reliabilities 1.5% lower than the nonlinear evaluations with 50

  11. Poplar trees reconfigure the transcriptome and metabolome in response to drought in a genotype- and time-of-day-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hamanishi, Erin T; Barchet, Genoa L H; Dauwe, Rebecca; Mansfield, Shawn D; Campbell, Malcolm M

    2015-04-21

    Drought has a major impact on tree growth and survival. Understanding tree responses to this stress can have important application in both conservation of forest health, and in production forestry. Trees of the genus Populus provide an excellent opportunity to explore the mechanistic underpinnings of forest tree drought responses, given the growing molecular resources that are available for this taxon. Here, foliar tissue of six water-deficit stressed P. balsamifera genotypes was analysed for variation in the metabolome in response to drought and time of day by using an untargeted metabolite profiling technique, gas chromatography/mass-spectrometry (GC/MS). Significant variation in the metabolome was observed in response the imposition of water-deficit stress. Notably, organic acid intermediates such as succinic and malic acid had lower concentrations in leaves exposed to drought, whereas galactinol and raffinose were found in increased concentrations. A number of metabolites with significant difference in accumulation under water-deficit conditions exhibited intraspecific variation in metabolite accumulation. Large magnitude fold-change accumulation was observed in three of the six genotypes. In order to understand the interaction between the transcriptome and metabolome, an integrated analysis of the drought-responsive transcriptome and the metabolome was performed. One P. balsamifera genotype, AP-1006, demonstrated a lack of congruence between the magnitude of the drought transcriptome response and the magnitude of the metabolome response. More specifically, metabolite profiles in AP-1006 demonstrated the smallest changes in response to water-deficit conditions. Pathway analysis of the transcriptome and metabolome revealed specific genotypic responses with respect to primary sugar accumulation, citric acid metabolism, and raffinose family oligosaccharide biosynthesis. The intraspecific variation in the molecular strategies that underpin the responses to drought

  12. Genetic diversity within and among two-spotted spider mite resistant and susceptible common bean genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zeinab YOUSEFI

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Two-spotted spider mite (Tetranychus urticae C. L. Koch, 1836, is one of the most destructive herbivores of common bean. Very little is known about the diversity among resistant sources in this crop. The present study was conducted to characterize 22 resistant and susceptible common bean genotypes by 8 Simple Sequence Repeats (SSRs and 8 Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD markers. These SSR and RAPD primers produced 100 % and 81.8 % polymorphic bands. Based on RAPD fingerprints and SSR profiles, pairwise genetic similarity ranged from 0.0 to 0.857 and from 0.125 to 1, respectively. The resistant and susceptible common bean accessions were grouped together in the dendrograms generated from RAPD and SSR clustering analyses. The results indicate that RAPD and SSR analysis could be successfully used for the estimation of genetic diversity among genotypes. SSR markers could group genotypes according to their resistibility and susceptibility to the spotted spider mite but RAPD could not. Therefore, the SSR markers can facilitate the development of resistant common bean cultivars through breeding programs against T. urticae.

  13. Aerodynamics profile not in stationary flow

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    А.А. Загорулько

    2006-02-01

    Full Text Available  Consider the question about influence of unsteady flight on the size of drag and lift coefficients of theaerodynamic profile. Distinctive features of this investigation are obtaining data about aerodynamic drag chancing in process unsteady on high angle at attack and oscillation profile in subsonic and transonic flight. Given analysis of oscillation profile show, that dynamic loops accompany change of lift and dray force. The researches show that it is necessary to clarity the mathematic model of the airplane flight dynamics by introducing numbers, with take into account unsteady effects.

  14. Molecular epidemiology and genotype distribution of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) among Arab women in the State of Qatar.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansal, Devendra; Elmi, Asha A; Skariah, Sini; Haddad, Pascale; Abu-Raddad, Laith J; Al Hamadi, Aysha H; Mohamed-Nady, Nady; Affifi, Nahla M; Ghedira, Randa; Hassen, Elham; Al-Thani, Asma A J; Al-Ansari, Afaf A H M; Sultan, Ali A

    2014-11-26

    Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection is the major cause of cervical cancer worldwide. With limited data available on HPV prevalence in the Arab countries, this study aimed to identify the prevalence and genotypic distribution of HPV in the State of Qatar. 3008 cervical samples, exclusively of women with Arabic origin residing in Qatar were collected from the Women's Hospital and Primary Health Care Corporation in Doha, State of Qatar. HPV DNA detection was done using GP5+/6+ primers based real time-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay followed by the usage of HPV type specific primers based RT- PCR reactions and Sanger sequencing for genotype identification. Similar prevalence rates of HPV infection was identified in both Qatari and non-Qatari women at 6.2% and 5.9% respectively. HPV prevalence rate of 5.8% and 18.4% was identified in women with normal cytology and in women with abnormal cytology respectively. HPV 81, 11 and 16, in decreasing order were the most commonly identified genotypes. HPV 81 was the most frequent low-risk genotype among women with both normal (74.0%) and abnormal (33.3%) cytology. HPV 16 (4.6%) was identified as the predominant high-risk HPV genotype among women with normal cytology and HPV 16, HPV 18, and HPV 56 (22.2% each) were the most common identified high-risk genotypes in women with abnormal cytology. The overall HPV prevalence in Arab women in Qatar was identified as 6.1% with an increased HPV prevalence seen in women with abnormal cytology results and no significant trends seen with age. In contrast to Western countries, we report a varied genotypic profile of HPV with a high prevalence of low-risk HPV genotype 81 among the Arab women residing in Qatar.

  15. Behavior of grape breeding lines with distinct resistance alleles to downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando D. Sánchez-Mora

    2017-04-01

    Full Text Available Downy mildew (Plasmopara viticola is the main grapevine disease in humid regions. In the present investigation, marker-assisted selection (MAS was used to develop grapevine lines homozygous in loci Rpv1 and Rpv3 for resistance against P. viticola. The experimental populations UFSC-2013-1 (n = 420 and UFSC-2013-2 (n = 237 were obtained by self-pollination of two F1 full-sib plants, originated from a cross between two distinct breeding lines containing the downy mildew resistance loci Rpv1 and Rpv3 in heterozygosity. The two experimental populations were genotyped with four microsatellite markers flanking the two downy mildew resistance loci. Among 637 genotyped plants, 300 (48.2% were homozygous for at least one resistance locus and 10 (1.57% were homozygous for both Rpv1 and Rpv3 loci. These 10 plants challenged with P. viticola inoculum showed a clearly enhanced level of resistance. These plants have a great potential as resistance donors in grapevine breeding.

  16. Distinct choline metabolic profiles are associated with differences in gene expression for basal-like and luminal-like breast cancer xenograft models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moestue, Siver A; Borgan, Eldrid; Huuse, Else M; Lindholm, Evita M; Sitter, Beathe; Børresen-Dale, Anne-Lise; Engebraaten, Olav; Mælandsmo, Gunhild M; Gribbestad, Ingrid S

    2010-01-01

    concentrations corresponded well with differences in gene expression, demonstrating distinct metabolic profiles in the xenograft models representing basal-like and luminal-like breast cancer. The same characteristics of choline metabolite profiles were also observed in patient material from ER+/PgR+ and triple-negative breast cancer, suggesting that the xenografts are relevant model systems for studies of choline metabolism in luminal-like and basal-like breast cancer

  17. Distinct expression profiles and different functions of odorant binding proteins in Nilaparvata lugens Stål.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peng He

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Odorant binding proteins (OBPs play important roles in insect olfaction. The brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Delphacidae, Auchenorrhyncha, Hemiptera is one of the most important rice pests. Its monophagy (only feeding on rice, wing form (long and short wing variation, and annual long distance migration (seeking for rice plants of high nutrition imply that the olfaction would play a central role in BPH behavior. However, the olfaction related proteins have not been characterized in this insect. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Full length cDNA of three OBPs were obtained and distinct expression profiles were revealed regarding to tissue, developmental stage, wing form and gender for the first time for the species. The results provide important clues in functional differentiation of these genes. Binding assays with 41 compounds demonstrated that NlugOBP3 had markedly higher binding ability and wider binding spectrum than the other two OBPs. Terpenes and Ketones displayed higher binding while Alkanes showed no binding to the three OBPs. Focused on NlugOBP3, RNA interference experiments showed that NlugOBP3 not only involved in nymph olfaction on rice seedlings, but also had non-olfactory functions, as it was closely related to nymph survival. CONCLUSIONS: NlugOBP3 plays important roles in both olfaction and survival of BPH. It may serve as a potential target for developing behavioral disruptant and/or lethal agent in N. lugens.

  18. Genomic profiling using array comparative genomic hybridization define distinct subtypes of diffuse large b-cell lymphoma: a review of the literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tirado Carlos A

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL is the most common type of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma comprising of greater than 30% of adult non-Hodgkin Lymphomas. DLBCL represents a diverse set of lymphomas, defined as diffuse proliferation of large B lymphoid cells. Numerous cytogenetic studies including karyotypes and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH, as well as morphological, biological, clinical, microarray and sequencing technologies have attempted to categorize DLBCL into morphological variants, molecular and immunophenotypic subgroups, as well as distinct disease entities. Despite such efforts, most lymphoma remains undistinguishable and falls into DLBCL, not otherwise specified (DLBCL-NOS. The advent of microarray-based studies (chromosome, RNA, gene expression, etc has provided a plethora of high-resolution data that could potentially facilitate the finer classification of DLBCL. This review covers the microarray data currently published for DLBCL. We will focus on these types of data; 1 array based CGH; 2 classical CGH; and 3 gene expression profiling studies. The aims of this review were three-fold: (1 to catalog chromosome loci that are present in at least 20% or more of distinct DLBCL subtypes; a detailed list of gains and losses for different subtypes was generated in a table form to illustrate specific chromosome loci affected in selected subtypes; (2 to determine common and distinct copy number alterations among the different subtypes and based on this information, characteristic and similar chromosome loci for the different subtypes were depicted in two separate chromosome ideograms; and, (3 to list re-classified subtypes and those that remained indistinguishable after review of the microarray data. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first effort to compile and review available literatures on microarray analysis data and their practical utility in classifying DLBCL subtypes. Although conventional cytogenetic methods such

  19. Heterogeneous recombination among Hepatitis B virus genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Castelhano, Nadine; Araujo, Natalia M; Arenas, Miguel

    2017-10-01

    The rapid evolution of Hepatitis B virus (HBV) through both evolutionary forces, mutation and recombination, allows this virus to generate a large variety of adapted variants at both intra and inter-host levels. It can, for instance, generate drug resistance or the diverse viral genotypes that currently exist in the HBV epidemics. Concerning the latter, it is known that recombination played a major role in the emergence and genetic diversification of novel genotypes. In this regard, the quantification of viral recombination in each genotype can provide relevant information to devise expectations about the evolutionary trends of the epidemic. Here we measured the amount of this evolutionary force by estimating global and local recombination rates in >4700 HBV complete genome sequences corresponding to nine (A to I) HBV genotypes. Counterintuitively, we found that genotype E presents extremely high levels of recombination, followed by genotypes B and C. On the other hand, genotype G presents the lowest level, where recombination is almost negligible. We discuss these findings in the light of known characteristics of these genotypes. Additionally, we present a phylogenetic network to depict the evolutionary history of the studied HBV genotypes. This network clearly classified all genotypes into specific groups and indicated that diverse pairs of genotypes are derived from a common ancestor (i.e., C-I, D-E and, F-H) although still the origin of this virus presented large uncertainty. Altogether we conclude that the amount of observed recombination is heterogeneous among HBV genotypes and that this heterogeneity can influence on the future expansion of the epidemic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Simultaneous detection and differentiation of three genotypes of Brassica yellows virus by multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiaoyan; Peng, Yanmei; Wang, Ying; Zhang, Zongying; Li, Dawei; Yu, Jialin; Han, Chenggui

    2016-11-22

    Brassica yellows virus (BrYV), proposed to be a new polerovirus species, three distinct genotypes (BrYV-A, BrYV-B and BrYV-C) have been described. This study was to develop a simple, rapid, sensitive, cost-effective method for simultaneous detection and differentiation of three genotypes of BrYV. In this study, a multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (mRT-PCR) was developed for simultaneous detection and differentiation of the three genotypes of BrYV. The three genotypes of BrYV and Tunip yellows virus (TuYV) could be differentiated simultaneously using six optimized specific oligonucleotide primers, including one universal primer for detecting BrYV, three BrYV genotype-specific primers, and a pair of primers for specific detection of TuYV. Primers were designed from conserved regions of each virus and their specificity was confirmed by sequencing PCR products. The mRT-PCR products were 278 bp for BrYV-A, 674 bp for BrYV-B, 505 bp for BrYV-C, and 205 bp for TuYV. Amplification of three target genotypes was optimized by increasing the PCR annealing temperatures to 62 °C. One to three fragments specific for the virus genotypes were simultaneously amplified from infected samples and identified by their specific molecular sizes in agarose gel electrophoresis. No specific products could be amplified from cDNAs of other viruses which could infect crucifer crops. Detection limits of the plasmids for multiplex PCR were 100 fg for BrYV-A and BrYV-B, 10 pg for BrYV-C, and 1 pg for TuYV, respectively. The mRT-PCR was applied successfully for detection of three BrYV genotypes from field samples collected in China. The simple, rapid, sensitive, and cost-effective mRT-PCR was developed successfully for detection and differentiation of the three genotypes of BrYV.

  1. Clinical validation and applicability of different tipranavir/ritonavir genotypic scores in HIV-1 protease inhibitor-experienced patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Saracino, Annalisa; Monno, Laura; Tartaglia, Alessandra; Tinelli, Carmine; Seminari, Elena; Maggiolo, Franco; Bonora, Stefano; Rusconi, Stefano; Micheli, Valeria; Lo Caputo, Sergio; Lazzaroni, Laura; Ferrara, Sergio; Ladisa, Nicoletta; Nasta, Paola; Parruti, Giustino; Bellagamba, Rita; Forbici, Federica; Angarano, Gioacchino

    2009-07-01

    Tipranavir, a non-peptidic protease inhibitor which shows in vitro efficacy against some HIV-1-resistant strains, can be used in salvage therapies for multi-experienced HIV patients due to its peculiar resistance profile including 21 mutations at 16 protease positions according to International AIDS Society (IAS). Other genotypic scores, however, which attribute a different weight to single amino-acid substitutions, have been recently proposed. To validate the clinical utility of four different genotypic scores for selecting tipranavir responders, the baseline resistance pattern of 176 HIV heavily experienced patients was correlated with virological success (HIV-RNA42.5% of patients. With univariate analysis, genotypic scores were all associated with outcome but showed a low accuracy with ROC analysis, with the weighted score (WS) by Scherer et al. demonstrating the best performance with an AUC of 68%. Only 52% of patients classified as susceptible (WSIAS mutations: L33F, I54AMV, Q58E, and non-IAS mutation: N37DES. On the contrary, the use of T20 in T20-naïve patients and the V82AFSI and F53LY non-IAS mutations were associated with virological success. The study suggests that even if the "weighted" scores are able to interpret correctly the antiretroviral resistance profile of multi-experienced patients, it is difficult to individuate a cut-off which can be easily applied to this population for discriminating responders.

  2. Longitudinal genotyping of Candida dubliniensis isolates reveals strain maintenance, microevolution, and the emergence of itraconazole resistance.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Fleischhacker, M

    2010-05-01

    We investigated the population structure of 208 Candida dubliniensis isolates obtained from 29 patients (25 human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] positive and 4 HIV negative) as part of a longitudinal study. The isolates were identified as C. dubliniensis by arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) and then genotyped using the Cd25 probe specific for C. dubliniensis. The majority of the isolates (55 of 58) were unique to individual patients, and more than one genotype was recovered from 15 of 29 patients. A total of 21 HIV-positive patients were sampled on more than one occasion (2 to 36 times). Sequential isolates recovered from these patients were all closely related, as demonstrated by hybridization with Cd25 and genotyping by PCR. Six patients were colonized by the same genotype of C. dubliniensis on repeated sampling, while strains exhibiting altered genotypes were recovered from 15 of 21 patients. The majority of these isolates demonstrated minor genetic alterations, i.e., microevolution, while one patient acquired an unrelated strain. The C. dubliniensis strains could not be separated into genetically distinct groups based on patient viral load, CD4 cell count, or oropharyngeal candidosis. However, C. dubliniensis isolates obtained from HIV-positive patients were more closely related than those recovered from HIV-negative patients. Approximately 8% (16 of 194) of isolates exhibited itraconazole resistance. Cross-resistance to fluconazole was only observed in one of these patients. Two patients harboring itraconazole-resistant isolates had not received any previous azole therapy. In conclusion, longitudinal genotyping of C. dubliniensis isolates from HIV-infected patients reveals that isolates from the same patient are generally closely related and may undergo microevolution. In addition, isolates may acquire itraconazole resistance, even in the absence of prior azole therapy.

  3. Mindfulness and Psychological Health Outcomes: A Latent Profile Analysis among Military Personnel and College Students.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bravo, Adrian J; Pearson, Matthew R; Kelley, Michelle L

    2018-02-01

    Previous research on trait mindfulness facets using person-centered analyses (e.g., latent profile analysis [LPA]) has identified four distinct mindfulness profiles among college students: a high mindfulness group (high on all facets of the Five-Factor Mindfulness Questionnaire [FFMQ]), a judgmentally observing group (highest on observing, but low on non-judging of inner experience and acting with awareness), a non-judgmentally aware group (high on non-judging of inner experience and acting with awareness, but very low on observing), and a low mindfulness group (low on all facets of the FFMQ). In the present study, we used LPA to identify distinct mindfulness profiles in a community based sample of U.S. military personnel (majority veterans; n = 407) and non-military college students ( n = 310) and compare these profiles on symptoms of psychological health outcomes (e.g., suicidality, PTSD, anxiety, rumination) and percentage of participants exceeding clinically significant cut-offs for depressive symptoms, substance use, and alcohol use. In the subsample of college students, we replicated previous research and found four distinct mindfulness profiles; however, in the military subsample we found three distinct mindfulness profiles (a combined low mindfulness/judgmentally observing class). In both subsamples, we found that the most adaptive profile was the "high mindfulness" profile (i.e., demonstrated the lowest scores on all psychological symptoms and the lowest probability of exceeding clinical cut-offs). Based on these findings, we purport that the comprehensive examination of an individual's mindfulness profile could help clinicians tailor interventions/treatments that capitalize on individual's specific strengths and work to address their specific deficits.

  4. Profile of Mutations in the Reverse Transcriptase and Overlapping Surface Genes of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in Treatment-Naïve Indonesian HBV Carriers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamani, Laura Navika; Yano, Yoshihiko; Utsumi, Takako; Wasityastuti, Widya; Rinonce, Hanggoro Tri; Widasari, Dewiyani Indah; Juniastuti; Lusida, Maria Inge; Soetjipto; Hayashi, Yoshitake

    2017-11-22

    Mutations in the reverse transcriptase (RT) region of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome are an important factor in low therapeutic effectiveness. Nonetheless, the prevalence of these mutations in HBV strains isolated previously in Indonesia has not been systematically examined. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the profile of mutations in the RT region and the associations of these mutations with amino acid changes in the surface protein in the virus of treatment-naïve Indonesian HBV carriers. Overall, 96 sequences of the full-length Indonesian HBV genomes (genotype B, n = 54; genotype C, n = 42) were retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information. Naturally occurring primary and/or compensatory drug resistance mutations were found in 6/54 (11.1%) genotype B strains and in 1/42 (2.4%) genotype C strains. The potential mutations underlying resistance to a nucleos(t)ide analog and/or pretreatment mutations were more frequent in both genotypes but more frequent in genotype C strains than in genotype B strains. The A-B interdomain region in the RT gene was more frequently mutated in genotype C than in genotype B (3.51 ± 2.53 vs. 1.08 ± 1.52, P < 0.001). Knowledge about the mutational profiles of the RT gene and changes in the surface protein may help clinicians to select the most appropriate antiviral drug and vaccination or HBV immunoglobulin regimen for management of HBV infection in Indonesia.

  5. [Evaluation of hepatitis B virus genotyping EIA kit].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tanaka, Yasuhito; Sugauchi, Fuminaka; Matsuuraa, Kentaro; Naganuma, Hatsue; Tatematsu, Kanako; Takagi, Kazumi; Hiramatsu, Kumiko; Kani, Satomi; Gotoh, Takaaki; Wakimoto, Yukio; Mizokami, Masashi

    2009-01-01

    Clinical significance of Hepatitis B virus(HBV) genotyping is increasingly recognized. The aim of this study was to evaluate reproducibility, accuracy, and sensitivity of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) based HBV genotyping kit, which designed to discriminate between genotypes to A, B, C, or D by detecting genotype-specific epitopes in PreS2 region. Using the four genotypes panels, the EIA demonstrated complete inter and intra-assay genotyping reproducibility. Serum specimens had stable results after 8 days at 4 degrees C, or 10 cycles of freezing-thawing. In 91 samples that have been genotyped by DNA sequencing, 87(95.6%) were in complete accordance with EIA genotyping. Of examined 344 HBsAg-positive serum specimens, genotypes A, B, C and D were determined in 26 (7.6%), 62 (18.0%), 228 (66.3%), and 9 (2.6%) cases, respectively. Of 19 (5.5%) specimens unclassified by the EIA, 13 were found to have low titer of HBsAg concentration (< 3 IU/ml), and the other 5 had amino acid mutations or deletions within targeted PreS2 epitopes. The EIA allowed genotyping even in HBV DNA negative samples (96.2%). In conclusion, HBV genotype EIA is reliable, sensitive and easy assay for HBV genotyping. The assay would be useful for clinical use.

  6. The Comparison of Growth, Slaughter and Carcass Traits of Meat Chicken Genotype Produced by Back-Crossing with A Commercial Broiler Genotype

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Musa Sarıca

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available This study was conducted to determine the growth and some slaughter traits between commercial fast growing chickens and three-way cross M2 genotypes. 260 male female mixed chickens from each genotype was reared 10 replicate per genotype in the same house. Two different slaughtering ages were applied to commercial chickens and slaughtered at 6 and 7 weeks of age for comparing with cross genotypes. F chickens reached to slaughtering age at 42 days, whereas cross groups reached at 49 days. Genotypes consumed same amount of feed until slaughtering ages, but F genotype had better feed conversion ratio. The differences between dressing percentage and carcass parts ratios of genotypes were found significant, and F genotype had higher dressing percentage. Carcass parts of all genotypes were found in acceptable limits.

  7. Sensory, chemical and morphological characterization of Cucurbita maxima and Cucurbita moschata genotypes from different geographical origins

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pevicharova Galina

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cucurbita spp. is one of the most important vegetable crops in the world. They are characterized by great polymorphism according plants and fruits traits. The fruits are consumed in different ways as boiled, baked, dried or processed in puree and juice. The aim of the study was to assess variation of fruit sensory, chemical and morphological characteristics of Cucurbita genotypes in order to find appropriate parental components for the future high quality breeding programme. During 2-year period nine winter squash (Cucurbita maxima Duch. and three pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata Duch. genotypes originating from different geographical regions were tested on their morphological characters, basic chemical components and sensory profile. Cluster analysis and Principle component analysis were applied in order to identify similarities of different genotypes. According to the fruit characteristics and plant habitus significant differences were recorded. Considerable variation in the content of dry matter, ascorbic acid, total sugars, total pigments, beta-carotene and sensory assessment of the boiled fruits was established. Accession Moskatna carotina had the best flavour and chemical composition. The studied Cucurbita genotypes are a good basis for performing a breeding program to improve the sensory quality of fruits and increase basic chemical components especially those with antioxidant effect.

  8. Characterization of Streptococcus suis through serotyping, SE-AFLP and virulence profile

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Franco F. Calderaro

    Full Text Available Abstract: Streptococcus suis is one of most important pathogens in the swine industry worldwide. Despite its importance, studies of S. suis characterization in South America are still rare. This study evaluates S. suis isolates from distinct Brazilian states, from 1999 to 2004, and its molecular and serological characterization. A total of 174 isolates were studied. S. suis identification was confirmed by PCR and isolates were further serotyped and genotyped by SE-AFLP and amplification of virulence markers. Serotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 18, 22 and 32 were identified among the studied isolates, and only 4% were characterized as non-typeable. The mrp+/epf+/sly+ genotype was the most frequent. The SE-AFLP analysis resulted in 29 patterns distributed in three main clusters with over 65% of genetic similarity. Isolates presented a slight tendency to cluster according to serotype and origin; however, no further correlation with virulence genotypes was observed.

  9. DNA-Sequence Based Typing of the Cronobacter Genus Using MLST, CRISPR-cas Array and Capsular Profiling

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pauline Ogrodzki

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available The Cronobacter genus is composed of seven species, within which a number of pathovars have been described. The most notable infections by Cronobacter spp. are of infants through the consumption of contaminated infant formula. The description of the genus has greatly improved in recent years through DNA sequencing techniques, and this has led to a robust means of identification. However some species are highly clonal and this limits the ability to discriminate between unrelated strains by some methods of genotyping. This article updates the application of three genotyping methods across the Cronobacter genus. The three genotyping methods were multilocus sequence typing (MLST, capsular profiling of the K-antigen and colanic acid (CA biosynthesis regions, and CRISPR-cas array profiling. A total of 1654 MLST profiled and 286 whole genome sequenced strains, available by open access at the PubMLST Cronobacter database, were used this analysis. The predominance of C. sakazakii and C. malonaticus in clinical infections was confirmed. The majority of clinical strains being in the C. sakazakii clonal complexes (CC 1 and 4, sequence types (ST 8 and 12 and C. malonaticus ST7. The capsular profile K2:CA2, previously proposed as being strongly associated with C. sakazakii and C. malonaticus isolates from severe neonatal infections, was also found in C. turicensis, C. dublinensis and C. universalis. The majority of CRISPR-cas types across the genus was the I-E (Ecoli type. Some strains of C. dublinensis and C. muytjensii encoded the I-F (Ypseudo type, and others lacked the cas gene loci. The significance of the expanding profiling will be of benefit to researchers as well as governmental and industrial risk assessors.

  10. DNA-Sequence Based Typing of the Cronobacter Genus Using MLST, CRISPR-cas Array and Capsular Profiling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ogrodzki, Pauline; Forsythe, Stephen J

    2017-01-01

    The Cronobacter genus is composed of seven species, within which a number of pathovars have been described. The most notable infections by Cronobacter spp. are of infants through the consumption of contaminated infant formula. The description of the genus has greatly improved in recent years through DNA sequencing techniques, and this has led to a robust means of identification. However some species are highly clonal and this limits the ability to discriminate between unrelated strains by some methods of genotyping. This article updates the application of three genotyping methods across the Cronobacter genus. The three genotyping methods were multilocus sequence typing (MLST), capsular profiling of the K -antigen and colanic acid (CA) biosynthesis regions, and CRISPR- cas array profiling. A total of 1654 MLST profiled and 286 whole genome sequenced strains, available by open access at the PubMLST Cronobacter database, were used this analysis. The predominance of C. sakazakii and C. malonaticus in clinical infections was confirmed. The majority of clinical strains being in the C. sakazakii clonal complexes (CC) 1 and 4, sequence types (ST) 8 and 12 and C. malonaticus ST7. The capsular profile K2:CA2, previously proposed as being strongly associated with C. sakazakii and C. malonaticus isolates from severe neonatal infections, was also found in C. turicensis , C. dublinensis and C. universalis . The majority of CRISPR- cas types across the genus was the I-E (Ecoli) type. Some strains of C. dublinensis and C. muytjensii encoded the I-F (Ypseudo) type, and others lacked the cas gene loci. The significance of the expanding profiling will be of benefit to researchers as well as governmental and industrial risk assessors.

  11. DNA profiling of spermatozoa by laser capture microdissection and low volume-PCR.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cai-xia Li

    Full Text Available Genetic profiling of sperm from complex biological mixtures such as sexual assault casework samples requires isolation of a pure sperm population and the ability to analyze low abundant samples. Current standard procedure for sperm isolation includes preferential lysis of epithelial contaminants followed by collection of intact sperm by centrifugation. While effective for samples where sperm are abundant, this method is less effective when samples contain few spermatozoa. Laser capture microdissection (LCM is a proven method for the isolation of cells biological mixtures, even when found in low abundance. Here, we demonstrate the efficacy of LCM coupled with on-chip low volume PCR (LV-PCR for the isolation and genotyping of low abundance sperm samples. Our results indicate that this method can obtain complete profiles (13-16 loci from as few as 15 sperm cells with 80% reproducibility, whereas at least 40 sperm cells are required to profile 13-16 loci by standard 'in-tube' PCR. Further, LCM and LV-PCR of a sexual assault casework sample generated a DNA genotype that was consistent with that of the suspect. This method was unable, however, to analyze a casework sample from a gang rape case in which two or more sperm contributors were in a mixed population. The results indicate that LCM and LV-PCR is sensitive and effective for genotyping sperm from sperm/epithelial cell mixtures when epithelial lysis may be insufficient due to low abundance of sperm; LCM and LV-PCR, however, failed in a casework sample when spermatozoa from multiple donors was present, indicating that further study is necessitated.

  12. Genotyping of white spot syndrome virus on wild and farm crustaceans from Sonora, Mexico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    González-Galaviz José Reyes

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available White spot syndrome is a viral disease affecting wild and farm crustaceans that serve as reservoirs. Previous reports have demonstrated high genomic variation in WSS viruses (WSSV isolated from distinct geographical regions. In this study, we collected wild shrimps (Litopenaeus stylirostris, crabs (Callinectes arcuatus and farmed shrimp (L. vannamei in Sonora, Mexico, between 2008 and 2010. DNA was extracted, and the variable regions and transposase genes were subjected to PCR and sequencing. Compared to strains of WSSV from other sites, Mexican samples exhibited a distinct number of repeat units (RUs in ORF94, ORF75 and ORF125, which ranged between 1-11, 3-15, and 8-11 RUs respectively, and a unique single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP at position 48 of ORF94. A total of six Mexican genotypes were found in organism from shrimp farm and natural environment.

  13. Genotype by energy expenditure interaction with metabolic syndrome traits: the Portuguese healthy family study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel M V Santos

    Full Text Available Moderate-to-high levels of physical activity are established as preventive factors in metabolic syndrome development. However, there is variability in the phenotypic expression of metabolic syndrome under distinct physical activity conditions. In the present study we applied a Genotype X Environment interaction method to examine the presence of GxEE interaction in the phenotypic expression of metabolic syndrome. A total of 958 subjects, from 294 families of The Portuguese Healthy Family study, were included in the analysis. Total daily energy expenditure was assessed using a 3 day physical activity diary. Six metabolic syndrome related traits, including waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, glucose, HDL cholesterol, total cholesterol and triglycerides, were measured and adjusted for age and sex. GxEE examination was performed on SOLAR 4.3.1. All metabolic syndrome indicators were significantly heritable. The GxEE interaction model fitted the data better than the polygenic model (p<0.001 for waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides. For waist circumference, glucose, total cholesterol and triglycerides, the significant GxEE interaction was due to rejection of the variance homogeneity hypothesis. For waist circumference and glucose, GxEE was also significant by the rejection of the genetic correlation hypothesis. The results showed that metabolic syndrome traits expression is significantly influenced by the interaction established between total daily energy expenditure and genotypes. Physical activity may be considered an environmental variable that promotes metabolic differences between individuals that are distinctively active.

  14. Indirect macrophage responses to ionizing radiation: implications for genotype-dependent bystander signaling.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coates, Philip J; Rundle, Jana K; Lorimore, Sally A; Wright, Eric G

    2008-01-15

    In addition to the directly mutagenic effects of energy deposition in DNA, ionizing radiation is associated with a variety of untargeted and delayed effects that result in ongoing bone marrow damage. Delayed effects are genotype dependent with CBA/Ca mice, but not C57BL/6 mice, susceptible to the induction of damage and also radiation-induced acute myeloid leukemia. Because macrophages are a potential source of ongoing damaging signals, we have determined their gene expression profiles and we show that bone marrow-derived macrophages show widely different intrinsic expression patterns. The profiles classify macrophages derived from CBA/Ca mice as M1-like (pro-inflammatory) and those from C57BL/6 mice as M2-like (anti-inflammatory); measurements of NOS2 and arginase activity in normal bone marrow macrophages confirm these findings. After irradiation in vivo, but not in vitro, C57BL/6 macrophages show a reduction in NOS2 and an increase in arginase activities, indicating a further M2 response, whereas CBA/Ca macrophages retain an M1 phenotype. Activation of specific signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathways in irradiated hemopoietic tissues supports these observations. The data indicate that macrophage activation is not a direct effect of radiation but a tissue response, secondary to the initial radiation exposure, and have important implications for understanding genotype-dependent responses and the mechanisms of the hemotoxic and leukemogenic consequences of radiation exposure.

  15. Knowing where is different from knowing what: Distinct response time profiles and accuracy effects for target location, orientation, and color probability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jabar, Syaheed B; Filipowicz, Alex; Anderson, Britt

    2017-11-01

    When a location is cued, targets appearing at that location are detected more quickly. When a target feature is cued, targets bearing that feature are detected more quickly. These attentional cueing effects are only superficially similar. More detailed analyses find distinct temporal and accuracy profiles for the two different types of cues. This pattern parallels work with probability manipulations, where both feature and spatial probability are known to affect detection accuracy and reaction times. However, little has been done by way of comparing these effects. Are probability manipulations on space and features distinct? In a series of five experiments, we systematically varied spatial probability and feature probability along two dimensions (orientation or color). In addition, we decomposed response times into initiation and movement components. Targets appearing at the probable location were reported more quickly and more accurately regardless of whether the report was based on orientation or color. On the other hand, when either color probability or orientation probability was manipulated, response time and accuracy improvements were specific for that probable feature dimension. Decomposition of the response time benefits demonstrated that spatial probability only affected initiation times, whereas manipulations of feature probability affected both initiation and movement times. As detection was made more difficult, the two effects further diverged, with spatial probability disproportionally affecting initiation times and feature probability disproportionately affecting accuracy. In conclusion, all manipulations of probability, whether spatial or featural, affect detection. However, only feature probability affects perceptual precision, and precision effects are specific to the probable attribute.

  16. Prevalence and Genetic Profile of Duchene and Becker Muscular Dystrophy in Puerto Rico.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramos, Edwardo; Conde, José G; Berrios, Rafael Arias; Pardo, Sherly; Gómez, Omar; Mas Rodríguez, Manuel F

    2016-05-27

    Duchenne and Becker Muscular Dystrophy (DMD and BMD, respectively), are common forms of inherited muscle disease. Information regarding the epidemiology of these conditions, including genotype, is still sparse. To establish the prevalence and genetic profile of DMD and BMD in Puerto Rico. We collected data from medical records in all Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) clinics in Puerto Rico in order to estimate the prevalence of DMD and BMD and to describe the genotypic profile of these patients. Patients selected for data analysis matched "definite", "probable" and "possible" case definitions as established by MD STARnet. A total of 141 patients matched the inclusion criteria, with 64.5% and 35.5% being categorized into DMD and BMD, respectively. DMD and BMD prevalence in Puerto Rico was estimated at 5.18 and 2.84 per 100,000 males, respectively. Deletion was the most common form of mutation (66.7%) in the dystrophin gene, with exons in segment 45 to 47 being the most frequently affected. This is the first report of the prevalence and genetic profile characteristics of DMD and BMD in Puerto Rico. Prevalence of DMD was similar to that reported worldwide, while prevalence of BMD was higher. Genetic profile was consistent with that reported in the literature.

  17. A window into the transcriptomic basis of genotype-by-genotype interactions in the legume-rhizobia mutualism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Corlett W; Stinchcombe, John R

    2017-11-01

    The maintenance of genetic variation in the benefits provided by mutualists is an evolutionary puzzle (Heath & Stinchcombe, ). Over time, natural selection should favour the benefit strategy that confers the highest fitness, eroding genetic variation in partner quality. Yet abundant genetic variation in partner quality exists in many systems (Heath & Stinchcombe, ). One possible resolution to this puzzle is that the genetic identity of both a host and its partner affects the benefits each mutualist provides to the other, a pattern known as a genotype-by-genotype interaction (Figure ). Mounting evidence suggests that genotype-by-genotype interactions between partners are pervasive at the phenotypic level (Barrett, Zee, Bever, Miller, & Thrall, ; Heath, ; Hoeksema & Thompson, ). Ultimately, however, to link these phenotypic patterns to the maintenance of genetic variation in mutualisms we need to answer two questions: How much variation in mutualism phenotypes is attributable to genotype-by-genotype interactions, and what mutualistic functions are influenced by each partner and by the interaction between their genomes? In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Burghardt et al. (2017) use transcriptomics to address both questions in the legume-rhizobia mutualism. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  18. Development of a single nucleotide polymorphism barcode to genotype Plasmodium vivax infections.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mary Lynn Baniecki

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Plasmodium vivax, one of the five species of Plasmodium parasites that cause human malaria, is responsible for 25-40% of malaria cases worldwide. Malaria global elimination efforts will benefit from accurate and effective genotyping tools that will provide insight into the population genetics and diversity of this parasite. The recent sequencing of P. vivax isolates from South America, Africa, and Asia presents a new opportunity by uncovering thousands of novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs. Genotyping a selection of these SNPs provides a robust, low-cost method of identifying parasite infections through their unique genetic signature or barcode. Based on our experience in generating a SNP barcode for P. falciparum using High Resolution Melting (HRM, we have developed a similar tool for P. vivax. We selected globally polymorphic SNPs from available P. vivax genome sequence data that were located in putatively selectively neutral sites (i.e., intergenic, intronic, or 4-fold degenerate coding. From these candidate SNPs we defined a barcode consisting of 42 SNPs. We analyzed the performance of the 42-SNP barcode on 87 P. vivax clinical samples from parasite populations in South America (Brazil, French Guiana, Africa (Ethiopia and Asia (Sri Lanka. We found that the P. vivax barcode is robust, as it requires only a small quantity of DNA (limit of detection 0.3 ng/μl to yield reproducible genotype calls, and detects polymorphic genotypes with high sensitivity. The markers are informative across all clinical samples evaluated (average minor allele frequency > 0.1. Population genetic and statistical analyses show the barcode captures high degrees of population diversity and differentiates geographically distinct populations. Our 42-SNP barcode provides a robust, informative, and standardized genetic marker set that accurately identifies a genomic signature for P. vivax infections.

  19. Development of a Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Barcode to Genotype Plasmodium vivax Infections

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baniecki, Mary Lynn; Faust, Aubrey L.; Schaffner, Stephen F.; Park, Daniel J.; Galinsky, Kevin; Daniels, Rachel F.; Hamilton, Elizabeth; Ferreira, Marcelo U.; Karunaweera, Nadira D.; Serre, David; Zimmerman, Peter A.; Sá, Juliana M.; Wellems, Thomas E.; Musset, Lise; Legrand, Eric; Melnikov, Alexandre; Neafsey, Daniel E.; Volkman, Sarah K.; Wirth, Dyann F.; Sabeti, Pardis C.

    2015-01-01

    Plasmodium vivax, one of the five species of Plasmodium parasites that cause human malaria, is responsible for 25–40% of malaria cases worldwide. Malaria global elimination efforts will benefit from accurate and effective genotyping tools that will provide insight into the population genetics and diversity of this parasite. The recent sequencing of P. vivax isolates from South America, Africa, and Asia presents a new opportunity by uncovering thousands of novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Genotyping a selection of these SNPs provides a robust, low-cost method of identifying parasite infections through their unique genetic signature or barcode. Based on our experience in generating a SNP barcode for P. falciparum using High Resolution Melting (HRM), we have developed a similar tool for P. vivax. We selected globally polymorphic SNPs from available P. vivax genome sequence data that were located in putatively selectively neutral sites (i.e., intergenic, intronic, or 4-fold degenerate coding). From these candidate SNPs we defined a barcode consisting of 42 SNPs. We analyzed the performance of the 42-SNP barcode on 87 P. vivax clinical samples from parasite populations in South America (Brazil, French Guiana), Africa (Ethiopia) and Asia (Sri Lanka). We found that the P. vivax barcode is robust, as it requires only a small quantity of DNA (limit of detection 0.3 ng/μl) to yield reproducible genotype calls, and detects polymorphic genotypes with high sensitivity. The markers are informative across all clinical samples evaluated (average minor allele frequency > 0.1). Population genetic and statistical analyses show the barcode captures high degrees of population diversity and differentiates geographically distinct populations. Our 42-SNP barcode provides a robust, informative, and standardized genetic marker set that accurately identifies a genomic signature for P. vivax infections. PMID:25781890

  20. Human papillomavirus genotypes distribution in 175 invasive cervical cancer cases from Brazil

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira, Cristina Mendes de; Fregnani, José Humberto Tavares Guerreiro; Carvalho, Jesus Paula; Longatto-Filho, Adhemar; Levi, José Eduardo

    2013-01-01

    Invasive cervical cancer is the second most common malignant tumor affecting Brazilian women. Knowledge on Human Papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes in invasive cervical cancer cases is crucial to guide the introduction and further evaluate the impact of new preventive strategies based on HPV. We aimed to provide updated comprehensive data about the HPV types’ distribution in patients with invasive cervical cancer. Fresh tumor tissue samples of histologically confirmed invasive cervical cancer were collected from 175 women attending two cancer reference hospitals from São Paulo State: ICESP and Hospital de Câncer de Barretos. HPV detection and genotyping were performed by the Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test (Roche Molecular Diagnostics, Pleasanton,USA). 170 out of 172 valid samples (99%) were HPV DNA positive. The most frequent types were HPV16 (77.6%), HPV18 (12.3%), HPV31 (8.8%), HPV33 (7.1%) and HPV35 (5.9%). Most infections (75%) were caused by individual HPV types. Women with adenocarcinoma were not younger than those with squamous cell carcinoma, as well, as women infected with HPV33 were older than those infected by other HPV types. Some differences between results obtained in the two hospitals were observed: higher overall prevalence of HPV16, absence of single infection by HPV31 and HPV45 was verified in HC-Barretos in comparison to ICESP patients. To our knowledge, this is one of the largest studies made with fresh tumor tissues of invasive cervical cancer cases in Brazil. This study depicted a distinct HPV genotype distribution between two centers that may reflect the local epidemiology of HPV transmission among these populations. Due to the impact of these findings on cervical cancer preventive strategies, extension of this investigation to routine screening populations is warranted

  1. Signaling Pathways Related to Protein Synthesis and Amino Acid Concentration in Pig Skeletal Muscles Depend on the Dietary Protein Level, Genotype and Developmental Stages.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yingying Liu

    repressed (P<0.05 the level for p70S6K in Landrace pigs. The higher protein-NRC diet increased ratio of p-mTOR/mTOR in Landrace pigs. These findings indicated that the dynamic consequences of AA profile and protein deposition in muscle tissues are the concerted effort of distinctive genotype, nutrient status, age, and muscle type. Our results provide valuable information for animal feeding strategy.

  2. Prediction of Phenotypic Antimicrobial Resistance Profiles From Whole Genome Sequences of Non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neuert, Saskia; Nair, Satheesh; Day, Martin R; Doumith, Michel; Ashton, Philip M; Mellor, Kate C; Jenkins, Claire; Hopkins, Katie L; Woodford, Neil; de Pinna, Elizabeth; Godbole, Gauri; Dallman, Timothy J

    2018-01-01

    Surveillance of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS), is essential for monitoring transmission of resistance from the food chain to humans, and for establishing effective treatment protocols. We evaluated the prediction of phenotypic resistance in NTS from genotypic profiles derived from whole genome sequencing (WGS). Genes and chromosomal mutations responsible for phenotypic resistance were sought in WGS data from 3,491 NTS isolates received by Public Health England's Gastrointestinal Bacteria Reference Unit between April 2014 and March 2015. Inferred genotypic AMR profiles were compared with phenotypic susceptibilities determined for fifteen antimicrobials using EUCAST guidelines. Discrepancies between phenotypic and genotypic profiles for one or more antimicrobials were detected for 76 isolates (2.18%) although only 88/52,365 (0.17%) isolate/antimicrobial combinations were discordant. Of the discrepant results, the largest number were associated with streptomycin (67.05%, n = 59). Pan-susceptibility was observed in 2,190 isolates (62.73%). Overall, resistance to tetracyclines was most common (26.27% of isolates, n = 917) followed by sulphonamides (23.72%, n = 828) and ampicillin (21.43%, n = 748). Multidrug resistance (MDR), i.e., resistance to three or more antimicrobial classes, was detected in 848 isolates (24.29%) with resistance to ampicillin, streptomycin, sulphonamides and tetracyclines being the most common MDR profile ( n = 231; 27.24%). For isolates with this profile, all but one were S . Typhimurium and 94.81% ( n = 219) had the resistance determinants bla TEM-1, strA-strB, sul2 and tet (A). Extended-spectrum β-lactamase genes were identified in 41 isolates (1.17%) and multiple mutations in chromosomal genes associated with ciprofloxacin resistance in 82 isolates (2.35%). This study showed that WGS is suitable as a rapid means of determining AMR patterns of NTS for public health surveillance.

  3. Distinct spatio-temporal profiles of beta-oscillations within visual and sensorimotor areas during action recognition as revealed by MEG.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pavlidou, Anastasia; Schnitzler, Alfons; Lange, Joachim

    2014-05-01

    The neural correlates of action recognition have been widely studied in visual and sensorimotor areas of the human brain. However, the role of neuronal oscillations involved during the process of action recognition remains unclear. Here, we were interested in how the plausibility of an action modulates neuronal oscillations in visual and sensorimotor areas. Subjects viewed point-light displays (PLDs) of biomechanically plausible and implausible versions of the same actions. Using magnetoencephalography (MEG), we examined dynamic changes of oscillatory activity during these action recognition processes. While both actions elicited oscillatory activity in visual and sensorimotor areas in several frequency bands, a significant difference was confined to the beta-band (∼20 Hz). An increase of power for plausible actions was observed in left temporal, parieto-occipital and sensorimotor areas of the brain, in the beta-band in successive order between 1650 and 2650 msec. These distinct spatio-temporal beta-band profiles suggest that the action recognition process is modulated by the degree of biomechanical plausibility of the action, and that spectral power in the beta-band may provide a functional interaction between visual and sensorimotor areas in humans. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Watching TV has a distinct sociodemographic and lifestyle profile compared with other sedentary behaviors: A nationwide population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andrade-Gómez, Elena; García-Esquinas, Esther; Ortolá, Rosario; Martínez-Gómez, David; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

    2017-01-01

    Watching TV has been consistently associated with higher risk of adverse health outcomes, but the effect of other sedentary behaviors (SB) is uncertain. Potential explanations are that watching TV is not a marker of a broader sedentary pattern and that each SB reflects different sociodemographic and health characteristics. Data were taken form a survey on 10,199 individuals, representative of the Spanish population aged ≥18 years. SB and other health behaviors were ascertained using validated questionnaires. Watching TV was the predominant SB (45.4% of the total sitting time), followed by sitting at the computer (22.7%). TV watching time showed no correlation with total time on other SB (r: -0.02, p = 0.07). By contrast, time spent at the computer was directly correlated with time spent on commuting (r: 0.07, pmusic (r: 0.10, peducation, unhealthier lifestyle, and with diabetes or osteomuscular disease. More time spent at the computer or in commuting was linked to younger age, male gender, higher education and having a sedentary job. In conclusion, watching TV is not correlated with other SB and shows a distinct demographic and lifestyle profile.

  5. Popcorn genotypes resistance to fall armyworm

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    Nádia Cristina de Oliveira

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to evaluate popcorn genotypes for resistance to the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda. The experiment used a completely randomized design with 30 replicates. The popcorn genotypes Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Beija-Flor, Colombiana, Composto Chico, Composto Gaúcha, Márcia, Mateus, Ufvm Barão Viçosa, Vanin, and Viviane were evaluated,along with the common maize variety Zapalote Chico. Newly hatched fall armyworm larvae were individually assessed with regard to biological development and consumption of food. The data were subjected to multivariate analyses of variance and genetic divergence among genotypes was evaluated through the clustering methods of Tocher based on generalized Mahalanobis distances and canonical variable analyses. Seven popcorn genotypes, namely, Aelton, Arzm 05 083, Composto Chico, Composto Gaúcha, Márcia, Mateus, and Viviane,were shown to form a cluster (cluster I that had antibiosis as the mechanism of resistance to the pest. Cluster I genotypes and the Zapalote Chico genotype could be used for stacking genes for antibiosis and non-preference resistance.

  6. The potential of plant viruses to promote genotypic diversity via genotype x environment interactions

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    van Mölken, Tamara; Stuefer, Josef F.

    2011-01-01

    † Background and Aims Genotype by environment (G × E) interactions are important for the long-term persistence of plant species in heterogeneous environments. It has often been suggested that disease is a key factor for the maintenance of genotypic diversity in plant populations. However, empirical...... and the G × E interactions were examined with respect to genotypespecific plant responses to WClMV infection. Thus, the environment is defined as the presence or absence of the virus. † Key Results WClMV had a negative effect on plant performance as shown by a decrease in biomass and number of ramets...... evidence for this contention is scarce. Here virus infection is proposed as a possible candidate for maintaining genotypic diversity in their host plants. † Methods The effects of White clover mosaic virus (WClMV) on the performance and development of different Trifolium repens genotypes were analysed...

  7. First baseline of circulating genotypic lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients from the brazilian borders with Argentina and Paraguay.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Machado, Luzia Neri C; Marcondes, Nadir R; Leite, Clarice Q Fijimura; Santos, Adolfo C Barreto; Pavan, Fernando Rogério; Baldin, Vanessa Pietrowski; Castilho, Aline Lemes; Siqueira, Vera Lúcia D; Baeza, Lilian Cristiane; Berghs, Henri; Cardoso, Rosilene Fressatti

    2014-01-01

    At the triple border Brazil/Paraguay/Argentina there is easy mobility from one city to another for economic and tourism activities. This constant and fast population mobility is mainly to visit Iguazu Falls, in the Iguazu River, on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentina. As the incidence of tuberculosis is high in this setting, our study aimed to establish a first baseline of circulating genotypic lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This study included 120 patients from 10 cities in southwestern Paraná, Brazil with pulmonary symptoms, from July 2009 to July 2011. Information about sex, age, clinical features and address was collected by reviewing the national tuberculosis notification database. Of these, 96 (80%) isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis and 22 (22.9%) were drug resistant (20, 20.8% INH mono-resistant and 2, 2.1% multidrug-resistant). All isolates were subjected to genotyping by Spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR typing. The distribution of the isolates analyzed by spoligotyping revealed 30 distinct patterns. The four mainly detected clades were Latin American and Mediterranean (LAM), ill-defined T, Haarlem (H) and S. The MIRU-VNTR showed 85 distinct patterns. Spoligotyping combined to MIRU-VNTR allowed 90 distinct patterns. Our study demonstrated that there is significant molecular diversity in circulating M. tuberculosis, with predominance of the LAM and T clades in cities of southwestern Paraná, Brazil, bordering Argentina and Paraguay.

  8. First baseline of circulating genotypic lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients from the brazilian borders with Argentina and Paraguay.

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    Luzia Neri C Machado

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: At the triple border Brazil/Paraguay/Argentina there is easy mobility from one city to another for economic and tourism activities. This constant and fast population mobility is mainly to visit Iguazu Falls, in the Iguazu River, on the border of the Brazilian state of Paraná and the Argentina. As the incidence of tuberculosis is high in this setting, our study aimed to establish a first baseline of circulating genotypic lineages of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: This study included 120 patients from 10 cities in southwestern Paraná, Brazil with pulmonary symptoms, from July 2009 to July 2011. Information about sex, age, clinical features and address was collected by reviewing the national tuberculosis notification database. Of these, 96 (80% isolates were identified as M. tuberculosis and 22 (22.9% were drug resistant (20, 20.8% INH mono-resistant and 2, 2.1% multidrug-resistant. All isolates were subjected to genotyping by Spoligotyping and MIRU-VNTR typing. The distribution of the isolates analyzed by spoligotyping revealed 30 distinct patterns. The four mainly detected clades were Latin American and Mediterranean (LAM, ill-defined T, Haarlem (H and S. The MIRU-VNTR showed 85 distinct patterns. Spoligotyping combined to MIRU-VNTR allowed 90 distinct patterns. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our study demonstrated that there is significant molecular diversity in circulating M. tuberculosis, with predominance of the LAM and T clades in cities of southwestern Paraná, Brazil, bordering Argentina and Paraguay.

  9. Genotypic and phenotypic evaluation of off-type grasses in hybrid Bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] putting greens using genotyping-by-sequencing and morphological characterization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reasor, Eric H; Brosnan, James T; Staton, Margaret E; Lane, Thomas; Trigiano, Robert N; Wadl, Phillip A; Conner, Joann A; Schwartz, Brian M

    2018-01-01

    Interspecific hybrid bermudagrass [ Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. x C. transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] is one of the most widely used grasses on golf courses, with cultivars derived from 'Tifgreen' or 'Tifdwarf' particularly used for putting greens. Many bermudagrass cultivars established for putting greens can be genetically unstable and lead to the occurrence of undesirable off-type grasses that vary in phenotype. The objective of this research was to genetically and phenotypically differentiate off-type grasses and hybrid cultivars. Beginning in 2013, off-type and desirable hybrid bermudagrass samples were collected from golf course putting greens in the southeastern United States and genetically and phenotypically characterized using genotyping-by-sequencing and morphology. Genotyping-by-sequencing determined that 11% (5) of off-type and desirable samples from putting greens were genetically divergent from standard cultivars such as Champion, MiniVerde, Tifdwarf, TifEagle, and Tifgreen. In addition, genotyping-by-sequencing was unable to genetically distinguish all standard cultivars from one another due to their similar origin and clonal propagation; however, over 90,000 potentially informative nucleotide variants were identified among the triploid hybrid cultivars. Although few genetic differences were found in this research, samples harvested from golf course putting greens had variable morphology and were clustered into three distinct phenotypic groups. The majority of off-type grasses in hybrid bermudagrass putting greens were genetically similar with variable morphological traits. Off-type grasses within golf course putting greens have the potential to compromise putting surface functionality and aesthetics.

  10. Hepatitis C Virus: Virology and Genotypes

    KAUST Repository

    Abdelaziz, Ahmed

    2017-12-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent of chronic liver disease worldwide. HCV is characterized by genetic heterogeneity, with at least six genotypes identified. The geographic distribution of genotypes has shown variations in different parts of the world over the past decade because of variations in population structure, immigration, and routes of transmission. Genotype differences are of epidemiologic interest and help the study of viral transmission dynamics to trace the source of HCV infection in a given population. HCV genotypes are also of considerable clinical importance because they affect response to antiviral therapy and represent a challenging obstacle for vaccine development.

  11. Genome-wide transcriptional analysis of two soybean genotypes under dehydration and rehydration conditions

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-01-01

    Background Soybean is an important crop that provides valuable proteins and oils for human use. Because soybean growth and development is extremely sensitive to water deficit, quality and crop yields are severely impacted by drought stress. In the face of limited water resources, drought-responsive genes are therefore of interest. Identification and analysis of dehydration- and rehydration-inducible differentially expressed genes (DEGs) would not only aid elucidation of molecular mechanisms of stress response, but also enable improvement of crop stress tolerance via gene transfer. Using Digital Gene Expression Tag profiling (DGE), a new technique based on Illumina sequencing, we analyzed expression profiles between two soybean genotypes to identify drought-responsive genes. Results Two soybean genotypes—drought-tolerant Jindou21 and drought-sensitive Zhongdou33—were subjected to dehydration and rehydration conditions. For analysis of DEGs under dehydration conditions, 20 cDNA libraries were generated from roots and leaves at two different time points under well-watered and dehydration conditions. We also generated eight libraries for analysis under rehydration conditions. Sequencing of the 28 libraries produced 25,000–33,000 unambiguous tags, which were mapped to reference sequences for annotation of expressed genes. Many genes exhibited significant expression differences among the libraries. DEGs in the drought-tolerant genotype were identified by comparison of DEGs among treatments and genotypes. In Jindou21, 518 and 614 genes were differentially expressed under dehydration in leaves and roots, respectively, with 24 identified both in leaves and roots. The main functional categories enriched in these DEGs were metabolic process, response to stresses, plant hormone signal transduction, protein processing, and plant-pathogen interaction pathway; the associated genes primarily encoded transcription factors, protein kinases, and other regulatory proteins. The

  12. HFE Genotyping in Patients with Elevated Serum Iron Indices and Liver Diseases

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    Andreia Silva Evangelista

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Iron abnormalities in chronic liver disease may be the result of genetic diseases or secondary factors. The present study aimed to identify subjects with HFE-HH in order to describe the frequency of clinical manifestations, identify risk factors for iron elevation, and compare the iron profile of HFE-HH to other genotypes in liver disease patients. A total of 108 individuals with hepatic disease, transferrin saturation (TS > 45%, and serum ferritin (SF > 350 ng/mL were tested for HFE mutations. Two groups were characterized: C282Y/C282Y or C282Y/H63D genotypes (n=16 were the HFE hereditary hemochromatosis (HFE-HH group; and C282Y and H63D single heterozygotes, the H63D/H63D genotype, and wild-type were considered group 2 (n=92. Nonalcoholic liver disease, alcoholism, and chronic hepatitis C were detected more frequently in group 2, whereas arthropathy, hepatocarcinoma, diabetes, and osteoporosis rates were significantly higher in the HFE-HH group. TS > 82%, SF > 2685 ng/mL, and serum iron > 178 μg/dL were the cutoffs for diagnosis of HFE-HH in patients with liver disease. Thus, in non-Caucasian populations with chronic liver disease, HFE-HH diagnosis is more predictable in those with iron levels higher than those proposed in current guidelines for the general population.

  13. Expression profiles of sugarcane under drought conditions: Variation in gene regulation

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    Júlio César Farias de Andrade

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available AbstractDrought is a major factor in decreased sugarcane productivity because of the resulting morphophysiological effects that it causes. Gene expression studies that have examined the influence of water stress in sugarcane have yielded divergent results, indicating the absence of a fixed pattern of changes in gene expression. In this work, we investigated the expression profiles of 12 genes in the leaves of a drought-tolerant genotype (RB72910 of sugarcane and compared the results with those of other studies. The genotype was subjected to 80–100% water availability (control condition and 0–20% water availability (simulated drought. To analyze the physiological status, the SPAD index, Fv/Fm ratio, net photosynthesis (A, stomatal conductance (gs and stomatal transpiration (E were measured. Total RNA was extracted from leaves and the expression of SAMDC, ZmPIP2-1 protein, ZmTIP4-2 protein, WIP protein, LTP protein, histone H3, DNAj, ferredoxin I, β-tubulin, photosystem I, gene 1 and gene 2 was analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-PCR. Important differences in the expression profiles of these genes were observed when compared with other genotypes, suggesting that complex defense mechanisms are activated in response to water stress. However, there was no recognizable pattern for the changes in expression of the different proteins associated with tolerance to drought stress.

  14. Developmental plasticity: re-conceiving the genotype.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sultan, Sonia E

    2017-10-06

    In recent decades, the phenotype of an organism (i.e. its traits and behaviour) has been studied as the outcome of a developmental 'programme' coded in its genotype. This deterministic view is implicit in the Modern Synthesis approach to adaptive evolution as a sorting process among genetic variants. Studies of developmental pathways have revealed that genotypes are in fact differently expressed depending on environmental conditions. Accordingly, the genotype can be understood as a repertoire of potential developmental outcomes or norm of reaction. Reconceiving the genotype as an environmental response repertoire rather than a fixed developmental programme leads to three critical evolutionary insights. First, plastic responses to specific conditions often comprise functionally appropriate trait adjustments, resulting in an individual-level, developmental mode of adaptive variation. Second, because genotypes are differently expressed depending on the environment, the genetic diversity available to natural selection is itself environmentally contingent. Finally, environmental influences on development can extend across multiple generations via cytoplasmic and epigenetic factors transmitted to progeny individuals, altering their responses to their own, immediate environmental conditions and, in some cases, leading to inherited but non-genetic adaptations. Together, these insights suggest a more nuanced understanding of the genotype and its evolutionary role, as well as a shift in research focus to investigating the complex developmental interactions among genotypes, environments and previous environments.

  15. Performance of chickpea genotypes under Swat valley conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Khan, A.; Rahim, M.; Ahmad, F.; Ali, A.

    2004-01-01

    Twenty-two genetically diverse chickpeas genotypes were studied for their physiological efficiency to select the most desirable genotype/genotypes for breeding program on chickpea. Genotype 'CM7-1' was found physiologically efficient stain with maximum harvest index (37.33%) followed by genotype 'CM1571-1-A' with harvest index of 35.73%. Genotype '90206' produced maximum biological yield (7463 kg ha/sup -1/) followed by genotypes 'CM31-1' and 'E-2034' with biological yield of 7352 and 7167 kg ha/sup -1/, respectively. Harvest index and economic yield showed significant positive correlation value of (r=+0.595), while negative correlation value of (r = -0.435) was observed between harvest index and biological yield. (author)

  16. The conserved potassium channel filter can have distinct ion binding profiles: structural analysis of rubidium, cesium, and barium binding in NaK2K.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lam, Yee Ling; Zeng, Weizhong; Sauer, David Bryant; Jiang, Youxing

    2014-08-01

    Potassium channels are highly selective for K(+) over the smaller Na(+). Intriguingly, they are permeable to larger monovalent cations such as Rb(+) and Cs(+) but are specifically blocked by the similarly sized Ba(2+). In this study, we used structural analysis to determine the binding profiles for these permeant and blocking ions in the selectivity filter of the potassium-selective NaK channel mutant NaK2K and also performed permeation experiments using single-channel recordings. Our data revealed that some ion binding properties of NaK2K are distinct from those of the canonical K(+) channels KcsA and MthK. Rb(+) bound at sites 1, 3, and 4 in NaK2K, as it does in KcsA. Cs(+), however, bound predominantly at sites 1 and 3 in NaK2K, whereas it binds at sites 1, 3, and 4 in KcsA. Moreover, Ba(2+) binding in NaK2K was distinct from that which has been observed in KcsA and MthK, even though all of these channels show similar Ba(2+) block. In the presence of K(+), Ba(2+) bound to the NaK2K channel at site 3 in conjunction with a K(+) at site 1; this led to a prolonged block of the channel (the external K(+)-dependent Ba(2+) lock-in state). In the absence of K(+), however, Ba(2+) acts as a permeating blocker. We found that, under these conditions, Ba(2+) bound at sites 1 or 0 as well as site 3, allowing it to enter the filter from the intracellular side and exit from the extracellular side. The difference in the Ba(2+) binding profile in the presence and absence of K(+) thus provides a structural explanation for the short and prolonged Ba(2+) block observed in NaK2K. © 2014 Lam et al.

  17. Performance of TcI/TcVI/TcII Chagas-Flow ATE-IgG2a for universal and genotype-specific serodiagnosis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection.

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    Glaucia Diniz Alessio

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Distinct Trypanosoma cruzi genotypes have been considered relevant for patient management and therapeutic response of Chagas disease. However, typing strategies for genotype-specific serodiagnosis of Chagas disease are still unavailable and requires standardization for practical application. In this study, an innovative TcI/TcVI/TcII Chagas Flow ATE-IgG2a technique was developed with applicability for universal and genotype-specific diagnosis of T. cruzi infection. For this purpose, the reactivity of serum samples (percentage of positive fluorescent parasites-PPFP obtained from mice chronically infected with TcI/Colombiana, TcVI/CL or TcII/Y strain as well as non-infected controls were determined using amastigote-AMA, trypomastigote-TRYPO and epimastigote-EPI in parallel batches of TcI, TcVI and TcII target antigens. Data demonstrated that "α-TcII-TRYPO/1:500, cut-off/PPFP = 20%" presented an excellent performance for universal diagnosis of T. cruzi infection (AUC = 1.0, Se and Sp = 100%. The combined set of attributes "α-TcI-TRYPO/1:4,000, cut-off/PPFP = 50%", "α-TcII-AMA/1:1,000, cut-off/PPFP = 40%" and "α-TcVI-EPI/1:1,000, cut-off/PPFP = 45%" showed good performance to segregate infections with TcI/Colombiana, TcVI/CL or TcII/Y strain. Overall, hosts infected with TcI/Colombiana and TcII/Y strains displayed opposite patterns of reactivity with "α-TcI TRYPO" and "α-TcII AMA". Hosts infected with TcVI/CL strain showed a typical interweaved distribution pattern. The method presented a good performance for genotype-specific diagnosis, with global accuracy of 69% when the population/prototype scenario include TcI, TcVI and TcII infections and 94% when comprise only TcI and TcII infections. This study also proposes a receiver operating reactivity panel, providing a feasible tool to classify serum samples from hosts infected with distinct T. cruzi genotypes, supporting the potential of this method for universal and genotype-specific diagnosis

  18. Fruit Phenolic Profiling: A New Selection Criterion in Olive Breeding Programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pérez, Ana G; León, Lorenzo; Sanz, Carlos; de la Rosa, Raúl

    2018-01-01

    Olive growing is mainly based on traditional varieties selected by the growers across the centuries. The few attempts so far reported to obtain new varieties by systematic breeding have been mainly focused on improving the olive adaptation to different growing systems, the productivity and the oil content. However, the improvement of oil quality has rarely been considered as selection criterion and only in the latter stages of the breeding programs. Due to their health promoting and organoleptic properties, phenolic compounds are one of the most important quality markers for Virgin olive oil (VOO) although they are not commonly used as quality traits in olive breeding programs. This is mainly due to the difficulties for evaluating oil phenolic composition in large number of samples and the limited knowledge on the genetic and environmental factors that may influence phenolic composition. In the present work, we propose a high throughput methodology to include the phenolic composition as a selection criterion in olive breeding programs. For that purpose, the phenolic profile has been determined in fruits and oils of several breeding selections and two varieties ("Picual" and "Arbequina") used as control. The effect of three different environments, typical for olive growing in Andalusia, Southern Spain, was also evaluated. A high genetic effect was observed on both fruit and oil phenolic profile. In particular, the breeding selection UCI2-68 showed an optimum phenolic profile, which sums up to a good agronomic performance previously reported. A high correlation was found between fruit and oil total phenolic content as well as some individual phenols from the two different matrices. The environmental effect on phenolic compounds was also significant in both fruit and oil, although the low genotype × environment interaction allowed similar ranking of genotypes on the different environments. In summary, the high genotypic variance and the simplified procedure of the

  19. Fruit Phenolic Profiling: A New Selection Criterion in Olive Breeding Programs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana G. Pérez

    2018-02-01

    Full Text Available Olive growing is mainly based on traditional varieties selected by the growers across the centuries. The few attempts so far reported to obtain new varieties by systematic breeding have been mainly focused on improving the olive adaptation to different growing systems, the productivity and the oil content. However, the improvement of oil quality has rarely been considered as selection criterion and only in the latter stages of the breeding programs. Due to their health promoting and organoleptic properties, phenolic compounds are one of the most important quality markers for Virgin olive oil (VOO although they are not commonly used as quality traits in olive breeding programs. This is mainly due to the difficulties for evaluating oil phenolic composition in large number of samples and the limited knowledge on the genetic and environmental factors that may influence phenolic composition. In the present work, we propose a high throughput methodology to include the phenolic composition as a selection criterion in olive breeding programs. For that purpose, the phenolic profile has been determined in fruits and oils of several breeding selections and two varieties (“Picual” and “Arbequina” used as control. The effect of three different environments, typical for olive growing in Andalusia, Southern Spain, was also evaluated. A high genetic effect was observed on both fruit and oil phenolic profile. In particular, the breeding selection UCI2-68 showed an optimum phenolic profile, which sums up to a good agronomic performance previously reported. A high correlation was found between fruit and oil total phenolic content as well as some individual phenols from the two different matrices. The environmental effect on phenolic compounds was also significant in both fruit and oil, although the low genotype × environment interaction allowed similar ranking of genotypes on the different environments. In summary, the high genotypic variance and the

  20. Single endemic genotype of measles virus continuously circulating in China for at least 16 years.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yan Zhang

    Full Text Available The incidence of measles in China from 1991 to 2008 was reviewed, and the nucleotide sequences from 1507 measles viruses (MeV isolated during 1993 to 2008 were phylogenetically analyzed. The results showed that measles epidemics peaked approximately every 3 to 5 years with the range of measles cases detected between 56,850 and 140,048 per year. The Chinese MeV strains represented three genotypes; 1501 H1, 1 H2 and 5 A. Genotype H1 was the predominant genotype throughout China continuously circulating for at least 16 years. Genotype H1 sequences could be divided into two distinct clusters, H1a and H1b. A 4.2% average nucleotide divergence was found between the H1a and H1b clusters, and the nucleotide sequence and predicted amino acid homologies of H1a viruses were 92.3%-100% and 84.7%-100%, H1b were 97.1%-100% and 95.3%-100%, respectively. Viruses from both clusters were distributed throughout China with no apparent geographic restriction and multiple co-circulating lineages were present in many provinces. Cluster H1a and H1b viruses were co-circulating during 1993 to 2005, while no H1b viruses were detected after 2005 and the transmission of that cluster has presumably been interrupted. Analysis of the nucleotide and predicted amino acid changes in the N proteins of H1a and H1b viruses showed no evidence of selective pressure. This study investigated the genotype and cluster distribution of MeV in China over a 16-year period to establish a genetic baseline before MeV elimination in Western Pacific Region (WPR. Continuous and extensive MeV surveillance and the ability to quickly identify imported cases of measles will become more critical as measles elimination goals are achieved in China in the near future. This is the first report that a single endemic genotype of measles virus has been found to be continuously circulating in one country for at least 16 years.

  1. Genogeography and Immune Epitope Characteristics of Hepatitis B Virus Genotype C Reveals Two Distinct Types: Asian and Papua-Pacific.

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    Meta Dewi Thedja

    Full Text Available Distribution of hepatitis B virus (HBV genotypes/subgenotypes is geographically and ethnologically specific. In the Indonesian archipelago, HBV genotype C (HBV/C is prevalent with high genome variability, reflected by the presence of 13 of currently existing 16 subgenotypes. We investigated the association between HBV/C molecular characteristics with host ethnicity and geographical distribution by examining various subgenotypes of HBV/C isolates from the Asia and Pacific region, with further analysis on the immune epitope characteristics of the core and surface proteins. Phylogenetic tree was constructed based on complete HBV/C genome sequences from Asia and Pacific region, and genetic distance between isolates was also examined. HBV/C surface and core immune epitopes were analyzed and grouped by comparing the amino acid residue characteristics and geographical origins. Based on phylogenetic tree and geographical origins of isolates, two major groups of HBV/C isolates--East-Southeast Asia and Papua-Pacific--were identified. Analysis of core and surface immune epitopes supported these findings with several amino acid substitutions distinguishing the East-Southeast Asia isolates from the Papua-Pacific isolates. A west-to-east gradient of HBsAg subtype distribution was observed with adrq+ prominent in the East and Southeast Asia and adrq- in the Pacific, with several adrq-indeterminate subtypes observed in Papua and Papua New Guinea (PNG. This study indicates that HBV/C isolates can be classified into two types, the Asian and the Papua-Pacific, based on the virus genome diversity, immune epitope characteristics, and geographical distribution, with Papua and PNG as the molecular evolutionary admixture region in the switching from adrq+ to adrq-.

  2. Study of the KIR gene profiles and analysis of the phylogenetic relationships of Rajbanshi population of West Bengal, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guha, Pokhraj; Bhattacharjee, Soumen; Nayak, Chittaranjan; Chaudhuri, Tapas Kumar

    2013-05-01

    The natural killer (NK) cells have distinct receptors called killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) which are responsible for regulating NK cell responses to infections and malignancy. The extensive variations in the number and type of KIR genes can be used as a tool to understand the differentiation of populations and also for tracing genetic background. In this study, we have aimed to analyze the KIR gene polymorphism in the Rajbanshi population of West Bengal, India. To our knowledge this is the first report on the KIR gene polymorphism in the Rajbanshis, a population widely distributed in the Terai and Dooars region of West Bengal, India. Herein, we have studied the gene distribution of 14 KIR genes (KIR3DL1-3DL3, KIR 2DL1-2DL5, 2DS1-2DS5 and 3DS1) and two pseudogenes (KIR3DP1 and 2DP1). The gene frequencies and genotypic frequencies were calculated, based on which statistical analyses were performed. The presence of a considerable number of genotypic profiles suggests substantial diversity in the KIR gene pool of the Rajbanshis in the region studied. Apart from the framework genes (KIR2DL4, 3DL2, 3DL3 and 3DP1) present in all the individuals, the gene frequencies of other KIR genes varied between 0.84 and 0.15. Moreover the KIR polymorphisms of the Rajbanshis were also compared with that of available published data of the populations of other ethnicities. Though the Rajbanshi population showed a tendency to cluster with other Indian population based on KIR gene frequencies, the influence of Tibeto-Burman Lineage on their KIR genotypic profiles cannot be overlooked. Furthermore, evidences from previously published data on Y chromosome haplogroup diversity study on Rajbanshis support the view. Our results will not only help to understand the genetic background of the Rajbanshi population, but also in tracing the population migration events in the North-Eastern part of India and in illustrating the extensive genetic admixture amongst the different

  3. Mal de Río Cuarto Virus Infection Triggers the Production of Distinctive Viral-Derived siRNA Profiles in Wheat and Its Planthopper Vector.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Haro, Luis A; Dumón, Analía D; Mattio, María F; Argüello Caro, Evangelina Beatriz; Llauger, Gabriela; Zavallo, Diego; Blanc, Hervé; Mongelli, Vanesa C; Truol, Graciela; Saleh, María-Carla; Asurmendi, Sebastián; Del Vas, Mariana

    2017-01-01

    Plant reoviruses are able to multiply in gramineae plants and delphacid vectors encountering different defense strategies with unique features. This study aims to comparatively assess alterations of small RNA (sRNA) populations in both hosts upon virus infection. For this purpose, we characterized the sRNA profiles of wheat and planthopper vectors infected by Mal de Río Cuarto virus (MRCV, Fijivirus, Reoviridae ) and quantified virus genome segments by quantitative reverse transcription PCR We provide evidence that plant and insect silencing machineries differentially recognize the viral genome, thus giving rise to distinct profiles of virus-derived small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs). In plants, most of the virus genome segments were targeted preferentially within their upstream sequences and vsiRNAs mapped with higher density to the smaller genome segments than to the medium or larger ones. This tendency, however, was not observed in insects. In both hosts, vsiRNAs were equally derived from sense and antisense RNA strands and the differences in vsiRNAs accumulation did not correlate with mRNAs accumulation. We also established that the piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway was active in the delphacid vector but, contrary to what is observed in virus-infected mosquitoes, virus-specific piRNAs were not detected. This work contributes to the understanding of the silencing response in insect and plant hosts.

  4. Large-scale expression analysis reveals distinct microRNA profiles at different stages of human neurodevelopment.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brandon Smith

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: MicroRNAs (miRNAs are short non-coding RNAs predicted to regulate one third of protein coding genes via mRNA targeting. In conjunction with key transcription factors, such as the repressor REST (RE1 silencing transcription factor, miRNAs play crucial roles in neurogenesis, which requires a highly orchestrated program of gene expression to ensure the appropriate development and function of diverse neural cell types. Whilst previous studies have highlighted select groups of miRNAs during neural development, there remains a need for amenable models in which miRNA expression and function can be analyzed over the duration of neurogenesis. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We performed large-scale expression profiling of miRNAs in human NTera2/D1 (NT2 cells during retinoic acid (RA-induced transition from progenitors to fully differentiated neural phenotypes. Our results revealed dynamic changes of miRNA patterns, resulting in distinct miRNA subsets that could be linked to specific neurodevelopmental stages. Moreover, the cell-type specific miRNA subsets were very similar in NT2-derived differentiated cells and human primary neurons and astrocytes. Further analysis identified miRNAs as putative regulators of REST, as well as candidate miRNAs targeted by REST. Finally, we confirmed the existence of two predicted miRNAs; pred-MIR191 and pred-MIR222 associated with SLAIN1 and FOXP2, respectively, and provided some evidence of their potential co-regulation. CONCLUSIONS: In the present study, we demonstrate that regulation of miRNAs occurs in precise patterns indicative of their roles in cell fate commitment, progenitor expansion and differentiation into neurons and glia. Furthermore, the similarity between our NT2 system and primary human cells suggests their roles in molecular pathways critical for human in vivo neurogenesis.

  5. Hepatitis C virus genotypes in Bahawalpur

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qazi, M.A.; Fayyaz, M.; Chaudhry, G.M.D.; Jamil, A.

    2006-01-01

    This study was conducted at Medical Unit-II Bahawal Victoria Hospital / Quaid-e-Azam Medical College Bahawalpur from May 1st , 2005 to December 31st 2005. The objective of this study was to determine hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotypes in Bahawalpur, Pakistan. In consecutive 105 anti-HCV (ELISA-3) positive patients, complete history and physical examination was performed. Liver function tests, complete blood counts and platelet count, blood sugar fasting and 2 hours after breakfast, prothrombin time, serum albumin, serum globulin and abdominal ultrasound were carried out in all the patients. Tru cut biopsy was performed on 17 patients. We studied HCV RNA in all these patients by Nested PCR method. HCV RNA was detected in 98 patients and geno typing assay was done by genotype specific PCR. Among total of 105 anti-HCV positive patients, HCV-RNA was detected in 98 patients. Out of these 98 patients there were 57 (58.2%) males and 41 (42.8%) females. Their age range was 18-75 years. The age 18-29 years 26 (26.5%), 30-39 years 35 (35.7%) and 40-75 37 (37.8%), while 10 (10.2%) patients were diabetics and 34 (34.7%) patients were obese. Liver cirrhosis was present in 10 (10.2%) patients. Forty two (43.9%) patients were symptomatic while 56 (57.1%) were asymptomatic. Out of 98 patients 11 (11.2%) were un type-able and 87 (88.8%) were type able. 70/98 (71.4%) were genotype 3; 10/98 (10.2%) were genotype 1; 03/98 (3.1%) were genotype 2; 03/98 (3.1%) were mixed genotype 2 and 3; 01/98 (1%) were mixed genotype 3a and 3b. Genotype 3 is the most common HCV virus in our area which shows that both virological and biochemical response will be better. Because HCV genotype 3 is more frequent among the drug users which points towards unsafe injection practices in our area. (author)

  6. Expression of zinc and cadmium responsive genes in leaves of willow (Salix caprea L.) genotypes with different accumulation characteristics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konlechner, Cornelia; Türktaş, Mine; Langer, Ingrid; Vaculík, Marek; Wenzel, Walter W.; Puschenreiter, Markus; Hauser, Marie-Theres

    2013-01-01

    Salix caprea is well suited for phytoextraction strategies. In a previous survey we showed that genetically distinct S. caprea plants isolated from metal-polluted and unpolluted sites differed in their zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) tolerance and accumulation abilities. To determine the molecular basis of this difference we examined putative homologues of genes involved in heavy metal responses and identified over 200 new candidates with a suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) screen. Quantitative expression analyses of 20 genes in leaves revealed that some metallothioneins and cell wall modifying genes were induced irrespective of the genotype's origin and metal uptake capacity while a cysteine biosynthesis gene was expressed constitutively higher in the metallicolous genotype. The third and largest group of genes was only induced in the metallicolous genotype. These data demonstrate that naturally adapted woody non-model species can help to discover potential novel molecular mechanisms for metal accumulation and tolerance. -- Highlights: ► The transcriptional Zn/Cd response of the willow Salix caprea was quantified. ► Two genotypes from a highly contaminated and a control environment were compared. ► In addition to candidate genes an SSH library revealed over 200 metal induced genes. ► Constitutive upregulation and isolate-specific induction of genes were revealed. ► Willows adapt to environmental Zn/Cd contamination on the transcriptional level. -- Expression analyzes reveal different responses to Cd and Zn exposure of S. caprea genotypes with different heavy metal accumulation abilities

  7. High-throughput microsatellite genotyping in ecology: improved accuracy, efficiency, standardization and success with low-quantity and degraded DNA.

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Barba, M; Miquel, C; Lobréaux, S; Quenette, P Y; Swenson, J E; Taberlet, P

    2017-05-01

    Microsatellite markers have played a major role in ecological, evolutionary and conservation research during the past 20 years. However, technical constrains related to the use of capillary electrophoresis and a recent technological revolution that has impacted other marker types have brought to question the continued use of microsatellites for certain applications. We present a study for improving microsatellite genotyping in ecology using high-throughput sequencing (HTS). This approach entails selection of short markers suitable for HTS, sequencing PCR-amplified microsatellites on an Illumina platform and bioinformatic treatment of the sequence data to obtain multilocus genotypes. It takes advantage of the fact that HTS gives direct access to microsatellite sequences, allowing unambiguous allele identification and enabling automation of the genotyping process through bioinformatics. In addition, the massive parallel sequencing abilities expand the information content of single experimental runs far beyond capillary electrophoresis. We illustrated the method by genotyping brown bear samples amplified with a multiplex PCR of 13 new microsatellite markers and a sex marker. HTS of microsatellites provided accurate individual identification and parentage assignment and resulted in a significant improvement of genotyping success (84%) of faecal degraded DNA and costs reduction compared to capillary electrophoresis. The HTS approach holds vast potential for improving success, accuracy, efficiency and standardization of microsatellite genotyping in ecological and conservation applications, especially those that rely on profiling of low-quantity/quality DNA and on the construction of genetic databases. We discuss and give perspectives for the implementation of the method in the light of the challenges encountered in wildlife studies. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  8. Arsenate exposure affects amino acids, mineral nutrient status and antioxidants in rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dwivedi, S; Tripathi, R D; Tripathi, P; Kumar, A; Dave, R; Mishra, S; Singh, R; Sharma, D; Rai, U N; Chakrabarty, D; Trivedi, P K; Adhikari, B; Bag, M K; Dhankher, O P; Tuli, R

    2010-12-15

    Simulated pot experiments were conducted on four rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes (Triguna, IR-36, PNR-519, and IET-4786) to examine the effects of As(V) on amino acids and mineral nutrient status in grain along with antioxidant response to arsenic exposure. Rice genotypes responded differentially to As(V) exposure in terms of amino acids and antioxidant profiles. Total amino acid content in grains of all rice genotypes was positively correlated with arsenic accumulation. While, most of the essential amino acids increased in all cultivars except IR-36, glutamic acid and glycine increased in IET-4786 and PNR-519. The level of nonprotein thiols (NPTs) and the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD; EC 1.15.1.1), glutathione reductase (GR; EC 1.6.4.2) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX; EC 1.11.1.11) increased in all rice cultivars except IET-4786. A significant genotypic variation was also observed in specific arsenic uptake (SAU; mg kg(-1)dw), which was in the order of Triguna (134) > IR-36 (71) > PNR-519 (53) > IET-4786 (29). Further, application of As(V) at lower doses (4 and 8 mg L(-1) As) enhanced the accumulation of selenium (Se) and other nutrients (Fe, P, Zn, and S), however, higher dose (12 mg L(-1) As) limits the nutrient uptake in rice. In conclusion, low As accumulating genotype, IET-4786, which also had significantly induced level of essential amino acids, seems suitable for cultivation in moderately As contaminated soil and would be safe for human consumption.

  9. Grain yield stability of early maize genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chitra Bahadur Kunwar

    2016-12-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to estimate grain yield stability of early maize genotypes. Five early maize genotypes namely Pool-17, Arun1EV, Arun-4, Arun-2 and Farmer’s variety were evaluated using Randomized Complete Block Design along with three replications at four different locations namely Rampur, Rajahar, Pakhribas and Kabre districts of Nepal during summer seasons of three consecutive years from 2010 to 2012 under farmer’s fields. Genotype and genotype × environment (GGE biplot was used to identify superior genotype for grain yield and stability pattern. The genotypes Arun-1 EV and Arun-4 were better adapted for Kabre and Pakhribas where as pool-17 for Rajahar environments. The overall findings showed that Arun-1EV was more stable followed by Arun-2 therefore these two varieties can be recommended to farmers for cultivation in both environments.

  10. Production of infectious genotype 1b virus particles in cell culture and impairment by replication enhancing mutations.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas Pietschmann

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available With the advent of subgenomic hepatitis C virus (HCV replicons, studies of the intracellular steps of the viral replication cycle became possible. These RNAs are capable of self-amplification in cultured human hepatoma cells, but save for the genotype 2a isolate JFH-1, efficient replication of these HCV RNAs requires replication enhancing mutations (REMs, previously also called cell culture adaptive mutations. These mutations cluster primarily in the central region of non-structural protein 5A (NS5A, but may also reside in the NS3 helicase domain or at a distinct position in NS4B. Most efficient replication has been achieved by combining REMs residing in NS3 with distinct REMs located in NS4B or NS5A. However, in spite of efficient replication of HCV genomes containing such mutations, they do not support production of infectious virus particles. By using the genotype 1b isolate Con1, in this study we show that REMs interfere with HCV assembly. Strongest impairment of virus formation was found with REMs located in the NS3 helicase (E1202G and T1280I as well as NS5A (S2204R, whereas a highly adaptive REM in NS4B still allowed virus production although relative levels of core release were also reduced. We also show that cells transfected with the Con1 wild type genome or the genome containing the REM in NS4B release HCV particles that are infectious both in cell culture and in vivo. Our data provide an explanation for the in vitro and in vivo attenuation of cell culture adapted HCV genomes and may open new avenues for the development of fully competent culture systems covering the therapeutically most relevant HCV genotypes.

  11. Growth dynamics of the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis: influence of host genotype, symbiont identity, colony size, and environmental setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lirman, Diego; Schopmeyer, Stephanie; Galvan, Victor; Drury, Crawford; Baker, Andrew C; Baums, Iliana B

    2014-01-01

    The drastic decline in the abundance of Caribbean acroporid corals (Acropora cervicornis, A. palmata) has prompted the listing of this genus as threatened as well as the development of a regional propagation and restoration program. Using in situ underwater nurseries, we documented the influence of coral genotype and symbiont identity, colony size, and propagation method on the growth and branching patterns of staghorn corals in Florida and the Dominican Republic. Individual tracking of> 1700 nursery-grown staghorn fragments and colonies from 37 distinct genotypes (identified using microsatellites) in Florida and the Dominican Republic revealed a significant positive relationship between size and growth, but a decreasing rate of productivity with increasing size. Pruning vigor (enhanced growth after fragmentation) was documented even in colonies that lost 95% of their coral tissue/skeleton, indicating that high productivity can be maintained within nurseries by sequentially fragmenting corals. A significant effect of coral genotype was documented for corals grown in a common-garden setting, with fast-growing genotypes growing up to an order of magnitude faster than slow-growing genotypes. Algal-symbiont identity established using qPCR techniques showed that clade A (likely Symbiodinium A3) was the dominant symbiont type for all coral genotypes, except for one coral genotype in the DR and two in Florida that were dominated by clade C, with A- and C-dominated genotypes having similar growth rates. The threatened Caribbean staghorn coral is capable of extremely fast growth, with annual productivity rates exceeding 5 cm of new coral produced for every cm of existing coral. This species benefits from high fragment survivorship coupled by the pruning vigor experienced by the parent colonies after fragmentation. These life-history characteristics make A. cervicornis a successful candidate nursery species and provide optimism for the potential role that active propagation

  12. Publishing SNP genotypes of human embryonic stem cell lines: policy statement of the International Stem Cell Forum Ethics Working Party.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Knoppers, Bartha M; Isasi, Rosario; Benvenisty, Nissim; Kim, Ock-Joo; Lomax, Geoffrey; Morris, Clive; Murray, Thomas H; Lee, Eng Hin; Perry, Margery; Richardson, Genevra; Sipp, Douglas; Tanner, Klaus; Wahlström, Jan; de Wert, Guido; Zeng, Fanyi

    2011-09-01

    Novel methods and associated tools permitting individual identification in publicly accessible SNP databases have become a debatable issue. There is growing concern that current technical and ethical safeguards to protect the identities of donors could be insufficient. In the context of human embryonic stem cell research, there are no studies focusing on the probability that an hESC line donor could be identified by analyzing published SNP profiles and associated genotypic and phenotypic information. We present the International Stem Cell Forum (ISCF) Ethics Working Party's Policy Statement on "Publishing SNP Genotypes of Human Embryonic Stem Cell Lines (hESC)". The Statement prospectively addresses issues surrounding the publication of genotypic data and associated annotations of hESC lines in open access databases. It proposes a balanced approach between the goals of open science and data sharing with the respect for fundamental bioethical principles (autonomy, privacy, beneficence, justice and research merit and integrity).

  13. Molecular Reconstruction of an Old Pedigree of Diploid and Triploid Hydrangea macrophylla Genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter Hempel

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available The ornamental crop species Hydrangea macrophylla exhibits diploid and triploid levels of ploidy and develops lacecap (wild type or mophead inflorescences. In order to characterize a H. macrophylla germplasm collection, we determined the inflorescence type and the 2C DNA content of 120 plants representing 43 cultivars. We identified 78 putative diploid and 39 putative triploid plants by flow cytometry. In our collection 69 out of 98 flowering plants produced lacecap inflorescences, whereas 29 plants developed mophead inflorescences. Surprisingly, 12 cultivars included diploid as well as triploid plants, while 5 cultivars contained plants with different inflorescence types. We genotyped this germplasm collection using 12 SSR markers that detected 2–7 alleles per marker, and identified 51 different alleles in this collection. We detected 62 distinct fingerprints, revealing a higher genetic variation than the number of cultivars suggested. Only one genotype per cultivar is expected due to the vegetative propagation of Hydrangea cultivars; however we identified 25 cultivars containing 2–4 different genotypes. These different genotypes explained the variation in DNA content and inflorescence type. Diploid and triploid plants with the same cultivar name were exclusively mix-ups. We therefor assume, that 36% of the tested plants were mislabeled. Based on the “Wädenswil” pedigree, which includes 31 of the tested cultivars, we predicted cultivar-specific fingerprints and identified at least 21 out of 31 cultivars by SSR marker-based reconstruction of the “Wädenswil” pedigree. Furthermore, we detected 4 putative interploid crosses between diploid and triploid plants in this pedigree. These interploid crosses resulted in diploid or/and triploid offspring, suggesting that crosses with triploids were successfully applied in breeding of H. macrophylla.

  14. Clinical application of RT-nested PCR integrated with RFLP in Hantavirus detection and genotyping: a prospective study in Shandong Province, PR China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Yun-Xi; Zhao, Zhong-Tang; Cao, Wu-Chun; Xu, Xiao-Qun; Suo, Ji-Jiang; Xing, Yu-Bin; Jia, Ning; Du, Ming-Mei; Liu, Bo-Wei; Yao, Yuan

    2013-01-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the clinical usefulness of applying RT-nested PCR along with RFLP as a method for diagnosis and genotypic differentiation of Hantavirus in the acute-stage sera of HFRS patients as compared to the ELISA technique. A prospective study of patients with suspected HFRS patients was carried out. Sera were collected for serological evaluation by ELISA and RT-nested PCR testing. Primers were selected from the published sequence of the S segment of HTNV strain 76-118 and SEOV strain SR-11, which made it possible to obtain an amplicon of 403 bp by RT-nested PCR. The genotypic differentiations of the RT-nested PCR amplicons were carried out by RFLP. Sequence analyses of the amplicons were used to confirm the accuracy of the results obtained by RFLP. Of the 48 acute-stage sera from suspected HFRS patients, 35 were ELISA-positive while 41 were positive by RT-nested PCR. With Hind III and Hinf I, RFLP profiles of the RT-nested PCR amplicons of the 41 positive sera exhibited two patterns. 33 had RFLP profiles similar to the reference strain R22, and thus belonged to the SEOV type. The other 8 samples which were collected during October-December had RFLP profiles similar to the reference strain 76-118, and thus belonged to the HTNV type. Sequence phylogenetic analysis of RT-nested PCR amplicons revealed sdp1, sdp2 YXL-2008, and sdp3 as close relatives of HTNV strain 76-118, while sdp22 and sdp37 as close relatives of SEOV strain Z37 and strain R22 located in two separate clusters in the phylogenetic tree. These results were identical to those acquired by RFLP. RT-nested PCR integrated with RFLP was a rapid, simple, accurate method for detecting and differentiating the genotypes of Hantavirus in the acute-stage sera of suspected HFRS patients. In Shandong province, the main genotypes of Hantavirus belonged to the SEOV types, while the HTNV types were observed during the autumn-winter season.

  15. Specificity of the Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test for detecting human papillomavirus genotype 52 (HPV-52)

    OpenAIRE

    Kocjan, Boštjan; Poljak, Mario; Oštrbenk, Anja

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: HPV-52 is one of the most frequent human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes causing significant cervical pathology. The most widely used HPV genotyping assay, the Roche Linear Array HPV Genotyping Test (Linear Array), is unable to identify HPV- 52 status in samples containing HPV-33, HPV-35, and/or HPV-58. Methods: Linear Array HPV-52 analytical specificity was established by testing 100 specimens reactive with the Linear Array HPV- 33/35/52/58 cross-reactive probe, but not with the...

  16. Presence and Characterization of Extraintestinal Pathogenic Escherichia coli Virulence Genes in F165-Positive E. coli Strains Isolated from Diseased Calves and Pigs

    OpenAIRE

    Dezfulian, Hojabr; Batisson, Isabelle; Fairbrother, John M.; Lau, Peter C. K.; Nassar, Atef; Szatmari, George; Harel, Josée

    2003-01-01

    The virulence genotype profile and presence of a pathogenicity island(s) (PAI) were studied in 18 strains of F165-positive Escherichia coli originally isolated from diseased calves or piglets. On the basis of their adhesion phenotypes and genotypes, these extraintestinal pathogenic strains were classified into three groups. The F165 fimbrial complex consists of at least two serologically and genetically distinct fimbriae: F1651 and F1652. F1651 is encoded by the foo operon (pap-like), and F16...

  17. Phenotype specific analyses reveal distinct regulatory mechanism for chronically activated p53.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristina Kirschner

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available The downstream functions of the DNA binding tumor suppressor p53 vary depending on the cellular context, and persistent p53 activation has recently been implicated in tumor suppression and senescence. However, genome-wide information about p53-target gene regulation has been derived mostly from acute genotoxic conditions. Using ChIP-seq and expression data, we have found distinct p53 binding profiles between acutely activated (through DNA damage and chronically activated (in senescent or pro-apoptotic conditions p53. Compared to the classical 'acute' p53 binding profile, 'chronic' p53 peaks were closely associated with CpG-islands. Furthermore, the chronic CpG-island binding of p53 conferred distinct expression patterns between senescent and pro-apoptotic conditions. Using the p53 targets seen in the chronic conditions together with external high-throughput datasets, we have built p53 networks that revealed extensive self-regulatory 'p53 hubs' where p53 and many p53 targets can physically interact with each other. Integrating these results with public clinical datasets identified the cancer-associated lipogenic enzyme, SCD, which we found to be directly repressed by p53 through the CpG-island promoter, providing a mechanistic link between p53 and the 'lipogenic phenotype', a hallmark of cancer. Our data reveal distinct phenotype associations of chronic p53 targets that underlie specific gene regulatory mechanisms.

  18. UPD detection using homozygosity profiling with a SNP genotyping microarray.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Papenhausen, Peter; Schwartz, Stuart; Risheg, Hiba; Keitges, Elisabeth; Gadi, Inder; Burnside, Rachel D; Jaswaney, Vikram; Pappas, John; Pasion, Romela; Friedman, Kenneth; Tepperberg, James

    2011-04-01

    Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based chromosome microarrays provide both a high-density whole genome analysis of copy number and genotype. In the past 21 months we have analyzed over 13,000 samples primarily referred for developmental delay using the Affymetrix SNP/CN 6.0 version array platform. In addition to copy number, we have focused on the relative distribution of allele homozygosity (HZ) throughout the genome to confirm a strong association of uniparental disomy (UPD) with regions of isoallelism found in most confirmed cases of UPD. We sought to determine whether a long contiguous stretch of HZ (LCSH) greater than a threshold value found only in a single chromosome would correlate with UPD of that chromosome. Nine confirmed UPD cases were retrospectively analyzed with the array in the study, each showing the anticipated LCSH with the smallest 13.5 Mb in length. This length is well above the average longest run of HZ in a set of control patients and was then set as the prospective threshold for reporting possible UPD correlation. Ninety-two cases qualified at that threshold, 46 of those had molecular UPD testing and 29 were positive. Including retrospective cases, 16 showed complete HZ across the chromosome, consistent with total isoUPD. The average size LCSH in the 19 cases that were not completely HZ was 46.3 Mb with a range of 13.5-127.8 Mb. Three patients showed only segmental UPD. Both the size and location of the LCSH are relevant to correlation with UPD. Further studies will continue to delineate an optimal threshold for LCSH/UPD correlation. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

  19. Genotypic diversity of root and shoot characteristics of

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    ali ganjali

    2009-06-01

    Full Text Available Root and shoot characteristics of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L. genotypes are believed to be important in drought tolerance. There is a little information about the response of genotypes root growth in hydroponics and greenhouse culture, also the relationships between root size and drought tolerance. This study was conducted to observe whether genotypes differ in root size, and to see that root size is associated with drought tolerance during early vegetative growth. We found significant differences (p0.01 in root dry weight, total root length, tap root length, root area, leaf dry weight, leaf area and shoot biomass per plant among 30 genotypes of chickpea grown in hydroponics culture for three weeks. Each of these parameters correlated with all others, positively. Among 30 genotypes, 10 genotypes with different root sizes were selected and were grown in a greenhouse in sand culture experiment under drought stress (FC %30 for three weeks. There were not linear or non-linear significant correlations between root characters in hydroponics and greenhouse environments. It seems that environmental factors are dominant on genetic factors in seedling stage and so, the expression of genotypics potential for root growth characteristics of genotypes are different in hydroponic and greenhouse conditions. In this study, the selection of genotypes with vigorous roots system in hydroponic condition did not lead to genotypes with the same root characters in greenhouse environment. The genotype×drought interactions for root characters of chickpea seedlings in 30 days were not significant (p

  20. Genotyping microarray (gene chip) for the ABCR (ABCA4) gene.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaakson, K; Zernant, J; Külm, M; Hutchinson, A; Tonisson, N; Glavac, D; Ravnik-Glavac, M; Hawlina, M; Meltzer, M R; Caruso, R C; Testa, F; Maugeri, A; Hoyng, C B; Gouras, P; Simonelli, F; Lewis, R A; Lupski, J R; Cremers, F P M; Allikmets, R

    2003-11-01

    Genetic variation in the ABCR (ABCA4) gene has been associated with five distinct retinal phenotypes, including Stargardt disease/fundus flavimaculatus (STGD/FFM), cone-rod dystrophy (CRD), and age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Comparative genetic analyses of ABCR variation and diagnostics have been complicated by substantial allelic heterogeneity and by differences in screening methods. To overcome these limitations, we designed a genotyping microarray (gene chip) for ABCR that includes all approximately 400 disease-associated and other variants currently described, enabling simultaneous detection of all known ABCR variants. The ABCR genotyping microarray (the ABCR400 chip) was constructed by the arrayed primer extension (APEX) technology. Each sequence change in ABCR was included on the chip by synthesis and application of sequence-specific oligonucleotides. We validated the chip by screening 136 confirmed STGD patients and 96 healthy controls, each of whom we had analyzed previously by single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) technology and/or heteroduplex analysis. The microarray was >98% effective in determining the existing genetic variation and was comparable to direct sequencing in that it yielded many sequence changes undetected by SSCP. In STGD patient cohorts, the efficiency of the array to detect disease-associated alleles was between 54% and 78%, depending on the ethnic composition and degree of clinical and molecular characterization of a cohort. In addition, chip analysis suggested a high carrier frequency (up to 1:10) of ABCR variants in the general population. The ABCR genotyping microarray is a robust, cost-effective, and comprehensive screening tool for variation in one gene in which mutations are responsible for a substantial fraction of retinal disease. The ABCR chip is a prototype for the next generation of screening and diagnostic tools in ophthalmic genetics, bridging clinical and scientific research. Copyright 2003 Wiley

  1. Diagnostic reproducibility of hydatidiform moles: ancillary techniques (p57 immunohistochemistry and molecular genotyping) improve morphologic diagnosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vang, Russell; Gupta, Mamta; Wu, Lee-Shu-Fune; Yemelyanova, Anna V; Kurman, Robert J; Murphy, Kathleen M; Descipio, Cheryl; Ronnett, Brigitte M

    2012-03-01

    Distinction of hydatidiform moles (HMs) from nonmolar specimens (NMs) and subclassification of HMs as complete hydatidiform moles (CHMs) and partial hydatidiform moles (PHMs) are important for clinical practice and investigational studies; yet, diagnosis based solely on morphology is affected by interobserver variability. Molecular genotyping can distinguish these entities by discerning androgenetic diploidy, diandric triploidy, and biparental diploidy to diagnose CHMs, PHMs, and NMs, respectively. Eighty genotyped cases (27 CHMs, 27 PHMs, and 26 NMs) were selected from a series of 200 potentially molar specimens previously diagnosed using p57 immunostaining and genotyping. Cases were classified by 3 gynecologic pathologists on the basis of H&E slides (masked to p57 immunostaining and genotyping results) into 1 of 3 categories (CHM, PHM, or NM) during 2 diagnostic rounds; a third round incorporating p57 immunostaining results was also conducted. Consensus diagnoses (those rendered by 2 of 3 pathologists) were determined. Genotyping results were used as the gold standard for assessing diagnostic performance. Sensitivity of a diagnosis of CHM ranged from 59% to 100% for individual pathologists and from 70% to 81% by consensus; specificity ranged from 91% to 96% for individuals and from 94% to 98% by consensus. Sensitivity of a diagnosis of PHM ranged from 56% to 93% for individual pathologists and from 70% to 78% by consensus; specificity ranged from 58% to 92% for individuals and from 74% to 85% by consensus. The percentage of correct classification of all cases by morphology ranged from 55% to 75% for individual pathologists and from 70% to 75% by consensus. The κ values for interobserver agreement ranged from 0.59 to 0.73 (moderate to good) for a diagnosis of CHM, from 0.15 to 0.43 (poor to moderate) for PHM, and from 0.13 to 0.42 (poor to moderate) for NM. The κ values for intraobserver agreement ranged from 0.44 to 0.67 (moderate to good). Addition of the p57

  2. Development of three full-length infectious cDNA clones of distinct brassica yellows virus genotypes for agrobacterium-mediated inoculation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Xiao-Yan; Dong, Shu-Wei; Xiang, Hai-Ying; Chen, Xiang-Ru; Li, Da-Wei; Yu, Jia-Lin; Han, Cheng-Gui

    2015-02-02

    Brassica yellows virus is a newly identified species in the genus of Polerovirus within the family Luteoviridae. Brassica yellows virus (BrYV) is prevalently distributed throughout Mainland China and South Korea, is an important virus infecting cruciferous crops. Based on six BrYV genomic sequences of isolates from oilseed rape, rutabaga, radish, and cabbage, three genotypes, BrYV-A, BrYV-B, and BrYV-C, exist, which mainly differ in the 5' terminal half of the genome. BrYV is an aphid-transmitted and phloem-limited virus. The use of infectious cDNA clones is an alternative means of infecting plants that allows reverse genetic studies to be performed. In this study, full-length cDNA clones of BrYV-A, recombinant BrYV5B3A, and BrYV-C were constructed under control of the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter. An agrobacterium-mediated inoculation system of Nicotiana benthamiana was developed using these cDNA clones. Three days after infiltration with full-length BrYV cDNA clones, necrotic symptoms were observed in the inoculated leaves of N. benthamiana; however, no obvious symptoms appeared in the upper leaves. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and western blot detection of samples from the upper leaves showed that the maximum infection efficiency of BrYVs could reach 100%. The infectivity of the BrYV-A, BrYV-5B3A, and BrYV-C cDNA clones was further confirmed by northern hybridization. The system developed here will be useful for further studies of BrYV, such as host range, pathogenicity, viral gene functions, and plant-virus-vector interactions, and especially for discerning the differences among the three genotypes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. No contribution of GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes to the risk of neutropenia due to benzene exposure in Southeastern Brazil

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    Carmen Silvia Passos Lima

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Exposure to benzene has been associated with haematological diseases such as neutropenia (NEB and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML. We tested whether the null genotypes of the GSTM1 and GSTT1 genes, involved in benzene inactivation, altered the risk for NEB in southeastern Brazil. Genomic DNA from 55 NEB patients and 330 controls was analysed by multiplex-polymerase chain reaction. The frequency of the GSTM1, GSTT1 and combined null genotypes was similar in patients and controls (GSTM1, 27.3% vs. 38.8%, p = 0.16; GSTT1, 25.5% vs. 19.7%, p = 0.24; GSTM1/GSTT1, 12.7% vs. 6.7%, p = 0.26; respectively. The distribution of genotype classes in NEB patients was similar to normal controls, suggesting that GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes make no specific contribution to the risk of NEB. As the GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotypes were previously associated with increased risk for AML in Brazil and elsewhere, we hypothesise that different thresholds of chemical exposure relative to distinct GSTM1 and GSTT1 genotypes may determine whether AML or NEB manifests in benzene exposed individuals from southeastern Brazil. Although indicative, our results still require support by prospective and large scale epidemiological studies, with rigorous assessment of daily chemical exposures and control of the possible contribution of other polymorphic genes involved in benzene metabolism.

  4. Normal Hematopoietic Progenitor Subsets Have Distinct Reactive Oxygen Species, BCL2 and Cell-Cycle Profiles That Are Decoupled from Maturation in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Naeem Khan

    Full Text Available In acute myeloid leukemia (AML quiescence and low oxidative state, linked to BCL2 mitochondrial regulation, endow leukemic stem cells (LSC with treatment-resistance. LSC in CD34+ and more mature CD34- AML have heterogeneous immunophenotypes overlapping with normal stem/progenitor cells (SPC but may be differentiated by functional markers. We therefore investigated the oxidative/reactive oxygen species (ROS profile, its relationship with cell-cycle/BCL2 for normal SPC, and whether altered in AML and myelodysplasia (MDS. In control BM (n = 24, ROS levels were highest in granulocyte-macrophage progenitors (GMP and CD34- myeloid precursors but megakaryocyte-erythroid progenitors had equivalent levels to CD34+CD38low immature-SPC although they were ki67high. BCL2 upregulation was specific to GMPs. This profile was also observed for CD34+SPC in MDS-without-excess-blasts (MDS-noEB, n = 12. Erythroid CD34- precursors were, however, abnormally ROS-high in MDS-noEB, potentially linking oxidative stress to cell loss. In pre-treatment AML (n = 93 and MDS-with-excess-blasts (MDS-RAEB (n = 14, immunophenotypic mature-SPC had similar ROS levels to co-existing immature-SPC. However ROS levels varied between AMLs; Flt3ITD+/NPM1wild-type CD34+SPC had higher ROS than NPM1mutated CD34+ or CD34- SPC. An aberrant ki67lowBCL2high immunophenotype was observed in CD34+AML (most prominent in Flt3ITD AMLs but also in CD34- AMLs and MDS-RAEB, suggesting a shared redox/pro-survival adaptation. Some patients had BCL2 overexpression in CD34+ ROS-high as well as ROS-low fractions which may be indicative of poor early response to standard chemotherapy. Thus normal SPC subsets have distinct ROS, cell-cycle, BCL2 profiles that in AML /MDS-RAEB are decoupled from maturation. The combined profile of these functional properties in AML subpopulations may be relevant to differential treatment resistance.

  5. Phenotypic and functional profiling of CD4 T cell compartment in distinct populations of healthy adults with different antigenic exposure.

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    Sophie Roetynck

    Full Text Available Multiparameter flow cytometry has revealed extensive phenotypic and functional heterogeneity of CD4 T cell responses in mice and humans, emphasizing the importance of assessing multiple aspects of the immune response in correlation with infection or vaccination outcome. The aim of this study was to establish and validate reliable and feasible flow cytometry assays, which will allow us to characterize CD4 T cell population in humans in field studies more fully.We developed polychromatic flow cytometry antibody panels for immunophenotyping the major CD4 T cell subsets as well as broadly characterizing the functional profiles of the CD4 T cells in peripheral blood. We then validated these assays by conducting a pilot study comparing CD4 T cell responses in distinct populations of healthy adults living in either rural or urban Kenya. This study revealed that the expression profile of CD4 T cell activation and memory markers differed significantly between African and European donors but was similar amongst African individuals from either rural or urban areas. Adults from rural Kenya had, however, higher frequencies and greater polyfunctionality among cytokine producing CD4 T cells compared to both urban populations, particularly for "Th1" type of response. Finally, endemic exposure to malaria in rural Kenya may have influenced the expansion of few discrete CD4 T cell populations with specific functional signatures.These findings suggest that environmentally driven T cell activation does not drive the dysfunction of CD4 T cells but is rather associated with greater magnitude and quality of CD4 T cell response, indicating that the level or type of microbial exposure and antigenic experience may influence and shape the functionality of CD4 T cell compartment. Our data confirm that it is possible and mandatory to assess multiple functional attributes of CD4 T cell response in the context of infection.

  6. Distinct sperm nucleus behaviors between genotypic and temperature-dependent sex determination males are associated with replication and expression-related pathways in a gynogenetic fish.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhu, Yao-Jun; Li, Xi-Yin; Zhang, Jun; Li, Zhi; Ding, Miao; Zhang, Xiao-Juan; Zhou, Li; Gui, Jian-Fang

    2018-06-05

    Coexistence and transition of diverse sex determination strategies have been revealed in some ectothermic species, but the variation between males caused by different sex determination strategies and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. Here, we used the gynogenetic gibel carp (Carassius gibelio) with both genotypic sex determination (GSD) and temperature-dependent sex determination (TSD) strategies to illustrate this issue. We found out that males of GSD and TSD in gibel carp had similar morphology, testicular histology, sperm structure and sperm vitality. However, when maternal individuals were mated with males of GSD, sperm nucleus swelling and fusing with the female pronucleus were observed in the fertilized eggs. On the contrary, when maternal individuals were mated with males of TSD, sperm nucleus remained in the condensed status throughout the whole process. Subsequently, semen proteomics analysis unveiled that DNA replication and gene expression-related pathways were inhibited in the sperm from males of TSD compared to males of GSD, and most differentially expressed proteins associated with DNA replication, transcription and translation were down-regulated. Moreover, via BrdU incorporation and immunofluorescence detection, male nucleus replication was revealed to be present in the fertilized eggs by the sperm from males of GSD, but absent in the fertilized eggs by the sperm from males of TSD. These findings indicate that DNA replication and gene expression-related pathways are associated with the distinct sperm nucleus development behaviors in fertilized eggs in response to the sperm from males of GSD and TSD. And this study is the first attempt to screen the differences between males determined via GSD and TSD in gynogenetic species, which might give a hint for understanding evolutionary adaption of diverse sex determination mechanisms in unisexual vertebrates.

  7. Genotypic Variation of Early Maturing Soybean Genotypes for Phosphorus Utilization Efficiency under Field Grown Conditions

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abaidoo, R. C. [Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology, Kumasi (Ghana); International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan (Nigeria); Opoku, A.; Boahen, S. [Kwame Nkrumah University of Technology, Kumasi (Ghana); Dare, M. O. [Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (Nigeria)

    2013-11-15

    Variability in the utilization of phosphorus (P) by 64 early-maturing soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) genotypes under low-P soil conditions were evaluated in 2009 and 2010 at Shika, Nigeria. Fifteen phenotypic variables; number of nodules, nodule dry weight, grain yield, plant biomass, total biomass, biomass N and P content, Phosphorus Utilization Index (PUI), shoot P Utilization efficiency (PUIS), grain P Utilization efficiency (PUIG), Harvest Index (HI), Biological N fixed (BNF), total N fixed and N and P uptake were measured. The four clusters revealed by cluster analysis were basically divided along (1) plant biomass and uptake, (2) nutrient acquisition and utilization and (3) nodulation components. Three early maturing genotypes, TGx1842-14E, TGx1912-11F and TGx1913-5F, were identified as having high P utilization index and low P uptake. These genotypes could be a potential source for breeding for P use efficiency in early maturing soybean genotypes. (author)

  8. Welcome to the neighbourhood: interspecific genotype by genotype interactions in Solidago influence above- and belowground biomass and associated communities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Genung, Mark A; Bailey, Joseph K; Schweitzer, Jennifer A

    2012-01-01

    Intra- and interspecific plant-plant interactions are fundamental to patterns of community assembly and to the mixture effects observed in biodiversity studies. Although much research has been conducted at the species level, very little is understood about how genetic variation within and among interacting species may drive these processes. Using clones of both Solidago altissima and Solidago gigantea, we found that genotypic variation in a plant's neighbours affected both above- and belowground plant traits, and that genotype by genotype interactions between neighbouring plants impacted associated pollinator communities. The traits for which focal plant genotypic variation explained the most variation varied by plant species, whereas neighbour genotypic variation explained the most variation in coarse root biomass. Our results provide new insight into genotypic and species diversity effects in plant-neighbour interactions, the extended consequences of diversity effects, and the potential for evolution in response to competitive or to facilitative plant-neighbour interactions. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

  9. Genotypes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in patients at risk of drug resistance in Bolivia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Monteserin, Johana; Camacho, Mirtha; Barrera, Lucía; Palomino, Juan Carlos; Ritacco, Viviana; Martin, Anandi

    2013-07-01

    Bolivia ranks among the 10 Latin American countries with the highest rates of tuberculosis (TB) and multidrug resistant (MDR) TB. In view of this, and of the lacking information on the population structure of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the country, we explored genotype associations with drug resistance and clustering by analyzing isolates collected in 2010 from 100 consecutive TB patients at risk of drug resistance in seven of the nine departments in which Bolivia is divided. Fourteen isolates were MDR, 29 had other drug resistance profiles, and 57 were pansusceptible. Spoligotype family distribution was: Haarlem 39.4%, LAM 26.3%, T 22.2%, S 2.0%, X 1.0%, orphan 9.1%, with very low intra-family diversity and absence of Beijing genotypes. We found 66 different MIRU-VNTR patterns; the most frequent corresponded to Multiple Locus Variable Analysis (MLVA) MtbC15 patterns 860, 372 and 873. Twelve clusters, each with identical MIRU-VNTR and spoligotypes, gathered 35 patients. We found no association of genotype with drug resistant or MDR-TB. Clustering associated with SIT 50 and the H3 subfamily to which it belongs (pBolivia. However, results should be taken cautiously because the sample is small and includes a particular subset of M. tuberculosis population. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. The same ELA class II risk factors confer equine insect bite hypersensitivity in two distinct populations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Andersson, Lisa S; Swinburne, June E; Meadows, Jennifer R S; Broström, Hans; Eriksson, Susanne; Fikse, W Freddy; Frey, Rebecka; Sundquist, Marie; Tseng, Chia T; Mikko, Sofia; Lindgren, Gabriella

    2012-03-01

    Insect bite hypersensitivity (IBH) is a chronic allergic dermatitis common in horses. Affected horses mainly react against antigens present in the saliva from the biting midges, Culicoides ssp, and occasionally black flies, Simulium ssp. Because of this insect dependency, the disease is clearly seasonal and prevalence varies between geographical locations. For two distinct horse breeds, we genotyped four microsatellite markers positioned within the MHC class II region and sequenced the highly polymorphic exons two from DRA and DRB3, respectively. Initially, 94 IBH-affected and 93 unaffected Swedish born Icelandic horses were tested for genetic association. These horses had previously been genotyped on the Illumina Equine SNP50 BeadChip, which made it possible to ensure that our study did not suffer from the effects of stratification. The second population consisted of 106 unaffected and 80 IBH-affected Exmoor ponies. We show that variants in the MHC class II region are associated with disease susceptibility (p (raw) = 2.34 × 10(-5)), with the same allele (COR112:274) associated in two separate populations. In addition, we combined microsatellite and sequencing data in order to investigate the pattern of homozygosity and show that homozygosity across the entire MHC class II region is associated with a higher risk of developing IBH (p = 0.0013). To our knowledge this is the first time in any atopic dermatitis suffering species, including man, where the same risk allele has been identified in two distinct populations.

  11. Echinococcus granulosus genotypes in Iran

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sharafi, Seyedeh Maryam; Rostami-Nejad, Mohammad; Moazeni, Mohammad; Yousefi, Morteza; Saneie, Behnam; Hosseini-Safa, Ahmad

    2014-01-01

    Hydatidosis, caused by Echinococcus granulosus is one of the most important zoonotic diseases, throughout most parts of the world. Hydatidosis is endemic in Iran and responsible for approximately 1% of admission to surgical wards. There are extensive genetic variations within E. granulosus and 10 different genotypes (G1–G10) within this parasite have been reported. Identification of strains is important for improvement of control and prevention of the disease. No new review article presented the situation of Echinococcus granulosus genotypes in Iran in the recent years; therefore in this paper we reviewed the different studies regarding Echinococcus granulosus genotypes in Iran. PMID:24834298

  12. Distinction of water-soluble constituents between natural and cultured Cordyceps by capillary electrophoresis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, S P; Song, Z H; Dong, T T X; Ji, Z N; Lo, C K; Zhu, S Q; Tsim, K W K

    2004-11-01

    Cordyceps is an expensive traditional Chinese medicine, which has anti-tumor activity and significant effects on the immune system. In Southeast Asia, Cordyceps is commonly sold in capsule form as a health food product. Most of these products are derived from cultured Cordyceps mycelia. Because of the price difference, some manufacturers claim their products are from natural Cordyceps. In order to distinguish among various types of Cordyceps in the market, the profiles of water-soluble constituents derived from different sources of Cordyceps were determined by capillary electrophoresis (CE). Both natural and cultured Cordyceps showed three peak clusters migrated at 5-7, 9-11 and 12-13 min, and the height and resolution of these peak clusters were rather distinct. Peak cluster at 9-11 min was identified as adenosine, guanosine and uridine, and shared a similarity between natural and cultured products. In contrast, the peak cluster at 5-7 min was characteristic of natural Cordyceps, regardless of hosts and sources. By using the peak characteristics of CE profiles of different Cordyceps samples, hierarchical clustering analysis was performed. The result shows that those samples of natural Cordyceps were grouped together distinct from the cultured and commercial products. Thus, the CE profiles could serve as fingerprints for the quality control of Cordyceps.

  13. Experimental evidence for competitive growth advantage of genotype VII over VI: implications for foot-and-mouth disease virus serotype A genotype turnover in nature.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mohapatra, J K; Subramaniam, S; Singh, N K; Sanyal, A; Pattnaik, B

    2012-04-01

    In India, systematic genotype replacement has been observed for serotype A foot-and-mouth disease virus. After a decade of co-circulation of genotypes VI and VII, genotype VII emerged as the single dominant genotype since 2001. To derive possible explanations for such epochal evolution dynamics, in vitro intergenotype growth competition experiments involving both co- and superinfection regimes were conducted. Coinfection of BHK-21 cells demonstrated abrupt loss in the genotype VI viral load with commensurate increase in the load of genotype VII as measured by the genotype differentiating ELISA, RT-PCR and real-time RT-PCR. The superinfection dynamics was shaped by temporal spacing of infection, where the invading genotype VII took more number of passages than coinfection to eventually overtake the resident genotype VI. It was speculated that such superior replicative fitness of genotype VII could have been a possible factor for the ultimate dominance of genotype VII in nature. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Genomic Analysis of 15 Human Coronaviruses OC43 (HCoV-OC43s Circulating in France from 2001 to 2013 Reveals a High Intra-Specific Diversity with New Recombinant Genotypes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Nathalie Kin

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available Human coronavirus OC43 (HCoV-OC43 is one of five currently circulating human coronaviruses responsible for respiratory infections. Like all coronaviruses, it is characterized by its genome’s high plasticity. The objectives of the current study were to detect genetically distinct genotypes and eventually recombinant genotypes in samples collected in Lower Normandy between 2001 and 2013. To this end, we sequenced complete nsp12, S, and N genes of 15 molecular isolates of HCoV-OC43 from clinical samples and compared them to available data from the USA, Belgium, and Hong-Kong. A new cluster E was invariably detected from nsp12, S, and N data while the analysis of nsp12 and N genes revealed the existence of new F and G clusters respectively. The association of these different clusters of genes in our specimens led to the description of thirteen genetically distinct genotypes, among which eight recombinant viruses were discovered. Identification of these recombinant viruses, together with temporal analysis and tMRCA estimation, provides important information for understanding the dynamics of the evolution of these epidemic coronaviruses.

  15. Growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality and muscle amino-acid profile of different rabbits breeds and their crosses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nasr, Mohammed A F; Abd-Elhamid, Tamer; Hussein, Mohamed A

    2017-12-01

    Meat production efficiency can be enhanced by crossbreeding to capture heterosis. This study aimed to investigate the impact of rabbit genotype on growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality and amino acids profile. A total of 504 weaned rabbits from nine genotypes of full factorial crossing of New Zealand White (NZW), Californian (CA) and Rex (RX) were used. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscles were assessed for meat quality and amino acids profile. There were no differences between groups at weaning and 6weeks, but by 10weeks differences were significant (Pmeat quality. CA×RX and RX×NZW had the heaviest body weight at 10weeks of age and highest body weight gain during the whole finishing period. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  16. A Cross-Species Analysis in Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors Reveals Molecular Subtypes with Distinctive Clinical, Metastatic, Developmental, and Metabolic Characteristics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sadanandam, Anguraj; Wullschleger, Stephan; Lyssiotis, Costas A.; Grötzinger, Carsten; Barbi, Stefano; Bersani, Samantha; Körner, Jan; Wafy, Ismael; Mafficini, Andrea; Lawlor, Rita T.; Simbolo, Michele; Asara, John M.; Bläker, Hendrik; Cantley, Lewis C.; Wiedenmann, Bertram; Scarpa, Aldo; Hanahan, Douglas

    2016-01-01

    Seeking to assess the representative and instructive value of an engineered mouse model of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNET) for its cognate human cancer, we profiled and compared mRNA and miRNA transcriptomes of tumors from both. Mouse PanNET tumors could be classified into two distinctive subtypes, well-differentiated islet/insulinoma tumors (IT) and poorly differentiated tumors associated with liver metastases, dubbed metastasis-like primary (MLP). Human PanNETs were independently classified into these same two subtypes, along with a third, specific gene mutation–enriched subtype. The MLP subtypes in human and mouse were similar to liver metastases in terms of miRNA and mRNA transcriptome profiles and signature genes. The human/mouse MLP subtypes also similarly expressed genes known to regulate early pancreas development, whereas the IT subtypes expressed genes characteristic of mature islet cells, suggesting different tumorigenesis pathways. In addition, these subtypes exhibit distinct metabolic profiles marked by differential pyruvate metabolism, substantiating the significance of their separate identities. SIGNIFICANCE This study involves a comprehensive cross-species integrated analysis of multi-omics profiles and histology to stratify PanNETs into subtypes with distinctive characteristics. We provide support for the RIP1-TAG2 mouse model as representative of its cognate human cancer with prospects to better understand PanNET heterogeneity and consider future applications of personalized cancer therapy. PMID:26446169

  17. Genotypic and climatic influence on the antioxidant activity of flavonoids in Kale (Brassica oleracea var. sabellica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zietz, Michaela; Weckmüller, Annika; Schmidt, Susanne; Rohn, Sascha; Schreiner, Monika; Krumbein, Angelika; Kroh, Lothar W

    2010-02-24

    The influence of genotype and climatic factors, e.g. mean temperature and mean global radiation level, on the antioxidant activity of kale was investigated. Therefore, eight kale cultivars, hybrid and traditional, old cultivars, were grown in a field experiment and harvested at four different times. In addition to the investigation of the total phenolic content, the overall antioxidant activity was determined by TEAC assay and electron spin resonance spectrometry. A special aim was to characterize the contribution of single flavonoids to the overall antioxidant activity using an HPLC-online TEAC approach. The antioxidant activity and the total phenolic content were influenced by the genotype and the eco-physiological factors. The HPLC-online TEAC results showed that not all flavonol glycosides contribute to the overall antioxidant activity in the same manner. Taking the results of the structural analysis obtained by HPLC-ESI-MS(n) into account, distinct structure-antioxidant relationships have been observed.

  18. Association of Heavy Rainfall on Genotypic Diversity in V. cholerae Isolates from an Outbreak in India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. K. Goel

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The outbreak of waterborne disease cholera has been associated with rainfall and flooding events by contamination of potable water with environmental Vibrio cholerae. The continuation of the epidemic in a region, however, is often due to secondary transmission of the initial outbreak strain through human waste. This paper reports, on the contrary, a rapid shift of genotype from one V. cholerae strain to another one in an epidemic region. V. cholerae isolated from patients during 2005 cholera epidemic in Chennai, India were characterized using PCR identification of toxin genes, antibiogram, and genomic fingerprinting analysis. The results showed that in spite of the similarity of toxin genes and antibiogram, the Vibrio isolates grouped into two different clusters based on the ERIC-PCR fingerprinting. Each cluster corresponded to a distinct peak of cholera outbreak, which occurred after separate heavy rainfall. The results suggest that the rainfall event can bring various genotypes of V. cholerae strains causing multiple outbreaks.

  19. Genetic networks of liver metabolism revealed by integration of metabolic and transcriptional profiling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Christine T Ferrara

    2008-03-01

    Full Text Available Although numerous quantitative trait loci (QTL influencing disease-related phenotypes have been detected through gene mapping and positional cloning, identification of the individual gene(s and molecular pathways leading to those phenotypes is often elusive. One way to improve understanding of genetic architecture is to classify phenotypes in greater depth by including transcriptional and metabolic profiling. In the current study, we have generated and analyzed mRNA expression and metabolic profiles in liver samples obtained in an F2 intercross between the diabetes-resistant C57BL/6 leptin(ob/ob and the diabetes-susceptible BTBR leptin(ob/ob mouse strains. This cross, which segregates for genotype and physiological traits, was previously used to identify several diabetes-related QTL. Our current investigation includes microarray analysis of over 40,000 probe sets, plus quantitative mass spectrometry-based measurements of sixty-seven intermediary metabolites in three different classes (amino acids, organic acids, and acyl-carnitines. We show that liver metabolites map to distinct genetic regions, thereby indicating that tissue metabolites are heritable. We also demonstrate that genomic analysis can be integrated with liver mRNA expression and metabolite profiling data to construct causal networks for control of specific metabolic processes in liver. As a proof of principle of the practical significance of this integrative approach, we illustrate the construction of a specific causal network that links gene expression and metabolic changes in the context of glutamate metabolism, and demonstrate its validity by showing that genes in the network respond to changes in glutamine and glutamate availability. Thus, the methods described here have the potential to reveal regulatory networks that contribute to chronic, complex, and highly prevalent diseases and conditions such as obesity and diabetes.

  20. Effects of genotype and slaughter weight on the meat quality of Criollo Cordobes and Anglonubian kids produced under extensive feeding conditions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Peña, F; Bonvillani, A; Freire, B; Juárez, M; Perea, J; Gómez, G

    2009-11-01

    Physicochemical and organoleptic characteristics of meat (longissimus muscle) from Criollo Cordobes (CC) and Anglonubian (AN) suckling kids were analysed to determine the effects of genotype and slaughter weight. Forty suckling entire male kids, 20 CC and 20 AN were assigned to two age/slaughter weight groups (I: 60+2days old and ⩽11kg, and II: 90+2days old and >11kg). Colour, shear force and cholesterol levels of meat were affected by breed. Tenderness decreased and cholesterol increased with age/slaughter weight. Fatty acid profiles were affected primarily by genotype. The sensory attributes were perceived as medium-high intensity, and meat from CC and AN goat kids was valued as tender. However, initial tenderness and connective tissue varied with genotype. The main effect due to the increase in age/slaughter weight was a decrease in tenderness (initial and overall), as observed for instrumental shear force.

  1. Genotype x environment interaction and optimum resource ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    ... x E) interaction and to determine the optimum resource allocation for cassava yield trials. The effects of environment, genotype and G x E interaction were highly significant for all yield traits. Variations due to G x E interaction were greater than those due to genotypic differences for all yield traits. Genotype x location x year ...

  2. Genotype-phenotype correlation in FMF patients: A "non classic" recessive autosomal or "atypical" dominant autosomal inheritance?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Procopio, V; Manti, S; Bianco, G; Conti, G; Romeo, A; Maimone, F; Arrigo, T; Cutrupi, M C; Salpietro, C; Cuppari, C

    2018-01-30

    Uncertainty remains on the pathogenetic mechanisms, model of inheritance as well as genotype-phenotype correlation of FMF disease. To investigate the impact of genetic factors on the FMF phenotype and the disease inheritance model. A total of 107 FMF patients were enrolled. Patients were diagnosed clinically. All patients underwent genetic analysis of the FMF locus on 16p13.3. 9 distinct mutations were detected. Specifically, the 85.98% of patients showed a heterozygous genotype. The most common genotypes were p.Met680Ile/wt and p.Met694Val/wt. The most frequent clinical findings were fever, abdominal pain, joint pain, thoracic pain, and erysipelas-like erythema. Analysis of clinical data did not detect any significant difference in clinical phenotype among heterozygous, homozygous as well as compound homozygous subjects, further supporting the evidence that, contrary to the recessive autosomal inheritance, heterozygous patients fulfilled the criteria of clinical FMF. Moreover, subjects with p.Met694Val/wt and p.Met680Ile/wt genotype reported the most severe clinical phenotype. p.Ala744Ser/wt, p.Glu148Gln/Met680Ile, p.Met680Ile/Met680Ile, p.Met680Ile/Met694Val, p.Pro369Ser/wt, p.Met694Ile/wt, p.Glu148Gln/Glu148Gln, p.Lys695Arg/wt resulted in 100% pathogenicity. The existence of a "non classic" autosomal recessive inheritance as well as of an "atypical" dominant autosomal inheritance with incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity cannot be excluded in FMF. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Hepatitis C virus (HCV genotype 1 subtype identification in new HCV drug development and future clinical practice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stéphane Chevaliez

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: With the development of new specific inhibitors of hepatitis C virus (HCV enzymes and functions that may yield different antiviral responses and resistance profiles according to the HCV subtype, correct HCV genotype 1 subtype identification is mandatory in clinical trials for stratification and interpretation purposes and will likely become necessary in future clinical practice. The goal of this study was to identify the appropriate molecular tool(s for accurate HCV genotype 1 subtype determination. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A large cohort of 500 treatment-naïve patients eligible for HCV drug trials and infected with either subtype 1a or 1b was studied. Methods based on the sole analysis of the 5' non-coding region (5'NCR by sequence analysis or reverse hybridization failed to correctly identify HCV subtype 1a in 22.8%-29.5% of cases, and HCV subtype 1b in 9.5%-8.7% of cases. Natural polymorphisms at positions 107, 204 and/or 243 were responsible for mis-subtyping with these methods. A real-time PCR method using genotype- and subtype-specific primers and probes located in both the 5'NCR and the NS5B-coding region failed to correctly identify HCV genotype 1 subtype in approximately 10% of cases. The second-generation line probe assay, a reverse hybridization assay that uses probes targeting both the 5'NCR and core-coding region, correctly identified HCV subtypes 1a and 1b in more than 99% of cases. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In the context of new HCV drug development, HCV genotyping methods based on the exclusive analysis of the 5'NCR should be avoided. The second-generation line probe assay is currently the best commercial assay for determination of HCV genotype 1 subtypes 1a and 1b in clinical trials and practice.

  4. Aerodynamic profiles of women with muscle tension dysphonia/aphonia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gillespie, Amanda I; Gartner-Schmidt, Jackie; Rubinstein, Elaine N; Abbott, Katherine Verdolini

    2013-04-01

    In this study, the authors aimed to (a) determine whether phonatory airflows and estimated subglottal pressures (est-Psub) for women with primary muscle tension dysphonia/aphonia (MTD/A) differ from those for healthy speakers; (b) identify different aerodynamic profile patterns within the MTD/A subject group; and (c) determine whether results suggest new understanding of pathogenesis in MTD/A. Retrospective review of aerodynamic data collected from 90 women at the time of primary MTD/A diagnosis. Aerodynamic profiles were significantly different for women with MTD/A as compared with healthy speakers. Five distinct profiles were identified: (a) normal flow, normal est-Psub; (b) high flow, high est-Psub; (c) low flow, normal est-Psub; (d) normal flow, high est-Psub; and (e) high flow, normal est-Psub. This study is the first to identify distinct subgroups of aerodynamic profiles in women with MTD/A and to quantitatively identify a clinical phenomenon sometimes described in association with it-"breath holding"-that is shown by low airflow with normal est-Psub. Results were consistent with clinical claims that diverse respiratory and laryngeal functions may underlie phonatory patterns associated with MTD/A. One potential mechanism, based in psychobiological theory, is introduced to explain some of the variability in aerodynamic profiles of women with MTD/A.

  5. Cloning of the unculturable parasite Pasteuria ramosa and its Daphnia host reveals extreme genotype-genotype interactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luijckx, Pepijn; Ben-Ami, Frida; Mouton, Laurence; Du Pasquier, Louis; Ebert, Dieter

    2011-02-01

    The degree of specificity in host-parasite interactions has important implications for ecology and evolution. Unfortunately, specificity can be difficult to determine when parasites cannot be cultured. In such cases, studies often use isolates of unknown genetic composition, which may lead to an underestimation of specificity. We obtained the first clones of the unculturable bacterium Pasteuria ramosa, a parasite of Daphnia magna. Clonal genotypes of the parasite exhibited much more specific interactions with host genotypes than previous studies using isolates. Clones of P. ramosa infected fewer D. magna genotypes than isolates and host clones were either fully susceptible or fully resistant to the parasite. Our finding enhances our understanding of the evolution of virulence and coevolutionary dynamics in this system. We recommend caution when using P. ramosa isolates as the presence of multiple genotypes may influence the outcome and interpretation of some experiments. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd/CNRS.

  6. Identification of novel Theileria genotypes from Grant's gazelle.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hooge, Janis; Howe, Laryssa; Ezenwa, Vanessa O

    2015-08-01

    Blood samples collected from Grant's gazelles (Nanger granti) in Kenya were screened for hemoparasites using a combination of microscopic and molecular techniques. All 69 blood smears examined by microscopy were positive for hemoparasites. In addition, Theileria/Babesia DNA was detected in all 65 samples screened by PCR for a ~450-base pair fragment of the V4 hypervariable region of the 18S rRNA gene. Sequencing and BLAST analysis of a subset of PCR amplicons revealed widespread co-infection (25/39) and the existence of two distinct Grant's gazelle Theileria subgroups. One group of 11 isolates clustered as a subgroup with previously identified Theileria ovis isolates from small ruminants from Europe, Asia and Africa; another group of 3 isolates clustered with previously identified Theileria spp. isolates from other African antelope. Based on extensive levels of sequence divergence (1.2-2%) from previously reported Theileria species within Kenya and worldwide, the Theileria isolates detected in Grant's gazelles appear to represent at least two novel Theileria genotypes.

  7. Novel Chlamydiales genotypes identified in ticks from Australian wildlife.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Burnard, Delaney; Weaver, Haylee; Gillett, Amber; Loader, Joanne; Flanagan, Cheyne; Polkinghorne, Adam

    2017-01-26

    Members of the order Chlamydiales are known for their potential as human and veterinary bacterial pathogens. Despite this recognition, epidemiological factors such as routes of transmission are yet to be fully defined. Ticks are well known vectors for many other infections with several reports recently describing the presence of bacteria in the order Chlamydiales in these arthropods. Australian wildlife are hosts to an extensive range of tick species. Evidence is also growing that the marsupial hosts these ticks parasitise can also be infected by a number of bacteria in the order Chlamydiales, with at least one species, Chlamydia pecorum, posing a significant conservation threat. In the current study, we investigated the presence and identity of Chlamydiales in 438 ixodid ticks parasitizing wildlife in Australia by screening with a pan-Chlamydiales specific targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Pan-Chlamydiales specific PCR assays confirmed the common presence of Chlamydiales in Australian ticks parasitising a range of native wildlife. Interestingly, we did not detect any Chlamydiaceae, including C. pecorum, the ubiquitous pathogen of the koala. Instead, the Chlamydiales diversity that could be resolved indicated that Australian ticks carry at least six novel Chlamydiales genotypes. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences (663 bp) of these novel Chlamydiales suggests that three of these genotypes are associated with the Simkaniaceae and putatively belong to three distinct novel strains of Fritschea spp. and three genotypes are related to the "Ca. Rhabdochlamydiaceae" and putatively belong to a novel genus, Rhabdochlamydia species and strain, respectively. Sequence results suggest Australian wildlife ticks harbour a range of unique Chlamydiales bacteria that belong to families previously identified in a range of arthropod species. The results of this work also suggest that it is unlikely that arthropods act as vectors of pathogenic members of the family

  8. Hepatitis C Virus: Virology and Genotypes

    KAUST Repository

    Abdelaziz, Ahmed

    2017-01-01

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major causative agent of chronic liver disease worldwide. HCV is characterized by genetic heterogeneity, with at least six genotypes identified. The geographic distribution of genotypes has shown variations in different

  9. Long-term forecasting of hourly electricity load: Identification of consumption profiles and segmentation of customers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Møller Andersen, Frits; Larsen, Helge V.; Boomsma, Trine Krogh

    2013-01-01

    , to model and forecast long-term changes in the aggregated electricity load profile, we identify profiles for different categories of customers and link these to projections of the aggregated annual consumption by categories of customers. Long-term projection of the aggregated load is important for future......Data for aggregated hourly electricity demand shows systematic variations over the day, week, and seasons, and forecasting of aggregated hourly electricity load has been the subject of many studies. With hourly metering of individual customers, data for individual consumption profiles is available....... Using this data and analysing the case of Denmark, we show that consumption profiles for categories of customers are equally systematic but very different for distinct categories, that is, distinct categories of customers contribute differently to the aggregated electricity load profile. Therefore...

  10. Signaling profiling at the single-cell level identifies a distinct signaling signature in murine hematopoietic stem cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Du, Juan; Wang, Jinyong; Kong, Guangyao; Jiang, Jing; Zhang, Jingfang; Liu, Yangang; Tong, Wei; Zhang, Jing

    2012-07-01

    Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) function is tightly regulated by cytokine signaling. Although phospho-flow cytometry allows us to study signaling in defined populations of cells, there has been tremendous hurdle to carry out this study in rare HSCs due to unrecoverable critical HSC markers, low HSC number, and poor cell recovery rate. Here, we overcame these difficulties and developed a "HSC phospho-flow" method to analyze cytokine signaling in murine HSCs at the single-cell level and compare HSC signaling profile to that of multipotent progenitors (MPPs), a cell type immediately downstream of HSCs, and commonly used Lin(-) cKit(+) cells (LK cells, enriched for myeloid progenitors). We chose to study signaling evoked from three representative cytokines, stem cell factor (SCF) and thrombopoietin (TPO) that are essential for HSC function and granulocyte macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) that is dispensable for HSCs. HSCs display a distinct TPO and GM-CSF signaling signature from MPPs and LK cells, which highly correlates with receptor surface expression. In contrast, although majority of LK cells express lower levels of cKit than HSCs and MPPs, SCF-evoked ERK1/2 activation in LK cells shows a significantly increased magnitude for a prolonged period. These results suggest that specific cellular context plays a more important role than receptor surface expression in SCF signaling. Our study of HSC signaling at the homeostasis stage paves the way to investigate signaling changes in HSCs under conditions of stress, aging, and hematopoietic diseases. Copyright © 2012 AlphaMed Press.

  11. Neurobiological Correlates and Predictors of Two Distinct Personality Trait Pathways to Escalated Alcohol Use

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Malak Abu Shakra

    2018-01-01

    Interpretation: This double dissociation provides evidence of distinct neurobiological profiles in a priori identified personality trait-based risk groups for AUDs, and links these signatures to clinically relevant substance use outcomes at follow-up. AUD subtypes might benefit from motivationally and personality-specific ameliorative and preventative interventions.

  12. Distinctive Genomic Profiles of Normal and Transformed Thyrocytes Irradiated with Low vs. High Doses of X-irradiation both in vivo and in vitro

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abou-El-Ardat, K. [Radiobiology, SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium); Molecular Biotechnology, Universiteit Gent, Ghent (Belgium); Monsieurs, P. [Microbiology, SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium); Janssen, A.; Beck, M; Michaux, A.; Benotmane, R.; Derradji, H.; Baatout, S. [Radiobiology, SCK-CEN, Mol (Belgium); Anastasov, N.; Atkinson, M. [Radiology, Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, Munich (Germany); Beckaert, S.; Van Criekinge, W. [Molecular Biotechnology, Universiteit Gent, Ghent (Belgium)

    2012-07-01

    The increase in cases of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster led to an elevation of interest in the effect of radiation on the thyroid. Our work hopes to uncover some of the effects of low doses of external X-radiation in in vitro and in vivo models using several techniques and robust analysis. Here we describe the use of such models combined with micro-arrays and sound statistical analysis. we find that low doses of radiation act differently on murine thyroids carrying and lacking the RET/PTC translocation and even bear a distinctive profile to higher irradiation doses in both in vitro and in vivo models. We also find that micro-RNAs are involved in the response of these cells to radiation, even at low doses and that two in particular, let-7g and miR-106a, were significantly involved in the cells' p53-mediated anti-proliferative response

  13. Genotyping-by-Sequencing and Its Exploitation for Forage and Cool-Season Grain Legume Breeding

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annicchiarico, Paolo; Nazzicari, Nelson; Wei, Yanling; Pecetti, Luciano; Brummer, Edward C.

    2017-01-01

    Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) may drastically reduce genotyping costs compared with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array platforms. However, it may require optimization for specific crops to maximize the number of available markers. Exploiting GBS-generated markers may require optimization, too (e.g., to cope with missing data). This study aimed (i) to compare elements of GBS protocols on legume species that differ for genome size, ploidy, and breeding system, and (ii) to show successful applications and challenges of GBS data on legume species. Preliminary work on alfalfa and Medicago truncatula suggested the greater interest of ApeKI over PstI:MspI DNA digestion. We compared KAPA and NEB Taq polymerases in combination with primer extensions that were progressively more selective on restriction sites, and found greater number of polymorphic SNP loci in pea, white lupin and diploid alfalfa when adopting KAPA with a non-selective primer. This protocol displayed a slight advantage also for tetraploid alfalfa (where SNP calling requires higher read depth). KAPA offered the further advantage of more uniform amplification than NEB over fragment sizes and GC contents. The number of GBS-generated polymorphic markers exceeded 6,500 in two tetraploid alfalfa reference populations and a world collection of lupin genotypes, and 2,000 in different sets of pea or lupin recombinant inbred lines. The predictive ability of GBS-based genomic selection was influenced by the genotype missing data threshold and imputation, as well as by the genomic selection model, with the best model depending on traits and data sets. We devised a simple method for comparing phenotypic vs. genomic selection in terms of predicted yield gain per year for same evaluation costs, whose application to preliminary data for alfalfa and pea in a hypothetical selection scenario for each crop indicated a distinct advantage of genomic selection. PMID:28536584

  14. Genotyping-by-Sequencing and Its Exploitation for Forage and Cool-Season Grain Legume Breeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paolo Annicchiarico

    2017-05-01

    Full Text Available Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS may drastically reduce genotyping costs compared with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP array platforms. However, it may require optimization for specific crops to maximize the number of available markers. Exploiting GBS-generated markers may require optimization, too (e.g., to cope with missing data. This study aimed (i to compare elements of GBS protocols on legume species that differ for genome size, ploidy, and breeding system, and (ii to show successful applications and challenges of GBS data on legume species. Preliminary work on alfalfa and Medicago truncatula suggested the greater interest of ApeKI over PstI:MspI DNA digestion. We compared KAPA and NEB Taq polymerases in combination with primer extensions that were progressively more selective on restriction sites, and found greater number of polymorphic SNP loci in pea, white lupin and diploid alfalfa when adopting KAPA with a non-selective primer. This protocol displayed a slight advantage also for tetraploid alfalfa (where SNP calling requires higher read depth. KAPA offered the further advantage of more uniform amplification than NEB over fragment sizes and GC contents. The number of GBS-generated polymorphic markers exceeded 6,500 in two tetraploid alfalfa reference populations and a world collection of lupin genotypes, and 2,000 in different sets of pea or lupin recombinant inbred lines. The predictive ability of GBS-based genomic selection was influenced by the genotype missing data threshold and imputation, as well as by the genomic selection model, with the best model depending on traits and data sets. We devised a simple method for comparing phenotypic vs. genomic selection in terms of predicted yield gain per year for same evaluation costs, whose application to preliminary data for alfalfa and pea in a hypothetical selection scenario for each crop indicated a distinct advantage of genomic selection.

  15. Relationship of some upland rice genotype after gamma irradiation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Suliartini, N. W. S.; Wijayanto, T.; Madiki, A.; Boer, D.; Muhidin; Juniawan

    2018-02-01

    The objective of the research was to group local upland rice genotypes after being treated with gamma irradiation. The research materials were upland rice genotypes resulted from mutation of the second generation and two parents: Pae Loilo (K3D0) and Pae Pongasi (K2D0) Cultivars. The research was conducted at the Indonesian Sweetener and Fiber Crops Research Institute, Malang Regency, and used the augmented design method. Research data were analyzed with R Program. Eight hundred and seventy one genotypes were selected with the selection criteria were based on yields on the average parents added 1.5 standard deviation. Based on the selection, eighty genotypes were analyzed with cluster analyses. Nine observation variables were used to develop cluster dendrogram using average linked method. Genetic distance was measured by euclidean distance. The results of cluster dendrogram showed that tested genotypes were divided into eight groups. Group 1, 2, 7, and 8 each had one genotype, group 3 and 6 each had two genotypes, group 4 had 25 genotypes, and group 5 had 51 genotypes. Check genotypes formed a separate group. Group 6 had the highest yield per plant of 126.11 gram, followed by groups 5 and 4 of 97.63 and 94.08 gram, respectively.

  16. THE BEHAVIORAL PROFILE OF HARVESTER OPERATORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Millana Burger Pagnussat

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aims to characterize the behavioral profile of harvester operators, with the goal of assisting forest managers in selecting and training new teams of employees. A forest company located in central-western Brazil was examined from a sample of 20 harvester operators that did not have experience carrying out the functions of their industry. A behavioral profile evaluation tool was used, consisting of a management system that creates a profile based on behavioral competencies; it was initially used to develop a profile of a high-performing harvester operator; or rather, a reference profile. Next, the behavioral profile of the operators were grouped into distinct classes and compared with the reference profile to identify traits that could positively or negatively affect an operators' performance. An optimal profile had the following qualities: attentive to details, meets deadlines and follows rules, technically-oriented, patient with repetitive tasks, the ability to avoid conflicts, and being an introvert. An improper profile included aspects such as aggressiveness, being argumentative, being persuasive, explosive, and tense at work. The behavioral profile evaluation tool can support the process of choosing forest machine operators; however, it is important to also consider skills and work experience.

  17. Linking genotypes database with locus-specific database and genotype-phenotype correlation in phenylketonuria.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wettstein, Sarah; Underhaug, Jarl; Perez, Belen; Marsden, Brian D; Yue, Wyatt W; Martinez, Aurora; Blau, Nenad

    2015-03-01

    The wide range of metabolic phenotypes in phenylketonuria is due to a large number of variants causing variable impairment in phenylalanine hydroxylase function. A total of 834 phenylalanine hydroxylase gene variants from the locus-specific database PAHvdb and genotypes of 4181 phenylketonuria patients from the BIOPKU database were characterized using FoldX, SIFT Blink, Polyphen-2 and SNPs3D algorithms. Obtained data was correlated with residual enzyme activity, patients' phenotype and tetrahydrobiopterin responsiveness. A descriptive analysis of both databases was compiled and an interactive viewer in PAHvdb database was implemented for structure visualization of missense variants. We found a quantitative relationship between phenylalanine hydroxylase protein stability and enzyme activity (r(s) = 0.479), between protein stability and allelic phenotype (r(s) = -0.458), as well as between enzyme activity and allelic phenotype (r(s) = 0.799). Enzyme stability algorithms (FoldX and SNPs3D), allelic phenotype and enzyme activity were most powerful to predict patients' phenotype and tetrahydrobiopterin response. Phenotype prediction was most accurate in deleterious genotypes (≈ 100%), followed by homozygous (92.9%), hemizygous (94.8%), and compound heterozygous genotypes (77.9%), while tetrahydrobiopterin response was correctly predicted in 71.0% of all cases. To our knowledge this is the largest study using algorithms for the prediction of patients' phenotype and tetrahydrobiopterin responsiveness in phenylketonuria patients, using data from the locus-specific and genotypes database.

  18. Surface glycosylation profiles of urine extracellular vesicles.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jared Q Gerlach

    Full Text Available Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs are released by cells throughout the nephron and contain biomolecules from their cells of origin. Although uEV-associated proteins and RNA have been studied in detail, little information exists regarding uEV glycosylation characteristics. Surface glycosylation profiling by flow cytometry and lectin microarray was applied to uEVs enriched from urine of healthy adults by ultracentrifugation and centrifugal filtration. The carbohydrate specificity of lectin microarray profiles was confirmed by competitive sugar inhibition and carbohydrate-specific enzyme hydrolysis. Glycosylation profiles of uEVs and purified Tamm Horsfall protein were compared. In both flow cytometry and lectin microarray assays, uEVs demonstrated surface binding, at low to moderate intensities, of a broad range of lectins whether prepared by ultracentrifugation or centrifugal filtration. In general, ultracentrifugation-prepared uEVs demonstrated higher lectin binding intensities than centrifugal filtration-prepared uEVs consistent with lesser amounts of co-purified non-vesicular proteins. The surface glycosylation profiles of uEVs showed little inter-individual variation and were distinct from those of Tamm Horsfall protein, which bound a limited number of lectins. In a pilot study, lectin microarray was used to compare uEVs from individuals with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease to those of age-matched controls. The lectin microarray profiles of polycystic kidney disease and healthy uEVs showed differences in binding intensity of 6/43 lectins. Our results reveal a complex surface glycosylation profile of uEVs that is accessible to lectin-based analysis following multiple uEV enrichment techniques, is distinct from co-purified Tamm Horsfall protein and may demonstrate disease-specific modifications.

  19. Single Endemic Genotype of Measles Virus Continuously Circulating in China for at Least 16 Years

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Huiling; Zhu, Zhen; Ji, Yixin; Liu, Chunyu; Zhang, Xiaojie; Sun, Liwei; Zhou, Jianhui; Lu, Peishan; Hu, Ying; Feng, Daxing; Zhang, Zhenying; Wang, Changyin; Fang, Xueqiang; Zheng, Huanying; Liu, Leng; Sun, Xiaodong; Tang, Wei; Wang, Yan; Liu, Yan; Gao, Hui; Tian, Hong; Ma, Jiangtao; Gu, Suyi; Wang, Shuang; Feng, Yan; Bo, Fang; Liu, Jianfeng; Si, Yuan; Zhou, Shujie; Ma, Yuyan; Wu, Shengwei; Zhou, Shunde; Li, Fangcai; Ding, Zhengrong; Yang, Zhaohui; Rota, Paul A.; Featherstone, David; Jee, Youngmee; Bellini, William J.; Xu, Wenbo

    2012-01-01

    The incidence of measles in China from 1991 to 2008 was reviewed, and the nucleotide sequences from 1507 measles viruses (MeV) isolated during 1993 to 2008 were phylogenetically analyzed. The results showed that measles epidemics peaked approximately every 3 to 5 years with the range of measles cases detected between 56,850 and 140,048 per year. The Chinese MeV strains represented three genotypes; 1501 H1, 1 H2 and 5 A. Genotype H1 was the predominant genotype throughout China continuously circulating for at least 16 years. Genotype H1 sequences could be divided into two distinct clusters, H1a and H1b. A 4.2% average nucleotide divergence was found between the H1a and H1b clusters, and the nucleotide sequence and predicted amino acid homologies of H1a viruses were 92.3%–100% and 84.7%–100%, H1b were 97.1%–100% and 95.3%–100%, respectively. Viruses from both clusters were distributed throughout China with no apparent geographic restriction and multiple co-circulating lineages were present in many provinces. Cluster H1a and H1b viruses were co-circulating during 1993 to 2005, while no H1b viruses were detected after 2005 and the transmission of that cluster has presumably been interrupted. Analysis of the nucleotide and predicted amino acid changes in the N proteins of H1a and H1b viruses showed no evidence of selective pressure. This study investigated the genotype and cluster distribution of MeV in China over a 16-year period to establish a genetic baseline before MeV elimination in Western Pacific Region (WPR). Continuous and extensive MeV surveillance and the ability to quickly identify imported cases of measles will become more critical as measles elimination goals are achieved in China in the near future. This is the first report that a single endemic genotype of measles virus has been found to be continuously circulating in one country for at least 16 years. PMID:22532829

  20. Association between apolipoprotein E genotype, serum lipids, and colorectal cancer in Brazilian individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souza, D R S; Nakazone, M A; Pinhel, M A S; Alvares, R M; Monaco, A C; Pinheiro, A; Barros, C F D C; Cury, P M; Cunrath, G S; Netinho, J G

    2009-05-01

    We evaluated genetic variants of apolipoprotein E (APOE HhaI) and their association with serum lipids in colorectal cancer (CRC), together with eating habits and personal history. Eight-seven adults with CRC and 73 controls were studied. APOE*2 (rs7412) and APOE*4 (rs429358) were identified by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. APOE gene polymorphisms were similar in both groups, but the epsilon4/epsilon4 genotype (6%) was present only in controls. The patients had reduced levels (mean +/- SD) of total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol fraction (180.4 +/- 49.5 and 116.1 +/- 43.1 mg/dL, respectively) compared to controls (204.2 +/- 55.6, P = 0.135 and 134.7 +/- 50.8 mg/dL; P = 0.330, respectively) indicating that they were not statistically significant after the Bonferroni correction. The APOE*4 allele was associated with lower levels of total cholesterol, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol fraction and increased levels of very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol fraction and triglycerides only among patients (P = 0.014). There was a positive correlation between the altered lipid profile and increased body mass indexes in both groups (P hypertension and overweight was observed in controls (P < 0.002). In conclusion, the presence of the epsilon4/epsilon4 genotype only in controls may be due to a protective effect against CRC. Lower lipid profile values among patients, even those on lipid-rich diets associated with the APOE*4 allele, suggest alterations in the lipid synthesis and metabolism pathways in CRC.

  1. Genotyping of the fish rhabdovirus, viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus, by restriction fragment length polymorphisms

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Einer-Jensen, Katja; Winton, J.; Lorenzen, Niels

    2005-01-01

    The aim of this study was to develop a standardized molecular assay that used limited resources and equipment for routine genotyping of isolates of the fish rhabdovirus, viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV). Computer generated restriction maps, based on 62 unique full-length (1524 nt....... Experimental evaluation of the method consisted of three steps: (i) RT-PCR amplification of the G-gene of VHSV isolates using purified viral RNA as template, (ii) digestion of the PCR products with a panel of restriction endonucleases and (iii) interpretation of the resulting RFLP profiles. The RFLP analysis...

  2. Genotype-by-environment interactions leads to variable selection on life-history strategy in Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, M T J

    2007-01-01

    Monocarpic plant species, where reproduction is fatal, frequently exhibit variation in the length of their prereproductive period prior to flowering. If this life-history variation in flowering strategy has a genetic basis, genotype-by-environment interactions (G x E) may maintain phenotypic diversity in flowering strategy. The native monocarpic plant Common Evening Primrose (Oenothera biennis L., Onagraceae) exhibits phenotypic variation for annual vs. biennial flowering strategies. I tested whether there was a genetic basis to variation in flowering strategy in O. biennis, and whether environmental variation causes G x E that imposes variable selection on flowering strategy. In a field experiment, I randomized more than 900 plants from 14 clonal families (genotypes) into five distinct habitats that represented a natural productivity gradient. G x E strongly affected the lifetime fruit production of O. biennis, with the rank-order in relative fitness of genotypes changing substantially between habitats. I detected genetic variation in annual vs. biennial strategies in most habitats, as well as a G x E effect on flowering strategy. This variation in flowering strategy was correlated with genetic variation in relative fitness, and phenotypic and genotypic selection analyses revealed that environmental variation resulted in variable directional selection on annual vs. biennial strategies. Specifically, a biennial strategy was favoured in moderately productive environments, whereas an annual strategy was favoured in low-productivity environments. These results highlight the importance of variable selection for the maintenance of genetic variation in the life-history strategy of a monocarpic plant.

  3. Analysis of HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DRB1 allelic, genotypic, and haplotypic frequencies in colombian population

    OpenAIRE

    Yazmin Rocío Árias-Murillo; Miguel Ángel Castro-Jiménez; María Fernanda Ríos-Espinosa; Juan Javier López-Rivera; Sandra Johanna Echeverry-Coral; Oscar Martínez-Nieto

    2010-01-01

    Introduction: The high polymorphism of the HLA system allows its typification to be used as valuable tool in establishing association to various illnesses, immune and genetic profiles; it also provides a guide to identifying compatibility among donors and receptors of organs transplants. Objective: To establish HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA.DRB1 allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies among patients treated at Clinica Colsanitas SA. Methods: 561 patients coming from different regions in Col...

  4. An epidemiologic survey of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus by combined use of mec-HVR genotyping and toxin genotyping in a university hospital in Japan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nishi, Junichiro; Yoshinaga, Masao; Miyanohara, Hiroaki; Kawahara, Motoshi; Kawabata, Masaharu; Motoya, Toshiro; Owaki, Tetsuhiro; Oiso, Shigeru; Kawakami, Masayuki; Kamewari, Shigeko; Koyama, Yumiko; Wakimoto, Naoko; Tokuda, Koichi; Manago, Kunihiro; Maruyama, Ikuro

    2002-09-01

    To evaluate the usefulness of an assay using two polymerase chain reaction-based genotyping methods in the practical surveillance of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Nosocomial infection and colonization were surveyed monthly in a university hospital in Japan for 20 months. Genotyping with mec-HVR is based on the size of the mec-associated hypervariable region amplified by polymerase chain reaction. Toxin genotyping uses a multiplex polymerase chain reaction method to amplify eight staphylococcal toxin genes. Eight hundred nine MRSA isolates were classified into 49 genotypes. We observed differing prevalences of genotypes for different hospital wards, and could rapidly demonstrate the similarity of genotype for outbreak isolates. The incidence of genotype D: SEC/TSST1 was significantly higher in isolates causing nosocomial infections (49.5%; 48 of 97) than in nasal isolates (31.4%; 54 of 172) (P = .004), suggesting that this genotype may represent the nosocomial strains. The combined use of these two genotyping methods resulted in improved discriminatory ability and should be further investigated.

  5. Integrative Genomic Analysis of Cholangiocarcinoma Identifies Distinct IDH-Mutant Molecular Profiles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Farshad Farshidfar

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA is an aggressive malignancy of the bile ducts, with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Here, we describe the integrated analysis of somatic mutations, RNA expression, copy number, and DNA methylation by The Cancer Genome Atlas of a set of predominantly intrahepatic CCA cases and propose a molecular classification scheme. We identified an IDH mutant-enriched subtype with distinct molecular features including low expression of chromatin modifiers, elevated expression of mitochondrial genes, and increased mitochondrial DNA copy number. Leveraging the multi-platform data, we observed that ARID1A exhibited DNA hypermethylation and decreased expression in the IDH mutant subtype. More broadly, we found that IDH mutations are associated with an expanded histological spectrum of liver tumors with molecular features that stratify with CCA. Our studies reveal insights into the molecular pathogenesis and heterogeneity of cholangiocarcinoma and provide classification information of potential therapeutic significance.

  6. High-throughput genotyping for species identification and diversity assessment in germplasm collections.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mason, Annaliese S; Zhang, Jing; Tollenaere, Reece; Vasquez Teuber, Paula; Dalton-Morgan, Jessica; Hu, Liyong; Yan, Guijun; Edwards, David; Redden, Robert; Batley, Jacqueline

    2015-09-01

    Germplasm collections provide an extremely valuable resource for breeders and researchers. However, misclassification of accessions by species often hinders the effective use of these collections. We propose that use of high-throughput genotyping tools can provide a fast, efficient and cost-effective way of confirming species in germplasm collections, as well as providing valuable genetic diversity data. We genotyped 180 Brassicaceae samples sourced from the Australian Grains Genebank across the recently released Illumina Infinium Brassica 60K SNP array. Of these, 76 were provided on the basis of suspected misclassification and another 104 were sourced independently from the germplasm collection. Presence of the A- and C-genomes combined with principle components analysis clearly separated Brassica rapa, B. oleracea, B. napus, B. carinata and B. juncea samples into distinct species groups. Several lines were further validated using chromosome counts. Overall, 18% of samples (32/180) were misclassified on the basis of species. Within these 180 samples, 23/76 (30%) supplied on the basis of suspected misclassification were misclassified, and 9/105 (9%) of the samples randomly sourced from the Australian Grains Genebank were misclassified. Surprisingly, several individuals were also found to be the product of interspecific hybridization events. The SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) array proved effective at confirming species, and provided useful information related to genetic diversity. As similar genomic resources become available for different crops, high-throughput molecular genotyping will offer an efficient and cost-effective method to screen germplasm collections worldwide, facilitating more effective use of these valuable resources by breeders and researchers. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  7. The dominant Australian community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus clone ST93-IV [2B] is highly virulent and genetically distinct.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kyra Y L Chua

    Full Text Available Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA USA300 has spread rapidly across North America, and CA-MRSA is also increasing in Australia. However, the dominant Australian CA-MRSA strain, ST93-IV [2B] appears distantly related to USA300 despite strikingly similar clinical and epidemiological profiles. Here, we compared the virulence of a recent Australian ST93 isolate (JKD6159 to other MRSA, including USA300, and found that JKD6159 was the most virulent in a mouse skin infection model. We fully sequenced the genome of JKD6159 and confirmed that JKD6159 is a distinct clone with 7616 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs distinguishing this strain from all other S. aureus genomes. Despite its high virulence there were surprisingly few virulence determinants. However, genes encoding α-hemolysin, Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL and α-type phenol soluble modulins were present. Genome comparisons revealed 32 additional CDS in JKD6159 but none appeared to encode new virulence factors, suggesting that this clone's enhanced pathogenicity could lie within subtler genome changes, such as SNPs within regulatory genes. To investigate the role of accessory genome elements in CA-MRSA epidemiology, we next sequenced three additional Australian non-ST93 CA-MRSA strains and compared them with JKD6159, 19 completed S. aureus genomes and 59 additional S. aureus genomes for which unassembled genome sequence data was publicly available (82 genomes in total. These comparisons showed that despite its distinctive genotype, JKD6159 and other CA-MRSA clones (including USA300 share a conserved repertoire of three notable accessory elements (SSCmecIV, PVL prophage, and pMW2. This study demonstrates that the genetically distinct ST93 CA-MRSA from Australia is highly virulent. Our comparisons of geographically and genetically diverse CA-MRSA genomes suggest that apparent convergent evolution in CA-MRSA may be better explained by the rapid

  8. The Different Facets of Work Stress: A Latent Profile Analysis of Nurses' Work Demands.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenull, Brigitte B; Wiedermann, Wolfgang

    2015-10-01

    Work-related stress has been identified as a relevant problem leading to negative effects on health and quality of life. Using data from 844 nurses, latent profile analyses (LPA) were applied to identify distinct patterns of work stress. Several sociodemographic variables, including nurses' working and living conditions, as well as nurses' reactions to workload, were considered to predict respondents' profile membership. LPA revealed three distinct profiles that can be distinguished by a low, moderate, and higher stress level. Being financially secure is positively related to the low stress profile, whereas working in an urban area and having low job satisfaction increases the chance of belonging to the higher stress profile. Our results can be used as a basis to develop interventions to create a healthy nursing home environment by supporting the balance between family and work, providing access to job resources and optimizing recovery opportunities. © The Author(s) 2013.

  9. Two-temperature LATE-PCR endpoint genotyping

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Reis Arthur H

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background In conventional PCR, total amplicon yield becomes independent of starting template number as amplification reaches plateau and varies significantly among replicate reactions. This paper describes a strategy for reconfiguring PCR so that the signal intensity of a single fluorescent detection probe after PCR thermal cycling reflects genomic composition. The resulting method corrects for product yield variations among replicate amplification reactions, permits resolution of homozygous and heterozygous genotypes based on endpoint fluorescence signal intensities, and readily identifies imbalanced allele ratios equivalent to those arising from gene/chromosomal duplications. Furthermore, the use of only a single colored probe for genotyping enhances the multiplex detection capacity of the assay. Results Two-Temperature LATE-PCR endpoint genotyping combines Linear-After-The-Exponential (LATE-PCR (an advanced form of asymmetric PCR that efficiently generates single-stranded DNA and mismatch-tolerant probes capable of detecting allele-specific targets at high temperature and total single-stranded amplicons at a lower temperature in the same reaction. The method is demonstrated here for genotyping single-nucleotide alleles of the human HEXA gene responsible for Tay-Sachs disease and for genotyping SNP alleles near the human p53 tumor suppressor gene. In each case, the final probe signals were normalized against total single-stranded DNA generated in the same reaction. Normalization reduces the coefficient of variation among replicates from 17.22% to as little as 2.78% and permits endpoint genotyping with >99.7% accuracy. These assays are robust because they are consistent over a wide range of input DNA concentrations and give the same results regardless of how many cycles of linear amplification have elapsed. The method is also sufficiently powerful to distinguish between samples with a 1:1 ratio of two alleles from samples comprised of

  10. Deletion of the Toll-Like Receptor 5 Gene Per Se Does Not Determine the Gut Microbiome Profile That Induces Metabolic Syndrome: Environment Trumps Genotype.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wei Zhang

    Full Text Available Over the past decade, emerging evidence has linked alterations in the gut microbial composition to a wide range of diseases including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Toll-like receptors (TLRs are the major mediators for the interactions between gut microbiota and host innate immune system, which is involved in the localization and structuring of host gut microbiota. A previous study found that TLR5 deficient mice (TLR5KO1 had altered gut microbial composition which led to the development of metabolic syndrome including hyperlipidemia, hypertension, insulin resistance and increased adiposity. In the current study, a second TLR5-deficient mouse model was studied (TLR5KO2. TLR5 deficient mice did not manifest metabolic abnormalities related to the metabolic syndrome compared with littermate controls maintained on normal chow or after feeding a high fat diet. Analysis of the gut microbial composition of littermate TLR5KO2 and wild type mice revealed no significant difference in the overall microbiota structure between genotypes. However, the TLR5KO2 microbiota was distinctly different from that previously reported for TLR5KO1 mice with metabolic syndrome. We conclude that an altered composition of the microbiota in a given environment can result in metabolic syndrome, but it is not a consequence of TLR5 deficiency per se.

  11. Correlation of mRNA Profiles, miRNA Profiles, and Functional Immune Response in Rainbow Trout (Oncorrhynkus Mykiss) During Infection With Viral Hemorrhagic Septicemia Virus (VHSV) and in Fish Vaccinated With an Anti-VHSV DNA Vaccine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bela-Ong, Dennis; Schyth, Brian Dall; Lorenzen, Niels

    fish. Linking mRNA and miRNA profiles with phenotypic, genotypic, and immunological data will provide an integrated view of the mechanisms of resistance and the strong protective immune responses provided by vaccination. This information is important in designing effective strategies to mitigate......-mediated) responses. MRNA and miRNA profiles will be correlated and combined with in vitro work in cell culture to describe target relationships between miRNAs and mRNAs and the effect of this targeting in fish. Vaccinated fish will also be used for mRNA/miRNA profiling and in challenge studies alongside non-vaccinated...

  12. Distinct expression profile of HCMV encoded miRNAs in plasma from oral lichen planus patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ding, Meng; Wang, Xiang; Wang, Cheng; Liu, Xiaoshuang; Zen, Ke; Wang, Wenmei; Zhang, Chen-Yu; Zhang, Chunni

    2017-06-07

    Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a T cell-mediated autoimmune disease. The aetiology and molecular mechanisms of OLP remain unclear. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a causal factor in the development of various diseases, but the clinical relevance of HCMV in OLP has not been thoroughly investigated. In the present study, we firstly examined twenty-three HCMV-encoded microRNA (miRNA) expression profiles in plasma from training set that including 21 OLP patients and 18 healthy controls using RT-qPCR technology. Dysregulated miRNAs were subsequently confirmed in another larger cohort refereed as validation set consisting of 40 OLP patients and 33 healthy controls. HCMV DNA in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) was also measured in an additional cohort of 13 OLP patients and 12 control subjects. Furthermore, bioinformatics analyses, luciferase reporter assay and western blotting were also performed to predict and verify the direct potential targets of HCMV-encoded miRNAs. The RT-qPCR results showed that the plasma levels of five HCMV-encoded miRNAs including hcmv-miR-UL112-3p, hcmv-miR-UL22a-5p, hcmv-miR-UL148d, hcmv-miR-UL36-5p and hcmv-miR-UL59 were significantly increased in OLP patients in both training and validation sets. HCMV DNA in PBLs was also significantly higher in OLP patients than in control subjects. Additionally, by using a combination of luciferase reporter assay and western blotting, we demonstrated that cytomegalovirus UL16-binding protein 1, a molecule that mediates the killing of virus-infected cells by natural killer cells, is a direct target of hcmv-miR-UL59. Our results demonstrate a distinct expression pattern of HCMV-encoded miRNAs in OLP patients, which may provide insight into the relationship between HCMV infection and OLP, and warrants additional study in the diagnosis and aetiology of OLP.

  13. The Genetic Relationship between Leishmania aethiopica and Leishmania tropica Revealed by Comparing Microsatellite Profiles.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krayter, Lena; Schnur, Lionel F; Schönian, Gabriele

    2015-01-01

    Leishmania (Leishmania) aethiopica and L. (L.) tropica cause cutaneous leishmaniases and appear to be related. L. aethiopica is geographically restricted to Ethiopia and Kenya; L. tropica is widely dispersed from the Eastern Mediterranean, through the Middle East into eastern India and in north, east and south Africa. Their phylogenetic inter-relationship is only partially revealed. Some studies indicate a close relationship. Here, eight strains of L. aethiopica were characterized genetically and compared with 156 strains of L. tropica from most of the latter species' geographical range to discern the closeness. Twelve unlinked microsatellite markers previously used to genotype strains of L. tropica were successfully applied to the eight strains of L. aethiopica and their microsatellite profiles were compared to those of 156 strains of L. tropica from various geographical locations that were isolated from human cases of cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, hyraxes and sand fly vectors. All the microsatellite profiles were subjected to various analytical algorithms: Bayesian statistics, distance-based and factorial correspondence analysis, revealing: (i) the species L. aethiopica, though geographically restricted, is genetically very heterogeneous; (ii) the strains of L. aethiopica formed a distinct genetic cluster; and (iii) strains of L. aethiopica are closely related to strains of L. tropica and more so to the African ones, although, by factorial correspondence analysis, clearly separate from them. The successful application of the 12 microsatellite markers, originally considered species-specific for the species L. tropica, to strains of L. aethiopica confirmed the close relationship between these two species. The Bayesian and distance-based methods clustered the strains of L. aethiopica among African strains of L. tropica, while the factorial correspondence analysis indicated a clear separation between the two species. There was no correlation between

  14. The epidiemiologic profile of HCV infected Hispanic patients from the southern area of Puerto Rico since 2005.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colón-Ruiz, David; Rosado Carrión, Bárbara; Bredy, Rafael

    2012-01-01

    Seroprevalence studies in adults done in San Juan and Puerto Rico have showed 6.3% and 2.2% of the population respectively, are positive for antibodies to Hepatitis C Virus (anti-HCV). It is been suggested that Hispanics have a lower sustained virological response to current therapy. The epidemiologic profile, the response to treatment and the risk factors to the poor response to treatment of HCV patients have not been studied in the southern area of Puerto Rico. This is a cross-sectional analysis of data from 46 medical records from January 2005 to March 2011. We search for sociodemographic variables, comorbidities, the HCV genotype, the human immunodeficiency virus profile, history of alcoholism and the patients who were treated with peginterferon alpha 2b and ribavirin, and their response to treatment. Our HCV infected population is male predominant (63%), and the most common route of transmission were intravenous drug abuse (37%) and blood transfusions (33%). Only 37% reported alcoholism. The most common comorbidities found in our population were hypertension (35%), diabetes mellitus (20%), hypothyroidism (7%) and dyslipidemia (7%). Most common genotype found in our population was type 1 (61%). From the 46 patients, 10 patients were treated, being genotype 1 the most common. Overall, our population showed an epidemiological profile similar to other Hispanic groups in the literature, which should motivate us to continue exploring these associations, in an effort to improve the management of these patients.

  15. Genotype-based personalised nutrition for obesity prevention and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Typically, genotype-based personalised nutrition involves genotyping for a number of susceptibility SNPs associated with the prevention, or management, of a particular disease. Dietary advice is then personalised to the individual's genotype to ensure optimal prevention or treatment outcomes. To ensure evidence-based ...

  16. Prevalence of genotype D in chronic liver disease patients with occult HBV infection in northern region of India

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Meher Rizvi

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Etiology of nearly 30% cases of chronic viral hepatitis remains undetected. Occult HBV infection (OBI has emerged as an important clinical entity in this scenario. Apart from prevalence and clinical outcome of OBI patients genotype was determined in northern region of India. Materials and Methods: A total of 847 patients with chronic liver disease (CLD were screened for common viral etiologies and others serological markers of HBV. Amplification of surface, precore and polymerase genes of HBV was performed in patients negative for other etiologies. Genotyping and sequencing of the precore region was performed for OBI cases. Results: Twenty-nine (7.61% cases of OBI were identifiedof which 9 had chronic liver disease (CHD, 11 liver cirrhosis (LC and 9 hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC. Majority of OBI cases were detected by amplification of surface gene 26 (89.6%, followed by pre-core gene 12 (41.3%. Their liver functions tests were significantly deranged in comparison to overt HBV cases. IgG anti HBc was present in 8 (27.6% OBI cases. Mutation was observed in 8 (32% in pre-core region at nt. 1896 of overt HBV cases. Genotype D was the predominant genotype. In conclusion: OBI in our study was characterized by predominance of genotype D and more severe clinical and biochemical profile in comparison to overt HBV. IgG anti HBc positivity could be utilized as a marker of OBI. We recommend use of sensitive nested PCR for diagnosis of OBI, amplifying at least surface and precore gene.

  17. Post-Mortem Identification of a Fire Carbonized Body by STR Genotyping.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumache, Raluca; Muresan, Camelia; Ciocan, Veronica; Rogobete, Alexandru F; Enache, Alexandra

    2016-10-01

    Identification of bodies of unknown identity that are victims of exposure to very high temperatures, resulting from fires, plane crashes, and terrorist attacks, represents one of the most difficult sides of forensic genetics, because of the advanced state of decomposition. The aim of this study was the identification of the carbonized cadaver of a fire victim through STR genotyping. We used blood samples obtained from the iliac artery during the autopsy examination as biological samples from the unidentified victim. After DNA isolation and quantification, we proceeded to its amplification using the multiplex PCR kit AmpFlSTR Identifiler. The DNA products were separated using an ABI 3500 genetic analyzer. Further analysis of the data was done using Gene Mapper ID-X version 1.4 software. In this case, it was possible to obtain a complete DNA profile from the biological samples. Due to the fact that the amelogenin gene presented two alleles, X and Y, we concluded that the victim was a man. We conclude that STR profiling of unidentified bodies (carbonized, decomposed) represents a powerful method of human identification in forensic medicine.

  18. The effect of glutathione S-transferase M1 and T1 polymorphisms on blood pressure, blood glucose, and lipid profiles following the supplementation of kale (Brassica oleracea acephala) juice in South Korean subclinical hypertensive patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Jeong-Hwa; Lee, Hye-Jin; Kim, Tae-Seok; Kang, Myung-Hee

    2015-02-01

    Glutathione S-transferase (GST) forms a multigene family of phase II detoxification enzymes which are involved in the detoxification of reactive oxygen species. This study examines whether daily supplementation of kale juice can modulate blood pressure (BP), levels of lipid profiles, and blood glucose, and whether this modulation could be affected by the GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms. 84 subclinical hypertensive patients showing systolic BP over 130 mmHg or diastolic BP over 85 mmHg received 300 ml/day of kale juice for 6 weeks, and blood samples were collected on 0-week and 6-week in order to evaluate plasma lipid profiles (total cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL-cholesterol, and LDL-cholesterol) and blood glucose. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure was significantly decreased in all patients regardless of their GSTM1 or GSTT1 polymorphisms after kale juice supplementation. Blood glucose level was decreased only in the GSTM1-present genotype, and plasma lipid profiles showed no difference in both the GSTM1-null and GSTM1-present genotypes. In the case of GSTT1, on the other hand, plasma HDL-C was increased and LDL-C was decreased only in the GSTT1-present type, while blood glucose was decreased only in the GSTT1-null genotype. These findings suggest that the supplementation of kale juice affected blood pressure, lipid profiles, and blood glucose in subclinical hypertensive patients depending on their GST genetic polymorphisms, and the improvement of lipid profiles was mainly greater in the GSTT1-present genotype and the decrease of blood glucose was greater in the GSTM1-present or GSTT1-null genotypes.

  19. Watching TV has a distinct sociodemographic and lifestyle profile compared with other sedentary behaviors: A nationwide population-based study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Elena Andrade-Gómez

    Full Text Available Watching TV has been consistently associated with higher risk of adverse health outcomes, but the effect of other sedentary behaviors (SB is uncertain. Potential explanations are that watching TV is not a marker of a broader sedentary pattern and that each SB reflects different sociodemographic and health characteristics. Data were taken form a survey on 10,199 individuals, representative of the Spanish population aged ≥18 years. SB and other health behaviors were ascertained using validated questionnaires. Watching TV was the predominant SB (45.4% of the total sitting time, followed by sitting at the computer (22.7%. TV watching time showed no correlation with total time on other SB (r: -0.02, p = 0.07. By contrast, time spent at the computer was directly correlated with time spent on commuting (r: 0.07, p<0.01, listening to music (r: 0.10, p<0.01 and reading (r: 0.08, p<0.01. TV watching time was greater in those with older age, lower education, unhealthier lifestyle, and with diabetes or osteomuscular disease. More time spent at the computer or in commuting was linked to younger age, male gender, higher education and having a sedentary job. In conclusion, watching TV is not correlated with other SB and shows a distinct demographic and lifestyle profile.

  20. Genotyping of Coxiella burnetii from domestic ruminants in northern Spain

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Astobiza Ianire

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Information on the genotypic diversity of Coxiella burnetii isolates from infected domestic ruminants in Spain is limited. The aim of this study was to identify the C. burnetii genotypes infecting livestock in Northern Spain and compare them to other European genotypes. A commercial real-time PCR targeting the IS1111a insertion element was used to detect the presence of C. burnetii DNA in domestic ruminants from Spain. Genotypes were determined by a 6-loci Multiple Locus Variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA panel and Multispacer Sequence Typing (MST. Results A total of 45 samples from 4 goat herds (placentas, N = 4, 12 dairy cattle herds (vaginal mucus, individual milk, bulk tank milk, aerosols, N = 20 and 5 sheep flocks (placenta, vaginal swabs, faeces, air samples, dust, N = 21 were included in the study. Samples from goats and sheep were obtained from herds which had suffered abortions suspected to be caused by C. burnetii, whereas cattle samples were obtained from animals with reproductive problems compatible with C. burnetii infection, or consisted of bulk tank milk (BTM samples from a Q fever surveillance programme. C. burnetii genotypes identified in ruminants from Spain were compared to those detected in other countries. Three MLVA genotypes were found in 4 goat farms, 7 MLVA genotypes were identified in 12 cattle herds and 4 MLVA genotypes were identified in 5 sheep flocks. Clustering of the MLVA genotypes using the minimum spanning tree method showed a high degree of genetic similarity between most MLVA genotypes. Overall 11 different MLVA genotypes were obtained corresponding to 4 different MST genotypes: MST genotype 13, identified in goat, sheep and cattle from Spain; MST genotype 18, only identified in goats; and, MST genotypes 8 and 20, identified in small ruminants and cattle, respectively. All these genotypes had been previously identified in animal and human clinical samples from several

  1. Detailed molecular epidemiology of Chlamydia trachomatis in the population of Southampton attending the genitourinary medicine clinic in 2012-13 reveals the presence of long established genotypes and transitory sexual networks.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Labiran, Clare; Rowen, David; Clarke, Ian Nicholas; Marsh, Peter

    2017-01-01

    Chlamydia trachomatis is the most common sexually transmitted infection (STI) in England. Our objective was to perform a detailed survey of the molecular epidemiology of C. trachomatis in the population of Southampton UK attending the genitourinary medicine clinic (GUM) to seek evidence of sexual network activity. Our hypothesis was that certain genotypes can be associated with specific demographic determinants. 380 positive samples were collected from 375 C. trachomatis positive GUM attendees out of the 3118 who consented to be part of the survey. 302 of the positive samples were fully genotyped. All six of the predominant genotypes possessed ompA locus type E. One ward of Southampton known to contain a large proportion of students had a different profile of genotypes compared to other areas of the city. Some genotypes appeared embedded in the city population whilst others appeared transient. Predominant circulating genotypes remain stable within a city population whereas others are sporadic. Sexual networks could be inferred but not conclusively identified using the data from this survey.

  2. Growth dynamics of the threatened Caribbean staghorn coral Acropora cervicornis: influence of host genotype, symbiont identity, colony size, and environmental setting.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diego Lirman

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The drastic decline in the abundance of Caribbean acroporid corals (Acropora cervicornis, A. palmata has prompted the listing of this genus as threatened as well as the development of a regional propagation and restoration program. Using in situ underwater nurseries, we documented the influence of coral genotype and symbiont identity, colony size, and propagation method on the growth and branching patterns of staghorn corals in Florida and the Dominican Republic. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Individual tracking of> 1700 nursery-grown staghorn fragments and colonies from 37 distinct genotypes (identified using microsatellites in Florida and the Dominican Republic revealed a significant positive relationship between size and growth, but a decreasing rate of productivity with increasing size. Pruning vigor (enhanced growth after fragmentation was documented even in colonies that lost 95% of their coral tissue/skeleton, indicating that high productivity can be maintained within nurseries by sequentially fragmenting corals. A significant effect of coral genotype was documented for corals grown in a common-garden setting, with fast-growing genotypes growing up to an order of magnitude faster than slow-growing genotypes. Algal-symbiont identity established using qPCR techniques showed that clade A (likely Symbiodinium A3 was the dominant symbiont type for all coral genotypes, except for one coral genotype in the DR and two in Florida that were dominated by clade C, with A- and C-dominated genotypes having similar growth rates. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The threatened Caribbean staghorn coral is capable of extremely fast growth, with annual productivity rates exceeding 5 cm of new coral produced for every cm of existing coral. This species benefits from high fragment survivorship coupled by the pruning vigor experienced by the parent colonies after fragmentation. These life-history characteristics make A. cervicornis a successful candidate

  3. Three vibrio-resistance related EST-SSR markers revealed by selective genotyping in the clam Meretrix meretrix.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nie, Qing; Yue, Xin; Chai, Xueliang; Wang, Hongxia; Liu, Baozhong

    2013-08-01

    The clam Meretrix meretrix is an important commercial bivalve distributed in the coastal areas of South and Southeast Asia. In this study, marker-trait association analyses were performed based on the stock materials of M. meretrix with different vibrio-resistance profile obtained by selective breeding. Forty-eight EST-SSR markers were screened and 27 polymorphic SSRs of them were genotyped in the clam stocks with different resistance to Vibrio parahaemolyticus (11-R and 11-S) and to Vibrio harveyi (09-R and 09-C). Allele frequency distributions of the SSRs among different stocks were compared using Pearson's Chi-square test, and three functional EST-SSR markers (MM959, MM4765 and MM8364) were found to be associated with vibrio-resistance trait. The 140-bp allele of MM959 and 128-bp allele of MM4765 had significantly higher frequencies in resistant groups (11-R and 09-R) than in susceptive/control groups (11-S and 09-C) (P SSR markers were consistent with the three subgroups distinctions. The putative functions of contig959, contig4765 and contig8364 also suggested that the three SSR-involved genes might play important roles in immunity of M. meretrix. All these results supported that EST-SSR markers MM959, MM4765 and MM8364 were associated with vibrio-resistance and would be useful for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in M. meretrix genetic breeding. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Genotype-specific physiological and transcriptomic responses to drought stress in Setaria italica (an emerging model for Panicoideae grasses).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tang, Sha; Li, Lin; Wang, Yongqiang; Chen, Qiannan; Zhang, Wenying; Jia, Guanqing; Zhi, Hui; Zhao, Baohua; Diao, Xianmin

    2017-08-30

    Understanding drought-tolerance mechanisms and identifying genetic dominance are important for crop improvement. Setaria italica, which is extremely drought-tolerant, has been regarded as a model plant for studying stress biology. Moreover, different genotypes of S. italica have evolved various drought-tolerance/avoidance mechanisms that should be elucidated. Physiological and transcriptomic comparisons between drought-tolerant S. italica cultivar 'Yugu1' and drought-sensitive 'An04' were conducted. 'An04' had higher yields and more efficient photosystem activities than 'Yugu1' under well-watered conditions, and this was accompanied by positive brassinosteroid regulatory actions. However, 'An04's growth advantage was severely repressed by drought, while 'Yugu1' maintained normal growth under a water deficiency. High-throughput sequencing suggested that the S. italica transcriptome was severely remodelled by genotype × environment interactions. Expression profiles of genes related to phytohormone metabolism and signalling, transcription factors, detoxification, and other stress-related proteins were characterised, revealing genotype-dependent and -independent drought responses in different S. italica genotypes. Combining our data with drought-tolerance-related QTLs, we identified 20 candidate genes that contributed to germination and early seedling' drought tolerance in S. italica. Our analysis provides a comprehensive picture of how different S. italica genotypes respond to drought, and may be used for the genetic improvement of drought tolerance in Poaceae crops.

  5. Association between genotype and drug resistance profiles of Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains circulating in China in a national drug resistance survey

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Zhou, Yang; van den Hof, Susan; Wang, Shengfen; Pang, Yu; Zhao, Bing; Xia, Hui; Anthony, Richard; Ou, Xichao; Li, Qiang; Zheng, Yang; Song, Yuanyuan; Zhao, Yanlin; van Soolingen, Dick

    2017-01-01

    We describe the population structure of a representative collection of 3,133 Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates, collected within the framework of a national resistance survey from 2007 in China. Genotyping data indicate that the epidemic strains in China can be divided into seven major complexes,

  6. HLA-G genotype is associated with fetoplacental growth

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hviid, Thomas Vauvert

    2004-01-01

    The human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G is expressed by extravillous cytotrophoblast cells in the feto-maternal contact zone. Polymorphisms have been described in the HLA-G gene and have been linked with differences in HLA-G mRNA alternative splicing patterns and protein expression. Differences...... in the isoform profile or the degree of HLA-G expression may influence cytokine production and, thereby, placental and fetal growth. Associations between a 14 bp deletion polymorphism in the 3'UTR part of the HLA-G gene and birth weight in relation to gestational age and placental weight were studied in 47...... pregnancies complicated with preeclampsia and 87 with no preeclampsia. An HLA-G genotype homozygous for the presence of the 14 bp sequence polymorphism was significantly associated with increased birth weight in relation to gestational age (one-way analysis of variance; 2 degrees of freedom: p = 0...

  7. Enterovirus genotypes among patients with severe acute respiratory illness, influenza-like illness, and asymptomatic individuals in South Africa, 2012-2014.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hellferscee, Orienka; Tempia, Stefano; Walaza, Sibongile; Variava, Ebrahim; Dawood, Halima; Wolter, Nicole; Madhi, Shabir A; du Plessis, Mignon; Cohen, Cheryl; Treurnicht, Florette K

    2017-10-01

    Enteroviruses can cause outbreaks of severe acute respiratory illness (SARI) and EV-A, -B, -C, and -D species have different pathogenic profiles and circulation patterns. We aimed to characterize and determine the prevalence of enterovirus genotypes among South African patients with respiratory illness and controls during June 2012 to July 2014. Syndromic SARI and influenza-like illness (ILI) surveillance was performed at two sentinel sites. At each site nasopharyngeal/oropharyngeal specimens were collected from SARI and ILI patients as well as controls. Specimens were tested for enterovirus by real-time PCR. Positive specimens were further genotyped by sequencing a region of the VP1 gene. The prevalence of enterovirus was 5.8% (87/1494), 3.4% (103/3079), and 3.4% (46/1367) among SARI, ILI, and controls, respectively (SARI/controls, P = 0.002 and ILI/control, P = 0.973). Among the 101/236 (42.8%) enterovirus-positive specimens that could be genotyped, we observed a high diversity of circulating enterovirus genotypes (a total of 33 genotypes) from all four human enterovirus species with high prevalence of Enterovirus-B (60.4%; 61/101) and Enterovirus-A (21.8%; 22/101) compared to Enterovirus-C (10.9%; 11/101) and Enterovirus-D (6.9%; 7/101) (P = 0.477). Of the enterovirus genotypes identified, Echovirus 30 (9.9%, 10/101), Coxsackie virus B5 (7.9%, 8/101) and Enterovirus-D68 (6.9%, 7/101) were most prevalent. There was no difference in disease severity (SARI or ILI compared to controls) between the different enterovirus species (P = 0.167). We observed a high number of enterovirus genotypes in patients with respiratory illness and in controls from South Africa with no disease association of EV species with disease severity. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. The Comparison of Growth, Slaughter and Carcass Traits of Meat Chicken Genotype Produced by Back-Crossing with A Commercial Broiler Genotype

    OpenAIRE

    Musa Sarıca; Umut Sami Yamak; Mehmet Akif Boz; Ahmet Uçar

    2014-01-01

    This study was conducted to determine the growth and some slaughter traits between commercial fast growing chickens and three-way cross M2 genotypes. 260 male female mixed chickens from each genotype was reared 10 replicate per genotype in the same house. Two different slaughtering ages were applied to commercial chickens and slaughtered at 6 and 7 weeks of age for comparing with cross genotypes. F chickens reached to slaughtering age at 42 days, whereas cross groups reached at 49 days. Genot...

  9. Association of HLA Genotype and Fulminant Type 1 Diabetes in Koreans

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    Soo Heon Kwak

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Fulminant type 1 diabetes (T1DM is a distinct subtype of T1DM that is characterized by rapid onset hyperglycemia, ketoacidosis, absolute insulin deficiency, and near normal levels of glycated hemoglobin at initial presentation. Although it has been reported that class II human leukocyte antigen (HLA genotype is associated with fulminant T1DM, the genetic predisposition is not fully understood. In this study we investigated the HLA genotype and haplotype in 11 Korean cases of fulminant T1DM using imputation of whole exome sequencing data and compared its frequencies with 413 participants of the Korean Reference Panel. The HLA-DRB1*04:05–HLA-DQB1*04:01 haplotype was significantly associated with increased risk of fulminant T1DM in Fisher's exact test (odds ratio [OR], 4.11; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.56 to 10.86; p = 0.009. A histidine residue at HLA-DRβ1 position 13 was marginally associated with increased risk of fulminant T1DM (OR, 2.45; 95% CI ,1.01 to 5.94; p = 0.054. Although we had limited statistical power, we provide evidence that HLA haplotype and amino acid change can be a genetic risk factor of fulminant T1DM in Koreans. Further large-scale research is required to confirm these findings.

  10. A randomized, controlled study of peginterferon lambda-1a/ribavirin ± daclatasvir for hepatitis C virus genotype 2 or 3.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Foster, Graham R; Chayama, Kazuaki; Chuang, Wan-Long; Fainboim, Hugo; Farkkila, Martti; Gadano, Adrian; Gaeta, Giovanni B; Hézode, Christophe; Inada, Yukiko; Heo, Jeong; Kumada, Hiromitsu; Lu, Sheng-Nan; Marcellin, Patrick; Moreno, Christophe; Roberts, Stuart K; Strasser, Simone I; Thompson, Alexander J; Toyota, Joji; Paik, Seung Woon; Vierling, John M; Zignego, Anna L; Cohen, David; McPhee, Fiona; Wind-Rotolo, Megan; Srinivasan, Subasree; Hruska, Matthew; Myler, Heather; Portsmouth, Simon D

    2016-01-01

    Peginterferon Lambda was being developed as an alternative to alfa interferon for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. We compared peginterferon Lambda-1a plus ribavirin (Lambda/RBV) and Lambda/RBV plus daclatasvir (DCV; pangenotypic NS5A inhibitor) with peginterferon alfa-2a plus RBV (alfa/RBV) in treatment-naive patients with HCV genotype 2 or 3 infection. In this multicenter, double-blind, phase 3 randomized controlled trial, patients were assigned 2:2:1 to receive 24 weeks of Lambda/RBV, 12 weeks of Lambda/RBV + DCV, or 24 weeks of alfa/RBV. The primary outcome measure was sustained virologic response at post-treatment Week 12 (SVR12). Overall, 874 patients were treated: Lambda/RBV, n = 353; Lambda/RBV + DCV, n = 349; alfa/RBV, n = 172. Patients were 65 % white and 33 % Asian, 57 % male, with a mean age of 47 years; 52 % were infected with genotype 2 (6 % cirrhotic) and 48 % with genotype 3 (9 % cirrhotic). In the Lambda/RBV + DCV group, 83 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 78.5, 86.5) achieved SVR12 (90 % genotype 2, 75 % genotype 3) whereas SVR12 was achieved by 68 % (95 % CI 63.1, 72.9) with Lambda/RBV (72 % genotype 2, 64 % genotype 3) and 73 % (95 % CI 66.6, 79.9) with peginterferon alfa/RBV (74 % genotype 2, 73 % genotype 3). Lambda/RBV + DCV was associated with lower incidences of flu-like symptoms, hematological abnormalities, and discontinuations due to adverse events compared with alfa/RBV. The 12-week regimen of Lambda/RBV + DCV was superior to peginterferon alfa/RBV in the combined population of treatment-naive patients with genotype 2 or 3 infection, with an improved tolerability and safety profile compared with alfa/RBV.

  11. Trypanosoma cruzi I genotypes in different geographic regions and transmission cycles based on a microsatellite motif of the intergenic spacer of spliced leader genes✯

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cura, Carolina I.; Mejía-Jaramillo, Ana M.; Duffy, Tomás; Burgos, Juan M.; Rodriguero, Marcela; Cardinal, Marta V.; Kjos, Sonia; Gurgel-Gonçalves, Rodrigo; Blanchet, Denis; De Pablos, Luis M.; Tomasini, Nicolás; Silva, Alex Da; Russomando, Graciela; Cuba Cuba, Cesar A.; Aznar, Christine; Abate, Teresa; Levin, Mariano J.; Osuna, Antonio; Gürtler, Ricardo E.; Diosque, Patricio; Solari, Aldo; Triana-Chávez, Omar; Schijman, Alejandro G.

    2011-01-01

    The intergenic region of spliced-leader (SL-IR) genes from 105 Trypanosoma cruzi I (Tc I) infected biological samples, culture isolates and stocks from 11 endemic countries, from Argentina to the USA were characterised, allowing identification of 76 genotypes with 54 polymorphic sites from 123 aligned sequences. On the basis of the microsatellite motif proposed by Herrera et al. (2007) to define four haplotypes in Colombia, we could classify these genotypes into four distinct Tc I SL-IR groups, three corresponding to the former haplotypes Ia (11 genotypes), Ib (11 genotypes) and Id (35 genotypes); and one novel group, Ie (19 genotypes). Genotypes harboring the Tc Ic motif were not detected in our study. Tc Ia was associated with domestic cycles in southern and northern South America and sylvatic cycles in Central and North America. Tc Ib was found in all transmission cycles from Colombia. Tc Id was identified in all transmission cycles from Argentina and Colombia, including Chagas cardiomyopathy patients, sylvatic Brazilian samples and human cases from French Guiana, Panama and Venezuela. Tc Ie gathered five samples from domestic Triatoma infestans from northern Argentina, nine samples from wild Mepraia spinolai and Mepraia gajardoi and two chagasic patients from Chile and one from a Bolivian patient with chagasic reactivation. Mixed infections by Tc Ia + Tc Id, Tc Ia + Tc Ie and Tc Id + Tc Ie were detected in vector faeces and isolates from human and vector samples. In addition, Tc Ia and Tc Id were identified in different tissues from a heart transplanted Chagas cardiomyopathy patient with reactivation, denoting histotropism. Trypanosoma cruzi I SL-IR genotypes from parasites infecting Triatoma gerstaeckeri and Didelphis virginiana from USA, T. infestans from Paraguay, Rhodnius nasutus and Rhodnius neglectus from Brazil and M. spinolai and M. gajardoi from Chile are to our knowledge described for the first time. PMID:20670628

  12. Evaluation of promising sweetpotato genotypes for high altitude ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The trials were set up to identify sweetpotato genotypes with adaptation to highland agroecologies with special reference to resistance to Ahemaria blight ... growth and at harvest, four genotypes and the local check, Magabari, bad high levels of resistance toA/Jemaria blight. Eight genotypes had total storage root yield ...

  13. Lack of detection of host associated differences in Newcastle disease viruses of genotype VIId isolated from chickens and geese

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    Wang Yuyang

    2012-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The goose is usually considered to be resistant even to strains of Newcastle disease virus (NDV that are markedly virulent for chickens. However, ND outbreaks have been frequently reported in goose flocks in China since the late 1990s with the concurrent emergence of genotype VIId NDV in chickens. Although the NDVs isolated from both chickens and geese in the past 15 years have been predominantly VIId viruses, published data comparing goose- and chicken-originated ND viruses are scarce and controversial. Results In this paper, we compared genotype VIId NDVs originated from geese and chickens genetically and pathologically. Ten entire genomic sequences and 329 complete coding sequences of individual genes from genotype VIId NDVs of both goose- and chicken-origin were analyzed. We then randomly selected two goose-originated and two chicken-originated VIId NDVs and compared their pathobiology in both geese and chickens in vivo and in vitro with genotype IV virus Herts/33 as a reference. The results showed that all the VIId NDVs either from geese or from chickens shared high sequence homology and characteristic amino acid substitutions and clustered together in phylogenetic trees. In addition, geese and chickens infected by goose or chicken VIId viruses manifested very similar pathological features distinct from those of birds infected with Herts/33. Conclusions There is no genetic or phenotypic difference between genotype VIId NDVs originated from geese and chickens. Therefore, no species-preference exists for either goose or chicken viruses and more attention should be paid to the trans-species transmission of VIId NDVs between geese and chickens for the control and eradication of ND.

  14. Design, synthesis and identification of silicon-containing HCV NS5A inhibitors with pan-genotype activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Baomin; Gai, Kuo; Qin, Hui; Liu, Xushi; Cao, Yuan; Lu, Qin; Lu, Dandan; Chen, Deyang; Shen, Hengqiao; Song, Wei; Zhang, Yang; Wang, Xiaojin; Xu, Hongjiang; Zhang, Yinsheng

    2018-03-25

    Modification of a HCV NS5A inhibitor, ombitasvir, led to the identification of 10d with improved pan-genotype NS5A inhibition and better pharmacokinetic properties. The key structural changes to ombitasvir include bioisosteric replacement of carbon with silicon atom. Compared with ombitasvir, the activity of anti-HCV genotypes (GT 1 to 6) of 10d is increased to some extent, especially the inhibitory activity against genotype 3a and 6a is increased by more than seven times, and the dog's in vivo pharmacokinetics properties were also superior to ombitasvir. Further drug evaluation showed that 10d was similar to ombitasvir on plasma protein binding and liver distribution profiles, with no cytotoxicity and no inhibitory effect on both CYP 450 and hERG ligand binding. However, permeability assay results indicated that 10d was not the substrate of P-gp or BCRP transporter, which is different from that of ombitasvir. The results of a 14-day repeat-dose toxicity study identified no toxicity with 10d. Our findings in preclinical tests suggest that the silicon-containing compound 10d could be worthy of continued study as a potential drug candidate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  15. Glutathione S-transferase M1-null genotype as risk factor for SOS in oxaliplatin-treated patients with metastatic colorectal cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vreuls, C P H; Olde Damink, S W M; Koek, G H; Winstanley, A; Wisse, E; Cloots, R H E; van den Broek, M A J; Dejong, C H C; Bosman, F T; Driessen, A

    2013-02-19

    Oxaliplatin is used as a neo-adjuvant therapy in hepatic colorectal carcinoma metastasis. This treatment has significant side effects, as oxaliplatin is toxic to the sinusoidal endothelial cells and can induce sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS), which is related to decreased overall survival. Glutathione has an important role in the defence system, catalysed by glutathione S-transferase (GST), including two non-enzyme producing polymorphisms (GSTM1-null and GSTT1-null). We hypothesise that patients with a non-enzyme producing polymorphism have a higher risk of developing toxic injury owing to oxaliplatin. In the nontumour-bearing liver, the presence of SOS was studied histopathologically. The genotype was determined by a semi-nested PCR. Thirty-two of the 55 (58%) patients showed SOS lesions, consisting of 27% mild, 22% moderate and 9% severe lesions. The GSTM1-null genotype was present in 25 of the 55 (46%). Multivariate analysis showed that the GSTM1-null genotype significantly correlated with the presence of (moderate-severe) SOS (P=0.026). The GSTM1-null genotype is an independent risk factor for SOS. This finding allows us, in association with other risk factors, to conceive a potential risk profile predicting whether the patient is at risk of developing SOS, before starting oxaliplatin, and subsequently might result in adjustment of treatment.

  16. Bacterial profiling of White Plague Disease across corals and oceans indicates a conserved and distinct disease microbiome

    KAUST Repository

    Roder, C.

    2014-01-29

    Coral diseases are characterized by microbial community shifts in coral mucus and tissue, but causes and consequences of these changes are vaguely understood due to the complexity and dynamics of coral-associated bacteria. We used 16S rRNA gene microarrays to assay differences in bacterial assemblages of healthy and diseased colonies displaying White Plague Disease (WPD) signs from two closely related Caribbean coral species, Orbicella faveolata and Orbicella franksi. Analysis of differentially abundant operational taxonomic units (OTUs) revealed strong differences between healthy and diseased specimens, but not between coral species. A subsequent comparison to data from two Indo-Pacific coral species (Pavona duerdeni and Porites lutea) revealed distinct microbial community patterns associated with ocean basin, coral species and health state. Coral species were clearly separated by site, but also, the relatedness of the underlying bacterial community structures resembled the phylogenetic relationship of the coral hosts. In diseased samples, bacterial richness increased and putatively opportunistic bacteria were consistently more abundant highlighting the role of opportunistic conditions in structuring microbial community patterns during disease. Our comparative analysis shows that it is possible to derive conserved bacterial footprints of diseased coral holobionts that might help in identifying key bacterial species related to the underlying etiopathology. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that similar-appearing disease phenotypes produce microbial community patterns that are consistent over coral species and oceans, irrespective of the putative underlying pathogen. Consequently, profiling coral diseases by microbial community structure over multiple coral species might allow the development of a comparative disease framework that can inform on cause and relatedness of coral diseases. 2013 The Authors Molecular Ecology John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  17. Lipid profile of lamb meat from different genotypes submitted to diets with different energy levels Perfil lipídico da carne ovina de diferentes genótipos mantidos com dietas com diferentes níveis energéticos

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    Roberto Germano Costa

    2009-03-01

    Full Text Available To assess the influence of genotype and diets with different energy levels on the lipid profile of sheep meat, 54 lambs were used (18 animals from each genotype: Morada Nova, Santa Inez and ½Dorper + ½Santa Inez crossbred, distributed in a completely randomized experimental design in a 3 × 2 factorial arragement (three genotypes and two diets. The animals were submitted to two diets, 2.5 Mcal ME/kg DM and 3.0 Mcal ME/kg DM, receiving feed and water to reach the desired average live weight of 30 kg, when they were slaughtered. Total lipids, cholesterol, phospholipids and fatty acids profile of the Longissimus muscle were assessed. Diet and genotype did not influence the total lipids, cholesterol and phospholipids contents. The diet with the highest energy value presented higher values for the concentration of C12:0, C14:0, C18:0, C19:0, C22:0 acids and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA in relation to that with the lowest energy value. However, for the concentrations of C15:0 acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA, the highest values were recorded for diet with the lowest energy value. Genotype and diet influenced significantly the MUFA concentration, in which ½Dorper + ½Santa Inez crossbred genotype and diet with 2.5 Mcal ME/kg DM showed the highest values. Genotype influenced the saturated fatty acids (SFA concentration, with ½Dorper + ½Santa Inez crossbred obtaining the lowest mean, behavior similar to that observed for PUFA concentrations. Desirable fatty acids (DFA, atherogenicity index as well as PUFA:SFA, MUFA:SFA, (C18:0 + C18:1:C16:0 ratios were influenced by diet and genotype. ½Dorper + ½Santa Inez crossbred and diet with 2.5 Mcal ME/kg DM obtained the best results.Para avaliar a influência do genótipo e de dietas com diferentes níveis energéticos sobre o perfil lipídico da carne ovina, foram utilizados 54 cordeiros (18 animais de cada genótipo: Morada Nova, Santa Inês e mestiço ½Dorper + ½Santa Inês distribu

  18. Mostly Heterosexual as a Distinct Sexual Orientation Group: A Systematic Review of the Empirical Evidence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savin-Williams, Ritch C.; Vrangalova, Zhana

    2013-01-01

    We reviewed empirical evidence regarding whether mostly heterosexual exists as a sexual orientation distinct from two adjacent groups on a sexual continuum--exclusively heterosexual and substantially bisexual. We addressed the question: Do mostly heterosexuals show a unique profile of sexual and romantic characteristics that distinguishes them as…

  19. Assessing accuracy of genotype imputation in American Indians.

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    Alka Malhotra

    Full Text Available Genotype imputation is commonly used in genetic association studies to test untyped variants using information on linkage disequilibrium (LD with typed markers. Imputing genotypes requires a suitable reference population in which the LD pattern is known, most often one selected from HapMap. However, some populations, such as American Indians, are not represented in HapMap. In the present study, we assessed accuracy of imputation using HapMap reference populations in a genome-wide association study in Pima Indians.Data from six randomly selected chromosomes were used. Genotypes in the study population were masked (either 1% or 20% of SNPs available for a given chromosome. The masked genotypes were then imputed using the software Markov Chain Haplotyping Algorithm. Using four HapMap reference populations, average genotype error rates ranged from 7.86% for Mexican Americans to 22.30% for Yoruba. In contrast, use of the original Pima Indian data as a reference resulted in an average error rate of 1.73%.Our results suggest that the use of HapMap reference populations results in substantial inaccuracy in the imputation of genotypes in American Indians. A possible solution would be to densely genotype or sequence a reference American Indian population.

  20. Porphyromonas gingivalis Fim-A genotype distribution among Colombians

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaramillo, Adriana; Parra, Beatriz; Botero, Javier Enrique; Contreras, Adolfo

    2015-01-01

    Introduction: Porphyromonas gingivalis is associated with periodontitis and exhibit a wide array of virulence factors, including fimbriae which is encoded by the FimA gene representing six known genotypes. Objetive: To identify FimA genotypes of P. gingivalis in subjects from Cali-Colombia, including the co-infection with Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, Treponema denticola, and Tannerella forsythia. Methods: Subgingival samples were collected from 151 people exhibiting diverse periodontal condition. The occurrence of P. gingivalis, FimA genotypes and other bacteria was determined by PCR. Results: P. gingivalis was positive in 85 patients. Genotype FimA II was more prevalent without reach significant differences among study groups (54.3%), FimA IV was also prevalent in gingivitis (13.0%). A high correlation (p= 0.000) was found among P. gingivalis, T. denticola, and T. forsythia co-infection. The FimA II genotype correlated with concomitant detection of T. denticola and T. forsythia. Conclusions: Porphyromonas gingivalis was high even in the healthy group at the study population. A trend toward a greater frequency of FimA II genotype in patients with moderate and severe periodontitis was determined. The FimA II genotype was also associated with increased pocket depth, greater loss of attachment level, and patients co-infected with T. denticola and T. forsythia. PMID:26600627

  1. Metabolic and endocrine profiles and reproductive parameters in dairy cows under grazing conditions: effect of polymorphisms in somatotropic axis genes

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    Pereira Isabel

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The present study hypothesized that GH-AluI and IGF-I-SnabI polymorphisms do change the metabolic/endocrine profiles in Holstein cows during the transition period, which in turn are associated with productive and reproductive parameters. Methods Holstein cows (Farm 1, primiparous cows, n = 110, and Farm 2, multiparous cows, n = 76 under grazing conditions were selected and GH and IGF-I genotypes were determined. Blood samples for metabolic/endocrine determinations were taken during the transition period and early lactation in both farms. Data was analyzed by farm using a repeated measures analyses including GH and IGF-I genotypes, days and interactions as fixed effects, sire and cow as random effects and calving date as covariate. Results and Discussion Frequencies of GH and IGF-I alleles were L:0.84, V:0.16 and A:0.60, B:0.40, respectively. The GH genotype was not associated with productive or reproductive variables, but interaction with days affected FCM yield in multiparous (farm 2 cows (LL yielded more than LV cows in early lactation. The GH genotype affected NEFA and IGF-I concentrations in farm 1 (LV had higher NEFA and lower IGF-I than LL cows suggesting a better energy status of LL cows. There was no effect of IGF-I genotype on productive variables, but a trend was found for FCM in farm 2 (AB cows yielded more than AA cows. IGF-I genotype affected calving first service interval in farm 1, and the interaction with days tended to affect FCM yield (AB cows had a shorter interval and yielded more FCM than BB cows. IGF-I genotype affected BHB, NEFA, and insulin concentrations in farm 1: primiparous BB cows had lower NEFA and BHB and higher insulin concentrations. In farm 2, there was no effect of IGF-I genotype, but there was an interaction with days on IGF-I concentration, suggesting a greater uncoupling somatropic axis in AB and BB than AA cows, being in accordance with greater FCM yield in AB cows. Conclusion The GH and

  2. Metabolic and endocrine profiles and reproductive parameters in dairy cows under grazing conditions: effect of polymorphisms in somatotropic axis genes

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-01-01

    Background The present study hypothesized that GH-AluI and IGF-I-SnabI polymorphisms do change the metabolic/endocrine profiles in Holstein cows during the transition period, which in turn are associated with productive and reproductive parameters. Methods Holstein cows (Farm 1, primiparous cows, n = 110, and Farm 2, multiparous cows, n = 76) under grazing conditions were selected and GH and IGF-I genotypes were determined. Blood samples for metabolic/endocrine determinations were taken during the transition period and early lactation in both farms. Data was analyzed by farm using a repeated measures analyses including GH and IGF-I genotypes, days and interactions as fixed effects, sire and cow as random effects and calving date as covariate. Results and Discussion Frequencies of GH and IGF-I alleles were L:0.84, V:0.16 and A:0.60, B:0.40, respectively. The GH genotype was not associated with productive or reproductive variables, but interaction with days affected FCM yield in multiparous (farm 2) cows (LL yielded more than LV cows) in early lactation. The GH genotype affected NEFA and IGF-I concentrations in farm 1 (LV had higher NEFA and lower IGF-I than LL cows) suggesting a better energy status of LL cows. There was no effect of IGF-I genotype on productive variables, but a trend was found for FCM in farm 2 (AB cows yielded more than AA cows). IGF-I genotype affected calving first service interval in farm 1, and the interaction with days tended to affect FCM yield (AB cows had a shorter interval and yielded more FCM than BB cows). IGF-I genotype affected BHB, NEFA, and insulin concentrations in farm 1: primiparous BB cows had lower NEFA and BHB and higher insulin concentrations. In farm 2, there was no effect of IGF-I genotype, but there was an interaction with days on IGF-I concentration, suggesting a greater uncoupling somatropic axis in AB and BB than AA cows, being in accordance with greater FCM yield in AB cows. Conclusion The GH and IGF-I genotypes had no

  3. Plant genotypic diversity reduces the rate of consumer resource utilization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McArt, Scott H; Thaler, Jennifer S

    2013-07-07

    While plant species diversity can reduce herbivore densities and herbivory, little is known regarding how plant genotypic diversity alters resource utilization by herbivores. Here, we show that an invasive folivore--the Japanese beetle (Popillia japonica)--increases 28 per cent in abundance, but consumes 24 per cent less foliage in genotypic polycultures compared with monocultures of the common evening primrose (Oenothera biennis). We found strong complementarity for reduced herbivore damage among plant genotypes growing in polycultures and a weak dominance effect of particularly resistant genotypes. Sequential feeding by P. japonica on different genotypes from polycultures resulted in reduced consumption compared with feeding on different plants of the same genotype from monocultures. Thus, diet mixing among plant genotypes reduced herbivore consumption efficiency. Despite positive complementarity driving an increase in fruit production in polycultures, we observed a trade-off between complementarity for increased plant productivity and resistance to herbivory, suggesting costs in the complementary use of resources by plant genotypes may manifest across trophic levels. These results elucidate mechanisms for how plant genotypic diversity simultaneously alters resource utilization by both producers and consumers, and show that population genotypic diversity can increase the resistance of a native plant to an invasive herbivore.

  4. Distribution of Hepatitis C Virus Genotypes in the South Marmara Region

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    Harun Agca

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Aim: Hepatitis C virus (HCV is an important caustive agent of hepatitis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma both in our country and the world. Prognosis and response to treatment is related with the genotype of HCV which has six genotypes and over a hundred quasispecies. Knowing the HCV genotype is also important for epidemiological data. In this study we aimed to investigate the HCV genotypes of samples sent to Uludag University Hospital Microbiology Laboratory which is the reference centre in the South Marmara Region. Material and Method: This study was done retrospectively to analyse the HCV patients%u2019 sera sent to our laboratory between July 2010and December 2012 for HCV genotyping. Artus HCV QS-RGQ PCR kit (Qiagene,Hilden, Germany was used in Rotor-Gene Q (Qiagene, Hilden Germany for detection of HCV RNA. HCV RNA positive samples of patients%u2019 sera were were used for genotyping by the Linear Array HCV genotyping test (Roche, NJ, USA.Results: 214 (92.6 % of total 231 patients included in the study were genotype 1, one (0.4 % was genotype 2, nine (3.9 % were genotype 3 and, seven (3.4 % were found genotype 4. Three of genotype 3 patients were of foreign nationality, two were born abroad and one of the genotype 4 patients were born abroad. Discussion: Concordant with our country data the most frequent genotype was 1, genotype 2 was seen in patients especially related with foreign countries and genotype 4 was seen rare. The importance of genotype 1, which is seen more frequent in our country and region is; resistance to antiviral treatment and prolonged treatment duration in chronic hepatitis C patients.

  5. Genetic diversity of wild and cultivated genotypes of pigeonpea through RAPD and SSR markers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Walunjkar, Babasaheb C; Parihar, Akarsh; Singh, Nirbhay Kumar; Parmar, L D

    2015-03-01

    Eight wild and four cultivated pigeonpea genotypes were subjected to RAPD and microsatellite analysis, with 40 primers each. Out of these, eight RAPD and five SSR primers were found polymorphic. RAPD primers showed 100% polymorphism and produced a total of 517 DNA fragments, whereas SSR primers produced 67 fragments and they too showed 100% polymorphism. The RAPD markers revealed highest similarity co-efficient of 0.93 (GT-100 and ICPL-87), whereas the highest similarity co-efficient obtained with SSR markers was 1.00 (GTH-1 and GT-100). Average PIC value obtained with RAPD and SSR were 0.90 and 0.18, respectively. The arithmetic mean heterozygosity and marker index were 0.90 and 22.47 respectively with RAPD marker, whereas the corresponding values for SSR markers were 0.18 and 33.66. Moreover; the four wild genotypes (Cajanus scarabaeoides, Rhyncosia rufescence, Cajanus cajanifolius and Rhyncosia canna) and the four cultivars (GTH-1, GT-100, ICPL-87 and GT-1) grouped distinctly in the same subgroups of the dendrograms obtained with both RAPD and SSR analysis. Therefore, the findings of SSR supplement and validate the results obtained with RAPD analysis.

  6. Evaluation of customised lineage-specific sets of MIRU-VNTR loci for genotyping Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates in Ghana.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Asante-Poku, Adwoa; Nyaho, Michael Selasi; Borrell, Sonia; Comas, Iñaki; Gagneux, Sebastien; Yeboah-Manu, Dorothy

    2014-01-01

    Different combinations of variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR) loci have been proposed for genotyping Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Existing VNTR schemes show different discriminatory capacity among the six human MTBC lineages. Here, we evaluated the discriminatory power of a "customized MIRU12" loci format proposed previously by Comas et al. based on the standard 24 loci defined by Supply et al. for VNTR-typing of MTBC in Ghana. One hundred and fifty-eight MTBC isolates classified into Lineage 4 and Lineage 5 were used to compare a customized lineage-specific panel of 12 MIRU-VNTR loci ("customized MIRU-12") to the standard MIRU-15 genotyping scheme. The resolution power of each typing method was determined based on the Hunter-Gaston- Discriminatory Index (HGDI). A minimal set of customized MIRU-VNTR loci for typing Lineages 4 (Euro-American) and 5 (M. africanum West African 1) strains from Ghana was defined based on the cumulative HGDI. Among the 106 Lineage 4 strains, the customized MIRU-12 identified a total of 104 distinct genotypes consisting of 2 clusters of 2 isolates each (clustering rate 1.8%), and 102 unique strains while standard MIRU-15 yielded a total of 105 different genotypes, including 1 cluster of 2 isolates (clustering rate: 0.9%) and 104 singletons. Among, 52 Lineage 5 isolates, customized MIRU-12 genotyping defined 51 patterns with 1 cluster of 2 isolates (clustering rate: 0.9%) and 50 unique strains whereas MIRU-15 classified all 52 strains as unique. Cumulative HGDI values for customized MIRU-12 for Lineages 4 and 5 were 0.98 respectively whilst that of standard MIRU-15 was 0.99. A union of loci from the customised MIRU-12 and standard MIRU-15 revealed a set of customized eight highly discriminatory loci: 4052, 2163B, 40, 4165, 2165, 10,16 and 26 with a cumulative HGDI of 0.99 for genotyping Lineage 4 and 5 strains from Ghana.

  7. Evaluation of customised lineage-specific sets of MIRU-VNTR loci for genotyping Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates in Ghana.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adwoa Asante-Poku

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Different combinations of variable number of tandem repeat (VNTR loci have been proposed for genotyping Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC. Existing VNTR schemes show different discriminatory capacity among the six human MTBC lineages. Here, we evaluated the discriminatory power of a "customized MIRU12" loci format proposed previously by Comas et al. based on the standard 24 loci defined by Supply et al. for VNTR-typing of MTBC in Ghana. METHOD: One hundred and fifty-eight MTBC isolates classified into Lineage 4 and Lineage 5 were used to compare a customized lineage-specific panel of 12 MIRU-VNTR loci ("customized MIRU-12" to the standard MIRU-15 genotyping scheme. The resolution power of each typing method was determined based on the Hunter-Gaston- Discriminatory Index (HGDI. A minimal set of customized MIRU-VNTR loci for typing Lineages 4 (Euro-American and 5 (M. africanum West African 1 strains from Ghana was defined based on the cumulative HGDI. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Among the 106 Lineage 4 strains, the customized MIRU-12 identified a total of 104 distinct genotypes consisting of 2 clusters of 2 isolates each (clustering rate 1.8%, and 102 unique strains while standard MIRU-15 yielded a total of 105 different genotypes, including 1 cluster of 2 isolates (clustering rate: 0.9% and 104 singletons. Among, 52 Lineage 5 isolates, customized MIRU-12 genotyping defined 51 patterns with 1 cluster of 2 isolates (clustering rate: 0.9% and 50 unique strains whereas MIRU-15 classified all 52 strains as unique. Cumulative HGDI values for customized MIRU-12 for Lineages 4 and 5 were 0.98 respectively whilst that of standard MIRU-15 was 0.99. A union of loci from the customised MIRU-12 and standard MIRU-15 revealed a set of customized eight highly discriminatory loci: 4052, 2163B, 40, 4165, 2165, 10,16 and 26 with a cumulative HGDI of 0.99 for genotyping Lineage 4 and 5 strains from Ghana.

  8. Analysis of pharmacogenetic traits in two distinct South African populations

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    Ikediobi Ogechi

    2011-05-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Our knowledge of pharmacogenetic variability in diverse populations is scarce, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. To bridge this gap in knowledge, we characterised population frequencies of clinically relevant pharmacogenetic traits in two distinct South African population groups. We genotyped 211 tagging single nucleotide polymorphisms (tagSNPs in 12 genes that influence antiretroviral drug disposition, in 176 South African individuals belonging to two distinct population groups residing in the Western Cape: the Xhosa (n = 109 and Cape Mixed Ancestry (CMA (n = 67 groups. The minor allele frequencies (MAFs of eight tagSNPs in six genes (those encoding the ATP binding cassette sub-family B, member 1 [ABCB1], four members of the cytochrome P450 family [CYP2A7P1, CYP2C18, CYP3A4, CYP3A5] and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 1 [UGT1A1] were significantly different between the Xhosa and CMA populations (Bonferroni p CYP2C18, CYP3A4, the gene encoding solute carrier family 22 member 6 [SLC22A6] and UGT1A1 between the two South African populations. Characterising the Xhosa and CMA population frequencies of variant alleles important for drug transport and metabolism can help to establish the clinical relevance of pharmacogenetic testing in these populations.

  9. Profiling and Quantification of Phenolics in Stevia rebaudiana Leaves.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karaköse, Hande; Müller, Anja; Kuhnert, Nikolai

    2015-10-21

    Stevia rebaudiana (Bertoni) is a plant from the Asteraceae family with significant economic value because of the steviol glycoside sweeteners in its leaves. Chlorogenic acids and flavonoid glycosides of S. rebaudiana from seven different botanical varieties cultivated over two years and harvested three times a year in eight European locations were profiled and quantified in a total of 166 samples. Compounds quantified include chlorogenic acids as well as flavonoid glycosides and aglycons. All phenolic concentration profiles show a perfect Gaussian distribution. Principal component analyses allow distinction between varieties of different geographical origin and distinction between different plant varieties. Although concentrations of all chlorogenic acids showed a positive correlation, no correlation was observed for flavonoid glycosides. Conclusions from these findings with respect to the biosynthesis and functional role of phenolics in S. rebaudiana are discussed.

  10. Phenotypic and genotypic variation in Iranian Pistachios

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    Somayeh Tayefeh Aliakbarkhani

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available As Iran is one of the richest pistachio germplasms a few studies have been conducted on different sexes of pistachio trees, in areas where this crop emerged. To this end, 40 male and female Iranian pistachio genotypes from Feizabad region, Khorasan, Iran; were evaluated using morphological characters and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD markers. For morphological assessments, 54 variables were considered to investigate similarities between and among the studied genotypes. Morphological data indicated relative superiority in some female genotypes (such as Sefid 1, Sefid Sabuni 2, Garmesiah, and Ghermezdorosht Z regarding characters such as halfcrackedness, the percentages of protein and fat content. 115 polymorphic bands were recorded with 92.83% average polymorphism among all primers. The total resolving power (Rp of the primers was 74.54. The range of genetic similarity varied from about 0.31 to about 0.70. Genotypes were segregated into eight groups at the similarity limit of 0.41. Results of present investigation could be helpful for strategic decisions for maintaining Iranian pistachio genotypes.

  11. Five factor model personality traits relate to adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder but not to their distinct neurocognitive profiles.

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    Van Dijk, Fiona E; Mostert, Jeannette; Glennon, Jeffrey; Onnink, Marten; Dammers, Janneke; Vasquez, Alejandro Arias; Kan, Cornelis; Verkes, Robbert Jan; Hoogman, Martine; Franke, Barbara; Buitelaar, Jan K

    2017-12-01

    Deficits in multiple neuropsychological domains and specific personality profiles have been observed in attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). In this study we investigated whether personality traits are related to neurocognitive profiles in adults with ADHD. Neuropsychological performance and Five Factor Model (FFM) personality traits were measured in adults with ADHD (n = 133) and healthy controls (n = 132). Three neuropsychological profiles, derived from previous community detection analyses, were investigated for personality trait differences. Irrespective of cognitive profile, participants with ADHD showed significantly higher Neuroticism and lower Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness than healthy controls. Only the FFM personality factor Openness differed significantly between the three profiles. Higher Openness was more common in those with aberrant attention and inhibition than those with increased delay discounting and atypical working memory / verbal fluency. The results suggest that the personality trait Openness, but not any other FFM factor, is linked to neurocognitive profiles in ADHD. ADHD symptoms rather than profiles of cognitive impairment have associations with personality traits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  12. Establishment of a novel two-probe real-time PCR for simultaneously quantification of hepatitis B virus DNA and distinguishing genotype B from non-B genotypes.

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    Wang, Wei; Liang, Hongpin; Zeng, Yongbin; Lin, Jinpiao; Liu, Can; Jiang, Ling; Yang, Bin; Ou, Qishui

    2014-11-01

    Establishment of a simple, rapid and economical method for quantification and genotyping of hepatitis B virus (HBV) is of great importance for clinical diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis B patients. We hereby aim to develop a novel two-probe real-time PCR for simultaneous quantification of HBV viral concentration and distinguishing genotype B from non-B genotypes. Conserved primers and TaqMan probes for genotype B and non-B genotypes were designed. The linear range, detection sensitivity, specificity and repeatability of the method were assessed. 539 serum samples from HBV-infected patients were assayed, and the results were compared with commercial HBV quantification and HBV genotyping kits. The detection sensitivity of the two-probe real-time PCR was 500IU/ml; the linear range was 10(3)-10(9)IU/ml, and the intra-assay CVs and inter-assay CVs were between 0.84% and 2.80%. No cross-reaction was observed between genotypes B and non-B. Of the 539 detected samples, 509 samples were HBV DNA positive. The results showed that 54.0% (275/509) of the samples were genotype B, 39.5% (201/509) were genotype non-B and 6.5% (33/509) were mixed genotype. The coincidence rate between the method and a commercial HBV DNA genotyping kit was 95.9% (488/509, kappa=0.923, PDNA qPCR kit were achieved. A novel two-probe real-time PCR method for simultaneous quantification of HBV viral concentration and distinguishing genotype B from non-B genotypes was established. The assay was sensitive, specific and reproducible which can be applied to areas prevalent with HBV genotypes B and C, especially in China. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Diagnostic reproducibility of hydatidiform moles: ancillary techniques (p57 immunohistochemistry and molecular genotyping) improve morphologic diagnosis for both recently trained and experienced gynecologic pathologists.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gupta, Mamta; Vang, Russell; Yemelyanova, Anna V; Kurman, Robert J; Li, Fanghong Rose; Maambo, Emily C; Murphy, Kathleen M; DeScipio, Cheryl; Thompson, Carol B; Ronnett, Brigitte M

    2012-12-01

    Distinction of hydatidiform moles from nonmolar specimens (NMs) and subclassification of hydatidiform moles as complete hydatidiform mole (CHM) and partial hydatidiform mole (PHM) are important for clinical practice and investigational studies; however, diagnosis based solely on morphology is affected by interobserver variability. Molecular genotyping can distinguish these entities by discerning androgenetic diploidy, diandric triploidy, and biparental diploidy to diagnose CHMs, PHMs, and NMs, respectively. Eighty genotyped cases (27 CHMs, 27 PHMs, 26 NMs) were selected from a series of 200 potentially molar specimens previously diagnosed using p57 immunohistochemistry and genotyping. Cases were classified by 6 pathologists (3 faculty level gynecologic pathologists and 3 fellows) on the basis of morphology, masked to p57 immunostaining and genotyping results, into 1 of 3 categories (CHM, PHM, or NM) during 2 diagnostic rounds; a third round incorporating p57 immunostaining results was also conducted. Consensus diagnoses (those rendered by 2 of 3 pathologists in each group) were also determined. Performance of experienced gynecologic pathologists versus fellow pathologists was compared, using genotyping results as the gold standard. Correct classification of CHMs ranged from 59% to 100%; there were no statistically significant differences in performance of faculty versus fellows in any round (P-values of 0.13, 0.67, and 0.54 for rounds 1 to 3, respectively). Correct classification of PHMs ranged from 26% to 93%, with statistically significantly better performance of faculty versus fellows in each round (P-values of 0.04, <0.01, and <0.01 for rounds 1 to 3, respectively). Correct classification of NMs ranged from 31% to 92%, with statistically significantly better performance of faculty only in round 2 (P-values of 1.0, <0.01, and 0.61 for rounds 1 to 3, respectively). Correct classification of all cases combined ranged from 51% to 75% by morphology and 70% to 80

  14. Genotype-Specific Measles Transmissibility: A Branching Process Analysis.

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    Ackley, Sarah F; Hacker, Jill K; Enanoria, Wayne T A; Worden, Lee; Blumberg, Seth; Porco, Travis C; Zipprich, Jennifer

    2018-04-03

    Substantial heterogeneity in measles outbreak sizes may be due to genotype-specific transmissibility. Using a branching process analysis, we characterize differences in measles transmission by estimating the association between genotype and the reproduction number R among postelimination California measles cases during 2000-2015 (400 cases, 165 outbreaks). Assuming a negative binomial secondary case distribution, we fit a branching process model to the distribution of outbreak sizes using maximum likelihood and estimated the reproduction number R for a multigenotype model. Genotype B3 is found to be significantly more transmissible than other genotypes (P = .01) with an R of 0.64 (95% confidence interval [CI], .48-.71), while the R for all other genotypes combined is 0.43 (95% CI, .28-.54). This result is robust to excluding the 2014-2015 outbreak linked to Disneyland theme parks (referred to as "outbreak A" for conciseness and clarity) (P = .04) and modeling genotype as a random effect (P = .004 including outbreak A and P = .02 excluding outbreak A). This result was not accounted for by season of introduction, age of index case, or vaccination of the index case. The R for outbreaks with a school-aged index case is 0.69 (95% CI, .52-.78), while the R for outbreaks with a non-school-aged index case is 0.28 (95% CI, .19-.35), but this cannot account for differences between genotypes. Variability in measles transmissibility may have important implications for measles control; the vaccination threshold required for elimination may not be the same for all genotypes or age groups.

  15. Oilseed rape genotypes response to boron toxicity

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    Savić Jasna

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Response of 16 oilseed rape genotypes to B (boron toxicity was analyzed by comparing the results of two experiments conducted in a glasshouse. In Experiment 1 plants were grown in standard nutrient solutions with 10 µMB (control and 1000 µM B. Relative root and shoot growth varied from 20-120% and 31-117%, respectively. Variation in B concentration in shoots was also wide (206.5-441.7 µg B g-1 DW as well as total B uptake by plant (62.3-281.2 µg B g1. Four selected genotypes were grown in Experiment 2 in pots filled with high B soil (8 kg ha-1 B; B8. Shoot growth was not affected by B8 treatment, while root and shoot B concentration was significantly increased compared to control. Genotypes Panther and Pronto which performed low relative root and shoot growth and high B accumulation in plants in Experiment 1, had good growth in B8 treatment. In Experiment 2 genotype NS-L-7 had significantly lower B concentration in shots under treatment B8, but also very high B accumulation in Experiment 1. In addition, cluster analyses classified genotypes in three groups according to traits contrasting in their significance for analyzing response to B toxicity. The first group included four varieties based on their shared characteristics that have small value for the relative growth of roots and shoots and large values of B concentration in shoot. In the second largest group were connected ten genotypes that are heterogeneous in traits and do not stand out on any characteristic. Genotypes NS-L-7 and Navajo were separated in the third group because they had big relative growth of root and shoot, but also a high concentration of B in the shoot, and high total B uptake. Results showed that none of tested genotypes could not be recommended for breeding process to tolerance for B toxicity. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. OI 173028

  16. Comparative analysis of distinctive transcriptome profiles with biochemical evidence in bisphenol S- and benzo[a]pyrene-exposed liver tissues of the olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus.

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    Jee-Hyun Jung

    Full Text Available Flounder is a promising model species for environmental monitoring of coastal regions. To assess the usefulness of liver transcriptome profiling, juvenile olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus were exposed to two pollutants, bisphenol S (BPS and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, which have different chemical characteristics and have distinct modes of metabolic action in teleost. Six hours after intraperitoneal injection with BPS (50 mg/kg bw or BaP (20 mg/kg bw, liver transcriptomes were analyzed using the Illumina Hiseq 3000 platform. Interestingly, the transcriptome was highly sensitive and was distinctively expressed in response to each chemical. The primary effect of BPS was significantly increased transcription of egg process and vitellogenesis related genes, including vitellogenins (vtg1, vtg2, zona pellucida sperm-binding proteins (zp3, zp4, and estrogen receptors (erα, erβ, with increases in plasma 17β-estradiol (E2 and vitellogenin (VTG concentrations. Following BaP treatment, detoxification- and biotransformation-related genes such as cyp1a1 and UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (ugt1a1 were significantly increased, with an increase in EROD activity. In both transcriptomes, mRNA expression of genes involved in antioxidant defense systems was increased, while genes involved in innate immunity were decreased upon BPS or BaP exposure with a decrease in complement activity. This study provides useful insight into the chemical-specific hepatic transcriptional response of P. olivaceus and suggests a basis for further studies examining biomarker application of liver transcriptomes for environmental pollution.

  17. Worldwide Genotyping in the Planktonic Foraminifer Globoconella inflata: Implications for Life History and Paleoceanography

    Science.gov (United States)

    Morard, Raphaël; Quillévéré, Frédéric; Douady, Christophe J.; de Vargas, Colomban; de Garidel-Thoron, Thibault; Escarguel, Gilles

    2011-01-01

    The planktonic foraminiferal morpho-species Globoconella inflata is widely used as a stratigraphic and paleoceanographic index. While G. inflata was until now regarded as a single species, we show that it rather constitutes a complex of two pseudo-cryptic species. Our study is based on SSU and ITS rDNA sequence analyses and genotyping of 497 individuals collected at 49 oceanic stations covering the worldwide range of the morpho-species. Phylogenetic analyses unveil the presence of two divergent genotypes. Type I inhabits transitional and subtropical waters of both hemispheres, while Type II is restricted to the Antarctic subpolar waters. The two genetic species exhibit a strictly allopatric distribution on each side of the Antarctic Subpolar Front. On the other hand, sediment data show that G. inflata was restricted to transitional and subtropical environments since the early Pliocene, and expanded its geographic range to southern subpolar waters ∼700 kyrs ago, during marine isotopic stage 17. This datum may correspond to a peripatric speciation event that led to the partition of an ancestral genotype into two distinct evolutionary units. Biometric measurements performed on individual G. inflata from plankton tows north and south of the Antarctic Subpolar Front indicate that Types I and II display slight but significant differences in shell morphology. These morphological differences may allow recognition of the G. inflata pseudo-cryptic species back into the fossil record, which in turn may contribute to monitor past movements of the Antarctic Subpolar Front during the middle and late Pleistocene. PMID:22028935

  18. Hepatitis C Virus: Viral Quasispecies and Genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsukiyama-Kohara, Kyoko; Kohara, Michinori

    2017-12-22

    Hepatitis C virus (HCV) mainly replicates in the cytoplasm, where it easily establishes persistent infection, resulting in chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Due to its high rate of mutation, HCV forms viral quasispecies, categorized based on the highly variable regions in the envelope protein and nonstructural 5A protein. HCV possesses seven major genotypes, among which genotype 1 is the most prevalent globally. The distribution of HCV genotypes varies based on geography, and each genotype has a different sensitivity to interferon treatment. Recently-developed direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), which target viral proteases or polymerases, mediate drastically better antiviral effects than previous therapeutics. Although treatment with DAAs has led to the development of drug-resistant HCV mutants, the most recently approved DAAs show improved pan-genomic activity, with a higher barrier to viral resistance.

  19. Response of cotton genotypes to boron under-b-adequate conditions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shah, J. A.; Sial, M. A.; Hassan, Z. U.; Rajpar, I.

    2015-01-01

    Balanced boron (B) application is well-known to enhance the cotton production; however, the narrow range between B-deficiency and toxicity levels makes it difficult to manage. Cotton genotypes extensively differ in their response to B requirements. The adequate dose of B for one genotype may be insufficient or even toxic to other genotype. The effects of boron (B) on seed cotton yield and its various yield associated traits were studied on 10 cotton genotypes of Pakistan. The pot studies were undertaken to categorize cotton genotypes using B-deficient (control) and B-adequate (2.0 kg B ha-1) levels arranged in CRD with four repeats. The results indicated that the seed cotton yield, yield attributes and B-uptake of genotypes were comparatively decreased in B-deficient stressed treatment. Genotype NIA-Ufaq exhibited wide range of adaptation and ranked as efficient-responsive, as it produced higher seed cotton yield under both B-regimes. SAU-2 and CIM-506 were highly-efficient and remaining all genotypes were medium-efficient. Genotype Sindh-1 produced low seed cotton yield under B deficient condition and ranked as low-efficient. B-efficient cotton genotypes can be grown in B deficient soils without B application. (author)

  20. Micropropagation of six Paulownia genotypes through tissue culture

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    Lydia Shtereva

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available We investigated the effect of genotype and culture medium on the in vitro germination and development of plantlets from seeds of 6 different Paulownia genotypes (P. tomentosa, hybrid lines P. tomentosa P. fortunei (Mega, Ganter and Caroline, P. elongata and hybrid line P. elongata P. fortunei. Nodal and shoot tip explants were used for micropropagation of Paulownia genotypes by manipulating plant growth regulators. The highest germination percentage for all genotypes was obtained for seeds inoculated on medium supplemented with 50 mg*L GA3 (MSG2. On Thidiazuron containing media, the explants of hybrid line P. elongata P. fortunei exhibited the highest frequency of axillary shoot proliferation following by P. tomentosa P. fortunei. The results are discussed with the perspective of applying an improved protocol for in vitro seed germination and plantlet formation in several economically valuable Paulownia genotypes.