Genetic and phenotypic parameters of carcass and organ traits of broiler chickens

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Geoffroy's side-necked turtle [Phrynops geoffroanus (Schweigger, 1812), Testudines: Chelidae] as a model for evolutionary ecotoxicology: relationship between environmental contamination, conditions and genetic variability

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Estudo hierárquico do sistema de reprodução entre e dentro de frutos, fluxo de pólen e estrutura genética espacial em um fragmento e em árvores isoladas na pastagem de hymenaea stigonocarpa mart. ex hayne na região de cerrado

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Filogeografia de Nasutitermes corniger (Isoptera: Termitidae: Nasutitermitinae) na região Neotropical

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Genética populacional de Myrmecophaga tridactyla (Pilosa, Myrmecophagidae) no estado de São Paulo utilizando o gene mitocondrial CytB

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

Estrutura populacional e análise de variabilidade genética em rebanhos ovinos brasileiros

Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia Animal - FEIS

Linkage & Selective Mapping and QTL Analysis in a Harosoy x Clark population of 300 RILs

Four of the 12 major Glycine max ancestors of all modern elite U.S.A. soybean cultivars were the grandparents of Harosoy and Clark, so a Harosoy x Clark population would include some of that genetic diversity. A mating of eight Harosoy and eight Clark plants generated eight F1 plants. The eight F1:2 families were advanced via a plant-to-row selfing method to produce 300 F6-derived RILs that were genotyped with 266 SSR, 481 SNP, and 4 classical markers. SNPs were genotyped with the Illumina 1536-SNP assay. Three linkage maps, SSR, SNP, and SSR-SNP, were constructed with a genotyping error of < 1 %. Each map was compared with the published soybean consensus map. The best subset of 94 RILs for a high-resolution framework (joint) map was selected based on the expected bin length statistic computed with MapPop. The QTLs of seven traits measured in a 2-year replicated performance trial of the 300 RILs were identified using composite interval mapping (CIM) and multiple-interval mapping (MIM). QTL x Year effects in multiple trait analysis were compared with results of multiple-interval mapping. QTL x QTL effects were identified in MIM.

Estrutura populacional e análise de variabilidade genética em rebanhos ovinos brasileiros

Pós-graduação em Ciência e Tecnologia Animal - FEIS

Genetic diversity of Metrodorea nigra (Rutaceae) from a small forest remnant in Brazil assessed with microsatellite markers

Metrodorea nigra (Rutaceae) is an endemic Brazilian tree of great ecological importance, frequently found in the submontane regions of ombrophilous dense and semideciduous forests. This tree is useful for reforesting degraded areas and the wood can be employed in construction. We developed 12 microsatellite markers from a genomic library enriched for GA/CA repeats, for this species. Polymorphisms were assessed in 40 trees of a highly fragmented population found in Cravinhos, State of Sao Paulo, in southeastern Brazil. Among the 12 loci, 8 were polymorphic and only one had fixed alleles in this population. The number of alleles per locus and expected heterozygosity ranged from 2 to 11 and from 0.190 to 0.889, respectively. These results revealed moderate levels of genetic variation in M. nigra population when compared to other tropical species. Additionally, transferability of the 12 primers was tested in seven other Brazilian Rutaceae tree species (endemics: M. stipularis, Galipea jasminiflora, Esenbeckia leiocarpa and non-endemics: E. febrifuga, E. grandiflora, Balfourodendron riedelianum, Zanthoxylum riedelianum). Transferability ranged among species, but at least 8 loci (similar to 67%) amplified in M. stipularis, demonstrating a high potential for transferring microsatellite markers between species of the same genus in the Rutaceae family.

Climatic oscillations shape the phylogeographical structure of Atlantic Forest fire-eye antbirds (Aves: Thamnophilidae)

In the present study, mitochondrial (mt)DNA sequence data were used to examine the genetic structure of fire-eye antbirds (genus Pyriglena) along the Atlantic Forest and the predictions derived from the river hypothesis and from a Last Glacial Maximum Pleistocene refuge paleomodel were compared to explain the patterns of genetic variation observed in these populations. A total of 266 individuals from 45 populations were sampled over a latitudinal transect and a number of phylogeographical and population genetics analytical approaches were employed to address these questions. The pattern of mtDNA variation observed in fire-eye antbirds provides little support for the view that populations were isolated by the modern course of major Atlantic Forest rivers. Instead, the data provide stronger support for the predictions of the refuge model. These results add to the mounting evidence that climatic oscillations appear to have played a substantial role in shaping the phylogeographical structure and possibly the diversification of many taxa in this region. However, the results also illustrate the potential for more complex climatic history and historical changes in the geographical distribution of Atlantic Forest than envisioned by the refuge model. (c) 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 105, 900824.

Feasibility of Using a Caribbean Screwworm for SIT Campaigns in Brazil

The screwworm, Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel), remains one of the most damaging parasites of livestock in South America, causing millions of dollars in annual losses to producers. Recently, South American countries demonstrated interest in controlling this pest using the Sterile Insect Technique, and a pilot-project was conducted near the Brazil-Uruguay border in 2009. Since molecular studies have suggested the existence of C. hominivorax regional groups, crossing tests were conducted to evaluate mating competitiveness, mating preference and reproductive compatibility between a C. hominivorax strain from the Caribbean (Jamaica-06) and one from Brazil. Mating rates between Jamaican males and Brazilian females ranged between 82 and 100%, and each male inseminated from 3.3 to 3.95 females. Sterile males, regardless of the strain, competed equally against the fertile males for Brazilian females. Jamaican sterile males and Brazilian fertile males mated randomly with fertile or sterile females. No evidence of genetic incompatibility or hybrid dysgenesis was found in the hybridization crosses. Mating barriers should not compromise the use of Jamaican sterile males for Sterile Insect Technique campaigns in Brazil.

CYP3A5 and NAT2 gene polymorphisms: role in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia risk and treatment outcome

Susceptibility to acute lymphoblastic leukemia can be highly influenced by genetic polymorphisms in metabolizing enzyme genes of environmental carcinogens. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of the CYP3A5 and NAT2 metabolizing enzyme polymorphisms on the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The analysis was conducted on 204 ALL patients and in 364 controls from a Brazilian population, using PCR-RFLP. The CYP3A5*3 polymorphic homozygous genotype was more frequent among ALL patients and the *3 allele variant was significantly associated with increased risk of childhood ALL (OR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.14-0.60). The homozygous polymorphic genotype for the *6 allele variant was extremely rare and found in only two individuals. The heterozygous frequencies were similar for the ALL group and the control group. No significant differences were observed between the groups analyzed regarding NAT2 variant polymorphisms. None of the polymorphisms analyzed was related to treatment outcome. The results suggest that CYP3A5*3 polymorphism may play an important role in the risk of childhood ALL.

Potential dietary sources of ellagic acid and other antioxidants among fruits consumed in Brazil: Jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba (Vell.) Berg)

BACKGROUND: The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate the content of ellagic acid in fruits consumed by the Brazilian population, including native ones; (2) to further characterize rich sources in relation to ascorbic acid, phenolics contents and in vitro antioxidant capacity; and (3) to study the distribution and effect of ripening stage on ellagitannins content of jabuticaba (Myrciaria jaboticaba). The content of free ellagic acid and ellagic acid derivatives such as ellagitannins was analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). RESULTS: Ellagic acid was detected in 10 out of a total of 35 fruits analyzed. The content of free ellagic acid in fruits varied from 0.0028 to 0.085 g kg(-1) (FW) and total ellagic acid varied from 0.215 to 3.11 g kg(-1) (FW). All the seven fruits belonging to the Myrtaceae family evaluated in this study presented high contents of ellagitannins in their composition, with jabuticaba, grumixama and cambuci (all native from Brazil) showing the highest total ellagic acid contents. Jabuticaba, the most consumed in Brazilamongthose and already adapted to commercial plantations, contained concentrated phenolics compounds, including ellagitannins, in the peel. Anthocyanins (cyanidin derivatives) increased significantly through ripening of jabuticaba and were not present in the pulp or seeds. Samples collected from three different locations during summer, winter and spring had total ellagic contents varying from 1.88 to 3.31 g kg(-1) (FW). The decrease in ellagic acid content with ripening was more accentuated for pulp (eight times) compared to seeds (2.3 times) and peel (2.0 times). CONCLUSION: These results showed the potential of jabuticaba as dietary source of ellagic acid and reinforced consumption of the whole fruit by the population. (C) 2011 Society of Chemical Industry

Comparison of microsatellites and isozymes in genetic diversity studies of Oryza glumaepatula (Poaceae) populations

The study of the genetic structure of wild plant populations is essential for their management and conservation. Several DNA markers have been used in such studies, as well as isozyme markers. In order to provide a better comprehension of the results obtained and a comparison between markers which will help choose tools for future studies in natural populations of Oryza glumaepatula, a predominantly autogamous species, this study used both isozymes and microsatellites to assess the genetic diversity and genetic structure of 13 populations, pointing to similarities and divergences of each marker, and evaluating the relative importance of the results for studies of population genetics and conservation. A bulk sample for each population was obtained, by sampling two to three seeds of each plant, up to a set of 50 seeds. Amplified products of eight SSR loci were electrophoresed on non-denaturing polyacrylamide gels, and the fragments were visualized using silver staining procedure. Isozyme analyses were conducted in polyacrylamide gels, under a discontinuous system, using six enzymatic loci. SSR loci showed higher mean levels of genetic diversity (A=2.83, p=0.71, A(P)=3.17, H-o=0.081, H-e=0.351) than isozyme loci (A=1.20, p=0.20, A(P)=1.38, H-o=0.006, H-e=0.056). Interpopulation genetic differentiation detected by SSR loci (R-ST=0.631, equivalent to F-ST=0.533) was lower than that obtained with isozymes (F-ST=0.772). However, both markers showed high deviation from Hardy-Weinberg expectations (F-IS=0.744 and 0.899, respectively for SSR and isozymes). The mean apparent outcrossing rate for SSR ((t) over bar (a)=0.14) was higher than that obtained using isozymes ((t) over bar (a)=0.043), although both markers detected lower levels of outcrossing in Amazonia compared to the Pantanal. The migrant number estimation was also higher for SSR (Nm=0.219) than isozymes (Nm=0.074), although a small number for both markers was expected due to the mode of reproduction of this species, defined as mixed with predominance of self fertilization. No correlation was obtained between genetic and geographic distances with SSR, but a positive correlation was found between genetic and geographic distances with isozymes. We conclude that these markers are divergent in detecting genetic diversity parameters in O. glumaepatula and that microsatellites are powerful for detecting information at the intra-population level, while isozymes are more powerful for inter-population diversity, since clustering of populations agreed with the expectations based on the geographic distribution of the populations using this marker. Rev. Biol. Trop. 60 (4): 1463-1478. Epub 2012 December 01.

Morphological and genetic variability in Hippolyte obliquimanus dana, 1852 (Decapoda, Caridea, Hippolytidae) from Brazil and the caribbean sea

Hippolyte obliquimanus is a marine shrimp reported from the Caribbean Sea and Brazil. The literature provides indications for morphological variation between populations from those regions and the species has a troubled taxonomic history. The aims of this study were to analyse morphological and genetic variation in the populations of H. obliquimanus from Brazil and the Caribbean Sea and to verify if those might support separation of H. obliquimanus into two or more species. This hypothesis was tested with the analysis of morphological and genetic data (mitochondrial gene 16S and the barcode region Cytochrome Oxidase I). The material analysed was obtained from samples and from loans of zoological collections. The rostrum as well as pereiopods 3, 4, and 5 were the adult morphological characters that showed variation, but this occurred in samples from both regions, Brazil and the Caribbean Sea. The sequences of the 16S gene were identical among all specimens analysed. There was, however, variation among the sequences of the barcoding gene COI (<2.0%); this divergence separated the specimens into two groups (Brazil versus the Caribbean) and these groups did not share haplotypes. In conclusion, specimens from the regions analysed showed both morphological and genetic variation, but these did not support the separation of H. obliquimanus into two or more species.