Life Sciences Commons^™

Induction Of Il19 Expression Through Jnk And Cgas-Sting Modulates Dna Damage–Induced Cytokine Production, Sara H. Small, E. Jessica Tang, Ryan L. Ragland, Yaroslava Ruzankina, David W. Schoppy, Rahul S. Mandal, M. Rebecca Glineburg, Zgjim Ustelenca, Daniel J. Powell, Fiona Simpkins, F. Bradley Johnson, Eric J. Brown

Biology, Chemistry, and Environmental Sciences Faculty Articles and Research

Cytokine production is a critical component of cell-extrinsic responses to DNA damage and cellular senescence. Here, we demonstrated that expression of the gene encoding interleukin-19 (IL-19) was enhanced by DNA damage through pathways mediated by c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) and cGAS-STING and that IL19 expression was required for the subsequent production of the cytokines IL-1, IL-6, and IL-8. IL19 expression was stimulated by diverse cellular stresses, including inhibition of the DNA replication checkpoint kinase ATR (ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein), oncogene expression, replicative exhaustion, oxidative stress, and DNA double-strand breaks. Unlike the production of IL-6 and IL-8, IL19 expression was …

Comparison Of Methods To Estimate Ruminal Degradation And Intestinal Digestibility Of Protein In Hydrolyzed Feather Meal With Or Without Blood, Kassidy Buse, D. L. Morris, H. L. Diaz, O. R. Drehmel, Paul J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Hydrolyzed feather meal (HFM) is a feedstuff high in rumen undegraded protein (RUP) that can be used as an effective source of metabolizable protein for dairy cattle. Because the production process may vary, the rumen degradability and intestinal digestibility of HFM may also vary. Additionally, some processes may incorporate additional blood into the final product to result in feather meal with poultry blood. To determine the rumen degradability and intestinal digestibility of these products, several laboratory assays can be used; the common assays are the mobile bag (MOB), modified three-step (MTS), and Ross (ROS) assays. Although all 3 assays determine …

Citric Acid/Β-Alanine Carbon Dots As A Novel Tool For Delivery Of Plasmid Dna Into E. Coli Cells, Anju Pandey, Asmita Devkota, Anil Sigdel, Zeinab Yadegari, C. Korsi Dumenyo, Ali Taheri

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Successful delivery of plasmid DNA into the microbial cells is fundamental in recombinant DNA technology. Natural bacterial transformation is limited to only certain species due in part to the repulsive forces between negatively charged DNA and bacterial membranes. Most common method of DNA delivery into bacteria is artificial transformation through heat shock and electroporation. These methods require sophisticated instruments and tedious steps in preparation of competent cells. Transformation by conjugation is also not applicable to all plasmids. Nanoparticles have been used successfully in therapeutics for drug delivery into animal cells. They are starting to gain popularity in plant sciences as …

Inflammatory Mediation Of Heat Stress-Induced Growth Deficits In Livestock And Its Potential Role As A Target For Nutritional Interventions: A Review, Micah S. Most, Dustin T. Yates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Heat stress is detrimental to well-being and growth performance in livestock, and systemic inflammation arising during chronic heat stress contributes to these poor outcomes. Sustained exposure of muscle and other tissues to inflammation can impair the cellular processes that facilitate muscle growth and intramuscular fat deposition, thus reducing carcass quality and yield. Climate change is expected to produce more frequent extreme heat events, increasing the potential impact of heat stress on sustainable livestock production. Feedlot animals are at particularly high risk for heat stress, as confinement limits their ability to seek cooling from the shade, water, or breeze. Economically practical …

The Price Of Surviving On Adrenaline: Developmental Programming Responses To Chronic Fetal Hypercatecholaminemia Contribute To Poor Muscle Growth Capacity And Metabolic Dysfunction In Iugr-Born Offspring, Rachel L. Gibbs, Dustin T. Yates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Maternofetal stress induces fetal programming that restricts skeletal muscle growth capacity and metabolic function, resulting in intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of the fetus. This thrifty phenotype aids fetal survival but also yields reduced muscle mass and metabolic dysfunction after birth. Consequently, IUGR-born individuals are at greater lifelong risk for metabolic disorders that reduce quality of life. In livestock, IUGR-born animals exhibit poor growth efficiency and body composition, making these animals more costly and less valuable. Specifically, IUGR-associated programming causes a greater propensity for fat deposition and a reduced capacity for muscle accretion. This, combined with metabolic inefficiency, means that these …

Meta-Analyses Identify Dna Methylation Associated With Kidney Function And Damage, Pascal Schlosser, Adrienne Tin, Pamela R Matias-Garcia, Chris H L Thio, Roby Joehanes, Hongbo Liu, Antoine Weihs, Zhi Yu, Anselm Hoppmann, Franziska Grundner-Culemann, Josine L Min, Adebowale A Adeyemo, Charles Agyemang, Johan Ärnlöv, Nasir A Aziz, Andrea Baccarelli, Murielle Bochud, Hermann Brenner, Monique M B Breteler, Cristian Carmeli, Layal Chaker, John C Chambers, Shelley A Cole, Josef Coresh, Tanguy Corre, Adolfo Correa, Simon R Cox, Niek De Klein, Graciela E Delgado, Arce Domingo-Relloso, Kai-Uwe Eckardt, Arif B Ekici, Karlhans Endlich, Kathryn L Evans, James S Floyd, Myriam Fornage, Lude Franke, Eliza Fraszczyk, Xu Gao, Xīn Gào, Mohsen Ghanbari, Sahar Ghasemi, Christian Gieger, Philip Greenland, Megan L Grove, Sarah E Harris, Gibran Hemani, Peter Henneman, Christian Herder, Steve Horvath, Lifang Hou, Mikko A Hurme, Shih-Jen Hwang, Marjo-Riitta Jarvelin, Sharon L R Kardia, Silva Kasela, Marcus E Kleber, Wolfgang Koenig, Jaspal S Kooner, Holly Kramer, Florian Kronenberg, Brigitte Kühnel, Terho Lehtimäki, Lars Lind, Dan Liu, Yongmei Liu, Donald M Lloyd-Jones, Kurt Lohman, Stefan Lorkowski, Ake T Lu, Riccardo E Marioni, Winfried März, Daniel L Mccartney, Karlijn A C Meeks, Lili Milani, Pashupati P Mishra, Matthias Nauck, Ana Navas-Acien, Christoph Nowak, Annette Peters, Holger Prokisch, Bruce M Psaty, Olli T Raitakari, Scott M Ratliff, Alex P Reiner, Sylvia E Rosas, Ben Schöttker, Joel Schwartz, Sanaz Sedaghat, Jennifer A Smith, Nona Sotoodehnia, Hannah R Stocker, Silvia Stringhini, Johan Sundström, Brenton R Swenson, Maria Tellez-Plaza, Joyce B J Van Meurs, Jana V Van Vliet-Ostaptchouk, Andrea Venema, Niek Verweij, Rosie M Walker, Matthias Wielscher, Juliane Winkelmann, Bruce H R Wolffenbuttel, Wei Zhao, Yinan Zheng, Marie Loh, Harold Snieder, Daniel Levy, Melanie Waldenberger, Katalin Susztak, Anna Köttgen, Alexander Teumer

Journal Articles

Chronic kidney disease is a major public health burden. Elevated urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio is a measure of kidney damage, and used to diagnose and stage chronic kidney disease. to extend the knowledge on regulatory mechanisms related to kidney function and disease, we conducted a blood-based epigenome-wide association study for estimated glomerular filtration rate (n = 33,605) and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (n = 15,068) and detected 69 and seven CpG sites where DNA methylation was associated with the respective trait. The majority of these findings showed directionally consistent associations with the respective clinical outcomes chronic kidney disease and moderately increased albuminuria. …

Rare And Low Frequency Genomic Variants Impacting Neuronal Functions Modify The Dup7q11.23 Phenotype, Farah Qaiser, Yue Yin, Carolyn B. Mervis, Colleen A. Morris, Bonita P. Klein-Tasman, Elaine Tam, Lucy R. Osborne, Ryan K.C. Yuen

School of Medicine Faculty Publications

© 2021, The Author(s). Background: 7q11.23 duplication (Dup7) is one of the most frequent recurrent copy number variants (CNVs) in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but based on gold-standard assessments, only 19% of Dup7 carriers have ASD, suggesting that additional genetic factors are necessary to manifest the ASD phenotype. To assess the contribution of additional genetic variants to the Dup7 phenotype, we conducted whole-genome sequencing analysis of 20 Dup7 carriers: nine with ASD (Dup7-ASD) and 11 without ASD (Dup7-non-ASD). Results: We identified three rare variants of potential clinical relevance for ASD: a 1q21.1 microdeletion (Dup7-non-ASD) and two deletions which …

A Dystrophin Exon‐52 Deleted Miniature Pig Model Of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy And Evaluation Of Exon Skipping, Yusuke Echigoya, Nhu Trieu, William Duddy, Hong M. Moulton, Haifang Yin, Terence A. Partridge, Eric P. Hoffman, Joe N. Kornegay, Frank A. Rohret, Christopher S. Rogers, Toshifumi Yokota

Genomics and Precision Medicine Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Comparison Of Sample Types From White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) For Dna Extraction And Analyses, Jessie Edson, Justin Brown, William L. Miller, David Walter

University Faculty Publications and Creative Works

Collection of biological samples for DNA is necessary in a variety of disciplines including disease epidemiology, landscape genetics, and forensics. Quantity and quality of DNA varies depending on the method of collection or media available for collection (e.g., blood, tissue, fecal). Blood is the most common sample collected in vials or on Whatman Flinders Technology Associates (FTA) cards with short- and long-term storage providing adequate DNA for study objectives. The focus of this study was to determine if biological samples stored on Whatman FTA Elute cards were a reasonable alternative to traditional DNA sample collection, storage, and extraction. Tissue, nasal …

Comparing Machine Learning Techniques With State-Of-The-Art Parametric Prediction Models For Predicting Soybean Traits, Susweta Ray

Department of Statistics: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Work

Soybean is a significant source of protein and oil, and also widely used as animal feed. Thus, developing lines that are superior in terms of yield, protein and oil content is important to feed the ever-growing population. As opposed to the high-cost phenotyping, genotyping is both cost and time efficient for breeders while evaluating new lines in different environments (location-year combinations) can be costly. Several Genomic prediction (GP) methods have been developed to use the marker and environment data effectively to predict the yield or other relevant phenotypic traits of crops. Our study compares a conventional GP method (GBLUP), a …

Environmental Rnai Pathways In The Two-Spotted Spider Mite, Mosharrof Mondal, Jacob Peter, Obrie Scarbrough, Alex Flynt

Faculty Publications

© 2020, The Author(s).

Background:RNA interference (RNAi) regulates gene expression in most multicellular organisms through binding of small RNA effectors to target transcripts. Exploiting this process is a popular strategy for genetic manipulation and has applications that includes arthropod pest control. RNAi technologies are dependent on delivery method with the most convenient likely being feeding, which is effective in some animals while others are insensitive. The two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, is prime candidate for developing RNAi approaches due to frequent occurrence of conventional pesticide resistance. Using a sequencing-based approach, the fate of ingested RNAs was explored to …

Genome-Scale Data Reveal Deep Lineage Divergence And A Complex Demographic History In The Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma Cornutum) Throughout The Southwestern And Central Us, Nicholas Finger, Keaka Farleigh, Jason T. Bracken, Adam D. Leaché, Olivier François, Ziheng Yang, Tomas Flouri, Tristan Charran, Tereza Jezkova, Dean A. Williams, Christopher Blair

Publications and Research

The southwestern and central US serve as an ideal region to test alternative hypotheses regarding biotic diversification. Genomic data can now be combined with sophisticated computational models to quantify the impacts of paleoclimate change, geographic features, and habitat heterogeneity on spatial patterns of genetic diversity. In this study we combine thousands of genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) loci with mtDNA sequences (ND1) from the Texas Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma cornutum) to quantify relative support for different catalysts of diversification. Phylogenetic and clustering analyses of the GBS data indicate support for at least three primary populations. The spatial distribution of populations appears concordant …

Phylogenomics Of Alligator Lizards Elucidate Diversification Patterns Across The Mexican Transition Zone And Support The Recognition Of A New Genus, Christopher Blair, Robert W. Bryson Jr, Uri O. García-Vázquez, Adrián Nieto-Montes De Oca, David Lazcano, John E. Mccormack, John Klicka

Publications and Research

Genomic data continue to advance our understanding of species limits and biogeographic patterns. However, there is still no consensus regarding appropriate methods of phylogenomic analysis that make the best use of these heterogeneous data sets. In this study, we used thousands of ultraconserved element (UCE) loci from alligator lizards in the genus Gerrhonotus to compare and contrast species trees inferred using multiple contemporary methods and provide a time frame for biological diversification across the Mexican Transition Zone (MTZ). Concatenated maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian analyses provided highly congruent results, with differences limited to poorly supported nodes. Similar topologies were inferred …

Biomarkers For Resistance To Porcine Circovirus 2 Associated Disease, Daniel Constantin Ciobanu, Lianna Rayne Walker, Taylor Benjamin Engle, Hiep Vu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The present disclosure provides compositions and methods for increasing resistance to PCV2 infection in pigs. The increased resistance may be the result of siRNA or genetic modification through CRISPR or a vectored virus targeting SNPs that are resistant to PCV2 infection.

Relationship Of Cultivated Grain Amaranth Species And Wild Relative Accessions, Ranjita Thapa, Matthew Edwards, Matthew W. Blair

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Amaranthus is a genus of C4 dicotyledonous herbaceous plants, and three New World species have been domesticated to produce grain crops with light colored seed which are classified as pseudo-cereals rich in protein and minerals. A core collection of grain amaranths and immediate precursor species has been established, representing the closest related species. The goal of this study was to evaluate the genetic diversity in that collection of cultivated and wild species, using competitive allele single nucleotide polymorphism markers. A secondary objective was to determine the relationships among the three cultivated species and non-domesticated Amaranthus, while a third objective was …

Soil Bacteria In Urban Community Gardens Have The Potential To Disseminate Antimicrobial Resistance Through Horizontal Gene Transfer, Abdullah Ibn Mafiz, Yingshu He, Wei Zhang, Yifan Zhang

Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Faculty Research

Fifteen soil and 45 vegetable samples from Detroit community gardens were analyzed for potential antimicrobial resistance contamination. Soil bacteria were isolated and tested by antimicrobial susceptibility profiling, horizontal gene transfer, and whole-genome sequencing. High-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing analysis was conducted on collected soil samples to determine the total bacterial composition. Of 226 bacterial isolates recovered, 54 were from soil and 172 from vegetables. A high minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) was defined as the MIC greater than or equal to the resistance breakpoint of Escherichia coli for Gram-negative bacteria or Staphylococcus aureus for Gram-positive bacteria. The high MIC was observed in …

Editorial For The Genetics Of Alzheimer’S Disease Special Issue: October 2021, Laura Ibanez, Justin B. Miller

Sanders-Brown Center on Aging Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Genomics Of Postprandial Lipidomics In The Genetics Of Lipid-Lowering Drugs And Diet Network Study, Marguerite R. Irvin, May E. Montasser, Tobias Kind, Sili Fan, Dinesh K. Barupal, Amit Patki, Rikki M. Tanner, Nicole D. Armstrong, Kathleen A. Ryan, Steven A. Claas, Jeffrey R. O’Connell, Hemant K. Tiwari, Donna K. Arnett

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Postprandial lipemia (PPL) is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Inter-individual variation in the dietary response to a meal is known to be influenced by genetic factors, yet genes that dictate variation in postprandial lipids are not completely characterized. Genetic studies of the plasma lipidome can help to better understand postprandial metabolism by isolating lipid molecular species which are more closely related to the genome. We measured the plasma lipidome at fasting and 6 h after a standardized high-fat meal in 668 participants from the Genetics of Lipid-Lowering Drugs and Diet Network study (GOLDN) using ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled …

Dual Activities Of Acc Synthase: Novel Clues Regarding The Molecular Evolution Of Acs Genes, Chang Xu, Bowei Hao, Gongling Sun, Yuanyuan Mei, Lifang Sun, Yunmei Sun, Yibo Wang, Yongyan Zhang, Wei Zhang, Mengyuan Zhang, Yue Zhang, Dan Wang, Zihe Rao, Xin Li, Jeffery Shen, Ning Ning Wang

Life Sciences Faculty Research

Ethylene plays profound roles in plant development. The rate-limiting enzyme of ethylene biosynthesis is 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) synthase (ACS), which is generally believed to be a single-activity enzyme evolving from aspartate aminotransferases. Here, we demonstrate that, in addition to catalyzing the conversion of S-adenosyl-methionine to the ethylene precursor ACC, genuine ACSs widely have Cβ-S lyase activity. Two N-terminal motifs, including a glutamine residue, are essential for conferring ACS activity to ACS-like proteins. Motif and activity analyses of ACS-like proteins from plants at different evolutionary stages suggest that the ACC-dependent pathway is uniquely developed in seed plants. A putative catalytic mechanism for …

Two New Species Of Byrrhinus Motschulsky, 1858 (Coleoptera, Limnichidae, Limnichinae) From Negros, Philippines, Emmanuel D. Delocado, Hendrik Freitag

Biology Faculty Publications

Two new species of Limnichidae beetles, Byrrhinus negrosensis sp. nov. and Byrrhinus villarini sp. nov., are described from the Island of Negros in the Philippines. The adult specimens of the new species can be differentiated by patterns of body punctation, colour and orientation of elytral pubescence, posterolateral angle of pronotum, tarsomere length ratio and aedeagal form. Two clades, representing the two new species, were retrieved in the Maximum Likelihood gene tree using the 3’-end of the COI gene. Maximum genetic divergence within B. negrosensis sp. nov. and B. villarini sp. nov. were recorded to be 2.3% and 1.3%, respectively, while …

Protein Kinase A And 59 Amp-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways Exert Opposite Effects On Induction Of Autophagy In Luteal Cells, Emilia Przygrodzka, Corrine F. Monaco, Michele R. Plewes, Guojuan Li, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea Cupp, John S. Davis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In the absence of pregnancy the ovarian corpus luteum undergoes regression, a process characterized by decreased production of progesterone and structural luteolysis involving apoptosis. Autophagy has been observed in the corpus luteum during luteal regression. Autophagy is a self-degradative process important for balancing sources of cellular energy at critical times in development and in response to nutrient stress, but it can also lead to apoptosis. Mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR) and 5′ AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), key players in autophagy, are known to inhibit or activate autophagy, respectively. Here, we analyzed the signaling pathways regulating the initiation of autophagy in …

Dna Barcoding Enhances Large-Scale Biodiversity Initiatives For Deep-Pelagic Crustaceans Within The Gulf Of Mexico And Adjacent Waters, Carlos Varela

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

In this dissertation I investigate the biodiversity of marine deep-water crustaceans of the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent waters, focusing on pelagic crustaceans. Taxonomic and molecular techniques were utilized to document adult and larval crustacean specimens to better under their taxonomy, life history, evolutionary relationships and cryptic biodiversity. The use of molecular techniques to study organisms from habitats with limited accessibility provides tremendous potential. With prevalent anthropogenic threats and the delicate nature of deep-water habitats, the need to improve our understanding of these systems is clear. Molecular techniques can act as a fundamental tool to complement traditional taxonomy. The application …

Sampling Bias Exaggerates A Textbook Example Of A Trophic Cascade, Elaine M. Brice, Eric J. Larsen, Daniel R. Macnulty

Aspen Bibliography

Understanding trophic cascades in terrestrial wildlife communities is a major challenge because these systems are difficult to sample properly. We show how a tradition of non-random sampling has confounded this understanding in a textbook system (Yellowstone National Park) where carnivore [Canis lupus (wolf)] recovery is associated with a trophic cascade involving changes in herbivore [Cervus canadensis (elk)] behaviour and density that promote plant regeneration. Long-term data indicate a practice of sampling only the tallest young plants overestimated regeneration of overstory aspen (Populus tremuloides) by a factor of 4–7 compared to random sampling because it favoured plants taller than the preferred …

Going Up Inflame: Reviewing The Underexplored Role Of Inflammatory Programming In Stress-Induced Intrauterine Growth Restricted Livestock, Zena M. Hicks, Dustin T. Yates

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The impact of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) on health in humans is well-recognized. It is the second leading cause of perinatal mortality worldwide, and it is associated with deficits in metabolism and muscle growth that increase lifelong risk for hypertension, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes. Comparatively, the barrier that IUGR imposes on livestock production is less recognized by the industry. Meat animals born with low birthweight due to IUGR are beset with greater early death loss, inefficient growth, and reduced carcass merit. These animals exhibit poor feed-to-gain ratios, less lean mass, and greater fat deposition, which increase production costs …

The Evolution Of Bioluminescence Across The Shrimp Family Sergestidae: A Genomic Skimming And Phylogenetic Approach, Charles G. Golighty Iii

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The family Sergestidae provide a unique system for studying the evolution of bioluminescence, with species possessing one of three distinct forms of photophores. This study capitalizes on molecular data to construct a genus-level phylogeny of sergestid shrimp. “Genome skimming” was implemented, capturing mitochondrial genomic data across 19 species. Additional individuals were incorporated through Sanger sequencing of four partial gene regions. The -sergestes group of genera was recovered as non-monophyletic, with the -sergia group of genera being recovered as monophyletic. Ancestral state reconstructions of light organ type indicate the organs of Pesta photophore is the ancestral state for the …

Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A 165 Rescues Steroids, Inflammation And Follicle Arrest In High Androstenedione Cows, Mohamed A. Abedal-Majed, Shelby A. Springman, Courtney M. Sutton, Alexandria P. Snider, Brooke E. Bell, Mariah Hart, Scott G. Kurz, Jeffrey Bergman, Adam F. Summers, Renee M. Mcfee, John S. Davis, Jennifer R. Wood, Andrea S. Cupp

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

A population of cows with excess androstenedione (A4; High A4) in follicular fluid, with follicular arrest, granulosa cell dysfunction, and a 17% reduction in calving rate was previously identified. We hypothesized that excess A4 in the ovarian microenvironment caused the follicular arrest in High A4 cows and that vascular endothelial growth factor A would rescue the High A4 phenotype. In trial 1, prior to culture, High A4 ovarian cortex (n=9) had greater numbers of early stage follicles (primordial) and fewer later-stage follicles compared to controls (n=11). Culture for 7 days did not relieve this follicular arrest; …

Decoding The Equine Genome: Lessons From Encode, Sichong Peng, Jessica L. Petersen, Rebecca R. Bellone, Ted Kalbfleisch, N. B. Kingsley, Alexa Barber, Eleonora Cappelletti, Elena Giulotto, Carrie J. Finno

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The horse reference genome assemblies, EquCab2.0 and EquCab3.0, have enabled great advancements in the equine genomics field, from tools to novel discoveries. However, significant gaps of knowledge regarding genome function remain, hindering the study of complex traits in horses. In an effort to address these gaps and with inspiration from the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, the equine Functional Annotation of Animal Genome (FAANG) initiative was proposed to bridge the gap between genome and gene expression, providing further insights into functional regulation within the horse genome. Three years after launching the initiative, the equine FAANG group has generated data …

Decoding The Equine Genome: Lessons From Encode, Sichong Peng, Jessica L. Petersen, Rebecca R. Bellone, Theodore S. Kalbfleisch, N. B. Kingsley, Alexa M. Barber, Eleonora Cappelletti, Elena Giulotto, Carrie J. Finno

Veterinary Science Faculty Publications

The horse reference genome assemblies, EquCab2.0 and EquCab3.0, have enabled great advancements in the equine genomics field, from tools to novel discoveries. However, significant gaps of knowledge regarding genome function remain, hindering the study of complex traits in horses. In an effort to address these gaps and with inspiration from the Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project, the equine Functional Annotation of Animal Genome (FAANG) initiative was proposed to bridge the gap between genome and gene expression, providing further insights into functional regulation within the horse genome. Three years after launching the initiative, the equine FAANG group has generated data …

Perches As Cooling Devices For Reducing Heat Stress In Caged Laying Hens: A Review, Jiaying Hu, Yijie Xiong

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Heat stress is one of the most detrimental environmental challenges affecting the biological process and the related production performance of farm animals, especially in poultry. Commercial laying hens have been bred (selected) for high egg production, resulting in increased sensitivity to heat stress due to breeding-linked metabolic heat production. In addition, laying hens are prone to heat stress due to their inadequate species-specific cooling mechanisms resulting in low heat tolerance. In addition, hens have no sweat glands and feathering covers almost their entire body to minimize body heat loss. The poultry industry and scientists are developing cooling methods to prevent …

Complete Genome Sequences Of Cluster A6 And Cluster G1 Mycobacterium Smegmatis Phages Hoot And Jolene, Jon Thompson, Asli Özdemir, Arsen M. Topchyan, Maxwell Torosian, Victoria Z. Thymianos, Angelica Eagle, Juliana Mccormick, Leon Kyle G. Boyles, Azucena A. Benito, Kurt Regner, Christy Strong, Philippos K. Tsourkas

Life Sciences Faculty Research

We present the complete genome sequences of Mycobacterium smegmatis phages Hoot and Jolene, isolated in Las Vegas, NV. The phages were isolated and annotated by students enrolled in an undergraduate research course at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Hoot is a cluster A6 mycobacteriophage, while Jolene is in cluster G1.