Ultrastructure of the digestive tract in neotropical carnivorous catfish Hemisorubim platyrhynchos (Valenciennes, 1840) (Siluriformes, Pimelodidae)

The surface of the digestive tract of Hemisorubim platyrhynchos was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Morphometric studies by transmission electron microscopy were performed to analysis the intestinal microvilli. H. platyrhynchos is a Neotropical carnivorous freshwater catfish featuring a short digestive tract composed of a short esophagus, saccular stomach, and intestine with four regions: anterior, middle, posterior, and rectal. The esophageal surface is constituted by fingerprint-like microridges that anchor the mucosubstances secreted by goblet cells facilitating the passage of food. Goblet cells present the opening to the esophageal lumen, between the microridges. Club cells are in basal epithelium and they do not present the opening to the lumen. The gastric luminal surface shows polygon-shaped epithelial cells which secrete granules by exocytose to protect the gastric surface. The intestinal luminal surface reveals folds that are thicker in the anterior intestine than in the posterior intestine, increasing the absorptive surface area. The intestinal surface presents the microvilli of enterocytes and the opening of goblet cells. The morphometric analysis showed that the microvilli are longer in the anterior intestine, significantly decreasing towards the posterior intestine. The microvilli surface area significantly is greater in the anterior and middle intestine than in the posterior intestine. Numerous openings of goblet cells were observed in the posterior intestine acting in epithelial protection and lubrication. SCANNING 9999:1-8, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Association between ACTA1 candidate gene and performance, organs and carcass traits in broilers

This study investigates the genetic association of the SNP present in the ACTA1 gene with performance traits, organs and carcass of broilers to help marker-assisted selection of a paternal broiler line (TT) from EMBRAPA Swine and Poultry, Brazil. Genetic and phenotypic data of 1,400 broilers for 68 traits related to body performance, organ weights, weight of carcass parts, and yields as a percentage of organs and carcass parts were used. The maximum likelihood method, considering 4 analytical models, was used to analyze the genetic association between the SNP and these important economic traits. The association analysis was performed using a mixed animal model including the random effect of the animal (polygenic), and the fixed effects of sex (2 levels), hatch (5 levels) and SNP (3 levels), besides the random error. The traits significantly associated (P < 0.05) with the SNP were analyzed, along with body weight at 42 days of age (BW42), by the restricted maximum likelihood method using the multi-trait animal model to estimate genetic parameters. The analysis included the residual and additive genetic random effects and the sex-hatch fixed effect. The additive effects of the SNP were associated with breast meat (BMY), liver yield (LIVY), body weight at 35 days of age (BW35); drumstick skin (DSW), drumstick (DW) and breast (BW) weights. The heritability estimates for these traits, in addition to BW42, ranged from 0.24 ± 0.06 to 0.45 ± 0.08 for LIVY and BW35, respectively. The genetic correlation ranged from 0.02 ± 0.18 for LIVY and BMY to 0.97 ± 0.01 for BW35 and BW42. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that ACTA1 gene is associated with performance traits BW35, LIV and BMY, DW, BW and DW adjusted for body weight at 42 days of age. Therefore, the ACTA1 gene is an important molecular marker that could be used together with others already described to increase the economically important traits in broilers.

Quantitative trait loci with sex-specific effects for internal organs weights and hematocrit value in a broiler-layer cross

Rapid growth in broilers is associated with susceptibility to metabolic disorders such as pulmonary hypertension syndrome (ascites) and sudden death. This study describes a genome search for QTL associated with relative weight of cardio respiratory and metabolically important organs (heart, lungs, liver and gizzard), and hematocrit value in a Brazilian broiler-layer cross. QTL with similar or different effects across sexes were investigated. At 42 days of age after fasted for 6 h, the F2 chickens were weighed and slaughtered. Weights and percentages of the weight relative to BW42 of gizzard, heart, lungs, liver and hematocrit were used in the QTL search. Parental, F1 and F2 individuals were genotyped with 128 genetic markers (127 microsatellites and 1 SNP) covering 22 linkage groups. QTL mapping analyses were carried out using mixed models. A total of 11 genome-wide significant QTL and five suggestive linkages were mapped. Thus, genome-wide significant QTL with similar effects across sexes were mapped to GGA2, 4 and 14 for heart weight, and to GGA2, 8 and 12 for gizzard %. Additionally, five genome-wide significant QTL with different effects across sexes were mapped to GGA 8, 19 and 26 for heart weight; GGA26 for heart % and GGA3 for hematocrit value. Five QTL were detected in chromosomal regions where QTL for similar traits were previously mapped in other F2 chicken populations. Seven novel genome-wide significant QTL are reported here, and 21 positional candidate genes in QTL regions were identified.

The ultrastructural evaluation of digestive cells in the hepatopancreas of the Amazon River prawn, Macrobrachium amazonicum

The Amazon River prawn Macrobrachium amazonicum is endemic to tropical South America and is being intensively exploited by artisanal fisheries in Brazil. Limited information is available about the nutritional requirements of M. amazonicum, although the production of this species is now technically feasible. The digestive process in this species is still unclear and investigation into the digestive cells of its hepatopancreatic epithelium is required. Thus, the hepatopancreas from 15 specimens were fixed in Karnovsky Solution and processed for Transmission Electron Microscopy. Our results indicate that E cells are located at the distal portion of the hepatopancreatic tubule and are involved in mitotic activity. The cylindrical R cells are sparse and are only found in the proximal portion of the hepatopancreatic tubule. According to its ultrastructural characteristics, this cell is involved in pinocytosis. M cells are generally found near the R cells. The F cells are scattered throughout the length of the hepatopancreatic tubules, and B cells are observed mainly in the proximal and middle regions. F cells and B cells are likely related to, respectively, the synthesis of enzymes and the intracelular digestion. R- and M cells are probably related to material storage. Thus, these findings provide basic information on the cell types that perform protein digestion in M. amazonicum, and will be useful in further nutritional research. The identification and characterization of digestive cells is an important step towards understanding the digestive mechanisms.

Phytomass and flavonoid production in different organs and phenological stages of Passiflora alata Dryander

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