FISH Mapping of Two Putative Keratin Gene Clusters on Cat (Felis catus) Chromosomes

Genes encoding keratins are evolutionary highly conserved and clustered in two linkage groups in mammalian genomes. Canine keratin 9 (K-9) and keratin 2e (K-2) cosmid-derived gene probes were used to localize the acidic and basic-neutral keratin gene clusters to cat chromosomes E1q12 and B4q15, respectively. The status of the physical map of the cat genome is discusse

Canine-Derived Cosmid Probes Containing Microsatellites Can Be Used in Physical Mapping of Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) and Chinese Raccoon Dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides) Genomes

Rapid development of the canine marker genome map facilitates genome mapping of other Canidae species. In this study we present chromosomal localization of 18 canine-derived cosmid probes containing microsatellites in the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus) and Chinese raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides) genomes by the use of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The chromosome localizations in the arctic fox are in general agreement with data obtained from comparative genome maps of the dog and the fox. However, our studies showed that the order of the loci on some chromosomes was changed during karyotype evolution. Therefore, we suggest that small intrachromosomal rearrangements took plac

Testiculaire aandoening van seksuele differentiatie (78,XX SRY-negatief) bij een vrouwelijke Franse buldog

A presumably female intact French bulldog of ten months old was presented to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Ghent University with an enlarged clitoris and purulent vaginal discharge. It was suggested to remove the enlarged clitoris as to avoid further irritation and to perform a gonadectomy at the same time, since the owners were not planning to breed with the dog. An abnormal reproductive tract was observed during surgery. A normal uterus was present, but both gonads resembled testes. Histologic examination of the resected tissues confirmed the presence of bilateral testes in combination with a normal uterus. Karyotyping and molecular analysis of the SRY-gene resulted in a 78,XX SRY-negative karyotype. The French bulldog was diagnosed with a 78,XX SRY-negative testicular disorder of sex development (DSD)

Chromosome Abnormalities in Domestic Animals as Causes of Disorders of Sex Development or Impaired Fertility

Cytogenetic evaluation is an important step in the diagnosis of infertile or sterile animals. Moreover, the analysis of sex chromosomes is crucial for a proper classification of disorders of sex development (DSD). For many years, chromosome studies mainly addressed the livestock species, while recently, increasing interest in such analysis in companion animals is observed. New molecular and cytogenetic tools and techniques have given opportunities for a precise identification of chromosome mutations. Among them, fluorescence in situ hybridization, besides chromosome banding, has become a gold standard. In this chapter, recent advances in the cytogenetic diagnosis of cattle, pigs, horses, dogs and cats are presented

Molecular evolution of the leptin exon 3 in some species of the family Canidae

The structure of the leptin gene seems to be well conserved. The polymorphism of this gene in four species belonging to the Canidae family (the dog (Canis familiaris) – 16 different breeds, the Chinese racoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides procyonoides), the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the arctic fox (Alopex lagopus)) were studied with the use of single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) and DNA sequencing techniques. For exon 2, all species presented the same SSCP pattern, while in exon 3 some differences were found. DNA sequencing of exon 3 revealed the presence of six nucleotide substitutions, differentiating the studied species. Three of them cause amino acid substitutions as well. For all dog breeds studied, SSCP patterns were identical

BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF BICYCLIST AND NUMERICAL ANALYSIS OF BIKE ACCIDENT IN ASPECT OF CONSEQUENCES FOR HUMAN CERVICAL SPINE

Modelling researches concerning falling down man on the head during bicycle accident and its consequences for human cervical spine are presented in this paper. Studies mainly focus on compression, flexion and extension injuries mechanisms which appear during human body movement in saggital plane. The interaction with environment, the human body behaviour, inertial and external forces have a significant influence on type and scale of spine injuries. In order to analyse correlation between head movement and physical phenomena in the neck, two dimensional dynamical model was created using Working Model 2D professional system. The model allows to analyse internal forces which appear insight human spine and body kinematics in saggital plane. Moreover created model could be used to analysing movement of diving man into shallow water. Research results of numerical simulations allowed to qualitatively estimating the most dangerous conditions for people falling down on the head during bike accident and during jumping into shallow water

Effect of long-term betaine supplementation on chemical and physical characteristics of three muscles from the Alentejano pig

BACKGROUND: The use of betaine as a dietary supplement to reduce fat deposition and increase lean muscle mass in pigs is increasing. However, there is no available information on its effect on the physical and chemical (i.e. fatty acid (FA) profile) characteristics of pork. RESULTS: The effects of long-term betaine intake (1 g betaine kg−1 diet for 20 weeks) on the chemical and physical characteristics of Musculus Longissimus dorsi, M. biceps femoris and M. semimembranosus from the Alentejano pig were investigated. The contents of total protein, intramuscular lipids (neutral and polar), myoglobin and total collagen as well as the water-holding capacity, physical colour characteristics and FA profile of the three muscles were determined. With the exception of a significant increase in the intramuscular lipid content of M. longissimus dorsi and M. biceps femoris, betaine supplementation did not influence muscle chemical and colour characteristics or body fat deposition. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that long-term betaine supplementation selectively increases intramuscular lipid deposition (a trait related to meat quality) while not affecting other chemical (including the atheroprotective FA profile) and physical characteristics of the Alentejano pig muscles studied

Mouse polyQ database: a new online resource for research using mouse models of neurodegenerative diseases

BACKGROUND: The polyglutamine (polyQ) family of disorders comprises 9 genetic diseases, including several types of ataxia and Huntington disease. Approximately two decades of investigation and the creation of more than 130 mouse models of polyQ disorders have revealed many similarities between these diseases. The disorders share common mutation types, neurological characteristics and certain aspects of pathogenesis, including morphological and physiological neuronal alterations. All of the diseases still remain incurable. DESCRIPTION: The large volume of information collected as a result of the investigation of polyQ models currently represents a great potential for searching, comparing and translating pathogenesis and therapeutic information between diseases. Therefore, we generated a public database comprising the polyQ mouse models, phenotypes and therapeutic interventions tested in vivo. The database is available at http://conyza.man.poznan.pl/. CONCLUSION: The use of the database in the field of polyQ diseases may accelerate research on these and other neurodegenerative diseases and provide new perspectives for future investigation