Diversity across Major and Candidate Genes in European Local Pig Breeds

In the frame of the European TREASURE* project, the genetic characterization of 20 local pig breeds is being performed with genetic and genomic tools. The objectives are the study of genetic diversity in these populations and the identification of useful markers for authentication, traceability, conservation and breeding programs. In first place, a candidate gene approach has been applied and the most relevant genes and mutations associated with pig productive, meat quality, reproductive and disease resistance traits have been prioritized and analyzed. Two OpenArray® chips of 32 and 16 SNPs were designed and genotyped in 48 animals from each one of 20 breeds included in the project (Alentejana, Apulo Calabrese, Basque, Bísaro, Black Majorcan, Black Sicilian, Black Slavonian, Casertana, Cinta Senese, Gascon, Iberian, Krskopolje, Lithuanian indigenous wattle, Mangalitsa, Mora Romagnola, Moravka, Old Lithuanian White, Sarda, Schwäbisch Hällisches, Turopolje). Forty SNPs located in 34 genes were successfully genotyped (MC1R, TYRP1, NR6A, PCK1, RYR1, IGF2, MC4R, PHKG1, SCD, GBP5, TAS2R39, TAS2R4, MUC4, ESR1, CYP2E1, LEP, CAST, MTTP, CYB5A, FTO, PPARGC1A, CAPN1, PPARD, CTSL, LEPR, PRKAG3, ACACA, KIT, ACSL4, ADIPOQ, FASN, AHR, FUT1, MSTN). Results provide relevant information regarding genetic diversity and segregation of SNPs responsible for specific production and quality traits. Coat color and morphological trait-genes, showing low level of segregation, and fixed SNPs may be useful for traceability. On the other hand, we detected SNPs which may be useful for breeding programs. For instance, we observed predominance of unfavorable alleles for disease resistance and boar taint genes in most breeds, and segregation of many genes involved in meat quality, fatness and growth. These results joint with ongoing genomic assays, will provide essential information regarding genetic diversity, structure, selective signatures and biological processes responsible for specific production and quality traits

Diversity across Major and Candidate Genes in European Local Pig Breeds

In the frame of the European TREASURE* project, the genetic characterization of 20 local pig breeds is being performed with genetic and genomic tools. The objectives are the study of genetic diversity in these populations and the identification of useful markers for authentication, traceability, conservation and breeding programs. In first place, a candidate gene approach has been applied and the most relevant genes and mutations associated with pig productive, meat quality, reproductive and disease resistance traits have been prioritized and analyzed. Two OpenArray® chips of 32 and 16 SNPs were designed and genotyped in 48 animals from each one of 20 breeds included in the project (Alentejana, Apulo Calabrese, Basque, Bísaro, Black Majorcan, Black Sicilian, Black Slavonian, Casertana, Cinta Senese, Gascon, Iberian, Krskopolje, Lithuanian indigenous wattle, Mangalitsa, Mora Romagnola, Moravka, Old Lithuanian White, Sarda, Schwäbisch Hällisches, Turopolje). Forty SNPs located in 34 genes were successfully genotyped (MC1R, TYRP1, NR6A, PCK1, RYR1, IGF2, MC4R, PHKG1, SCD, GBP5, TAS2R39, TAS2R4, MUC4, ESR1, CYP2E1, LEP, CAST, MTTP, CYB5A, FTO, PPARGC1A, CAPN1, PPARD, CTSL, LEPR, PRKAG3, ACACA, KIT, ACSL4, ADIPOQ, FASN, AHR, FUT1, MSTN). Results provide relevant information regarding genetic diversity and segregation of SNPs responsible for specific production and quality traits. Coat color and morphological trait-genes, showing low level of segregation, and fixed SNPs may be useful for traceability. On the other hand, we detected SNPs which may be useful for breeding programs. For instance, we observed predominance of unfavorable alleles for disease resistance and boar taint genes in most breeds, and segregation of many genes involved in meat quality, fatness and growth. These results joint with ongoing genomic assays, will provide essential information regarding genetic diversity, structure, selective signatures and biological processes responsible for specific production and quality traits

Diversity across major and candidate genes in European local pig breeds

The aim of this work was to analyse the distribution of causal and candidate mutations associated to relevant productive traits in twenty local European pig breeds. Also, the potential of the SNP panel employed for elucidating the genetic structure and relationships among breeds was evaluated. Most relevant genes and mutations associated with pig morphological, productive, meat quality, reproductive and disease resistance traits were prioritized and analyzed in a maximum of 47 blood samples from each of the breeds (Alentejana, Apulo-Calabrese, Basque, Bísara, Majorcan Black, Black Slavonian (Crna slavonska), Casertana, Cinta Senese, Gascon, Iberian, Krškopolje (Krškopoljski), Lithuanian indigenous wattle, Lithuanian White Old Type, Mora Romagnola, Moravka, Nero Siciliano, Sarda, Schwäbisch-Hällisches Schwein (Swabian Hall pig), Swallow-Bellied Mangalitsa and Turopolje). We successfully analyzed allelic variation in 39 polymorphisms, located in 33 candidate genes. Results provide relevant information regarding genetic diversity and segregation of SNPs associated to production and quality traits. Coat color and morphological trait-genes that show low level of segregation, and fixed SNPs may be useful for traceability. On the other hand, we detected SNPs which may be useful for association studies as well as breeding programs. For instance, we observed predominance of alleles that might be unfavorable for disease resistance and boar taint in most breeds and segregation of many alleles involved in meat quality, fatness and growth traits. Overall, these findings provide a detailed catalogue of segregating candidate SNPs in 20 European local pig breeds that may be useful for traceability purposes, for association studies and for breeding schemes. Population genetic analyses based on these candidate genes are able to uncover some clues regarding the hidden genetic substructure of these populations, as the extreme genetic closeness between Iberian and Alentejana breeds and an uneven admixture of the breeds studied. The results are in agreement with available knowledge regarding breed history and management, although largest panels of neutral markers should be employed to get a deeper understanding of the population's structure and relationships

Effects of supplementation of tropical fruit processing by-products on lipid profile, retinol levels and intestinal function in Wistar rats

Abstract Fruits agro-industrial by-products may have a great variety of bioactive compounds that promote health. Thus, the effects of supplementation with acerola, cashew and guava processing by-products for 28 days on retinol level, lipid profile and on some aspects related to intestinal function in rats were investigated. The animals supplemented with different fruit by-products presented similar weight gain, faecal pH values and intestinal epithelial structures; however, they showed higher moisture and Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. counts in faeces compared to the control group. Supplementation with the cashew by-product decreased the blood glucose, acerola and guava by-products reduced serum lipid levels and all fruit by-products tested increased serum and hepatic retinol. The results indicated that acerola and guava by-products possess a potential hypolipidemic effect. The three fruit by-products increase the hepatic retinol deposition and the faecal populations of beneficial bacterial groups and modulated aspects of intestinal function. The findings of this study can contribute to sustainable fruticulture and support future clinical studies with the supplementation of by-products

Identification of Lactic Acid Bacteria in Fruit Pulp Processing Byproducts and Potential Probiotic Properties of Selected Lactobacillus Strains

This study aimed to identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in byproducts of fruit (Malpighia glabra L., Mangifera indica L., Annona muricata L. and Fragaria vesca L.) pulp processing. Fifty strains of LAB were identified using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) and 16S rRNA gene sequence (16S rRNA) analysis. Species belonging to Lactobacillus genus were the predominant LAB in all fruit pulp processing byproducts. The average congruency between the MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA in LAB species identification reached 86%. Isolates of L. plantarum, L. brevis, L. pentosus, L. lactis and L. mesenteroides were identified with 100% congruency. MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA analysis presented 86% and 100% efficiency of LAB species identification, respectively. Further, five selected Lactobacillus strains (L. brevis 59, L. pentosus 129, L. paracasei 108, L. plantarum 49 and L. fermentum 111) were evaluated for desirable probiotic-related properties and growth behavior on two different cultivation media. The exposure to pH 2.0 sharply decreased the counts of the different Lactobacillus strains after a 1 or 2 h incubation, while varied decreases were noted after 3 h of exposure to pH 3.0. Overall, the exposure to pH 5.0 and to bile salts (0.15, 0.30 and 1.00%) did not decrease the counts of the Lactobacillus strains. All tested Lactobacillus strains presented inhibitory activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Typhimurium, Salmonella Enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Escherichia coli, and presented variable susceptibility to different antibiotics. The selected Lactobacillus strains presented satisfactory and reproducible growth behavior. In conclusion, MALDI-TOF MS and 16S rRNA analysis revealed high efficiency and congruency for LAB species identification, and the selected Lactobacillus strains may be candidates for further investigation of novel probiotic strains