To date,sperm morphometric studies have assessed whole sperm populations without considering sperm function.The aim of this study was to evaluate the relati on ship of sperm membrane and acrosomal integrity with sperm...To date,sperm morphometric studies have assessed whole sperm populations without considering sperm function.The aim of this study was to evaluate the relati on ship of sperm membrane and acrosomal integrity with sperm morphometry in liquid semen samples collected from bulls.To this end,sperm morphometry was performed on cryopreserved semen samples from 16 bulls by a combination of fluorescent dyes,including Hoechst 33343,carboxyfluorescein diacetate,and propidium iodide.This allowed discrimination of different subpopulations on the basis of sperm membrane and acrosomal integrity and analysis of the morphometries of the sperm head,nucleus,and acrosome using a specific plug-in module created on ImageJ.Acrosomal integrity was related to sperm morphometry as the heads of spermatozoa with a damaged acrosome were significantly smaller than those with a normal acrosome(P<0.001).In the case of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome,those with a damaged plasma membrane had a larger sperm head and acrosome than spermatozoa with an intact plasma membrane(P<0.001).No significant differences in the sperm head size were observed between sperm subpopulations without an acrosome or in the nuclear sperm morphometry of the different subpopulations.There was a positive correlation between the sperm motility values of the samples and the morphometric parameters for in tact spermatozoa.These correlations were particularly strong for the morphometric parameters of the sperm acrosome.We conclude that there are clear differences in the sperm morphometry depending on the status of the sperm membrane and acrosome and this should be considered when performing this kind of analysis.展开更多
Qaidam cattle(Bos taurus) is an important endemic breed in Northwest China, which is mainly distributed in the northwest of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It has strong adaptive ability to plateau and swamp conditions, such a...Qaidam cattle(Bos taurus) is an important endemic breed in Northwest China, which is mainly distributed in the northwest of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It has strong adaptive ability to plateau and swamp conditions, such as cold tolerance and insect resistance. In this study, the first complete mitochondrial genome of Qaidam cattle was reported. The circular double-stranded genome is 16 340 bp in size, and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a D-loop region. The overall nucleotide composition is 33.4% A, 27.2% T, 26.0% C and 13.4% G, with a total A +T content of60.6%. The gene order and composition are similar to those of other B. taurus breeds. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated that Qaidam cattle was split as an independent clade and nested within Asian cattle breeds.展开更多
To fine map the previously detected quantitative trait loci （QTLs） affecting milk production traits on bovine chromosome 6 （BTA6）, 15 microsatellite markers situated within an interval of 14.3 cM spanning from BMS...To fine map the previously detected quantitative trait loci （QTLs） affecting milk production traits on bovine chromosome 6 （BTA6）, 15 microsatellite markers situated within an interval of 14.3 cM spanning from BMS690 to BM4528 were selected and 918 daughters of 8 sires were genotyped. Two mapping approaches, haplotype sharing based LD mapping and single marker regression mapping, were used to analyze the data. Both approaches revealed a quantitative trait locus （QTL） with significant effects on milk yield, fat yield and protein yield located in the segment flanked by markers BMS483 and MNB209, which spans a genetic distance of 0.6 cM and a physical distance of 1.5 Mb. In addition, the single marker regression mapping also revealed a QTL affecting fat percentage and protein percentage at marker DIK2291. Our fine mapping work will facilitate the cloning of candidate genes underlying the QTLs for milk production traits.展开更多
Background： Consuming moderate amounts of lean red meat as part of a balanced diet valuably contributes to intakes of essential nutrients, in this study, we merged phenotypic and genotypic information to characterize...Background： Consuming moderate amounts of lean red meat as part of a balanced diet valuably contributes to intakes of essential nutrients, in this study, we merged phenotypic and genotypic information to characterize the variation in lipid profile and sensory parameters and to represent the diversity among 15 cattle populations. Correlations between fat content, organoleptic characteristics and lipid profiles were also investigated. Methods： A sample of 436 largely unrelated purebred bulls belonging to 15 breeds and reared under comparable management conditions was analyzed. Phenotypic data -including fatness score, fat percentage, individual fatty acids （FA） profiles and sensory panel tests- and genotypic information from 11 polymorphisms was used. Results： The correlation coefficients between muscle total lipid measurements and absolute vs. relative amounts of polyunsaturated FA （PUFA） were in opposite directions. Increasing carcass fat leads to an increasing amount of FAs in triglycerides, but at the same time the relative amount of PUFAs is decreasing, which is in concordance with the negative correlation obtained here between the percentage of PUFA and fat measurements, as well as the weaker correlation between total phospholipids and total lipid muscle content compared with neutral lipids. Concerning organoleptic characteristics, a negative correlation between fiavour scores and the percentage of total PUFA, particularly to n-6 fraction, was found. The correlation between juiciness and texture is higher than with flavour scores. The distribution of SNPs plotted by principal components analysis （PCA） mainly reflects their known trait associations, although influenced by their specific breed allele frequencies. Conclusions： The results presented here help to understand the phenotypic and genotypic background underlying variations in FA composition and sensory parameters between breeds. The wide range of traits and breeds studied, along with the genotypic information on polymorphisms previously associated with different lipid traits, provide a broad characterization of beef meat, which allows giving a better response to the variety of consumers＇ preferences. Also, the development and implementation of low-density SNP panels with predictive value for economically important traits, such as those summarized here, may be used to improve production efficiency and meat quality in the beef industry.展开更多
Background:Trees and forests in drylands help mitigate the challenges through provision of economic products and vital environmental services such as habitat for biodiversity,prevention of erosion and desertification,...Background:Trees and forests in drylands help mitigate the challenges through provision of economic products and vital environmental services such as habitat for biodiversity,prevention of erosion and desertification,regulation of water,microclimate,and soil fertility.The condition and changes in dry forests can be assessed by using ecological indicators able to quantify spatial and temporal changes in vegetation.One of the ways to determine the condition of the forest is to study the dominant tree species and its regeneration.Our study aimed to assess whether the abundance of Prosopis flexuosa saplings is affected by environmental and biological factors.Results:To evaluate the first variables we used data from remote sensing such as satellite images and Aster Global Digital Model(GDEM).The second set of variables was about exotic and native ungulates and we used feces of these animals and camera traps to take data.We found that sapling abundance related positively to sandy substrates and negatively to Wetness Index.On the other hand,in relation to biological variables,the abundance of saplings was positively affected by density of adult trees and by number of seeds dispersed by equines,but space use by Lama guanicoe had a negative relationship with saplings.This research shows that P.flexuosa saplings are benefited from sandy substrates and the conditions around adult trees.In addition to this,we found that exotic ungulates in low densities have neutral(i.e.cattle)or positive(i.e.equines)effects on sapling abundance.Conclusions:Based on these findings,we conclude that regeneration of the population of P.flexuosa in our study area has no major problems.In addition,we corroborated that the presence of exotic and domestic ungulates in low densities does not have deleterious consequences for saplings of the dominant tree,P.flexuosa.展开更多
Introduction:The spatial association dynamics of free-ranging cattle herds are not fully understood;however,they can have a direct influence on the spatial patterns of resource utilization.The aim of our study was to ...Introduction:The spatial association dynamics of free-ranging cattle herds are not fully understood;however,they can have a direct influence on the spatial patterns of resource utilization.The aim of our study was to examine new analytical methods of identifying the spatio-temporal patterns of behavioral dynamics that determine cattle herd dispersal in the semi-arid rangelands of South Texas.We fitted 10 free-ranging cows with global positioning system collars and obtained positions every 5 min for each animal for 21-day trials,twice during the summer and winter period.We used an association pattern recognition software(ASSOC1)and the herd center of gravity to identify the spatial and temporal thresholds that defined dispersion-aggregation patterns and individual position to determine their relation to social dominance.Results:The association pattern defining herd membership was that animals spent 70%of their time within 200 m of each other.Dominance ranking did not appear to influence association membership or position within the herd.The cattle showed a more dispersed distribution during summer,but in winter,herd members behaved in a more aggregated pattern.This distribution is contrary to patterns described in more northerly and mountainous regions.Conclusions:The spatial thresholds of the cattle herd and the overall distance of all members to the center of the herd were smaller during winter and larger during summer,indicating that this study herd congregated during the winter and dispersed during the summer.Although this study uses a herd of 10 individuals in a 100 ha pasture to evaluate spatio-temporal dynamics,our results provide evidence of the ability of current tracking and spatial association tools to detect and quantify seasonal changes in cattle herd dispersion-aggregation patterns.The use of these data collection and analysis methods could prove useful in larger cattle herds,increase our understanding of herd spatiotemporal behavior,and subsequently help in the development of improved management practices.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Finance(MINECO)(grant AGL2017-85030-R)the European Territorial Cooperation Operational Program-Spain,France,and Andorra Area 2014-20(Program DietaPYR2 EFA144/16)and the DGA-FSE(grant A07_17R).We would like to acknowledge the use of the Research Support Service-SAI,University of Zaragoza.
文摘To date,sperm morphometric studies have assessed whole sperm populations without considering sperm function.The aim of this study was to evaluate the relati on ship of sperm membrane and acrosomal integrity with sperm morphometry in liquid semen samples collected from bulls.To this end,sperm morphometry was performed on cryopreserved semen samples from 16 bulls by a combination of fluorescent dyes,including Hoechst 33343,carboxyfluorescein diacetate,and propidium iodide.This allowed discrimination of different subpopulations on the basis of sperm membrane and acrosomal integrity and analysis of the morphometries of the sperm head,nucleus,and acrosome using a specific plug-in module created on ImageJ.Acrosomal integrity was related to sperm morphometry as the heads of spermatozoa with a damaged acrosome were significantly smaller than those with a normal acrosome(P<0.001).In the case of spermatozoa with an intact acrosome,those with a damaged plasma membrane had a larger sperm head and acrosome than spermatozoa with an intact plasma membrane(P<0.001).No significant differences in the sperm head size were observed between sperm subpopulations without an acrosome or in the nuclear sperm morphometry of the different subpopulations.There was a positive correlation between the sperm motility values of the samples and the morphometric parameters for in tact spermatozoa.These correlations were particularly strong for the morphometric parameters of the sperm acrosome.We conclude that there are clear differences in the sperm morphometry depending on the status of the sperm membrane and acrosome and this should be considered when performing this kind of analysis.
基金Supported by China Agriculture Research System(CARS-37)Science and Technology Support Projects in Gansu Province(1504NKCA052)+1 种基金Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences(CAAS-ASTIP-2014-LIHPS-01)Central Publicinterest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund(1610322016006)
文摘Qaidam cattle(Bos taurus) is an important endemic breed in Northwest China, which is mainly distributed in the northwest of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. It has strong adaptive ability to plateau and swamp conditions, such as cold tolerance and insect resistance. In this study, the first complete mitochondrial genome of Qaidam cattle was reported. The circular double-stranded genome is 16 340 bp in size, and contains 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, and a D-loop region. The overall nucleotide composition is 33.4% A, 27.2% T, 26.0% C and 13.4% G, with a total A +T content of60.6%. The gene order and composition are similar to those of other B. taurus breeds. Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated that Qaidam cattle was split as an independent clade and nested within Asian cattle breeds.
基金supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China (No. 2006CB102104)
文摘To fine map the previously detected quantitative trait loci （QTLs） affecting milk production traits on bovine chromosome 6 （BTA6）, 15 microsatellite markers situated within an interval of 14.3 cM spanning from BMS690 to BM4528 were selected and 918 daughters of 8 sires were genotyped. Two mapping approaches, haplotype sharing based LD mapping and single marker regression mapping, were used to analyze the data. Both approaches revealed a quantitative trait locus （QTL） with significant effects on milk yield, fat yield and protein yield located in the segment flanked by markers BMS483 and MNB209, which spans a genetic distance of 0.6 cM and a physical distance of 1.5 Mb. In addition, the single marker regression mapping also revealed a QTL affecting fat percentage and protein percentage at marker DIK2291. Our fine mapping work will facilitate the cloning of candidate genes underlying the QTLs for milk production traits.
文摘Background： Consuming moderate amounts of lean red meat as part of a balanced diet valuably contributes to intakes of essential nutrients, in this study, we merged phenotypic and genotypic information to characterize the variation in lipid profile and sensory parameters and to represent the diversity among 15 cattle populations. Correlations between fat content, organoleptic characteristics and lipid profiles were also investigated. Methods： A sample of 436 largely unrelated purebred bulls belonging to 15 breeds and reared under comparable management conditions was analyzed. Phenotypic data -including fatness score, fat percentage, individual fatty acids （FA） profiles and sensory panel tests- and genotypic information from 11 polymorphisms was used. Results： The correlation coefficients between muscle total lipid measurements and absolute vs. relative amounts of polyunsaturated FA （PUFA） were in opposite directions. Increasing carcass fat leads to an increasing amount of FAs in triglycerides, but at the same time the relative amount of PUFAs is decreasing, which is in concordance with the negative correlation obtained here between the percentage of PUFA and fat measurements, as well as the weaker correlation between total phospholipids and total lipid muscle content compared with neutral lipids. Concerning organoleptic characteristics, a negative correlation between fiavour scores and the percentage of total PUFA, particularly to n-6 fraction, was found. The correlation between juiciness and texture is higher than with flavour scores. The distribution of SNPs plotted by principal components analysis （PCA） mainly reflects their known trait associations, although influenced by their specific breed allele frequencies. Conclusions： The results presented here help to understand the phenotypic and genotypic background underlying variations in FA composition and sensory parameters between breeds. The wide range of traits and breeds studied, along with the genotypic information on polymorphisms previously associated with different lipid traits, provide a broad characterization of beef meat, which allows giving a better response to the variety of consumers＇ preferences. Also, the development and implementation of low-density SNP panels with predictive value for economically important traits, such as those summarized here, may be used to improve production efficiency and meat quality in the beef industry.
基金supported by“The chica,the retamo,and the algarrobo:umbrella species for the conservation of the Native Forest of the Ischigualasto Provincial Park and nearby zones.Biological interactions,effects of human activities and their mitigation”,Plan for the Conservation of Native Forests Law 26.331.
文摘Background:Trees and forests in drylands help mitigate the challenges through provision of economic products and vital environmental services such as habitat for biodiversity,prevention of erosion and desertification,regulation of water,microclimate,and soil fertility.The condition and changes in dry forests can be assessed by using ecological indicators able to quantify spatial and temporal changes in vegetation.One of the ways to determine the condition of the forest is to study the dominant tree species and its regeneration.Our study aimed to assess whether the abundance of Prosopis flexuosa saplings is affected by environmental and biological factors.Results:To evaluate the first variables we used data from remote sensing such as satellite images and Aster Global Digital Model(GDEM).The second set of variables was about exotic and native ungulates and we used feces of these animals and camera traps to take data.We found that sapling abundance related positively to sandy substrates and negatively to Wetness Index.On the other hand,in relation to biological variables,the abundance of saplings was positively affected by density of adult trees and by number of seeds dispersed by equines,but space use by Lama guanicoe had a negative relationship with saplings.This research shows that P.flexuosa saplings are benefited from sandy substrates and the conditions around adult trees.In addition to this,we found that exotic ungulates in low densities have neutral(i.e.cattle)or positive(i.e.equines)effects on sapling abundance.Conclusions:Based on these findings,we conclude that regeneration of the population of P.flexuosa in our study area has no major problems.In addition,we corroborated that the presence of exotic and domestic ungulates in low densities does not have deleterious consequences for saplings of the dominant tree,P.flexuosa.
基金Funding to C.Cheleuitte-Nieves was provided through Hispanic Leaders in Agriculture and the Environment(HLAE)fellowships,the Alfred P.Sloan Foundation Minority PhD fellowship,Texas A&M University Graduate Diversity fellowship,and Department of Ecosystem and Management(Texas A&M University)Tom Slick fellowship.
文摘Introduction:The spatial association dynamics of free-ranging cattle herds are not fully understood;however,they can have a direct influence on the spatial patterns of resource utilization.The aim of our study was to examine new analytical methods of identifying the spatio-temporal patterns of behavioral dynamics that determine cattle herd dispersal in the semi-arid rangelands of South Texas.We fitted 10 free-ranging cows with global positioning system collars and obtained positions every 5 min for each animal for 21-day trials,twice during the summer and winter period.We used an association pattern recognition software(ASSOC1)and the herd center of gravity to identify the spatial and temporal thresholds that defined dispersion-aggregation patterns and individual position to determine their relation to social dominance.Results:The association pattern defining herd membership was that animals spent 70%of their time within 200 m of each other.Dominance ranking did not appear to influence association membership or position within the herd.The cattle showed a more dispersed distribution during summer,but in winter,herd members behaved in a more aggregated pattern.This distribution is contrary to patterns described in more northerly and mountainous regions.Conclusions:The spatial thresholds of the cattle herd and the overall distance of all members to the center of the herd were smaller during winter and larger during summer,indicating that this study herd congregated during the winter and dispersed during the summer.Although this study uses a herd of 10 individuals in a 100 ha pasture to evaluate spatio-temporal dynamics,our results provide evidence of the ability of current tracking and spatial association tools to detect and quantify seasonal changes in cattle herd dispersion-aggregation patterns.The use of these data collection and analysis methods could prove useful in larger cattle herds,increase our understanding of herd spatiotemporal behavior,and subsequently help in the development of improved management practices.
