SNP Discovery and Haplotypic Variation in Full-Length Herbage Quality Genes of Perennial Ryegrass (Lolium Perenne L.)

The development of forages with enhanced nutritive value through improvements of herbage quality (digestibility, carbohydrate content) is potentially capable of increasing both meat and milk production by up to 25%. However, the expense and time-consuming nature of the relevant biochemical and biophysical assays has limited breeding improvement for forage quality. The development of accurate high-throughput molecular marker-based selection systems such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) permits evaluation of genetic variation and selection of favourable variants to accelerate the production of elite new varieties

Application of Molecular Technologies in Forage Plant Breeding

Key points A range of molecular breeding technologies have been developed for forage plant species including both transgenic and non-transgenic methodologies. The application of these technologies has the potential to greatly increase the range of genetic variation that is available for incorporation into breeding programs and subsequent delivery to producers in the form of improved germplasm. Further developments in detailing the phenotypic effect of genes and alleles both through research in target species and through inference from results from model species will further refine the delivery of new forage cultivars

Integration of Perennial Ryegrass (L. Perenne) Genetic Maps using Gene-Associated SNPs

The reference genetic map of perennial ryegrass was developed by the International Lolium Genome Initiative (ILGI), using the p150/112 one-way pseudo-testcross population. A selection of public domain genetic markers including RFLPs, detected by wheat, barley, oat and rice cDNA probes, and AFLPs were mapped, allowing studies of comparative relationships between perennial ryegrass and other Poaceae species. The map was enhanced through the addition of unique perennial ryegrass genomic DNA-derived SSR (LPSSR) markers, providing the basis of framework genetic mapping in other populations. In addition, a small number of RFLP loci detected by candidate genes involved in herbage quality traits were added to the map. A second-generation reference genetic mapping family was developed based on the F1(NA6 x AU6) two-way pseudo-testcross family, generating two parental genetic maps. These maps were populated by genomic SSR loci, EST-RFLP loci and EST-SSR loci (corresponding to multiple functional categories of agronomic importance). A third genetic mapping population based on an interspecific cross between perennial and annual ryegrass genotypes [F1(Andrea1246 x Lincoln1133)] generated a map based on LPSSR and EST-SSR markers. Linkage groups in the two latter maps were inferred using common LPSSR loci with the p150/112 genetic map

Tuning coordination chemistry through the second sphere in designed metallocoiled coils

The metal hydration state within a designed coiled coil can be progressively tuned across the full integer range (3 → 0 aqua ligands), by careful choice of a second sphere terminal residue, including the lesser used Trp. Potential implications include a four-fold change in MRI relaxivity when applied to lanthanide coiled coils.</p

Gene-Associated Single Nucleotide Polymorphism Discovery in White Clover (\u3cem\u3eT. Repens\u3c/em\u3e L.)

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery permits the discovery of molecular marker variation associated with functionally-defined genes. SNP markers have been developed for the temperate pasture legume crop white clover (Trifolium repens) using public and proprietary genic sequences correlated with key agronomic traits of interest

Genetic Analysis of the Interaction Between Perennial Ryegrass and the Fungal Endophyte \u3cem\u3eNeotyphodium Lolii\u3c/em\u3e

The fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii is widely distributed in perennial ryegrass pastures, especially in Australia and New Zealand. The presence of the endophyte is associated with improved tolerance to water and nutrient stress and resistance to insect pests, but is accompanied by reduced herbivore feeding. The molecular mechanisms responsible for these endophyte-related traits are in general poorly understood. Comparisons of different grass-endophyte associations show that endophyte-related traits are affected by both endophyte and host genotype, and environmental interactions

Discovery of Very High-Energy Gamma-Ray Radiation from the BL Lac 1ES 0806+524

The high-frequency-peaked BL-Lacertae object \objectname{1ES 0806+524}, at redshift z=0.138, was observed in the very-high-energy (VHE) gamma-ray regime by VERITAS between November 2006 and April 2008. These data encompass the two-, and three-telescope commissioning phases, as well as observations with the full four-telescope array. \objectname{1ES 0806+524} is detected with a statistical significance of 6.3 standard deviations from 245 excess events. Little or no measurable variability on monthly time scales is found. The photon spectrum for the period November 2007 to April 2008 can be characterized by a power law with photon index $3.6 \pm 1.0_{\mathrm{stat}} \pm 0.3_{\mathrm{sys}}$ between $\sim$300 GeV and $\sim$700 GeV. The integral flux above 300 GeV is $(2.2\pm0.5_{\mathrm{stat}}\pm0.4_{\mathrm{sys}})\times10^{-12}\:\mathrm{cm}^{2}\:\mathrm{s}^{-1}$ which corresponds to 1.8% of the Crab Nebula flux. Non contemporaneous multiwavelength observations are combined with the VHE data to produce a broadband spectral energy distribution that can be reasonably described using a synchrotron-self Compton model.Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures, accepted to APJ

Valence band excitations in V_2O_5

We present a joint theoretical and experimental investigation of the electronic and optical properties of vanadium pentoxide. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy in transmission was employed to measure the momentum-dependent loss function. This in turn was used to derive the optical conductivity, which is compared to the results of band structure calculations. A good qualitative and quantitative agreement between the theoretical and the experimental optical conductivity was observed. The experimentally observed anisotropy of the optical properties of V_2O_5 could be understood in the light of an analysis of the theoretical data involving the decomposition of the calculated optical conductivity into contributions from transitions into selected energy regions of the conduction band. In addition, based upon a tight binding fit to the band structure, values are given for the effective V3d_xy-O2p hopping terms and are compared to the corresponding values for alpha'-NaV_2O_5.Comment: 6 pages (revtex),6 figures (jpg