Identification of Novel Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in Deer (Odocoileus spp.) Using the BovineSNP50 BeadChip

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are growing in popularity as a genetic marker for investigating evolutionary processes. A panel of SNPs is often developed by comparing large quantities of DNA sequence data across multiple individuals to identify polymorphic sites. For non-model species, this is particularly difficult, as performing the necessary large-scale genomic sequencing often exceeds the resources available for the project. In this study, we trial the Bovine SNP50 BeadChip developed in cattle (Bos taurus) for identifying polymorphic SNPs in cervids Odocoileus hemionus (mule deer and black-tailed deer) and O. virginianus (white-tailed deer) in the Pacific Northwest. We found that 38.7% of loci could be genotyped, of which 5% (n = 1068) were polymorphic. Of these 1068 polymorphic SNPs, a mixture of putatively neutral loci (n = 878) and loci under selection (n = 190) were identified with the FST-outlier method. A range of population genetic analyses were implemented using these SNPs and a panel of 10 microsatellite loci. The three types of deer could readily be distinguished with both the SNP and microsatellite datasets. This study demonstrates that commercially developed SNP chips are a viable means of SNP discovery for non-model organisms, even when used between very distantly related species (the Bovidae and Cervidae families diverged some 25.1−30.1 million years before present)

The Effects of a Relationship Status on Views of the Opposite Sex

It is human nature to notice those around us, and size them up by our own set of standards. This includes taking a measure of physical appearance and attractiveness. However, there are several factors that affect our perceptions of the world around us, and especially the people whom we see. Emotional states and a variety of emotions, play a strong role in dictating our behaviors and reactions (Most, Laurenceau, Graber, Belcher, & Smith, 2010). One factor that changes our human lives is the presence of romance. Intimacy, passion, and commitment are components associated with romance and relationships that take a toll on emotions and behaviors (Sternberg. 1986). The extent that these emotions alter our perceptions is essential to understanding the whole concept of love. When two people are committed to one another, do they start to view their environment differently? In the present study this question is investigated, and observed through self-report type measures. It was hypothesized that there would be a strong relation found between relationship status and ratings of the opposite sex. Individuals of different relationship statuses were given a questionnaire to disclose their relationship information and also given four photos of the opposite sex to rate on attractiveness. Their answers were then compared and analyzed in order to test the correlation a relationship status has on our visual perceptions of the opposite sex. Using an independent t-test for analysis the results showed no significance, but the descriptive data revealed interesting findings