Variation in Seed Dormancy Quantitative Trait Loci in Arabidopsis thaliana Originating from One Site

A Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) analysis was performed using two novel Recombinant Inbred Line (RIL) populations, derived from the progeny between two Arabidopsis thaliana genotypes collected at the same site in Kyoto (Japan) crossed with the reference laboratory strain Landsberg erecta (Ler). We used these two RIL populations to determine the genetic basis of seed dormancy and flowering time, which are assumed to be the main traits controlling life history variation in Arabidopsis. The analysis revealed quantitative variation for seed dormancy that is associated with allelic variation at the seed dormancy QTL DOG1 (for Delay Of Germination 1) in one population and at DOG6 in both. These DOG QTL have been previously identified using mapping populations derived from accessions collected at different sites around the world. Genetic variation within a population may enhance its ability to respond accurately to variation within and between seasons. In contrast, variation for flowering time, which also segregated within each mapping population, is mainly governed by the same QTL

Cytotoxic Activity and Metabolic Profiling of Fifteen Euphorbia Species

Euphorbia is a large genus of flowering plants with a great diversity in metabolic pattern. Testing the cytotoxic potential of fifteen Euphorbia species revealed highest activity of E. officinarum L. against CACO2 cell line (IC50 7.2 µM) and of E. lactea Haw. against HepG2 and MCF-7 cell lines (IC50 5.2 and 5.1 µM, respectively). Additionally, metabolic profiling of the fifteen tested species, using LC-HRMS, for dereplication purposes, led to the annotation of 44 natural compounds. Among the annotated compounds, diterpenoids represent the major class. Dereplication approach and multivariate data analysis are adopted in order to annotate the compounds responsible for the detected cytotoxic activity. Results of PCA come in a great accordance with results of biological testing, which emphasized the cytotoxic properties of E. lactea Haw. A similarity correlation network showed that the two compounds with the molecular formula C16H18O8 and C20H30O10, are responsible for cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HepG2 cell lines. Similarly, the compound with molecular formula C18H35NO correlates with cytotoxic activity against CACO2

Cerebralna listerioza u deve na području Qassim u Središnjoj Saudijskoj Arabiji - prikaz slučajaDeva

A she-camel of about 6 years of age with neurological signs was admitted to the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital at Qassim, central Saudi Arabia, for diagnosis and treatment. Clinical examination showed lack of coordination of movements, Parkinson’s-like tremors of the head and lower lip paralysis. No parasite was detected in the stained blood smear, and except for leukocytosis and monocytosis, the result of the complete blood count (CBC) was normal. The results of the liver and kidney function tests were normal. The animal was infused with 4 units of 5% dextrose saline and injected with vitamin B1 and selenium preparations for the nervous manifestations. However, its health deteriorated rapidly and it was on lateral recumbency by the second day of admission. It died after one more day and was necropsied to investigate the cause of death. Postmortem examination showed slight congestion of the liver and the kidneys. The heart, meninges and the brain were congested and haemorrhagic. Histopathological examination showed acute lymphocytic meningeoencephalomyelitis in the medulla oblongata and spinal cord. Micro-abscesses containing neutrophils were seen in the medulla oblongata. Colonies of Listeria monocytogenes were obtained when the brain tissue was cultured in a cold environment. Smears made from the colonies showed Gram positive cocco-bacilli. Listeria monocytogenes was confirmed by PCR on DNA extracted from brain tissue.Deva u dobi od šest godina s neurološkim znakovima bila je radi dijagnoze i liječenja primljena na kliniku Veterinarskog Sveučilišta u Qassimu, Središnja Saudijska Arabija. Kliničkom pretragom ustanovljena je nekoordiniranost pokreta, tremor glave i paraliza donje usne slično kao kod Parkinsonove bolesti. U obojenim razmascima krvi nisu bili ustanovljeni paraziti, a hematološki nalaz bio je normalan osim što je ustanovljena leukocitoza i monocitoza. Nalazi funkcije jetara i bubrega bili su u fi ziološkim granicama. Životinja je dobila infuziju 4 jedinice 5% fiziološke otopine dekstroze s vitaminom B1 i preparatima selena zbog živčanih znakova. Ipak se njezino zdravstveno stanje naglo pogoršavalo te je drugoga dana bespomoćno ležala na boku. Uginula je trećega dana od primitka na kliniku te je razuđena da bi se otkrio uzrok uginuća. Postmortem pretraga pokazala je blagu kongestiju jetara i bubrega. Ustanovljeni su kongestija i krvarenja u srcu, moždanim ovojnicama i mozgu. Patohistološka pretraga pokazala je akutni limfocitni meningoencefalomijelitis u produženoj i kralježničnoj moždini. U produženoj moždini nalazili su se mikroapscesi koji su sadržavali neutrofile. Listeria monocytogenes bila je izdvojena iz moždanoga tkiva uzgojem u hladnim uvjetima. U razmascima kolonija dokazani su grampozitivni kokobacili. Nalaz bakterije Listeria monocytogenes bio je povrđen lančanom reakcijom polimerazom u DNA ekstrahiranoj iz moždanoga tkiva

Major-Effect Alleles at Relatively Few Loci Underlie Distinct Vernalization and Flowering Variation in Arabidopsis Accessions

We have explored the genetic basis of variation in vernalization requirement and response in Arabidopsis accessions, selected on the basis of their phenotypic distinctiveness. Phenotyping of F2 populations in different environments, plus fine mapping, indicated possible causative genes. Our data support the identification of FRI and FLC as candidates for the major-effect QTL underlying variation in vernalization response, and identify a weak FLC allele, caused by a Mutator-like transposon, contributing to flowering time variation in two N. American accessions. They also reveal a number of additional QTL that contribute to flowering time variation after saturating vernalization. One of these was the result of expression variation at the FT locus. Overall, our data suggest that distinct phenotypic variation in the vernalization and flowering response of Arabidopsis accessions is accounted for by variation that has arisen independently at relatively few major-effect loci

Joint QTL Linkage Mapping for Multiple-Cross Mating Design Sharing One Common Parent

BACKGROUND: Nested association mapping (NAM) is a novel genetic mating design that combines the advantages of linkage analysis and association mapping. This design provides opportunities to study the inheritance of complex traits, but also requires more advanced statistical methods. In this paper, we present the detailed algorithm of a QTL linkage mapping method suitable for genetic populations derived from NAM designs. This method is called joint inclusive composite interval mapping (JICIM). Simulations were designed on the detected QTL in a maize NAM population and an Arabidopsis NAM population so as to evaluate the efficiency of the NAM design and the JICIM method. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Fifty-two QTL were identified in the maize population, explaining 89% of the phenotypic variance of days to silking, and nine QTL were identified in the Arabidopsis population, explaining 83% of the phenotypic variance of flowering time. Simulations indicated that the detection power of these identified QTL was consistently high, especially for large-effect QTL. For rare QTL having significant effects in only one family, the power of correct detection within the 5 cM support interval was around 80% for 1-day effect QTL in the maize population, and for 3-day effect QTL in the Arabidopsis population. For smaller-effect QTL, the power diminished, e.g., it was around 50% for maize QTL with an effect of 0.5 day. When QTL were linked at a distance of 5 cM, the likelihood of mapping them as two distinct QTL was about 70% in the maize population. When the linkage distance was 1 cM, they were more likely mapped as one single QTL at an intermediary position. CONCLUSIONS: Because it takes advantage of the large genetic variation among parental lines and the large population size, NAM is a powerful multiple-cross design for complex trait dissection. JICIM is an efficient and specialty method for the joint QTL linkage mapping of genetic populations derived from the NAM design