Genetic parameters for growth performance, fillet traits, and fat percentage of male Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus )

Abstract

Improvement of fillet traits and flesh quality attributes are of great interest in farmed tilapia and other aquaculture species. The main objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for fillet traits (fillet weight and fillet yield) and the fat content of fillets from 1136 males combined with 2585 data records on growth traits (body weight at 290 days, weight at slaughter, and daily weight gain) of 1485 males and 1100 females from a third generation of the Aquaamerica tilapia strain. Different models were tested for each trait, and the best models were used to estimate genetic parameters for the fat content, fillet, and growth traits. Genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated using two-trait animal models. The heritability estimates were moderate for the fat content of fillets and fillet yield (0.2–0.32) and slightly higher for body weight at slaughter (0.41). The genetic correlation between fillet yield and fat was significant (0.6), but the genetic correlations were not significant between body weight and fillet yield, body weight and fat content, daily weight gain and fillet yield, and daily weight gain and fat content (− 0.032, − 0.1, − 0.09, and − 0.4, respectively). Based on the genetic correlation estimates, it is unlikely that changes in fillet yield and fat content will occur when using growth performance as a selection criterion, but indirect changes may be expected in fat content if selecting for higher fillet yield.

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Eye movements in genetic parkinsonisms affecting the α-synuclein, PARK9, and manganese network

Specific saccadic abnormalities follow basal ganglia dysfunction. Eye movements are indeed often analyzed to differentiate parkinsonian syndromes and to provide new insights into the modulatory role of the basal ganglia. Nevertheless, the oculomotor description of most inherited parkinsonisms is still lacking. Here, we analyzed the eye movement characteristics of three inherited parkinsonian syndromes (genetic Parkinson's disease, PDG): Parkinson's disease 9 (or Kufor-Rakeb syndrome, PARK9, #606693), due to recessive mutations in ATP13A2 encoding the lysosomal P-type ATPase PARK9 (Ramirez et al., 2006; Gitler et al., 2009); hypermanganesemia with dystonia, polycythemia, and cirrhosis (HMNDYT1, #613280) due to recessive mutations in SLC30A10 leading to manganese accumulation in the liver, bone marrow, and nervous system (Quadri et al., 2012), and Parkinson's disease 1 (PARK1, #168601) associated with dominant mutations in SNCA encoding α-synuclein (Golbe et al., 1990).

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Was Mesopithecus a seed eating colobine? Assessment of cracking, grinding and shearing ability using dental topography

Publication date: November 2017
Source:Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 112
Author(s): Ghislain Thiery, Geoffrey Gillet, Vincent Lazzari, Gildas Merceron, Franck Guy
Extant colobine monkeys have been historically described as specialized folivores. However, reports on both their behavior and dental metrics tend to ascribe a more varied diet to them. In particular, several species, such as Pygathrix nemaeus and Rhinopithecus roxellana, are dedicated seasonal seed eaters. They use the lophs on their postcanine teeth to crack open the hard endocarp that protects some seeds. This raises the question of whether the bilophodont occlusal pattern of colobine monkeys first evolved as an adaptation to folivory or sclerocarpic foraging. Here, we assess the sclerocarpic foraging ability of the oldest European fossil colobine monkey, Mesopithecus. We use computed microtomograpy to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) dental topography and enamel thickness of upper second molars ascribed to the late Miocene species Mesopithecus pentelicus from Pikermi, Greece. We compare M. pentelicus to a sample of extant Old World monkeys encompassing a wide range of diets. Furthermore, we combine classic dietary categories such as folivory with alternative categories that score the ability to crack, grind and shear mechanically challenging food. The 3D dental topography of M. pentelicus predicts an ability to crack and grind hard foods such as seeds. This is consistent with previous results obtained from dental microwear analysis. However, its relatively thin enamel groups M. pentelicus with other folivorous cercopithecids. We interpret this as a morphological trade-off between the necessity to avoid tooth failure resulting from hard food consumption and the need to process a high amount of leafy material. Our study demonstrates that categories evaluating the cracking, grinding or shearing ability, traditional dietary categories, and dental topography combine well to make a powerful tool for the investigation of diet in extant and extinct primates.



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Ruminants (Giraffidae and Bovidae) from Kanapoi

Publication date: Available online 6 October 2017
Source:Journal of Human Evolution
Author(s): Denis Geraads, René Bobe
We update here our recent revision of the Kanapoi ruminants and describe recently collected material. We now regard the occurrence of reduncins as doubtful, we revise the identification of a large raphicerin as being more probably Gazella, and we add Gazella cf. janenschi and the Cephalophini to the faunal list. New material of Tragelaphus kyaloi suggests that this species held its head unlike other tragelaphins, and was not an exclusive dedicated browser, but Kanapoi pre-dates the Pliocene change of Sivatherium, Aepyceros, Alcelaphini, and even Tragelaphini toward more grazing diets. Kanapoi shares several ruminant taxa with sites in Ethiopia and Tanzania, attesting to latitudinal exchanges.



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Sparks of the CRISPR explosion: Applications in medicine and agriculture

Publication date: 20 September 2017
Source:Journal of Genetics and Genomics, Volume 44, Issue 9
Author(s): Ji-Long Liu




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Cardiac and hemodynamic influence on carotid artery longitudinal wall motion

Abstract

Carotid artery longitudinal wall motion (CALM) has recently attracted interest as an indicator of arterial health; however, the regulation of CALM is poorly understood. We conducted a series of studies aimed at manipulating pulse pressure (PP), left ventricular (LV) motion, and carotid shear rate, which have been previously suggested to regulate various components of CALM pattern and magnitude. To determine the regulatory influences on CALM, fifteen healthy males (22 ± 2 years) were exposed to three acute interventions: the Serial Subtraction Test (SST), the Cold Pressor Test (CPT), and exposure to sublingual nitroglycerine (NTG). The SST elicited increases in PP (P < 0.01), apical LV rotation (P < 0.01), and carotid shear rate (P < 0.01), with no changes in CALM (P > 0.05). Similarly, the CPT elicited increases in PP (P = 0.01), basal LV rotation (P = 0.04) and carotid shear rate (P = 0.01), with no changes in CALM (P > 0.05). Conversely, exposure to NTG elicited no change in PP (P = 0.22), basal (P = 0.65) or apical LV rotation (P = 0.45), but did decrease carotid shear rate (P < 0.01), without altering CALM (P > 0.05). Considerable individual variability in CALM responses prompted further analyses where all three interventions were pooled for change scores. Changes in LV basal rotation were related to changes systolic retrograde CALM (B = −0.025, P = 0.03), while changes in carotid shear rate were related to changes in diastolic CALM displacement (B = 0.0009, P = 0.01). The interventions were underpinned by relationships between CALM and both LV basal rotation and local shear rate at the individual level, indicating that cardiac and hemodynamic factors may influence CALM in humans.

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Effects of normoxic and hypoxic exercise regimens on lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in sedentary males

Abstract

Purpose

Oxidative stress-induced lymphocyte apoptosis is linked to hypoxemic individuals suffering from cardiopulmonary disorders or exposed to hypoxic environments. What kind of the exercise strategy under hypoxic condition improves exercise performance and simultaneously minimizes lymphocyte dysfunction caused by oxidative stress has not yet been established. This study elucidates how various exercises regimens with/without hypoxia affect lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress.

Methods

A total of 60 sedentary males were randomly divided into five groups. Each group (n = 12) received one of the five interventions: hypoxic-absolute exercise (HAT, 50%W _max under 15%O₂), hypoxic-relative exercise (HRT, 50% heart rate reserve under 15%O₂), normoxic exercise (NT, 50%W _max under 21%O₂), hypoxic control (HC, resting under 15%O₂), or normoxic control (NC, resting under 21%O₂) for 30 min/day, 5 days/week for 4 weeks.

Results

Before the intervention, the graded exercise test (GXT, progressive exercise up to VO_2max) decreased the surface thiol level on lymphocytes and subsequently augmented the extents of H₂O₂-induced mitochondria transmembrane potential (MTP) diminishing, caspase 3/8/9 activations, and phosphotidyl serine (PS) exposure in lymphocytes. However, 4 weeks of NT, HRT, or HAT reduced the extents of surface thiol decreasing on lymphocytes and H₂O₂-induced MTP diminishing, caspase 3/8/9 activations, and PS exposure in lymphocytes following GXT. Moreover, the HAT group exhibited greater improvements in pulmonary ventilation and VO_2max than either NT or HRT group did.

Conclusions

Exercise training with/without hypoxic exposure effectively alleviates lymphocyte apoptosis induced by oxidative stress following strenuous exercise. However, the HAT is superior to the NT or HRT for enhancing aerobic capacity.

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