Life Sciences Commons^™

Beef Cattle Body Temperature During Climatic Stress: A Genome-Wide Association Study, Jeremy T. Howard, Stephen D. Kachman, Warren M. Snelling, E. John Pollak, Daniel C. Ciobanu, Larry A. Kuehn, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Cattle are reared in diverse environments and collecting phenotypic body temperature (BT) measurements to characterize BT variation across diverse environments is difficult and expensive. To better understand the genetic basis of BT regulation, a genome-wide association study was conducted utilizing crossbred steers and heifers totaling 239 animals of unknown pedigree and breed fraction. During predicted extreme heat and cold stress events, hourly tympanic and vaginal BT devices were placed in steers and heifers, respect i v e l y. I n d i v i dua l s we r e genotyped with t h e BovineSNP50K_v2 assay and data …

Loss Of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A (Vegfa) Isoforms In The Testes Of Male Mice Causes Subfertility, Reduces Sperm Numbers, And Alters Expression Of Genes That Regulate Undifferentiated Spermatogonia, Ningxia Lu, Kevin M. De Avila, Debra T. Clopton, William E. Pohlmeier, Vanessa M. Brauer, Renee M. Mcfee, John S. Weber, Napoleone Ferrara, David W. Silversides, Andrea S. Cupp

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) isoform treatment has been demonstrated to alter spermatogonial stem cell homeostasis. Therefore, we generated pDmrt1-Cre;Vegfa^−/− (knockout, KO) mice by crossing pDmrt1-Cre mice to floxed Vegfa mice to test whether loss of all VEGFA isoforms in Sertoli and germ cells would impair spermatogenesis. When first mated, KO males took 14 days longer to get control females pregnant (P < .02) and tended to take longer for all subsequent parturition intervals (9 days; P < .07). Heterozygous males sired fewer pups per litter (P < .03) and after the first litter took 10 days longer (P < .05) to impregnate females, suggesting a more progressive loss of fertility. Reproductive organs were collected from 6-month-old male mice. There were fewer sperm per tubule in the corpus epididymides (P < .001) and fewer ZBTB16-stained undifferentiated spermatogonia (P < .003) in the testes of KO males. Testicular mRNA abundance for Bcl2 (P < .02), Bcl2:Bax (P < .02), Neurog3 (P < .007), and Ret was greater (P = .0005), tended to be greater for Sin3a and tended to be reduced for total Foxo1 (P < .07) in KO males. Immunofluorescence for CD31 and VE-Cadherin showed no differences in testis vasculature; however, CD31-positive staining was evident in undifferentiated spermatogonia only in KO testes. Therefore, loss of VEGFA isoforms in Sertoli and germ cells alters genes necessary for long-term maintenance of undifferentiated spermatogonia, ultimately reducing sperm numbers and resulting in subfertility.

Atf3 Expression In The Corpus Luteum: Possible Role In Luteal Regression, Dagan Mao, Xiaoying Hou, Heather Talbott, Robert A. Cushman, Andrea S. Cupp, John S. Davis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The present study investigated the induction and possible role of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) in the corpus luteum. Postpubertal cattle were treated at midcycle with prostaglandin F2α(PGF) for 0–4 hours. Luteal tissue was processed for immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and isolation of protein and RNA. Ovaries were also collected from midluteal phase and first-trimester pregnant cows. Luteal cells were prepared and sorted by centrifugal elutriation to obtain purified small (SLCs) and large luteal cells (LLCs). Real-time PCR and in situ hybridization showed that ATF3 mRNA increased within 1 hour of PGF treatment in vivo. Western blot and immunohistochemistry demonstrated …

The Roles Of Phenotypic Plasticity And Genotypic Specialization In High Altitude Adaptation, Danielle M. Tufts

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

In vertebrates living at high altitude, arterial hypoxemia may be ameliorated by reversible changes in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood (regulated by erythropoiesis) and/or changes in blood–oxygen affinity (regulated by allosteric effectors of hemoglobin function). These hematological traits often differ between taxa that are native to different elevational zones, but it is often unknown whether the observed physiological differences reflect fixed, genetically based differences or environmentally induced acclimatization responses (phenotypic plasticity). Here, we report measurements of hematological traits related to blood–O₂ transport in populations of deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) that are native to high- and low-altitude …

Demonstration Of Crispr/Cas9/Sgrna-Mediated Targeted Gene Modification In Arabidopsis, Tobacco, Sorghum And Rice, Wen Zhi Jiang, Huanbin Zhou, Honghao Bi, Michael E. Fromm, Bing Yang, Donald P. Weeks

Department of Biochemistry: Faculty Publications

The type II CRISPR/Cas system from Streptococcus pyogenes and its simplified derivative, the Cas9/ single guide RNA (sgRNA) system, have emerged as potent new tools for targeted gene knockout in bacteria, yeast, fruit fly, zebrafish and human cells. Here, we describe adaptations of these systems leading to successful expression of the Cas9/ sgRNA system in two dicot plant species, Arabidopsis and tobacco, and two monocot crop species, rice and sorghum. Agrobacterium tumefaciens was used for delivery of genes encoding Cas9, sgRNA and a non-fuctional, mutant green fluorescence protein (GFP) to Arabidopsis and tobacco. The mutant GFP gene contained target sites …

Genome-Wide Prediction Of Age At Puberty And Reproductive Longevity In Sows, Julie Kathleen Tart, Rodger K. Johnson, Justin W. Bundy, N. N. Ferdinand, A. M. Mcknite, Jennifer R. Wood, Phillip S. Miller, M. F. Rothschild, Matthew L. Spangler, Dorian J. Garrick, Stephen D. Kachman, Daniel C. Ciobanu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Traditional selection for sow reproductive longevity is ineffective due to low heritability and late expression of the trait. Incorporation of DNA markers into selection programs is potentially a more practical approach for improving sow lifetime productivity. Using a resource population of crossbred gilts, we explored pleiotropic sources of variation that influence age at puberty and reproductive longevity. Of the traits recorded before breeding, only age at puberty significantly affected the probability that females would produce a first parity litter. The genetic variance explained by 1-Mb windows of the sow genome, compared across traits, uncovered regions that influence both age at …

Using High-Fiber Diets To Limit Energy Intake In Developing Gilts: Effects On Puberty, Reproduction, Culling Rates, Lifetime Productivity, And Progeny Health And Growth, Phillip S. Miller, Rodger Johnson, Justin Bundy, Daniel Ciobanu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A total of 182 gilts were used to evaluate the effects of limiting energy intake during development compared to traditional corn-soybean meal based diets using the addition of soybean hulls to reduce caloric intake with ad libitum access to feed. The gilt developmental period consisted of 110 days, from 120 to 230 days of age. Data collected during development included body weight, backfat, longissimus muscle area, and feed intake, every 2 weeks. Estrus detection was conducted on a daily basis until breeding. Females were maintained in the breeding groups for 4 parities (785 days of age), at which time data …

Characterization Of Resistance To The Cry1f Toxin From Bacillus Thuringiensis In Resistant Fall Armyworm, Spodoptera Frugiperda (J. E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) From Puerto Rico, Ana Maria Velez

Department of Entomology: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Transgenic corn expressing Cry1F protein from Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner has been registered for Spodoptera frugiperda control since 2003. Unexpected damage to Cry1F corn was reported in 2006 in Puerto Rico and Cry1F resistance in S. frugiperda was documented. The inheritance of Cry1F resistance was characterized in a S. frugiperda resistant strain from Puerto Rico which displayed >387-fold resistance to Cry1F. Concentration-response bioassays of reciprocal crosses of resistant and susceptible parental populations indicated that resistance is recessive and autosomal. Bioassays of the backcross of the F₁ generation crossed with the resistant parental strain suggest that a single locus is responsible …

Small Interfering Rna-Mediated Translation Repression Alters Ribosome Sensitivity To Inhibition By Cycloheximide In Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Xinrong Ma

School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

RNA interference (RNAi) is an evolutionarily conserved gene silencing mechanism in eukaryotes, with regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes, including cell cycle, cell differentiation, physiological and metabolic pathways, and stress responses. RNAi can function by transcriptional silencing, mRNA target cleavage, translation repression and/or DNA elimination. In this study, we used the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a model system to study RNAi-mediated translation repression. We demonstrated that small RNAs (sRNAs) generated from exogenously introduced inverted repeat transgenes, with perfect complementarity to the 3’UTR of a target transcript, can inhibit protein synthesis, without or with only minimal mRNA …

Genome-Wide Association Analyses Of Sow Reproduction And Lifetime Productivity, Daniel Ciobanu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Concurrent with increased prolificacy, high sow death losses and replacement rates are serious economic and welfare issues facing producers. Reproductive failure is the most frequent reason for culling sows. Lifetime productivity is characterized by moderate heritability and high phenotypic variance and, as a result, substantial genetic variation is expected to exist in most populations. Traditional selection for sow reproductive longevity results is ineffective due to low heritability and late expression of the trait. The primary goal of this research project was to identify DNA markers associated with reproductive and sow lifetime productivity that can be used in nucleus herds to …

The Voltage-Sensing Domain Of A Phosphatase Gates The Pore Of A Potassium Channel, Cristina Arrigoni, Indra Schroeder, Giulia Romani, James L. Van Etten, Gerhard Thiel, Anna Moroni

James Van Etten Publications

The modular architecture of voltage-gated K⁺ (Kv) channels suggests that they resulted from the fusion of a voltage-sensing domain (VSD) to a pore module. Here, we show that the VSD of Ciona intestinalis phosphatase (Ci-VSP) fused to the viral channel Kcv creates Kv_Synth1, a functional voltage-gated, outwardly rectifying K⁺ channel. Kv_Synth1 displays the summed features of its individual components: pore properties of Kcv (selectivity and filter gating) and voltage dependence of Ci-VSP (V1/2 = +56 mV; z of approx. 1), including the depolarizationinduced mode shift. The degree of outward rectification of the channel is critically …

No Evidence For A Relationship Between Hemolymph Ecdysteroid Levels And Female Reproductive Behavior In Schizocosa Wolf Spiders, Reed M. Stubbendieck, Anthony J. Zera, Eileen A. Hebets

Eileen Hebets Publications

This study used radioimmunoassay (RIA) to explore the relationship between levels of hemolymph ecdysteroids and female reproductive behavior in Schizocosa wolf spiders. Specifically, we investigated the relationship between circulating ecdysteroid concentrations in females and 1) likelihood to copulate, or female receptivity [Experiment I— Schizocosa avida (Walckenaer 1837)], 2) time post copulation (Experiment 2— Schizocosa rovneri Uetz & Dondale 1979) and 3) exposure to conspecific male courtship (Experiment 3— Schizocosa uetzi Stratton 1997). In Experiment 1, we expected higher levels of circulating ecdysteroids in receptive versus unreceptive females, based upon prior research demonstrating an increase in receptivity following injections of 20-hydroexyedysone …

Diversification Under Sexual Selection: The Relative Roles Of Mate Preference Strength And The Degree Of Divergence In Mate Preferences, Rafael L. Rodríguez, Janette W. Boughman, David A. Gray, Eileen A. Hebets, Gerlinde Höbel, Laurel B. Symes

Eileen Hebets Publications

The contribution of sexual selection to diversification remains poorly understood after decades of research. This may be in part because studies have focused predominantly on the strength of sexual selection, which offers an incomplete view of selection regimes. By contrast, students of natural selection focus on environmental differences that help compare selection regimes across populations. To ask how this disparity in focus may affect the conclusions of evolutionary research, we relate the amount of diversification in mating displays to quantitative descriptions of the strength and the amount of divergence in mate preferences across a diverse set of case studies of …

A Virus-Encoded Potassium Ion Channel Is A Structural Protein In The Chlorovirus Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus 1 Virion, Giulia Romani, Adrianna Piotrowski, Stefan Hillmer, James Gurnon, James L. Van Etten, Anna Morani, Gerhard Thiel, Brigitte Hertel

James Van Etten Publications

Most chloroviruses encode small K+ channels, which are functional in electrophysiological assays. The experimental finding that initial steps in viral infection exhibit the same sensitivity to channel inhibitors as the viral K+ channels has led to the hypothesis that the channels are structural proteins located in the internal membrane of the virus particles. This hypothesis was questioned recently because proteomic studies failed to detect the channel protein in virions of the prototype chlorovirus Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1). Here, we used a mAb raised against the functional K+ channel from chlorovirus MA-1D to search for the viral K+ channel …

Potassium Ion Channels: Could They Have Evolved From Viruses?1[W], Gerhard Thiel, Anna Moroni, Guillaume Blanc, James L. Van Etten

James Van Etten Publications

Cells communicate among themselves by electrical activity. Sophisticated membrane-embedded proteins, called ion channels, catalyze rapid, selective, and regulated ion fluxes across membranes (Hille, 2001). The resulting membrane currents are responsible for neuronal activity and the systemic propagation of electrical signals in animals. The activity of some channels is important for muscle movement in animals or growth in plants; other channels sense the concentration of physiological signals and modulate key processes in all kinds of eukaryotic cells. Among the many diverse ion channels in higher organisms, K+ channels are among the most important. One feature of K+ channels is that they …

A Virus-Encoded Potassium Ion Channel Is A Structural Protein In The Chlorovirus Paramecium Bursaria Chlorella Virus 1 Virion, Giulia Romani, Adrianna Piotrowski, Stefan Hillmer, James Gurnon, James L. Van Etten, Anna Moroni, Gerhard Thiel, Brigitte Hertel

James Van Etten Publications

Most chloroviruses encode small K+ channels, which are functional in electrophysiological assays. The experimental finding that initial steps in viral infection exhibit the same sensitivity to channel inhibitors as the viral K+ channels has led to the hypothesis that the channels are structural proteins located in the internal membrane of the virus particles. This hypothesis was questioned recently because proteomic studies failed to detect the channel protein in virions of the prototype chlorovirus Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus 1 (PBCV-1). Here, we used a mAb raised against the functional K+ channel from chlorovirus MA-1D to search for the viral K+ channel …

Global Neuroaids Roundtable, Jeymohan Joseph, Cristian L. Achim, Michael J. Boivin, Bruce J. Brew, David B. Clifford, Deborah A. Colosi, Ronald J. Ellis, Robert K. Heaton, Amadou Gallo-Diop, Igor Grant, Georgette D. Kanmogne, Mahendra Kumar, Scott Letendre, Thomas D. Marcotte, Avindra Nath, Carlos A. Pardo, Robert H. Paul, Lynn Pulliam, Kevin Robertson, Walter Royal Iii, Ned Sacktor, Pasiri Sithinamsuwan, Davey M. Smith, Victor Valcour, Brian Wigdahl, Charles Wood

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

In May 2012, the Division of AIDS Research at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) organized the “Global NeuroAIDS Roundtable” in conjunction with the 11th International Symposium on Neurovirology and the 2012 Conference on HIV in the Nervous System. The meeting was held in New York, NY, USA and brought together NIMH-funded investigators who are currently working on projects related to the neurological complications of AIDS (NeuroAIDS) in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America in order to provide an opportunity to share their recent findings and discuss the challenges encountered within each country. The major goals of the …

Molecular Architecture Of The Uncleaved Hiv-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Trimer, Youdong Mao, Luis Castillo-Menendez, Liping Wang, Christopher Gu, Alon Herschhorn, Anik Désormeaux, Andrés Finzi, Shi-Hua Xiang, Joseph Sodroski

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) envelope glycoprotein (Env) trimer, a membrane-fusing machine, mediates virus entry into host cells and is the sole virusspecific target for neutralizing antibodies. Binding the receptors, CD4 and CCR5/CXCR4, triggers Env conformational changes from the metastable unliganded state to the fusion-active state. We used cryo-electron microscopy to obtain a 6-Å structure of the membranebound, heavily glycosylated HIV-1 Env trimer in its uncleaved and unliganded state. The spatial organization of secondary structure elements reveals that the unliganded conformations of both gp120 and gp41 subunits differ from those induced by receptor binding. The gp120 trimer association domains, which …

Certified Angus, Certified Patriot: Breeding, Bodies, And Pedigree Practices, Scout Calvert

UNL Libraries: Faculty Publications

The pedigree chart is a cornerstone technology for producing bodies and value in livestock pure breeding. It organizes a cluster of processes, technologies, and discourses gathered under the rubric “pedigree practices.” Angus breeders commonly use artificial insemination to import performance “genetics” into their herds, using the “expected progeny differences” predicted by massive pedigree databases that now also contain phenotype data reported by cattle growers. Discourses of biological inheritance, good breeding, and pedigrees arose in the eighteenth century, concomitant with a fascination with races, species, and other biological kinds. A case study from Angus cattle breeding illustrates pedigree practices and the …

Nitrogen Input Effects On Herbage Accumulation And Presence Of Pasture Plant Species, John A. Guretzky, Walter Schacht, Laura Snell, Jonathan Soper, Stephanie Moore, Andrea Watson

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Long-term responses of pasture plant species to management strategies that vary amount and form of N inputs form a knowledge gap. Our objective was to determine how supplementation of grazing beef cattle (Bos taurus) with corn (Zea mays L.) dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) in unfertilized pasture (SUPP) affects annual herbage accumulation and presence of plant species and functional groups relative to unsupplemented beef cattle on unfertilized (CONT) and N-fertilized (FERT) smooth bromegrass (Bromus inermis Leyss.) pasture. We addressed this objective in the sixth (2010) and seventh (2011) years of a long-term experiment in eastern …

Characterization Of Three Chlorella Sorokiniana Strains In Anaerobic Digested Effluent From Cattle Manure, Naoko Kobayashi, Eric A. Schacht, Austin Barnes, Andrea K. Watson, Julian N. Rosenberg, Galen Erickson, George A. Oyler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Chlorella sorokiniana CS-01, UTEX 1230 and UTEX 2714 were maintained in 10% anaerobic digester effluent (ADE) from cattle manure digestion and compared with algal cultivation in Bold’s Basal Medium (BBM). Biomass of CS-01 and UTEX 1230 in ADE produced similar or greater than 280 mg/L after 21 days in BBM, however, UTEX 2714 growth in ADE was suppressed by more than 50% demonstrating a significant species bias to synthetic compared to organic waste-based media. The highest accumulation of protein and starch was exhibited in UTEX 1230 in ADE yielding 34% and 23% ash free dry weight (AFDW), respectively, though fatty …

The Effect Of Soluble Uterine Factors On Porcine Embryo Development Within A Three-Dimensional Alginate Matrix System, Catherine Sargus-Patino, Elane C. Wells, Jeremy R. Miles, Angela K. Pannier

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Between day 10 and 12 of gestation in the pig, the embryo undergoes a dramatic morphological change, known as elongation. During elongation the embryo produces and secretes estrogen, which serves as a key signal for maternal recognition of pregnancy. The uterine environment prepares for embryo elongation and implantation by releasing nutrients, metabolites, and hormones in a time-dependent manner relative to paracrine signals from the conceptus (i.e., estrogen) and endocrine/paracrine signals within the endometrium (i.e., progesterone). Despite advances in identification of specific uterine factors present throughout pregnancy in the pig, little is known about the exact mechanisms by which porcine embryos …

Comparison Of Molecular Breeding Values Based On Within- And Across-Breed Training In Beef Cattle, Stephen D. Kachman, Matthew L. Spangler, Gary L. Bennett, Kathryn J. Hanford, Larry Kuehn, Warren M. Snelling, R. M. Thallman, Mahdi Saatchi, Dorian J. Garrick, R. D. Schnabel, Jeremy F. Taylor, E. John Pollak

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Although the efficacy of genomic predictors based on within-breed training looks promising, it is necessary to develop and evaluate across-breed predictors for the technology to be fully applied in the beef industry. The efficacies of genomic predictors trained in one breed and utilized to predict genetic merit in differing breeds based on simulation studies have been reported, as have the efficacies of predictors trained using data from multiple breeds to predict the genetic merit of purebreds. However, comparable studies using beef cattle field data have not been reported.

Methods: Molecular breeding values for weaning and yearling weight …

Genetic Evaluation Of Days To Harvest In Crossbred Lambs, R. M. Lewis, G. C. Marquez, M. H. Davies, D. R. Notter, Rainer Roehe, L. Bünger, G. Simm

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Days to harvest (DTH) is the number of days a lamb is fed before reaching a target level of fatness. Although economically relevant, this trait has not been thoroughly evaluated in sheep. Most lambs harvested in the United Kingdom are crossbreds sired by purebred terminal sires, with Charollais, Suffolk, and Texel most commonly used. Sires from these breeds were selected on an index designed to increase lean growth while constraining fat. The purpose of this research was to 1) evaluate the effects of index selection in terminal sires on DTH and 2) evaluate the feasibility of incorporating DTH into genetic …

Review: Life-Cycle, Total-Industry Genetic Improvement Of Feed Efficiency In Beef Cattle: Blueprint For The Beef Improvement Federation, Merlyn K. Nielsen, M. D. Macneil, J. C. M. Dekkers, D. H. Crews Jr., T. A. Rathje, R. Mark Enns, R. L. Weaber

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

On a life-cycle basis, beef animals are able to consume large amounts of low-cost, low-quality forages relative to higher-cost concentrates compared with pigs and chickens. However, of the 3, beef is still more expensive to produce on a cost–per–edible pound basis. Accordingly, there is need for genetic programs and management changes that will improve efficiency, sustainability, and profitability of beef production. Options include improving reproductive rate, reducing feed used for maintenance, or both, while not reducing output. A goal for improving efficiency of feed utilization is to reduce the amount or proportion of feed used for maintenance. Such reduction is …

Effect Of Rate Of Body Weight Gain In Steers During The Stocker Phase. I. Growth, Partitioning Of Fat Among Depots, And Carcass Characteristics Of Growing-Finishing Beef Cattle, E. D. Sharman, P. A. Johnson, C. P. Mcmurphy, A. J. Garmyn, B. J. Pye, G. G. Mafi, C. L. Goad, W. A. Phillips, J. D. Starkey, C. R. Krehbiel, G. W. Horn

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of growth rate to similar age or BW on fat deposition in stocker cattle grazing dormant native range (DNR) or winter wheat pasture (WP). In each experiment, fall-weaned Angus steers were randomly allotted to 1 of 4 stocker production programs: 1) control, 1.02 kg/d of a 40% CP cottonseed mealbased supplement during grazing of DNR (CON); 2) corn/soybean meal-based supplement fed at 1% of BW during grazing of DNR (CORN); 3) grazing WP at a high stocking rate to achieve a low rate of BW gain (LGWP); and 4) grazing WP at …

Afraid To Help: Social Anxiety Partially Mediates The Association Between 5-Httlpr Triallelic Genotype And Prosocial Behavior, Scott F. Stoltenberg, Christa C. Christ, Gustavo Carlo

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

There is growing evidence that the serotonin system influences prosocial behavior. We examined whether anxiety mediated the association between variation in the serotonin transporter gene regulatory region (5-HTTLPR) and prosocial behavior. We collected self-reported tendencies to avoid certain situations and history of helping others using standard instruments and buccal cells for standard 5-HTTLPR genotyping from 398 undergraduate students. Triallelic 5-HTTLPR genotype was significantly associated with prosocial behavior and the effect was partially mediated by social anxiety, such that those carrying the S′ allele reported higher levels of social avoidance and lower rates of helping others. These results are consistent with …

Impulsiveness Mediates The Association Between Gabra2 Snps And Lifetime Alcohol Problems, S. Villafuerte, V. Strumba, S. F. Stoltenberg, R. A. Zucker, M. Burmeister

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Genetic variants in GABRA2 have previously been shown to be associated with alcohol measures, electroencephalography (EEG) β waves and impulsiveness-related traits. Impulsiveness is a behavioral risk factor for alcohol and other substance abuse. Here, we tested association between 11 variants in GABRA2 with NEO-impulsiveness and problem drinking. Our sample of 295 unrelated adult subjects was from a community of families with at least one male with DSM-IV alcohol use diagnosis, and from a socioeconomically comparable control group. Ten GABRA2 SNPs (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) were associated with the NEO-impulsiveness (P < 0.03). The alleles associated with higher impulsiveness correspond to the minor alleles identified in previous alcohol dependence studies. All ten SNPs are in linkage disequilibrium (LD) with each other and represent one effect on impulsiveness. Four SNPs and the corresponding haplotype from intron 3 to intron 4 were also associated with Lifetime Alcohol Problems Score (LAPS, P < 0.03) (not corrected for multiple testing). Impulsiveness partially mediates (22.6% average) this relation between GABRA2 and LAPS. Our results suggest that GABRA2 variation in …

Genome-Wide Analysis Reveals Selection For Important Traits In Domestic Horse Breeds, Jessica Lynn Petersen, James R. Mickelson, Aaron K. Rendahl, Stephanie K. Valberg, Lisa S. Andersson, Ernie Bailey, Danika L. Bannasch, Matthew M. Binns, Alexandre S. Borges, Pieter Brama, Artur Da Câmara Machado, Stefano Capomaccio, Katia Cappelli, E. Gus Cothran, Ottmar Distl, Laura Fox-Clipsham, Kathryn T. Graves, Gérard Guérin, Bianca Haase, Telhia Hasegawa, Karin Hemmann, Emmeline W. Hill, Tosso Leeb, Gabriella Lindgren, Hannes Lohi, Maria Susana Lopes, Beatrice A. Mcgivney, Sofia Mikko, Nicholas Orr, M. Cecilia T. Penedo, Richard J. Piercy, Marja Raekallio, Stefan Rieder, Knut H. Røed, June Swinburne, Teruaki Tozaki, Mark Vaudin, Claire M. Wade, Molly E. Mccue

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Intense selective pressures applied over short evolutionary time have resulted in homogeneity within, but substantial variation among, horse breeds. Utilizing this population structure, 744 individuals from 33 breeds, and a 54,000 SNP genotyping array, breed-specific targets of selection were identified using an F_ST-based statistic calculated in 500-kb windows across the genome. A 5.5-Mb region of ECA18, in which the myostatin (MSTN) gene was centered, contained the highest signature of selection in both the Paint and Quarter Horse. Gene sequencing and histological analysis of gluteal muscle biopsies showed a promoter variant and intronic SNP of MSTN were …

The Effect Of Myostatin Genotype On Body Temperature During Extreme Temperature Events, J. T. Howard, Stephen D. Kachman, Merlyn K. Nielsen, Terry L. Mader, Matthew L. Spangler

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Extreme heat and cold events can create deleterious physiological changes in cattle as they attempt to cope. The genetic background of animals can influence their response to these events. The objective of the current study was to determine the impact of myostatin genotype (MG) on body temperature during periods of heat and cold stress. Two groups of crossbred steers and heifers of unknown pedigree and breed fraction with varying percentages of Angus, Simmental, and Piedmontese were placed in a feedlot over 2 summers and 2 winters. Before arrival, animals were genotyped for the Piedmontese-derived myostatin mutation (C313Y) to determine their …