Genetics and Genomics Commons^™

Phytohormone Signaling In Chlorella Sorokiniana: Perspectives On The Evolution Of Plant Cell-To-Cell Signaling, Maya Khasin

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

Cell-to-cell communication is a key aspect of microbial physiology and population dynamics, and a cornerstone in understanding the evolution of multicellularity. Quorum sensing in bacteria is a canonical example of microbial cell-to-cell signaling, in which bacteria use small molecule signals in order to monitor their population size and modulate their physiology accordingly. We propose that the evolution of plant hormone signaling arose in unicellular green algae, analogously to quorum sensing in bacteria, and that the complexity of these pathways required the recruitment of increasingly specific enzymes to increasingly sophisticated gene networks throughout the course of phytohormone signaling evolution. Using Chlorella …

Coccolithoviruses: A Review Of Cross-Kingdom Genomic Thievery And Metabolic Thuggery, Jozef I. Nissimov, António Pagarete, Fangrui Ma, Sean Cody, David D. Dunigan, Susan A. Kimmance, Michael J. Allen

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Coccolithoviruses (Phycodnaviridae) infect and lyse the most ubiquitous and successful coccolithophorid in modern oceans, Emiliania huxleyi. So far, the genomes of 13 of these giant lytic viruses (i.e., Emiliania huxleyi viruses—EhVs) have been sequenced, assembled, and annotated. Here, we performed an in-depth comparison of their genomes to try and contextualize the ecological and evolutionary traits of these viruses. The genomes of these EhVs have from 444 to 548 coding sequences (CDSs). Presence/absence analysis of CDSs identified putative genes with particular ecological significance, namely sialidase, phosphate permease, and sphingolipid biosynthesis. The viruses clustered into distinct clades, based on their DNA polymerase …

Patterns Of Morphological And Molecular Evolution In The Antillean Tree Bat, Ardops Nichollsi (Chiroptera: Phyllostomidae), Roxanne J. Larsen, Peter A. Larsen, Caleb D. Phillips, Hugh H. Genoways, Gary G. Kwiecinski, Scott C. Pedersen, Carleton J. Phillips, Robert J. Baker

University of Nebraska State Museum: Mammalogy Papers

Species endemic to oceanic islands offer unique insights into the mechanisms underlying evolution and have served as model systems for decades. Often these species show phenotypic variation that is correlated with the ecosystems in which they occur and such correlations may be a product of genetic drift, natural selection, and/or environmental factors. We explore the morphologic and genetic variation within Ardops nichollsi, a species of phyllostomid bat endemic to the Lesser Antillean islands. Ardops nichollsi is an ideal taxon to investigate the tempo of evolution in Chiroptera, as it: is a recently derived genus in the family Phyllostomidae; contains …

The Lx Report Of The Bean Improvement Cooperative No. 60, March 2017.

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

CONTENTS

LX Annual Report of the Bean Improvement Cooperative xi

BIC Coordinating Committee Membership - 1957 to 2017 . xii

BIC Meritorious Service and Distinguished Achievement Award Recipients - 1957 to 2015 xiii

BIC Awards Nomination Request for 2017 xvi

BIC/NAPIA Meeting in 2017 . xix

In Memory of Guillermo E. Galvez-Enriquez xx

RESEARCH PAPERS FOR 2017

OPTIMIZING SPORULATION OF Pseudocercospora griseola IN VITRO • Paula F. de Pádua1, Rafael Pereira1, Luanna B. W. Gomes1 and Elaine A. de Souza1* 1

FINE MAPPING THE BROAD SPECTRUM ANTHRACNOSE RESISTANCE GENE IN AMENDOIM CAVALO 3 • Gilio, T.A.S.1, Oscar P. Hurtado-Gonzales2, Giseli …

Islet Adaptations In Fetal Sheep Persist Following Chronic Exposure To High Norepinephrine, Xiaochaun Chen, Amy C. Kelly, Dustin T. Yates, Antoni R. Macko, Ronald M. Lynch, Sean W. Limesand

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Complications in pregnancy elevate fetal norepinephrine (NE) concentrations. Previous studies in NE-infused sheep fetuses revealed that sustained exposure to high NE resulted in lower expression of α2-adrenergic receptors in islets and increased insulin secretion responsiveness after acutely terminating the NE infusion. In this study, we determined if the compensatory increase in insulin secretion following chronic elevation of NE is independent of hyperglycemia in sheep fetuses and whether it is persistent in conjunction with islet desensitization to NE. Following an initial assessment of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) at 129±1 days of gestation, fetuses were continuously infused for seven days with NE …

Structure Of The Chlorovirus Pbcv-1 Major Capsid Glycoprotein Determined By Combining Crystallographic And Carbohydrate Molecular Modeling Approaches, Cristina De Castro, Thomas Klose, Immacolata Speciale, Rosa Lanzetta, Antonio Molinaro, James L. Van Etten, Michael G. Rossmann

James Van Etten Publications

The glycans of the major capsid protein (Vp54) of Paramecium bursaria chlorella virus (PBCV-1) were recently described and found to be unusual. This prompted a reexamination of the previously reported Vp54 X-ray structure. A detailed description of the complete glycoprotein was achieved by combining crystallographic data with molecular modeling. The crystallographic data identified most of the monosaccharides located close to the protein backbone, but failed to detect those further from the glycosylation sites. Molecular modeling complemented this model by adding the missing monosaccharides and examined the conformational preference of the whole molecule, alone or within the crystallographic environment. Thus, combining …

A Concept Analysis Of Resilience Integrating Genetics, Kosuke Niitsu, Julia F. Houfek, Cecilia R. Barron, Scott F. Stoltenberg, Kevin A. Kupzyk, Michael J. Rice

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

Although clinicians and researchers are interested in the phenomenon of resilience, there is no agreed-upon definition of resilience. Scientific evidence suggests that resilience is influenced by intrapersonal (e.g., personality traits) and environmental (e.g., social support) variables. A concept analysis was conducted to better understand the meaning of resilience. In this analysis, the antecedent of resilience was a potentially traumatic event; the defining attributes were ego-resiliency, emotion regulation, social support, and heredity; and the consequences were none to mild psychopathological symptoms and positive adaptation. This analysis can help nurses better understand resilience and its relationships …

Gene Expression Profiling Of Bovine Ovarian Follicular And Luteal Cells Provides Insight Into Cellular Identities And Functions, Sarah Romereim, Adam F. Summers, William E. Pohlmeier, Pan Zhang, Xiaoying Hou, Heather A. Talbott, Robert A. Cushman, Jennifer R. Wood, John S. Davis, Andrea S. Cupp

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

After ovulation, somatic cells of the ovarian follicle (theca and granulosa cells) become the small and large luteal cells of the corpus luteum. Aside from known cell type-specific receptors and steroidogenic enzymes, little is known about the differences in the gene expression profiles of these four cell types. Analysis of the RNA present in each bovine cell type using Affymetrix microarrays yielded new cell-specific genetic markers, functional insight into the behavior of each cell type via Gene Ontology Annotations and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, and evidence of small and large luteal cell lineages using Principle Component Analysis. Enriched expression of select …

Transcriptomes Of Bovine Ovarian Follicular And Luteal Cells, Sarah Romereim, Adam F. Huang, William E. Pohlmeier, Pan Zhang, Xiaoying Huo, Heather A. Talbott, Robert A. Cushman, Jennifer R. Wood, John S. Davis, Andrea S. Cupp

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Affymetrix Bovine GeneChip^R 1.0 ST Array RNA expression analysis was performed on four somatic ovarian cell types: the granulosa cell (GCs) and theca cells (TCs) of the dominant follicle and the large luteal cells (LLCs) and small luteal cells (SLCs) of the corpus luteum. The normalized linear microarray data was deposited to the NCBI GEO repository (GSE83524). Subsequent ANOVA determined genes that were enriched genes that were enriched (>/= 2 fold more) or decreased (

Transcriptomic And Bioinformatics Analysis Of The Early Time-Course Of The Response To Prostaglandin F2 Alpha In The Bovine Corpus Luteum, Heather Talbott, Xiaoying Hou, Fang Qiu, Pan Zhang, Chittibabu Guda, Fang Yu, Robert A. Cushman, Jennifer R. Wood, Cheng Wang, Andrea S. Cupp, John S. Davis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

RNA expression analysis was performed on the corpus luteum tissue at five time points after prostaglandin F2 alpha treatment of midcycle cows using an Affymetrix Bovine Gene v1 Array. The normalized linear microarray data was uploaded to the NCBI GEO repository (GSE94069). Subsequent statistical analysis determined differentially expressed transcripts ± 1.5-fold change from saline control with P ≤ 0.05. Gene ontology of differentially expressed transcripts was annotated by DAVID and Panther. Physiological characteristics of the study animals are presented in a figure. Bioinformatic analysis by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was curated, compiled, and presented in tables. A dataset comparison with similar …

Distinct Transcriptome Profiles Of Gag-Specific Cd8+ T Cells Temporally Correlated With The Protection Elicited By Sivδnef Live Attenuated Vaccine, Wuxun Lu, Yanmin Wu, Fangrui Ma, R. Paul Johnson, Qingsheng Li

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The live attenuated vaccine (LAV) SIVmac239Δnef (SIVΔnef) confers the best protection among all the vaccine modalities tested in rhesus macaque model of HIV-1 infection. This vaccine has a unique feature of time-dependent protection: macaques are not protected at 3±5 weeks post vaccination (WPV), whereas immune protection emerges between 15 and 20 WPV. Although the exact mechanisms of the time-dependent protection remain incompletely understood, studies suggested that both cellular and humoral immunities contribute to this time-dependent protection. To further elucidate the mechanisms of protection induced by SIVΔnef, we longitudinally compared the global gene expression profiles of SIV Gag-CM9+ CD8+ (Gag-specific CD8+) …

Chloroviruses Have A Sweet Tooth, James L. Van Etten, Irina V. Agarkova, David D. Dunigan, Michela Tonetti, Cristina De Castro, Garry A. Duncan

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

Chloroviruses are large double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses that infect certain isolates of chlorella-like green algae. They contain up to approximately 400 protein-encoding genes and 16 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes. This review summarizes the unexpected finding that many of the chlorovirus genes encode proteins involved in manipulating carbohydrates. These include enzymes involved in making extracellular polysaccharides, such as hyaluronan and chitin, enzymes that make nucleotide sugars, such as GDP-L-fucose and GDP-D-rhamnose and enzymes involved in the synthesis of glycans attached to the virus major capsid proteins. This latter process differs from that of all other glycoprotein containing viruses that traditionally use …

Tryptophan 375 Stabilizes The Outer-Domain Core Of Gp120 For Hiv Vaccine Immunogen Design, Duoyi Hu, Dane Bowder, Wenzhong Wei, Jesse Thompson, Mark A. Wilson, Shi-Hua Xiang

Nebraska Center for Virology: Faculty Publications

The outer-domain core of gp120 may serve as a better HIV vaccine immunogen than the full-length gp120 because of its greater stability and immunogenicity. In our previous report, we introduced two disulfide bonds to the outer-domain core of gp120 to fix its conformation into a CD4-bound state, which resulted in a significant increase in its immunogenicity when compared to the wild-type outer-domain core. In this report, to further improve the immunogenicity of the outer-domain core based immunogen, we have introduced a Tryptophan residue at gp120 amino acid sequence position 375 (375S/W). Our data from immunized guinea pigs indeed shows a …

Transcriptomic And Bioinformatics Analysis Of The Early Time-Course Of The Response To Prostaglandin F2 Alpha In The Bovine Corpus Luteum, Heather Talbott, Xiaoying Foote, Fang Qiu, Pan Zhang, Chittibabu Guda, Fang Yu, Robert A. Cushman, Jennifer R. Wood, Cheng Wang, Andrea S. Cupp, John S. Davis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

RNA expression analysis was performed on the corpus luteum tissue at five time points after prostaglandin F2 alpha treatment of midcycle cows using an Affymetrix Bovine Gene v1 Array. The normalized linear microarray data was uploaded to the NCBI GEO repository (GSE94069). Subsequent statistical analysis determined differentially expressed transcripts ± 1.5-fold change from saline control with P ≤ 0.05. Gene ontology of differentially expressed transcripts was annotated by DAVID and Panther. Physiological characteristics of the study animals are presented in a figure. Bioinformatic analysis by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was curated, compiled, and presented in tables. A dataset comparison with similar …

Rumen Fluid Metabolomics Analysis Associated With Feed Efficiency On Crossbred Steers, Virginia M. Artegoitia, Andrew P. Cederberg, Ronald M. Lewis, Harvey C. Freetly

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

The rumen has a central role in the efficiency of digestion in ruminants. To identify potential differences in rumen function that lead to differences in average daily gain (ADG), rumen fluid metabolomic analysis by LC-MS and multivariate/univariate statistical analysis were used to identify differences in rumen metabolites. Individual feed intake and body-weight was measured on 144 steers during 105 d on a high concentrate ration. Eight steers with the greatest ADG and 8 steers with the least-ADG with dry matter intake near the population average were selected. Blood and rumen fluid was collected from the 16 steers 26 d before …

A 16.7 Kb Deletion In Sipa1l3 Is Associated With Juvenile Cataract In Mice, Lianna R. Walker, Emily R. Tosky, Kylee M. Sutton, Rhonda Griess, Marytza D. Abebe, Sarah Y. Barnes, Tom Cunningham, Stephen D. Kachman, Merlyn K. Nielsen, Daniel C. Ciobanu

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Congenital or juvenile cataract is a disease condition in which opacification of the lenses is present at birth or manifests early in life. It has been attributed to different monogenic factors with a high degree of heterogeneity and is often studied using mouse models. A spontaneous mutation was identified in a mouse line selected for heat loss that influenced lens formation and resulted in juvenile cataracts in mice homozygous for the recessive allele. Genetic dissection of this selection line by combining high-density genotypes and homozygosity mapping uncovered a 906 kb fragment on MMU7 encompassing 21 SNPs split into two groups …

Early Transcriptome Responses Of The Bovine Midcycle Corpus Luteum To Prostaglandin F2Α Includes Cytokine Signaling, Heather Talbott, Xiaoying Artegoitia, Fang Qiu, Pan Zhang, Chittibabu Guda, Fang Yu, Robert A. Cushman, Jennifer R. Wood, Cheng Wang, Andrea S. Cupp, John S. Davis

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

In ruminants, prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF2α)-mediated luteolysis is essential prior to estrous cycle resumption, and is a target for improving fertility. To deduce early PGF2α-provoked changes in the corpus luteum a short time-course (0.5-4 h) was performed on cows at midcycle. A microarraydetermined transcriptome was established and examined by bioinformatic pathway analysis. Classic PGF2α effects were evident by changes in early response genes (FOS, JUN, ATF3) and prediction of active pathways (PKC, MAPK). Several cytokine transcripts were elevated and NF-kB and STAT activation were predicted by pathway analysis. Self-organizing map analysis grouped differentially expressed transcripts into ten mRNA expression patterns indicative …

Shinygpas: Interactive Genomic Prediction Accuracy Simulator Based On Deterministic Formulas, Gota Morota

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Deterministic formulas for the accuracy of genomic predictions highlight the relationships among prediction accuracy and potential factors influencing prediction accuracy prior to performing computationally intensive cross-validation. Visualizing such deterministic formulas in an interactive manner may lead to a better understanding of how genetic factors control prediction accuracy. Results: The software to simulate deterministic formulas for genomic prediction accuracy was implemented in R and encapsulated as a web-based Shiny application. Shiny genomic prediction accuracy simulator (ShinyGPAS) simulates various deterministic formulas and delivers dynamic scatter plots of prediction accuracy versus genetic factors impacting prediction accuracy, while requiring only mouse navigation in …

Dietary Energy Drives The Dynamic Response Of Bovine Rumen Viral Communities, Christopher L. Anderson, Matthew B. Sullivan, Samodha C. Fernando

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Rumen microbes play a greater role in host energy acquisition than that of gut-associated microbes in monogastric animals. Although genome-enabled advancements are providing access to the vast diversity of uncultivated microbes, our understanding of variables shaping rumen microbial communities is in its infancy. Viruses have been shown to impact microbial populations through a myriad of processes, including cell lysis and reprogramming of host metabolism. However, little is known about the processes shaping the distribution of rumen viruses or how viruses may modulate microbial-driven processes in the rumen. To this end, we investigated how rumen bacterial and viral community structure …

Genome-Wide Association Study For Feed Efficiency And Growth Traits In U.S. Beef Cattle, Christopher M. Seabury, David L. Oldeschulte, Mahdi Saatchi, Jonathan E. Beever, Jared E. Decker, Yvette A. Halley, Eric K. Bhattarai, Maral Molael, Harvey Freetly, Stephanie L. Hansen, Helen Yampara-Iquise, Kristen A. Johnson, Monty S. Kerley, Jaewoo Kim, Daniel D. Loy, Elisa Marques, Holly L. Neibergs, Robert D. Schnabel, Daniel W. Shike, Matthew L. Spangler, Bob Weaber, D. J. Garrick, Jeremy F. Taylor

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays for domestic cattle have catalyzed the identification of genetic markers associated with complex traits for inclusion in modern breeding and selection programs. Using actual and imputed Illumina 778K genotypes for 3887 U.S. beef cattle from 3 populations (Angus, Hereford, SimAngus), we performed genome-wide association analyses for feed efficiency and growth traits including average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), mid-test metabolic weight (MMWT), and residual feed intake (RFI), with marker-based heritability estimates produced for all traits and populations.

Results: Moderate and/or large-effect QTL were detected for all traits in all populations, as jointly …

Influence Of Sodium Chloride Reduction And Replacement With Potassium Chloride Based Salts On The Sensory And Physico-Chemical Characteristics Of Pork Sausage Patties, Regan E. Stanley, Chad G. Bower, Gary A. Sullivan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

This study evaluated the effects of sodium chloride reduction and replacement with potassium chloride or modified potassium chloride based salts using a weight or molar equivalent basis on the sensory and physicochemical properties of pork sausage patties. Three independent replications of pork sausage patties were manufactured to compare five treatments: full sodium, reduced sodium, modified potassium chloride weight based replacement, modified potassium chloride molar based replacement, and standard potassium chloride weight based replacement. Salt replacement did not affect (P > 0.05) moisture, protein, fat, textural properties, lipid oxidation, or redness. Sausage patties with modified potassium chloride were more acceptable than those …

Evaluation Of The National Research Council (2001) Dairy Model And Derivation Of New Prediction Equations. 1. Digestibility Of Fiber, Fat, Protein, And Nonfiber Carbohydrate, R. R. White, Y. Roman-Garcia, J. L. Firkins, M. J. Vandehaar, L. E. Armentano, W. P. Weiss, T. Mcgill, R. Garnett, M. D. Hanigan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Evaluation of ration balancing systems such as the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirementsseries is important for improving predictions of animal nutrient requirements and advancing feeding strategies. This work used a literature data set (n = 550) to evaluate predictions of total-tract digested neutral detergent fiber (NDF), fatty acid (FA), crude protein (CP), and nonfiber carbohydrate (NFC) estimated by the NRC (2001) dairy model. Mean biases suggested that the NRC (2001) lactating cow model overestimated true FA and CP digestibility by 26 and 7%, respectively, and under-predicted NDF digestibility by 16%. All NRC (2001) estimates had notable mean and …

The Effect Of Regular Or Reduced-Fat Distillers Grains With Solubles On Rumen Methanogenesis And The Rumen Bacterial Community, E. Castillo-Lopez, C. J. R. Jenkins, N. D. Aluthge, W. Tom, P. J. Kononoff, S. C. Fernando

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Aims: The effect of feeding dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS) or reduced-fat DDGS (RFDG) on ruminal methanogenesis and the rumen bacterial community of dairy cattle was evaluated. Methods and Results: Treatments were CONT, a diet with no distillers grains; DG, inclusion of 20% DDGS; rfDG, inclusion of 20% RFDG; and MIX, inclusion of 10% DDGS and 10% RFDG. Methane emission was measured; rumen bacterial community was evaluated by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Total methane production remained unaffected. However, feeding distillers grains tended to reduce methanogenesis per unit of feed intake, decreased the abundance of …

Effect Of Feeding Distillers Grains During Different Phases Of Production And Addition Of Postmortem Antioxidants On Shelf Life Of Ground Beef1, B. D. Cleveland, J. O. Buntyn, A. L. Gronli, J. C. Macdonald, University Of Nebraska - Lincoln, G. A. Sullivan

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Feeding distillers grains (DGS) to cattle can increase PUFA concentration, increase lipid oxidation, and de- crease color stability of beef. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of feeding DGS and the post- mortem addition of antioxidants on the shelf life of ground beef products. Crossbred heifers (n = 64; initial BW = 225 kg) were supplemented with different amounts of modi- fied DGS (MDGS; 0.91 or 2.27 kg daily, DM basis) dur- ing backgrounding and finished on diets containing corn gluten feed or MDGS. Four beef shoulder clods from each dietary group were ground independently. Fatty …

Record Breaking Achievements By Spiders And The Scientists Who Study Them, Stefano Mammola, Peter Michalik, Eileen Hebets, Marco Isaia

Eileen Hebets Publications

Organismal biology has been steadily losing fashion in both formal education and scientific research. Simultaneous with this is an observable decrease in the connection between humans, their environment, and the organisms with which they share the planet. Nonetheless, we propose that organismal biology can facilitate scientific observation, discovery, research, and engagement, especially when the organisms of focus are ubiquitous and charismatic animals such as spiders. Despite being often feared, spiders are mysterious and intriguing, offering a useful foundation for the effective teaching and learning of scientific concepts and processes. In order to provide an entryway for teachers and students—as well …

Ptsd, Alcohol Dependence, And Conduct Problems: Distinct Pathways Via Lability And Disinhibition, Jeffrey S. Simons, Raluca M. Simons, Carol O'Brien, Scott F. Stoltenberg, Jessica A. Keith, Jaime A. Hudson

Department of Psychology: Faculty Publications

This study tested the role of affect lability and disinhibition in mediating associations between PTSD symptoms and two forms of alcohol-related problems, dependence syndrome symptoms (e.g., impaired control over consumption) and conduct problems (e.g., assault, risk behaviors). Genotype at the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) was hypothesized to moderate associations between traumatic stress and PTSD symptoms. In addition, the study tested whether childhood traumatic stress moderated associations between combat trauma and PTSD symptoms. Participants were 270 OIF/OEF/OND veterans. The hypothesized model was largely supported. Participants with the low expression alleles of 5-HTTLPR (S or L_G) exhibited stronger …

144 Effect Of Antral Follicle Count In Beef Heifers On In Vitro Fertilization/Production, C. C. Chase Jr., R. A. Freeland, A. K. Mcneel, E. C. Wright-Johnson, G. A. Perry, S. C. Tenley, J. R. Wood, A. S. Cupp, J. L. Vallet, J. R. Miles

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Our objective has been to compare the IVF and in vitro production (IVP) of embryos from low and high antral follicle count (AFC) heifers. This is the fourth year of the study with years 1 to 3 reported individually. For this report, we add data for the fourth year and present a combined analysis (years 1 to 4) for the first time. Each year, AFC was determined on ~120 Angus heifers using transrectal ultrasonography. Ten heifers with the lowest AFC and 10 heifers with the highest AFC and all with evidence of oestrous cyclicity were synchronized with two 5-mL injections …

Medical Subject Heading (Mesh) Annotations Illuminate Maize Genetics And Evolution, Timothy M. Beissinger, Gota Morota

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Background: High-density marker panels and/or whole-genome sequencing, coupled with advanced phenotyping pipelines and sophisticated statistical methods, have dramatically increased our ability to generate lists of candidate genes or regions that are putatively associated with phenotypes or processes of interest. However, the speed with which we can validate genes, or even make reasonable biological interpretations about the principles underlying them, has not kept pace. A promising approach that runs parallel to explicitly validating individual genes is analyzing a set of genes together and assessing the biological similarities among them. This is often achieved via gene ontology analysis, a powerful tool that …

Production Of A Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone 2 Receptor Knockdown (Gnrhr2 Kd) Swine Line, A. T. Desaulniers, R. A. Hou, G. A. Mills, C. A. Lents, Brett R. White

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Swine are the only livestock species that produce both the second mammalian isoform of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GNRH2) and its receptor (GNRHR2). Previously, we reported that GNRH2 and GNRHR2 mediate LH-independent testosterone secretion from porcine testes. To further explore this ligand-receptor complex, a pig model with reduced GNRHR2 expression was developed. Small hairpin RNA sequences targeting porcine GNRHR2 were subcloned into a lentiviral-based vector, lentiviral particles were generated and microinjected into the perivitelline space of zygotes, and embryos were transferred into a recipient. One GNRHR2 knockdown (KD) female was born that subsequently produced 80 piglets from 6 litters with 46 hemizygous …

Physically Adjusted Neutral Detergent Fiber System For Lactating Dairy Cow Rations. I: Deriving Equations That Identify Factors That Influence Effectiveness Of Fiber, Robin R. White, Mary Beth Hou, Jeffrey L. Firkins, Paul J. Kononoff

Department of Animal Science: Faculty Publications

Physically effective neutral detergent fiber (peNDF) is the fraction of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) that stimulates chewing activity and contributes to the floating mat of large particles in the rumen. Multiplying dietary NDF by particle size has been used as an estimate of peNDF. In re-evaluating the concept of peNDF, we compared the use of peNDF as dietary NDF × particle size with the use of individual NDF and particle size descriptors (physically adjusted NDF; paNDF) when used with other physical and chemical diet descriptors to predict dry matter (DM) intake (DMI), rumination time, and ruminal pH in lactating dairy …