James M. Reecy
Research interests
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Interestsmajor meat animals, functional Myostatin results, Beef Cattle
Publications
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2.29Impact points
Genetic polymorphisms in bovine transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) and solute carrier family 40 (iron-regulated transporter), member 1 (SLC40A1) genes and their association with beef iron content.
Animal genetics. 04/2012; 43(2):115-22.
Beef is considered to be an excellent source of dietary iron. However, little is known about the genetic control of beef iron content. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms in transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) and solute carrier family 40 (iron-regulated transporter), member 1 (SLC40A1) could influ... [more] Beef is considered to be an excellent source of dietary iron. However, little is known about the genetic control of beef iron content. We hypothesized that genetic polymorphisms in transferrin receptor 2 (TFR2) and solute carrier family 40 (iron-regulated transporter), member 1 (SLC40A1) could influence skeletal muscle iron content. The objective of this study was to use Angus cattle to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the exons and flanking regions of the bovine TFR2 and SLC40A1 genes and to evaluate the extent to which genetic variation in them was associated with bovine longissimus dorsi muscle iron content. Ten novel SNPs were identified in TFR2, of which one SNP tended to be associated (P < 0.013) with skeletal muscle iron content. Nine novel SNPs in SLC40A1, NC007300: rs133108154, rs137140497, rs135205621, rs136600836, rs134388440, rs136347850, rs134186279, rs134621419 and rs137555693, were identified, of which SNPs rs134388440, rs136347850 and rs137555693 were significantly associated (P < 0.007) with skeletal muscle iron content. High linkage disequilibrium was observed among SLC40A1 SNPs rs134388440, rs136347850 and rs137555693 (R(2) > 0.99), from which two haplotypes, TGC and CAT, were defined. Beef from individuals that were homozygous for the TGC haplotype had significantly (P < 0.001) higher iron content than did beef from CAT homozygous or heterozygous individuals. The estimated size of effect of the identified haplotypes was 0.3% of the phenotypic variance. In conclusion, our study provides evidence for genetic control of beef iron concentration. Moreover, SNPs identified in SLC40A1, rs134388440, rs136347850 and rs137555693 might be useful markers for the selection of Angus cattle for altered iron content.
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2.47Impact points
Evidence for a major QTL associated with host response to Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome virus challenge.
Journal of animal science. 12/2011;
Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes decreased reproductive performance in breeding animals and increased respiratory problems and morbidity in growing animals, which results in significant economic losses in the swine industry. Vaccination has generally not been effective in ... [more] Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) causes decreased reproductive performance in breeding animals and increased respiratory problems and morbidity in growing animals, which results in significant economic losses in the swine industry. Vaccination has generally not been effective in the prevention of PRRS, partially due to the rapid mutation rate and evolution of the virus. The objective of the current study was to discover the genetic basis of host resistance or susceptibility to the PRRS virus through a genome wide association study using data from the PRRS Host Genetics Consortium PRRS-CAP project. Three groups of ~190 commercial crossbred pigs from one breeding company were infected with PRRS virus between 18 and 28 days of age. Blood samples and body weights were collected up to 42 days post infection (dpi). Pigs were genotyped with the Illumina Porcine 60k Beadchip. Whole genome analysis focused on viremia at each day blood was collected, and weight gains from 0 to 21 dpi (WG21) or 42 dpi (WG42). Viral load (VL) was quantified as area under the curve from 0 to 21 dpi. Heritabilities for WG42 and VL were moderate at 0.30 and litter accounted for an additional 14% of phenotypic variation. Genomic regions associated with VL were found on chromosomes 4 and X, and on 1, 4, 7, and 17 for WG42. The 1 Mb region identified on chromosome 4 influenced both WG and VL, exhibited strong linkage disequilibrium, and explained 15.7% of the genetic variance for VL and 11.2% for WG42. Despite a genetic correlation of -0.46 between VL and WG42, genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) for this region were favorably and nearly perfect correlated. The favorable allele for the most significant SNP in this region had a frequency of 0.16 and estimated allele substitution effects were significant (p < 0.01) for each group when the SNP was fitted as a fixed covariate in a model that included random polygenic effects using ASREML, with overall allele substitution estimates of -4.1 units for VL (phenotypic SD = 6.9), and 2.0 kg (phenotypic SD = 3 kg) for WG42. Candidate genes in this region on SSC4 include the interferon induced guanylate-binding protein gene family. In conclusion, host response to experimental PRRS virus challenge has a strong genetic component and a QTL on chromosome 4 explains a substantial proportion of the genetic variance in the studied population. These results could have a major impact in the swine industry by enabling marker-assisted selection to reduce the impact of PRRS but need to be validated in additional populations.
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4.12Impact points
Mapping genetic loci that interact with myostatin to affect growth traits.
Heredity. 06/2011; 107(6):565-73.
Myostatin, or GDF8, is an inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth. A non-functional myostatin mutation leads to a double muscling phenotype in some species, for example, mice, cattle and humans. Previous studies have indicated that there are loci in the genome that interact with myostatin to control bac... [more] Myostatin, or GDF8, is an inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth. A non-functional myostatin mutation leads to a double muscling phenotype in some species, for example, mice, cattle and humans. Previous studies have indicated that there are loci in the genome that interact with myostatin to control backfat depth and other complex traits. We now report a quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping study designed to identify loci that interact with myostatin to impact growth traits in mice. Body weight and average daily gain traits were collected on F2 progeny derived from a myostatin-null C57BL/6 strain by M16i cross. In all, 44 main effect QTL were detected above a 5% genome-wide significance threshold when an interval mapping method was used. An additional 37 QTL were identified to significantly interact with myostatin, sex or reciprocal cross. A total of 12 of these QTL interacted with myostatin genotype. These results provide a foundation for the further fine mapping of genome regions that harbor loci that interact with myostatin.
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2.47Impact points
Estimation of relationships between mineral concentration and fatty acid composition of longissimus muscle and beef palatability traits.
Journal of animal science. 04/2011; 89(9):2849-58.
The objective of this study was to determine the influence of beef LM nutrient components on beef palatability traits and evaluate the impact of USDA quality grade on beef palatability. Longissimus muscle samples from related Angus cattle (n = 1,737) were obtained and fabricated into steaks for trai... [more] The objective of this study was to determine the influence of beef LM nutrient components on beef palatability traits and evaluate the impact of USDA quality grade on beef palatability. Longissimus muscle samples from related Angus cattle (n = 1,737) were obtained and fabricated into steaks for trained sensory panel, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), lipid oxidation measured by thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), fatty acid, and mineral composition analysis. Pearson phenotypic correlations were obtained by the correlation procedure of SAS. Beef palatability data were analyzed by the GLM procedure of SAS with USDA quality grade as the main effect. Specific mineral concentrations did not demonstrate strong correlations with WBSF or sensory traits (r = -0.14 to 0.16). However, minerals appeared to have a stronger relationship with flavor; all minerals evaluated except Ca and Mn were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with beef flavor. Stearic acid (C18:0), C18:2, C20:4, and PUFA were negatively correlated (P < 0.05) with all 3 panelist tenderness traits (r = -0.09 to -0.22) and were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with WBSF (r = 0.09 to 0.15). The MUFA were positively correlated (P < 0.05) with panelist tenderness ratings (r = 0.07 to 0.10) and negatively associated (P < 0.05) with WBSF (r = -0.11). The strongest correlations with juiciness were negative relationships (P < 0.05) with C18:2, C18:3, C20:4, and PUFA (r = -0.08 to -0.20). Correlations with beef flavor were weak, but the strongest was a positive relationship with MUFA (r = 0.13). Quality grade affected (P < 0.05) WBSF, TBARS, and all trained sensory panel traits, except livery/metallic flavor. As quality grade increased, steaks were more tender (P < 0.05), as evidenced by both WBSF and sensory panel tenderness ratings. Prime steaks were rated juiciest (P < 0.05) by panelists, whereas Select and Low Choice were similarly rated below Top Choice for sustained juiciness. Quality grade influenced (P < 0.05) beef flavor, but not in a linear fashion. Although there were significant correlations, these results indicate tenderness, juiciness, and flavor are not strongly influenced by individual nutrient components in beef LM. Furthermore, the positive linear relationships between USDA quality grade and beef palatability traits suggest quality grade is still one of the most valuable tools available to predict beef tenderness.
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Whole genome analysis of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis in Angus cattle using Bayesian threshold models.
BMC proceedings. 01/2011; 5 Suppl 4:S22.
Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), also known as pinkeye, is characterized by damage to the cornea and is an economically important, lowly heritable, categorical disease trait in beef cattle. Scores of eye damage were collected at weaning on 858 Angus cattle. SNP genotypes for each animal... [more] Infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), also known as pinkeye, is characterized by damage to the cornea and is an economically important, lowly heritable, categorical disease trait in beef cattle. Scores of eye damage were collected at weaning on 858 Angus cattle. SNP genotypes for each animal were obtained from BovineSNP50 Infinium-beadchips. Simultaneous associations of all SNP with IBK phenotype were determined using Bayes-C that treats SNP effects as random with equal variance for an assumed fraction (π=0.999) of SNP having no effect on IBK scores. Bayes-C threshold models were used to estimate SNP effects by classifying IBK into two, three or nine ordered categories. Magnitudes of genetic variances estimated in localized regions across the genome indicated that SNP within the most informative regions accounted for much of the genetic variance of IBK and pointed out some degree of association to IBK. There are many candidate genes in these regions which could include a gene or group of genes associated with bacterial disease in cattle.
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Probing genetic control of swine responses to PRRSV infection: current progress of the PRRS host genetics consortium.
BMC proceedings. 01/2011; 5 Suppl 4:S30.
Understanding the role of host genetics in resistance to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection, and the effects of PRRS on pig health and related growth, are goals of the PRRS Host Genetics Consortium (PHGC). The project uses a nursery pig model to assess pig resistan... [more] Understanding the role of host genetics in resistance to porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) infection, and the effects of PRRS on pig health and related growth, are goals of the PRRS Host Genetics Consortium (PHGC). The project uses a nursery pig model to assess pig resistance/susceptibility to primary PRRSV infection. To date, 6 groups of 200 crossbred pigs from high health farms were donated by commercial sources. After acclimation, the pigs were infected with PRRSV in a biosecure facility and followed for 42 days post infection (dpi). Blood samples were collected at 0, 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 35 and 42 dpi for serum and whole blood RNA gene expression analyses; weekly weights were recorded for growth traits. All data have been entered into the PHGC relational database. Genomic DNAs from all PHGC1-6 pigs were prepared and genotyped with the Porcine SNP60 SNPchip. Results have affirmed that all challenged pigs become PRRSV infected with peak viremia being observed between 4-21 dpi. Multivariate statistical analyses of viral load and weight data have identified PHGC pigs in different virus/weight categories. Sera are now being compared for factors involved in recovery from infection, including speed of response and levels of immune cytokines. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) are underway to identify genes and chromosomal locations that identify PRRS resistant/susceptible pigs and pigs able to maintain growth while infected with PRRSV. Overall, the PHGC project will enable researchers to discover and verify important genotypes and phenotypes that predict resistance/susceptibility to PRRSV infection. The availability of PHGC samples provides a unique opportunity to continue to develop deeper phenotypes on every PRRSV infected pig.
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Myostatin genotype regulates muscle-specific miRNA expression in mouse pectoralis muscle.
BMC research notes. 11/2010; 3:297.
Loss of functional Myostatin results in a dramatic increase in skeletal muscle mass. It is unknown what role miRNAs play in Myostatin mediated repression of skeletal muscle mass. We hypothesized that Myostatin genotype would be associated with the differential expression of miRNAs in skeletal muscle... [more] Loss of functional Myostatin results in a dramatic increase in skeletal muscle mass. It is unknown what role miRNAs play in Myostatin mediated repression of skeletal muscle mass. We hypothesized that Myostatin genotype would be associated with the differential expression of miRNAs in skeletal muscle. Loss of functional Myostatin resulted in a significant increase (p < .001) in miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b, and miR-206 expression. In contrast, Myostatin genotype had no effect (P > .2) on miR-24 expression level. Myostatin genotype did not affect the expression level of MyoD or Myogenin (P > 0.5). Myostatin may regulates the expression of miRNAs such as miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-1, and miR-206 in skeletal muscle as it has been observed that the expression of those miRNAs are significantly higher in myostatin null mice compared to wild type and heterozygous mice. In contrast, expression of myogenic factors such as MyoD or Myogenin has not been affected by myostatin in the muscle tissue.
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7.48Impact points
The catfish genome database cBARBEL: an informatic platform for genome biology of ictalurid catfish.
Nucleic acids research. 10/2010; 39(Database issue):D815-21.
The catfish genome database, cBARBEL (abbreviated from catfish Breeder And Researcher Bioinformatics Entry Location) is an online open-access database for genome biology of ictalurid catfish (Ictalurus spp.). It serves as a comprehensive, integrative platform for all aspects of catfish genetics, gen... [more] The catfish genome database, cBARBEL (abbreviated from catfish Breeder And Researcher Bioinformatics Entry Location) is an online open-access database for genome biology of ictalurid catfish (Ictalurus spp.). It serves as a comprehensive, integrative platform for all aspects of catfish genetics, genomics and related data resources. cBARBEL provides BLAST-based, fuzzy and specific search functions, visualization of catfish linkage, physical and integrated maps, a catfish EST contig viewer with SNP information overlay, and GBrowse-based organization of catfish genomic data based on sequence similarity with zebrafish chromosomes. Subsections of the database are tightly related, allowing a user with a sequence or search string of interest to navigate seamlessly from one area to another. As catfish genome sequencing proceeds and ongoing quantitative trait loci (QTL) projects bear fruit, cBARBEL will allow rapid data integration and dissemination within the catfish research community and to interested stakeholders. cBARBEL can be accessed at http://catfishgenome.org.
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2.99Impact points
Association of toll-like receptor four single nucleotide polymorphisms with incidence of infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK) in cattle.
Immunogenetics. 10/2010; 63(2):115-9.
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a receptor protein that binds pathogen ligands, which are mainly associated with Gram-negative bacteria. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of nucleotide polymorphisms in TLR4 with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), or pinkeye, in... [more] Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) is a receptor protein that binds pathogen ligands, which are mainly associated with Gram-negative bacteria. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of nucleotide polymorphisms in TLR4 with infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis (IBK), or pinkeye, incidence in American Angus cattle. Animals with previously calculated breeding values for IBK susceptibility were used to identify two SNPs in TLR4; Int1 (A/G) in intron1 (-26 Ex2 position) and Ex3 (C/T) in exon3 (1,678 position). To investigate the possible role of these SNPs in IBK susceptibility, the disease incidence information was collected on 370 calves raised in Iowa at two time points-June or August (disease season) and October (at weaning) and genotyped using PCR-RFLP protocols. In statistical models including year, pasture management group, and SNP, the Int1 SNP had a significant effect on IBK infection rates both in-season (P < 0.05) and at weaning (P < 0.01), whereas the Ex3 SNP was not significant (P > 0.79) at either time point. Furthermore, the Int1 SNP alone could account for 2.1% of phenotypic variation in IBK infection during the disease season and 3.0% of phenotypic variation in IBK infection at the time of weaning. These data indicate that there is a relationship between Int1 genotype and the rate of IBK infection in American Angus cattle.
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1.71Impact points
Use of SNP genotyping to determine pedigree and breed composition of dairy cattle in Kenya.
Journal of animal breeding and genetics = Zeitschrift für Tierzüchtung und Züchtungsbiologie. 10/2010; 127(5):348-51.
High levels of inbreeding in East African dairy cattle are a potential concern because of use of a limited range of imported germplasm coupled with strong selection, especially by disease, and sparse performance recording. To address this, genetic relationships and breed composition in an admixed po... [more] High levels of inbreeding in East African dairy cattle are a potential concern because of use of a limited range of imported germplasm coupled with strong selection, especially by disease, and sparse performance recording. To address this, genetic relationships and breed composition in an admixed population of Kenyan dairy cattle were estimated by means of a 50K SNP scan. Genomic DNA from 3 worldwide Holstein and 20 Kenyan bulls, 71 putative cow-calf pairs, 25 cows from a large ranch and 5 other Kenyan animals were genotyped for 37 238 informative SNPs. Sires were predicted and 89% of putative dam-calf relationships were supported by genotype data. Animals were clustered with the HapMap population using Structure software to assess breed composition. Cows from a large ranch primarily clustered with Holsteins, while animals from smaller farms were generally crosses between Holstein and Guernsey. Coefficients of relatedness were estimated and showed evidence of heavy use of one AI bull. We conclude that little native germplasm exists within the genotyped populations and mostly European ancestry remains.
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1.78Impact points
Interleukin-8, interleukin-1beta, and interferon-gamma levels are linked to PRRS virus clearance.
Viral immunology. 04/2010; 23(2):127-34.
Infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) results in a weak antiviral immune response that leads to a persistent infection in a subset of pigs. We investigated the intensity and timing of the early cytokine responses to PRRSV infection to determine their utility as a... [more] Infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) results in a weak antiviral immune response that leads to a persistent infection in a subset of pigs. We investigated the intensity and timing of the early cytokine responses to PRRSV infection to determine their utility as a predictor of persistence. As part of the "Big Pig" project, we evaluated cytokine gene expression in lymphoid tissues collected from pigs for up 202 days post-infection (dpi); serum samples were collected biweekly. Cytokine mRNA levels were compared between pigs that cleared the viral infection from serum and tissues (non-persistent [NP] pigs) to those of persistent (P) pigs, that had viral RNA in their serum for up to 126 dpi. The gene expression studies in the tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN) of all the pigs showed upregulation of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma)-associated T-helper 1 (Th-1) markers from 14-84 dpi, and of T-regulatory interleukin-10 (IL-10), but no upregulation of innate markers (IFN-A, IL-1B, and IL-8). At later time points (>112 dpi) these genes were no longer differentially expressed and thus were uninformative for persistence studies. Statistical analyses of serum cytokine levels indicated that innate cytokine (IL-1beta and IL-8) levels were upregulated early after infection. Interestingly, serum IL-8 levels in NP pigs were significantly higher than in P pigs at 14 dpi. When analyzed together, variations in all three of the serum cytokines tested (IL-8, IL-1beta, and IFN-gamma) was significantly correlated with virus level, accounting for approximately 84% of the variations observed. These results indicate that while each cytokine individually has minor effects on the length of virus replication, the combination of cytokine activities should be considered when understanding the role of immunity in persistence.
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Myostatin genotype regulates muscle-specific miRNA expression in mouse pectoralis muscle
BMC Research Notes. 01/2010;
Abstract Background Loss of functional Myostatin results in a dramatic increase in skeletal muscle mass. It is unknown what role miRNAs play in Myostatin mediated repression of skeletal muscle mass. We hypothesized that Myostatin genotype would be associated with the differential expression of miRNA... [more] Abstract Background Loss of functional Myostatin results in a dramatic increase in skeletal muscle mass. It is unknown what role miRNAs play in Myostatin mediated repression of skeletal muscle mass. We hypothesized that Myostatin genotype would be associated with the differential expression of miRNAs in skeletal muscle. Findings Loss of functional Myostatin resulted in a significant increase (p < .001) in miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b, and miR-206 expression. In contrast, Myostatin genotype had no effect (P > .2) on miR-24 expression level. Myostatin genotype did not affect the expression level of MyoD or Myogenin (P > 0.5). Conclusions Myostatin may regulates the expression of miRNAs such as miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-1, and miR-206 in skeletal muscle as it has been observed that the expression of those miRNAs are significantly higher in myostatin null mice compared to wild type and heterozygous mice. In contrast, expression of myogenic factors such as MyoD or Myogenin has not been affected by myostatin in the muscle tissue.
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2.87Impact points
Skeletal muscle stem cells from animals I. Basic cell biology.
International journal of biological sciences. 01/2010; 6(5):465-74.
Skeletal muscle stem cells from food-producing animals are of interest to agricultural life scientists seeking to develop a better understanding of the molecular regulation of lean tissue (skeletal muscle protein hypertrophy) and intramuscular fat (marbling) development. Enhanced understanding of mu... [more] Skeletal muscle stem cells from food-producing animals are of interest to agricultural life scientists seeking to develop a better understanding of the molecular regulation of lean tissue (skeletal muscle protein hypertrophy) and intramuscular fat (marbling) development. Enhanced understanding of muscle stem cell biology and function is essential for developing technologies and strategies to augment the metabolic efficiency and muscle hypertrophy of growing animals potentially leading to greater efficiency and reduced environmental impacts of animal production, while concomitantly improving product uniformity and consumer acceptance and enjoyment of muscle foods.
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2.87Impact points
Lipid metabolism, adipocyte depot physiology and utilization of meat animals as experimental models for metabolic research.
International journal of biological sciences. 01/2010; 6(7):691-9.
Meat animals are unique as experimental models for both lipid metabolism and adipocyte studies because of their direct economic value for animal production. This paper discusses the principles that regulate adipogenesis in major meat animals (beef cattle, dairy cattle, and pigs), the definition of a... [more] Meat animals are unique as experimental models for both lipid metabolism and adipocyte studies because of their direct economic value for animal production. This paper discusses the principles that regulate adipogenesis in major meat animals (beef cattle, dairy cattle, and pigs), the definition of adipose depot-specific regulation of lipid metabolism or adipogenesis, and introduces the potential value of these animals as models for metabolic research including mammary biology and the ontogeny of fatty livers.
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2.47Impact points
Evaluation of fixed sources of variation and estimation of genetic parameters for incidence of bovine respiratory disease in prewean calves and feedlot cattle.
Journal of animal science. 12/2009;
The primary objective of this study was to estimate variance components and heritability of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) incidence in beef calves prior to weaning and during the finishing phase. The second objective was to investigate the impact of BRD incidence and treatment frequency on perfor... [more] The primary objective of this study was to estimate variance components and heritability of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) incidence in beef calves prior to weaning and during the finishing phase. The second objective was to investigate the impact of BRD incidence and treatment frequency on performance and carcass traits. BRD is the biggest and most costly health challenge facing the cattle industry. The two populations used consisted of 1,519 head of prewean calves and 3,277 head of feedlot cattle. Prewean calves BRD incidence rate was 11.39%, among treated cattle 82.1% were treated once, 13.9% were treated twice, and 4.0% were treated three times or more. The incidence of BRD (P = 0.35) and the number of treatments (P = 0.77) had no significant effect on weaning BW. Heritability estimates of the entire prewean population for BRD resistance and number of treatments were 0.11 +/- 0.06 and 0.08 +/- 0.05, respectively. The genetic correlation estimates for BRD incidence with weaning BW and birth BW were low (-0.02 +/- 0.32 and 0.07 +/- 0.27, respectively). The same estimate for the number of BRD treatments with weaning BW and birth BW was 0.25 +/- 0.35 and 0.30 +/- 0.27, respectively. The observed BRD incidence rate for feedlot cattle was observed at 9.43%. Incidence of BRD significantly (P < 0.01) decreased overall and acclimation ADG 0.06 +/- 0.01 kg/d and 0.28 +/- 0.03 kg/d, respectively. Carcass traits were also significantly (P < 0.05) affected by BRD incidence as untreated cattle had a 9.1 +/- 1.7 kg heavier HCW. Results were similar in the analysis of treatment frequency. The heritability estimate of BRD incidence and the number of treatments were 0.07 +/- 0.04 and 0.02 +/- 0.03, respectively. Estimates of genetic correlations of BRD incidence with production traits were: -0.63 +/- 0.22 for acclimation ADG, -0.04 +/- 0.23 for on-test ADG, -0.31 +/- 0.21 for overall ADG, -0.39 +/- 0.21 for final BW, -0.22 +/- 0.22 for HCW, -0.03 +/- 0.22 for LMA, 0.24 +/- 0.25 for fat, and -0.43 +/- 0.20 for marbling score. Similar results for the number of treatments and production traits were: -1.00 +/- 0.68 for acclimation ADG, -0.04 +/- 0.39 for on-test ADG, -0.47 +/- 0.41 for overall ADG, -0.66 +/- 0.40 for final BW, -0.58 +/- 0.45 for HCW, -0.12 +/- 0.38 for LMA, 0.42 +/- 0.50 for fat, and -0.32 +/- 0.37 for marbling score. Because of the high economic cost associated with BRD incidence, even these modest estimates for heritability of BRD resistance should be considered for incorporation into beef cattle breeding programs.
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2.29Impact points
Associations of polymorphisms in the promoter I of bovine acetyl-CoA carboxylase-alpha gene with beef fatty acid composition.
Animal genetics. 12/2009;
Summary The objectives of this study were to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter I (PI) region of the bovine acetyl-CoA carboxylase-alpha (ACACA) gene and to evaluate the extent to which they were associated with lipid-related traits. Eight novel SNPs were identified, whi... [more] Summary The objectives of this study were to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the promoter I (PI) region of the bovine acetyl-CoA carboxylase-alpha (ACACA) gene and to evaluate the extent to which they were associated with lipid-related traits. Eight novel SNPs were identified, which were AJ276223:g.2064T>A (SNP1), g.2155C>T (SNP2), g.2203G>T (SNP3), g.2268T>C (SNP4), g.2274G>A (SNP5), g.2340A>G (SNP6), g.2350T>C (SNP7) and g.2370A>G (SNP8). Complete linkage disequilibrium was observed among SNP1, 2, 4, 5, 6 and 8. Phenotypic data were collected from 573 cross-bred steers with six sire breeds, including Hereford, Angus, Brangus, Beefmaster, Bonsmara and Romosinuano. The genotypes of SNP1/2/4/5/6/8 were significantly associated with adjusted backfat thickness. The genotypes of SNP3 were significantly associated with triacylglycerol (TAG) content and fatty acid composition of longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) in Brangus-, Romosinuano- and Bonsmara-sired cattle. Cattle with g.2203GG genotype had greater concentrations of TAG, total lipid, total saturated fatty acid and total monounsaturated fatty acid than did cattle with g.2203GT genotype. The genotypes of SNP7 were significantly associated with fatty acid composition of LM. Cattle with genotype g.2350TC had greater amounts of several fatty acids in LM than did cattle with genotype g.2350CC. Our results suggested that the SNPs in the PI region of ACACA gene are associated with variations in the fatty acid contents in LM.
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2.55Impact points
Perspectives on the formation of an interdisciplinary research team.
Biochemical and biophysical research communications. 11/2009;
As research funding becomes more competitive, it will be imperative for researchers to break the mentality of a single laboratory/single research focus and develop an interdisciplinary research team aimed at addressing real world challenges. Members of this team may be at the same institution, may b... [more] As research funding becomes more competitive, it will be imperative for researchers to break the mentality of a single laboratory/single research focus and develop an interdisciplinary research team aimed at addressing real world challenges. Members of this team may be at the same institution, may be found regionally, or may be international. However, all must share the same passion for a topic that is bigger than any individual's research focus. Moreover, special consideration should be given to the professional development issues of junior faculty participating in interdisciplinary research teams. While participation may be "humbling" at times, the sheer volume of research progress that may be achieved through interdisciplinary collaboration, even in light of a short supply of grant dollars, is remarkable.
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2.94Impact points
ANEXdb: an integrated animal ANnotation and microarray EXpression database.
Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society. 11/2009;
To determine annotations of the sequence elements on microarrays used for transcriptional profiling experiments in livestock species, currently researchers must either use the sparse direct annotations available for these species or create their own annotations. ANEXdb ( http://www.anexdb.org ) is a... [more] To determine annotations of the sequence elements on microarrays used for transcriptional profiling experiments in livestock species, currently researchers must either use the sparse direct annotations available for these species or create their own annotations. ANEXdb ( http://www.anexdb.org ) is an open-source web application that supports integrated access of two databases that house microarray expression (ExpressDB) and EST annotation (AnnotDB) data. The expression database currently supports storage and querying of Affymetrix-based expression data as well as retrieval of experiments in a form ready for NCBI-GEO submission; these services are available online. AnnotDB currently houses a novel assembly of approximately 1.6 million unique porcine-expressed sequence reads called the Iowa Porcine Assembly (IPA), which consists of 140,087 consensus sequences, the Iowa Tentative Consensus (ITC) sequences, and 103,888 singletons. The IPA has been annotated via transfer of information from homologs identified through sequence alignment to NCBI RefSeq. These annotated sequences have been mapped to the Affymetrix porcine array elements, providing annotation for 22,569 of the 23,937 (94%) porcine-specific probe sets, of which 19,253 (80%) are linked to an NCBI RefSeq entry. The ITC has also been mined for sequence variation, providing evidence for up to 202,383 SNPs, 62,048 deletions, and 958 insertions in porcine-expressed sequence. These results create a single location to obtain porcine annotation of and sequence variation in differently expressed genes in expression experiments, thus permitting possible identification of causal variants in such genes of interest. The ANEXdb application is open source and available from SourceForge.net.
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9.43Impact points
A nonsense mutation in cGMP-dependant type II protein kinase (PRKG2) causes dwarfism in American Angus cattle.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. 11/2009;
Historically, dwarfism was the major genetic defect in U.S. beef cattle. Aggressive culling and sire testing were used to minimize its prevalence; however, neither of these practices can eliminate a recessive genetic defect. We assembled a 4-generation pedigree to identify the mutation underlying dw... [more] Historically, dwarfism was the major genetic defect in U.S. beef cattle. Aggressive culling and sire testing were used to minimize its prevalence; however, neither of these practices can eliminate a recessive genetic defect. We assembled a 4-generation pedigree to identify the mutation underlying dwarfism in American Angus cattle. An adaptation of the Elston-Steward algorithm was used to overcome small pedigree size and missing genotypes. The dwarfism locus was fine-mapped to BTA6 between markers AFR227 and BM4311. Four candidate genes were sequenced, revealing a nonsense mutation in exon 15 of cGMP-dependant type II protein kinase (PRKG2). This C/T transition introduced a stop codon (R678X) that truncated 85 C-terminal amino acids, including a large portion of the kinase domain. Of the 75 mutations discovered in this region, only this mutation was 100% concordant with the recessive pattern of inheritance in affected and carrier individuals (log of odds score = 6.63). Previous research has shown that PRKG2 regulates SRY (sex-determining region Y) box 9 (SOX9)-mediated transcription of collagen 2 (COL2). We evaluated the ability of wild-type (WT) or R678X PRKG2 to regulate COL2 expression in cell culture. Real-time PCR results confirmed that COL2 is overexpressed in cells that overexpressed R678X PRKG2 as compared with WT PRKG2. Furthermore, COL2 and COL10 mRNA expression was increased in dwarf cattle compared with unaffected cattle. These experiments indicate that the R678X mutation is functional, resulting in a loss of PRKG2 regulation of COL2 and COL10 mRNA expression. Therefore, we present PRKG2 R678X as a causative mutation for dwarfism cattle.
Following (29)
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Eve Devinoy
INRA - Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique -
Jan Aerts
Catholic University Leuven -
Eduardo Eyras
Universitat Pompeu Fabra -
Tim Smith
USDA Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Meat Animal Research Center -
John C McEwan
AgResearch
