31 research outputs found
Gene expression profiling en association with prion-related lesions in the medulla oblongata of symptomatic natural scrapie animals.
No full textThe pathogenesis of natural scrapie and other prion diseases remains unclear. Examining transcriptome variations in infected versus control animals may highlight new genes potentially involved in some of the molecular mechanisms of prion-induced pathology. The aim of this work was to identify disease-associated alterations in the gene expression profiles of the caudal medulla oblongata (MO) in sheep presenting the symptomatic phase of natural scrapie. The gene expression patterns in the MO from 7 sheep that had been naturally infected with scrapie were compared with 6 controls using a Central Veterinary Institute (CVI) custom designed 4×44K microarray. The microarray consisted of a probe set on the previously sequenced ovine tissue library by CVI and was supplemented with all of the Ovis aries transcripts that are currently publicly available. Over 350 probe sets displayed greater than 2-fold changes in expression. We identified 148 genes from these probes, many of which encode proteins that are involved in the immune response, ion transport, cell adhesion, and transcription. Our results confirm previously published gene expression changes that were observed in murine models with induced scrapie. Moreover, we have identified new genes that exhibit differential expression in scrapie and could be involved in prion neuropathology. Finally, we have investigated the relationship between gene expression profiles and the appearance of the main scrapie-related lesions, including prion protein deposition, gliosis and spongiosis. In this context, the potential impacts of these gene expression changes in the MO on scrapie development are discussed
Analysis of conservation priorities of Iberoamerican cattle based on autosomal microsatellite markers
No full textArticles in International JournalsBackground: Determining the value of livestock breeds is essential to define conservation priorities, manage genetic diversity and allocate funds. Within- and between-breed genetic diversity need to be assessed to preserve the highest intra-specific variability. Information on genetic diversity and risk status is still lacking for many Creole cattle breeds from the Americas, despite their distinct evolutionary trajectories and adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.
Methods: A comprehensive genetic analysis of 67 Iberoamerican cattle breeds was carried out with 19 FAOrecommended
microsatellites to assess conservation priorities. Contributions to global diversity were investigated using alternative methods, with different weights given to the within- and between-breed components of genetic diversity. Information on Iberoamerican plus 15 worldwide cattle breeds was used to investigate the contribution of geographical breed groups to global genetic diversity.
Results: Overall, Creole cattle breeds showed a high level of genetic diversity with the highest level found in
breeds admixed with zebu cattle, which were clearly differentiated from all other breeds. Within-breed kinships
revealed seven highly inbred Creole breeds for which measures are needed to avoid further genetic erosion.
However, if contribution to heterozygosity was the only criterion considered, some of these breeds had the lowest priority for conservation decisions. The Weitzman approach prioritized highly differentiated breeds, such as Guabalá, Romosinuano, Cr. Patagonico, Siboney and Caracú, while kinship-based methods prioritized mainly zebu-related breeds. With the combined approaches, breed ranking depended on the weights given to the within- and
between-breed components of diversity. Overall, the Creole groups of breeds were generally assigned a higher
priority for conservation than the European groups of breeds.
Conclusions: Conservation priorities differed significantly according to the weight given to within- and betweenbreed
genetic diversity. Thus, when establishing conservation programs, it is necessary to also take into account other features. Creole cattle and local isolated breeds retain a high level of genetic diversity. The development of sustainable breeding and crossbreeding programs for Creole breeds, and the added value resulting from their
products should be taken into consideration to ensure their long-term survival
Genetic diversity and patterns of population structure in Creole goats from the Americas
No full textBiodiversity studies are more efficient when large numbers of breeds belonging to several countries are involved, as they allow for an in-depth analysis of the within- and between-breed components of genetic diversity. A set of 21 microsatellites was used to investigate the genetic composition of 24 Creole goat breeds (910 animals) from 10 countries to estimate levels of genetic variability, infer population structure and understand genetic relationships among populations across the American continent. Three commercial transboundary breeds were included in the analyses to investigate admixture with Creole goats. Overall, the genetic diversity of Creole populations (mean number of alleles = 5.82 ? 1.14, observed heterozygosity = 0.585 ? 0.074) was moderate and slightly lower than what was detected in other studies with breeds from other regions. The Bayesian clustering analysis without prior information on source populations identified 22 breed clusters. Three groups comprised more than one population, namely from Brazil (Azul and
Graúna; Moxotó and Repartida) and Argentina (Long and shorthair Chilluda, Pampeana Colorada and Angora-type goat). Substructure was found in Criolla Paraguaya. When prior information on sample origin was considered, 92% of the individuals were assigned to the source population (threshold q ≥ 0.700). Creole breeds are well-differentiated entities (mean coefficient of genetic differentiation = 0.111 ? 0.048, with the exception of isolated island populations). Dilution from admixture with commercial transboundary breeds appears to be negligible. Significant levels of inbreeding were detected (inbreeding coefficient > 0 in most Creole goat populations, P < 0.05).
Our results provide a broad perspective on the extant genetic diversity of Creole goats, however further studies are needed to understand whether the observed geographical patterns of population structure may reflect the mode of goat colonization in the Americas.Estación Experimental Agropecuaria BarilocheFil: Ginja, Catarina. Universidad de Porto; PortugalFil: Gama, Luis T. Universidade de Lisboa. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinaria; PortugalFil: Martinez, Amparo. Universidad de Córdoba. Departamento de Genética; EspañaFil: Sevane Fernandez, Natalia. Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Departamento de Producción Animal; EspañaFil: Martin-Burriel, Inmaculada. Universidad de Zaragoza. Facultad de Veterinaria; EspañaFil: Lanari, María Rosa. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Bariloche; ArgentinaFil: Revidatti, María Antonia Susana. Universidad Nacional del Nordeste. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Aranguren Mendez, Jose Atilio. Universidad de Zulia. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; VenezuelaFil: Bedotti, Daniel Osvaldo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Anguil; ArgentinaFil: Ribeiro, Maria Norma. Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. Departamento de Zootecnia; BrasilFil: Sponenberg, D. Phillip.Virginia Tech. Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine; Estados UnidosFil: Aguirre Riofrío, Edgar Lenin. Universidad Nacional de Loja, EcuadorFil: Alvarez Franco, Luz Angela. Universidad Nacional de Colombia; ColombiaFil: Menezes, M.P.C. Universidad Federal de Paraiba; BrasilFil: Chacón Marcheco, Edilberto. Universidad Tecnica de Cotopaxi; EcuadorFil: Galarza, Alexander Josué. Universidad Mayor de San Simón; BoliviaFil: Gómez Urviola, Nilton César. Universidad Nacional Micaela Bastidas de Apurimac; PerúFil: Martinez Lopez, Oscar Roberto. Universidad Nacional de Asunción. Centro Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Tecnológicas, Dirección General de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica; ParaguayFil: Cavalcanti Pimenta, Edgard. Universidad Federal de Paraiba; BrasilFil: da Rocha, Laura Leandro. Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco. Departamento de Zootecnia; BrasilFil: Stemmer, Angelika. Universidad Mayor de San Simón; BoliviaFil: Landi, Vicenzo. Universidad de Córdoba. Departamento de Genética; EspañaFil: Delgado Bermejo, Juan Vicente. Universidad de Córdoba. Departamento de Genética; Españ
Genome-Wide Methylation Profiling in the Thalamus of Scrapie Sheep
No full textScrapie is a neurodegenerative disorder belonging to the group of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy (TSE). Scrapie occurs in sheep and goats, which are considered good natural animal models of these TSE. Changes in DNA methylation occur in the central nervous system (CNS) of patients suffering from prion-like neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer''s disease. Nevertheless, potential DNA methylation alterations have not yet been investigated in the CNS of any prion disease model or naturally infected cases, neither in humans nor in animals. Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns were studied in the thalamus obtained from sheep naturally infected with scrapie at a clinical stage (n = 4) and from controls (n = 4) by performing a whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) analysis. Ewes carried the scrapie-susceptible ARQ/ARQ PRNP genotype and were sacrificed at a similar age (4–6 years). Although the average genomic methylation levels were similar between the control and the scrapie animals, we identified 8, 907 significant differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and 39 promoters (DMPs). Gene Ontology analysis revealed that hypomethylated DMRs were enriched in genes involved in transmembrane transport and cell adhesion, whereas hypermethylated DMRs were related to intracellular signal transduction genes. Moreover, genes highly expressed in specific types of CNS cells and those previously described to be differentially expressed in scrapie brains contained DMRs. Finally, a quantitative PCR (qPCR) validation indicated differences in the expression of five genes (PCDH19, SNCG, WDR45B, PEX1, and CABIN1) that matched the methylation changes observed in the genomic study. Altogether, these results suggest a potential regulatory role of DNA methylation in prion neuropathology. Copyright © 2022 Hernaiz, Sanz, Sentre, Ranera, Lopez-Pérez, Zaragoza, Badiola, Filali, Bolea, Toivonen and Martín-Burriel
microRNA Ct values for dogs with idiopathic epilepsy and controls
No full text<p>The excel file contains the Ct values obtained in the different reactions of real time quantitative PCR for 9 microRNAs (cel-miR-39-3p, miRNA-16,<span> </span>miR-27a-3p<span>, </span>miR-93-5p<span>, </span>miRNA-103<span>, </span>miRNA-132<span>, </span>miRNA-142, miR-146a<span> and </span>miRNA-574) in plasma exosomes of dogs with epilepsy and controls.</p>
<p>This is complementary data to the manuscript: <span>Analysis of plasma-derived exosomal microRNAs as potential biomarkers for canine idiopathic epilepsy. </span></p>
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Antimicrobial resistance among canine enteric Escherichia coli isolates and prevalence of attaching-effacing and extraintestinal pathogenic virulence factors in Spain
No full textThe aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in Escherichia coli from a dog population in Spain and assess specific virulence factors. Susceptibility to 22 antimicrobials was tested along with the production of extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs) and AmpC in faecal isolates from 100 dogs. Virulence-related genes associated with attaching and effacing E. coli (eae, Stx1, Stx2) and extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli - ExPEC - (papC, hlyA and cnf1) were detected by PCR. At least one kind of AMR was observed in 73% of the isolates. The highest prevalences corresponded to penicillin (45%), aminoglycoside (40%) and non-extended spectrum cephalosporin (39%) classes. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was observed in 53.4% of the resistant isolates. No resistance to colistin was found. Production of ESBL/AmpC enzymes was detected in 5% of E. coli. Shiga toxin-producing E. coli were not observed, enteropathogenic E. coli were identified in only 12% of them, and ExPEC were found in 25%. Dog faeces can be a source of E. coli strains potentially presenting a threat to humans through their virulence factors or AMR. The non-hygienic keeping of animals may increase the risk of colonisation of such pathogens in humans
Medulla oblongata transcriptome changes during presymptomatic natural scrapie and their association with prion-related lesions
No full textAbstract Background The pathogenesis of natural scrapie and other prion diseases is still poorly understood. Determining the variations in the transcriptome in the early phases of the disease might clarify some of the molecular mechanisms of the prion-induced pathology and allow for the development of new biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy. This study is the first to focus on the identification of genes regulated during the preclinical phases of natural scrapie in the ovine medulla oblongata (MO) and the association of these genes with prion deposition, astrocytosis and spongiosis. Results A custom microarray platform revealed that 86 significant probes had expression changes greater than 2-fold. From these probes, we identified 32 genes with known function; the highest number of regulated genes was included in the phosphoprotein-encoding group. Genes encoding extracellular marker proteins and those involved in the immune response and apoptosis were also differentially expressed. In addition, we investigated the relationship between the gene expression profiles and the appearance of the main scrapie-associated brain lesions. Quantitative Real-time PCR was used to validate the expression of some of the regulated genes, thus showing the reliability of the microarray hybridization technology. Conclusions Genes involved in protein and metal binding and oxidoreductase activity were associated with prion deposition. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was associated with changes in the expression of genes encoding proteins with oxidoreductase and phosphatase activity, and the expression of spongiosis was related to genes encoding extracellular matrix components or transmembrane transporters. This is the first genome-wide expression study performed in naturally infected sheep with preclinical scrapie. As in previous studies, our findings confirm the close relationship between scrapie and other neurodegenerative diseases.</p
Medulla oblongata transcriptome changes during presymptomatic natural scrapie and their associaition with prion-related lesions.
No full textBackground The pathogenesis of natural scrapie and other prion diseases is still poorly understood. Determining the variations in the transcriptome in the early phases of the disease might clarify some of the molecular mechanisms of the prion-induced pathology and allow for the development of new biomarkers for diagnosis and therapy. This study is the first to focus on the identification of genes regulated during the preclinical phases of natural scrapie in the ovine medulla oblongata (MO) and the association of these genes with prion deposition, astrocytosis and spongiosis. Results A custom microarray platform revealed that 86 significant probes had expression changes greater than 2-fold. From these probes, we identified 32 genes with known function; the highest number of regulated genes was included in the phosphoprotein-encoding group. Genes encoding extracellular marker proteins and those involved in the immune response and apoptosis were also differentially expressed. In addition, we investigated the relationship between the gene expression profiles and the appearance of the main scrapie-associated brain lesions. Quantitative Real-time PCR was used to validate the expression of some of the regulated genes, thus showing the reliability of the microarray hybridization technology. Conclusions Genes involved in protein and metal binding and oxidoreductase activity were associated with prion deposition. The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was associated with changes in the expression of genes encoding proteins with oxidoreductase and phosphatase activity, and the expression of spongiosis was related to genes encoding extracellular matrix components or transmembrane transporters. This is the first genome-wide expression study performed in naturally infected sheep with preclinical scrapie. As in previous studies, our findings confirm the close relationship between scrapie and other neurodegenerative diseases
Gene and protein patterns of potential prion-related markers in the central nervous system of clinical and preclinical infected sheep
No full textThe molecular pathogenic mechanisms of prion diseases are far from clear. Genomic analyses have revealed genetic biomarkers potentially involved in prion neuropathology in naturally scrapie-infected sheep, a good animal model of infectious prionopathies. However, these biomarkers must be validated in independent studies at different stages of the disease. The gene and protein expression profiles and protein distribution of six potential genetic biomarkers (i.e., CAPN6, COL1A2, COL3A1, GALA1, MT2A and MTNR1B) are presented here for both the early and terminal stages of scrapie in five different brain regions. Gene transcription changes were confirmed in the medulla oblongata, and the expression profiles were generally similar in other central nervous system regions. The changes were more substantial in clinical animals compared to preclinical animals. The expression of the CAPN6 protein increased in the spinal cord and cerebellum of the clinical and preclinical brains. The distribution of the GALA1 was identified in glial cells from the cerebellum of scrapie-infected animals, GALA1 protein expression was increased in clinical animals in the majority of regions, and the increase of MT2A was in agreement with previous reports. The downregulation of MTNR1B was especially marked in the Purkinje cells. Finally, although collagen genes were downregulated the protein immunostaining did not reveal significant changes between the scrapie-infected and control animals. In conclusion, this study of gene transcription and protein expression and distribution confirm CAPN6, GALA1, MTNR1B and MT2A as potential targets for further prion disease research
The genetic ancestry of American Creole cattle inferred from uniparental and autosomal genetic markers.
No full textCattle imported from the Iberian Peninsula spread throughout America in the early years of discovery and colonization to originate Creole breeds, which adapted to a wide diversity of environments and later received influences from other origins, including zebu cattle in more recent years. We analyzed uniparental genetic markers and autosomal microsatellites in DNA samples from 114 cattle breeds distributed worldwide, including 40 Creole breeds representing the whole American continent, and samples from the Iberian Peninsula, British islands, Continental Europe, Africa and American zebu. We show that Creole breeds differ considerably from each other, and most have their own identity or group with others from neighboring regions. Results with mtDNA indicate that T1c-lineages are rare in Iberia but common in Africa and are well represented in Creoles from Brazil and Colombia, lending support to a direct African influence on Creoles. This is reinforced by the sharing of a unique Y-haplotype between cattle from Mozambique and Creoles from Argentina. Autosomal microsatellites indicate that Creoles occupy an intermediate position between African and European breeds, and some Creoles show a clear Iberian signature. Our results confirm the mixed ancestry of American Creole cattle and the role that African cattle have played in their development
