109 research outputs found
MC1R gene: comparison between different farm animal species
No full textIl gene MC1R: confronto fra diverse specie animali di interesse zootecnico. Negli animali di interesse zootecnico, il polimorfismo del gene MC1R coinvolto nella pigmentazione è stato studiato a livello molecolare soltanto nell’ultimo decennio. Si sono confrontate descrizioni fenotipiche e polimorfismi del gene MC1R in alcune razze bovine (Rendena, Bruna, Cabannina, Ottonese-Varzese e Pezzata Rossa) e nel cavallo (62 animali). Tutti gli animali feomelanici sono portatori delle mutazioni recessive allo stato omozigote indipendentemente dalla tonalità del mantello. I cavalli neri sono portatori dell’allele selvatico del gene MC1R e della mutazione recessiva del gene ASIP allo stato omozigote. Nei cavalli bai e nelle altre razze bovine studiate è presente, almeno allo stato eterozigote, l’allele selvatico. Nella Bruna e nella Cabannina è presente anche l’allele E1. Nel gene MC1R, sequenziato in capre di razza Bionda dell’Adamello e Nera di Verzasca, si è evidenziata l’unica mutazione descritta in letteratura. I risultati sono stati confrontati con le informazioni disponibili nella specie murina e umana.Coat colour genes in farm animals have only been studied at molecular level over the last ten years, starting with Klungland et al. in 1995. Among the genes involved in pigmentation, MC1R, previously known as Extension locus, revealed polymorphisms related to red and black coat colour in different farm animal species. More exactly, the MelanoCortin-1 Receptor (MC1R) gene, specifically expressed in melanocytes, encodes for the homonymous G-protein coupled receptor involved in the regulation of the type of melanin synthesized. Melanocytes produce in fact two different types of melanins: the black or brown eumelanin and the yellow or red pheomelanin. The hair distribution of eu- and pheomelanins depends on the activity of MC1R, which is normally modulated by response to the melanocortin hormone, antagonized by the action of Agouti protein encoded by the ASIP gene. We previously studied the MC1R polymorphisms in some cattle reared in Italy (Crepaldi et al., 2003) and we now present the data on MC1R in other Italian cattle breeds, horses and goats. The aim of this work is to compare the pigmentary phenotypes and causative MC1R mutations in different farm animals and model species, such as mouse and human, in order to highlight differences and similarities between phenotypes and MC1R polymorphisms. The relationship between phenotypes and Agouti locus is also discussed
SP10 The MC1R gene polymorphism in some cattle breeds raised in Italy
No full textMost of the standardized cattle breeds raised in Italy have a coat colour that often allows their unique identification. Thus, the study of polymorphisms in genes involved in pigmentation could provide genetic markers useful for their identification. We have studied the polymorphism of MC1R gene in 213 animals from 9 cattle breeds raised in Italy: Limousin (37), Cabannina (20), Chianina (20), Grey Alpine (20), Italian Holstein (29), Italian Red Spotted (23), Marchigiana (20), Piedmontese (24) and Romagnola (20). Two PCR-RFLP protocols were used to detect the G310 deletion (e allele) and the T296C substitution (Ed allele) respectively causative of a nonfunctional receptor and a constitutively expressed receptor. All Limousin and Italian Red Pied animals resulted homozygous for the e allele. In the Italian Holstein (black pied), 27 out of 29 animals were homozygous for the Ed allele, while 2 were heterozygous Ede. Cabannina, Chianina, Marchigiana, Piedmontese and Romagnola have the same pigmentation pattern, pheomelanic with eumelanic extremities. In the former four breeds all animals investigated resulted homozygous for the wild-type allele (E+E+). Conversely, in the Romagnola breed 2 animals were heterozygous for the e allele (E+e). In the Alpine Grey these two mutations were also not observed. These results suggest that MC1R alleles may be helpful in tracing the origin of food products from Italian cattle. In fact Italian Holstein meat and milk can be revealed by the Ed allele; meat from Chianina, Marchigiana, and Piedmontese breeds can be distinguished by those from Holstein, Limousin or Italian Red Spotted by the absence of both Ed and e mutations. MC1R polymorphisms alone are insufficient to univocally identify single breeds, however the parallel investigation of a number of coat colour genes may reveal the existence of breed-specific genomic formulas permitting a precise molecular tracing of animal products
Intrafollicular nerve growth factor concentration in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome: A case-control study
No full textBACKGROUND: To evaluate the concentration of nerve growth factor (NGF) in follicular fluid of women affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing to In Vitro Fertilization cycle. Methods: In the context of an in-vivo study, a sample of 52 women was considered: 20 were without pathology (male infertility - control group) and 32 were affected by PCOS. All patients received a long stimulation protocol and the oocytes obtained by pick-up were fertilized with standard procedures of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Samples of follicular fluid (FF) were collected at oocyte pick-up. After centrifugation at 560 × g for 3 min, follicular fluid samples were frozen at-80 °C. After thawing the values of NGF in FF were determined by enzyme immunoassay ELISA using commercially available NGF enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. The results of study were analyzed statistically with Student's t-Test. Results: The content of NGF was higher in FF of PCOS patients (2023.30±587.09 pg/mL) in comparison with control group (1704.09±326.8 pg/mL; P<0.05). The levels of serum estrogen (E2) were higher in patients with PCOS (1724.24±635.79 pg/mL) than in control group (1305.3±298.12 pg/mL; P<0.05). The number of retrieved oocytes was more in PCOS patients (9.7±4.6) than in control group (8±4.4), but oocytes in metaphase II were similar in two groups (6.2±2.4 vs. 6.09±4). ConclusionS: The present results show that ovaries of PCOS patients produce more NGF than non-PCOS patients; it confirms that an excess of ovarian NGF might be an abnormality contributing to polycistic ovary morphology and PCOS
Preliminary study on MC1R polymorphism in some cattle breeds raised in Italy
No full textRicerche preliminari sul polimorfismo del gene MC1R in alcune razze bovine allevate in Italia – Il gene MC1R è stato analizzato in 193 soggetti appartenenti a 8 razze bovine, tramite PCR, per la presenza di due mutazioni ad effetto fenotipico noto sulla pigmentazione del mantello: la delezione G310 e la sostituzione T296C, associate rispettivamente al fenotipo feomelanico (e) ed eumelanico nero (Ed). Sessanta soggetti di razza Limousine e Pezzata Rossa Italiana presentano genotipo e/e; 27 soggetti di razza Frisona Italiana mostrano genotipo Ed/Ed mentre 2 genotipo Ed/e. Gli 84 soggetti appartenenti alle razze Cabannina, Chianina, Marchigiana e Piemontese non presentano tali mutazioni, analogamente a 18 soggetti di razza Romagnola, nella quale però si sono anche osservati 2 soggetti portatori dell’allele e allo stato eterozigote
On the Role of Low-Mass Asymptotic Giant Branch Stars in Producing a Solar System Distribution of s-Process Isotopes
No full textThe production of s-isotopes due to the operation of the reaction 13C(α, n)16O in low-mass stars during asymptotic giant branch phases is investigated following in detail the time evolution of the thermal pulses, the temperature and density stratification within the convective shells, and taking into account the effect of the neutron recycling by 12C through the chain 12C(n, γ)13C(α, n)16O. The resulting average neutron density reaches a maximum of about 5×109cm-3 and then decreases smoothly. Strong overabundances for all s-isotopes with A > 80 are obtained in a solar system distribution. The process appears suitable to reproduce many observed details concerning isotopic ratios
Differential rotation and activity cycles in RS Canum Venaticorum binaries. I - RU CNC and CQ AUR
No full textA number of seasonal light curves of the RS CVn variables RU Cnc and CQ
Aur, obtained from 1977 - 1978 to 1982 - 1983 at Catania and Torino
Observatories, are studied by applying recently developed techniques of
time series analysis for nonequally sampled data. The results of this
study appear to support the hypothesis that dark spots are responsible
for the photometric variations. A simple method, based on a solar
analogy, allows to determine both the differential rotation and the
latitude drift of the spotted regions. The latitude drift is accompanied
by variations of the light curve amplitude suggesting the existence of
spot activity cycles with a period of about 4 years in both binary
systems
ON THE NATURE OF V2282 SGR
No full textThe star V2282 Sgr is positionally consistent with a strong Chandra X-ray and a Spitzer/IRAC mid-infrared source. We derived its long-term I-band light curve from the photographic archives of the Asiago and Catania Observatories, covering the years from 1965 to 1984. Also, CCD R-c photometry of 2009 was re-analyzed. Optical spectra were collected at the Loiano Observatory in 2011 and 2012. J,H,K-s photometry, obtained from several sources in different epochs was compared and the Spitzer images were re-analyzed. V2282 Sgr was found to be irregular variable in all wavelengths. Spectroscopically, it shows strong emission features (H Balmer lines, [NII] 6584A and [OIII] 5007/4959A) while the Na I D-doublet is very strong, indicating a circumstellar envelope. A single thermal energy distribution cannot reproduce the observed SED, while it can be explained as the sum of a G-type star plus a variable circumstellar disk, which mimics YSO of class 0/I. Most likely, V2282 Sgr is a 1-2 M circle dot mass pre-main-sequence star with an accretion disk
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