Applications of Microsatellites and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for the Genetic Characterization of Cattle and Small Ruminants: An Overview

The status of genetic diversity, adaptation to climate change or the identification of genes associated with traits of interest in livestock populations has been a major concern for scientists in the last decades. Biotechnology has evolved continuously, offering new tools and methodologies to analyse the genomes of livestock species. Biochemical markers or protein polymorphisms were the tools used for population studies many years ago, but over the last three decades the methodologies available to analyse livestock genomes have changed notably. The development of DNA molecular markers, especially microsatellites and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, opened new possibilities for a better understanding of livestock genomes, unthinkable until recently. However, Whole-Genome Sequencing technologies or genome editing techniques are changing the way to analyse or interact with the genomes, even before full advantage can be taken of all the possibilities open by the last group of molecular markers. The aim of this review is to summarize the opportunities available through livestock genome analysis in cattle and small ruminant populations, namely through the molecular markers most widely used over the last few years, including microsatellites and Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms.Fac. de VeterinariaTRUEpu

Ludificación de la Historia de Veterinaria

En este proyecto se han realizado ocho interpretaciones histórico-teatrales de personajes relevantes en la historia de la veterinaria, realizada por los propios alumnos matriculados y profesores, para facilitar el conocimiento de aspectos personales, profesionales y sociales de la Veterinaria en distintas épocas

Elaboración de píldoras educativas sobre Historia de la Veterinaria

Tras el éxito de la utilización de la ludificación como motivación para el estudio de la Historia de la Veterinaria, nos propusimos crear pequeños vídeos o píldoras de conocimiento sobre hechos o personajes históricos que fueran reusables (se pueden utilizar en diferentes contextos), interoperables (sirven para propósitos diferentes) y accesibles por su formato digital que facilita el almacenaje y su recuperación. En este proyecto se ha grabado más escenas antes del confinamiento y preparados la historioteca con una de las píldoras ya definitivas

Creación de la Historioteca Veterinaria: píldoras de conocimiento sobre historia de la veterinaria

Proyecto de Innovación Educativo 341 curso 20-21 Creación de la Historioteca Veterinaria: píldoras de conocimiento sobre historia de la veterinaria

Breed Pig Genotypes

1670 Individual genotypes, belonging to 45 pig breeds from the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal), Europe (local and commercial breeds), and America, for a panel of 24 microsatellite

Genetic diversity analysis of the Mexican Lidia bovine breed population and its relation with the Spanish population by using a subset of SNPs under low gametic disequilibrium

Retaining features of the auroch (Bos taurus primigenius), the Lidia bovine is a primitive breed originated ~250 yr ago in the Iberian Peninsula, where is still distributed, along with France and several American countries. Selected upon a behavior, which enhances their aggressiveness; these bovines were raised to participate in popular festivities that nowadays reinforce the identity of regional cultures. Different festivities demanded diverse behavior patterns, prompting a fragmentation of the breed into small lineages. In Mexico, where these bovines reached high popularity, mainly two families of breeders imported Lidia bovines from Spain in the early XX century specializing their production either reproducing the new arrivals among them or realizing systematic crosses with local populations. Genetic diversity and structure of the Mexican and Spanish Lidia populations has been assessed with microsatellite data, but nowadays  SNP molecular markers allows higher resolution level. Genetic diversity of the Mexican and Spanish Lidia populations and their relationship were assessed by using 573 SNPs with a low gametic disequilibrium (r2<0.01) from the 50K BeadChip on 468 individuals from both populations. In both populations, similar gene diversity values were observed. Significant FIS values in both populations means strong subdivision, higher FST genetic distances were observed in the Spanish than in the Mexican population. Genetic structure analysis showed similarity of three Spanish lineages with González family and some Llaguno breeders, but most Llaguno family clustered separated: genetic differentiation along with high gene diversity suggest an introgression of creole cattle in the constitution of the Mexican population

A novel missense variant in endothelin‐2 ( EDN2 ) causes a growth and respiratory lethal syndrome in bovine

The high level of fragmentation of the Spanish Lidia cattle breed, divided into lineages called ‘castas’ and into herds within lineages based on reproductive isolation, increases the risk of homozygosity and the outbreak of recessive genetic defects. Since 2004, an increasing number of calves have been identified in a Lidia herd with signs of severe growth retardation, respiratory alterations and juvenile lethality, which constitutes a novel inherited syndrome in cattle and was subsequently termed growth and respiratory lethal syndrome. We performed a genome-wide association study on a cohort of 13 affected calves and 24 putative non-carrier parents, mapping the disease to a wide 6 cM region on bovine chromosome 3 (p A|p.Cys50Tyr) in exon 2 of the endothelin 2 (EDN2) gene. Bioinformatic analyses of p.Cys50Tyr effects predicted them to be damaging for both the structure and the function of the edn2 protein, and to create a new site of splicing that may also affect the pattern of pre-mRNA splicing and exon definition. Sanger sequencing of this variant on the rest of the sample set confirmed the segregation pattern obtained with whole genome re-sequencing. The identification of the causative variant and the development of a diagnostic genetic test enable the efficient design of matings to keep the effective population size as high as possible, as well as providing insights into the first EDN2-associated hereditary disease in cattle or other species

On the origins of American Criollo pigs: A common genetic background with a lasting Iberian signature

American Criollo pigs are thought to descend mainly from those imported from the Iberian Peninsula starting in the late 15th century. Criollo pigs subsequently expanded throughout the Americas, adapting to very diverse environments, and possibly receiving influences from other origins. With the intensification of agriculture in the mid-20th century, cosmopolitan breeds largely replaced Criollo pigs, and the few remaining are mostly maintained by rural communities in marginal areas where they still play an important socio-economic and cultural role. In this study, we used 24 microsatellite markers in samples from 1715 pigs representing 46 breeds with worldwide distribution, including 17 American Criollo breeds, with the major focus of investigating their genetic diversity, structure and breed relationships. We also included representatives of the Iberian, Local British, Hungarian, Chinese and Commercial breeds, as well as Wild Boar, in order to investigate their possible influence in the genetic composition of Criollos. Our results show that, when compared with the other breeds, Criollo pigs present higher levels of genetic diversity, both in terms of allelic diversity and expected heterozygosity. The various analyses indicate that breed differentiation overall explains nearly 21% of the total genetic diversity. Criollo breeds showed their own identity and shared a common genetic background, tending to cluster together in various analyses, even though they differ from each other. A close relationship of Criollos with Iberian breeds was revealed by all the different analyses, and the contribution of Iberian breeds, particularly of the Celtic breeds, is still present in various Criollo breeds. No influence of Chinese breeds was detected on Criollos, but a few were influenced by Commercial breeds or by wild pigs. Our results confirm the uniqueness of American Criollo pigs and the role that Iberian breeds have played in their development.FCT, COMPETE 2020 (PTDC/CVTLIV/2827/2014, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016647)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio