Characterisation of Oil Palm Acyl-CoA-Binding Proteins and Correlation of their Gene Expression with Oil Synthesis

Acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBPs) are involved in binding and trafficking acyl-CoA esters in eukaryotic cells. ACBPs contain a well-conserved acyl-CoA-binding domain (ACBD). Their various functions have been characterized in the model plant Arabidopsis and, to a lesser extent, in rice. In this study, genome-wide detection and expression analysis of ACBPs were performed on Elaeis guineensis (oil palm), the most important oil crop in the world. Seven E. guineensis ACBPs were identified and classified into four groups according to their deduced amino acid domain organization. Phylogenetic analysis showed conservation of this family with other higher plants. All seven EgACBPs were expressed in most tissues while their differential expression suggests various functions in specific tissues. For example, EgACBP3 had high expression in inflorescences and stalks while ACBP1 showed strong expression in leaves. Because of the importance of E. guineensis as an oil crop, expression of EgACBPs was specifically examined during fruit development. EgACBP3 showed high expression throughout mesocarp development, while EgACBP1 had enhanced expression during rapid oil synthesis. In endosperm, both EgACBP1 and EgACBP3 exhibited increased expression during seed development. These results provide important information for further investigations on the biological functions of EgACBPs in various tissues and, in particular, their roles in oil synthesis

Characterisation of full-length cDNA sequences provides insights into the Eimeria tenellatranscriptome

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Eimeria tenella </it>is an apicomplexan parasite that causes coccidiosis in the domestic fowl. Infection with this parasite is diagnosed frequently in intensively reared poultry and its control is usually accorded a high priority, especially in chickens raised for meat. Prophylactic chemotherapy has been the primary method used for the control of coccidiosis. However, drug efficacy can be compromised by drug-resistant parasites and the lack of new drugs highlights demands for alternative control strategies including vaccination. In the long term, sustainable control of coccidiosis will most likely be achieved through integrated drug and vaccination programmes. Characterisation of the <it>E. tenella </it>transcriptome may provide a better understanding of the biology of the parasite and aid in the development of a more effective control for coccidiosis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>More than 15,000 partial sequences were generated from the 5' and 3' ends of clones randomly selected from an <it>E. tenella </it>second generation merozoite full-length cDNA library. Clustering of these sequences produced 1,529 unique transcripts (UTs). Based on the transcript assembly and subsequently primer walking, 433 full-length cDNA sequences were successfully generated. These sequences varied in length, ranging from 441 bp to 3,083 bp, with an average size of 1,647 bp. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) analysis identified CAG as the most abundant trinucleotide motif, while codon usage analysis revealed that the ten most infrequently used codons in <it>E. tenella </it>are UAU, UGU, GUA, CAU, AUA, CGA, UUA, CUA, CGU and AGU. Subsequent analysis of the <it>E. tenella </it>complete coding sequences identified 25 putative secretory and 60 putative surface proteins, all of which are now rational candidates for development as recombinant vaccines or drug targets in the effort to control avian coccidiosis.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This paper describes the generation and characterisation of full-length cDNA sequences from <it>E. tenella </it>second generation merozoites and provides new insights into the <it>E. tenella </it>transcriptome. The data generated will be useful for the development and validation of diagnostic and control strategies for coccidiosis and will be of value in annotation of the <it>E. tenella </it>genome sequence.</p

PENGARUH PEMBERIAN EKSTRAK HIPOFISA SAPI TERHADAP PENINGKATAN PRODUKTIVITAS AYAM PETELUR PADA FASE AKHIR PRODUKSI

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui pengaruh penyuntikan dan dosis optimal ekstrak hipofisa sapi terhadap peningkatan produktivitas ayam petelur fase akhir produksi. Sebanyak 60 ekor ayam petelur berumur 22-44 bulan yang telah mengalami penurunan produksi sekitar 50-60% yang terdapat pada peternakan ayam petelur Jantho Farm, Aceh Besar digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Seluruh ayam dibagi 6 kelompok perlakuan, masing-masing kelompok terdiri atas 10 ekor ayam petelur. Kelompok I, II, III, IV, V, dan VI masing-masing disuntik dengan 0,1 ml NaCl fisiologis, 15 IU PMSG; 0,1 ml ekstrak hipofisa sapi; 0,2 ml ekstrak hipofisa sapi; 0,3 ml ekstrak hipofisa sapi; dan 0,4 ml ekstrak hipofisa sapi. Injeksi dilakukan secara intramuskular pada otot dada setiap dua minggu sekali selama enam minggu.Total rata-rata produksi telur pada kelompok I; II; III; IV; V; dan VI masing-masing adalah 5,81+1,10; 4,28+1,04; 4,60+2,04; 5,43+1,45; 6,29+1,34; dan 5,74+1,17 butir. Total rata-rata berat telur pada kelompok I; II; III; IV; V; dan VI masing-masing adalah 65,27+1,61; 63,66+1,86; 65,38+3,51; 64,01+3,91; 66,20+1,67; dan 65,21+1,91 g sedangkan total rata-rata ketebalan cangkang telur pada kelompok I; II; III; IV; V; dan VI masing-masing adalah 0,43+0,02; 0,42+0,03; 0,43+0,02; 0,42+0,02; 0,43+0,02; dan 0,42+0,02 mm. Dari hasil penelitian dapat disimpulkan bahwa ekstrak hipofisa sapi dapat meningkatkan produktivitas ayam petelur pada fase akhir produksi dan dosis optimal ekstrak hipofisa adalah 0,3 ml

The Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Physical Growth and Personal Hygiene of Adolescents

The COVID-19 pandemic has influenced the community's lifestyle, including adolescents’ behavior. One aspect majorly affected was physical growth, which encompasses several areas, including nutritional status and personal hygiene. Maintaining the quality of physical growth is very important, even beyond the pandemic. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents' nutritional status and personal hygiene. A literature review method was used through a bibliometric and content analysis of publications obtained from databases such as Google Scholar. The articles obtained were classified by publication year, study location, keywords, and journal titles. Based on the literature search, 11 articles were found on the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nutritional status of adolescents, and 10 articles discussed the effect on personal hygiene. After reviewing the articles, it was concluded that the pandemic influenced adolescents' nutritional status and personal hygiene

In silico characterization and expression profiling of the diacylglycerol acyltransferase gene family (DGAT1, DGAT2, DGAT3 and WS/DGAT) from oil palm, Elaeis guineensis

The diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGAT) (diacylglycerol:acyl-CoA acyltransferase, EC 2.3.1.20) are a key group of enzymes that catalyse the final and usually the most important rate-limiting step of triacylglycerol biosynthesis in plants and other organisms. Genes encoding four distinct functional families of DGAT enzymes have been characterised in the genome of the African oil palm, Elaeis guineensis. The contrasting features of the various isoforms within the four families of DGAT genes, namely DGAT1, DGAT2, DGAT3 and WS/DGAT are presented both in the oil palm itself and, for comparative purposes, in 12 other oil crop or model/related plants, namely Arabidopsis thaliana, Brachypodium distachyon, Brassica napus, Elaeis oleifera, Glycine max, Gossypium hirsutum, Helianthus annuus, Musa acuminata, Oryza sativa, Phoenix dactylifera, Sorghum bicolor, and Zea mays. The oil palm genome contains respectively three, two, two and two distinctly expressed functional copies of the DGAT1, DGAT2, DGAT3 and WS/DGAT genes. Phylogenetic analyses of the four DGAT families showed that the E. guineensis genes tend to cluster with sequences from P. dactylifera and M. acuminata rather than with other members of the Commelinid monocots group, such as the Poales which include the major cereal crops such as rice and maize. Comparison of the predicted DGAT protein sequences with other animal and plant DGATs was consistent with the E. guineensis DGAT1 being ER located with its active site facing the lumen while DGAT2, although also ER located, had a predicted cytosol-facing active site. In contrast, DGAT3 and some (but not all) WS/DGAT in E. guineensis are predicted to be soluble, cytosolic enzymes. Evaluation of E. guineensis DGAT gene expression in different tissues and developmental stages suggests that the four DGAT groups have distinctive physiological roles and are particularly prominent in developmental processes relating to reproduction, such as flowering, and in fruit/seed formation especially in the mesocarp and endosperm tissues

Bromocarbons in the tropical coastal and open ocean atmosphere during the Prime Expedition Scientific Cruise 2009 (PESC 09)

Atmospheric concentrations of very short-lived species (VSLS) bromocarbons, including CHBr3, CH2Br2, CHCl2Br, CHClBr2, and CH2BrCl, were measured in the Strait of Malacca and the South China and Sulu–Sulawesi seas during a two-month research cruise in June–July 2009. The highest bromocarbon concentrations were found in the Strait of Malacca, with smaller enhancements in coastal regions of northern Borneo. CHBr3 was the most abundant bromocarbon, ranging from 5.2 pmol mol−1 in the Strait of Malacca to 0.94 pmol mol−1 over the open ocean. Other bromocarbons showed lower concentrations, in the range of 0.8–1.3 pmol mol−1 for CH2Br2, 0.1–0.5 pmol mol−1 for CHCl2Br, and 0.1–0.4 pmol mol−1 for CHClBr2. There was no significant correlation between bromocarbons and in situ chlorophyll a, but positive correlations with both MODIS and SeaWiFS satellite chlorophyll a. Together, the shortlived bromocarbons contribute an average of 8.9 pmol mol−1 (range 5.2–21.4 pmol mol−1) to tropospheric bromine loading, which is similar to that found in previous studies from global sampling networks (Montzka et al., 2011). Statistical tests showed strong Spearman correlations between brominated compounds, suggesting a common source. Log–log plots of CHBr3/CH2Br2 versus CHBr2Cl/CH2Br2 show that both chemical reactions and dilution into the background atmosphere contribute to the composition of these halocarbons at each sampling point. We have used the correlation to make a crude estimate of the regional emissions of CHBr3 and to derive a value of 32 Gg yr−1 for the Southeast (SE) Asian region (10◦ N–20◦ S, 90–150◦ E). Finally, we note that satellite-derived chlorophyll a (chl a) products do not always agree well with in situ measurements, particularly in coastal regions of high turbidity, meaning that satellite chl a may not always be a good proxy for marine productivity

PEMBERIAN EKSTRAK EPIDIDIMIS BERPOTENSI MENINGKATKAN KUALITAS SPERMATOZOA KAMBING JANTAN LOKAL

Penelitian ini bertujuan mengetahui pengaruh pemberian ekstrak epididimis (EE) terhadap peningkatan kualitas spermatozoa kambing jantan  lokal. Dalam penelitian ini digunakan 12 ekor kambing jantan lokal, berumur 1,5 tahun dengan bobot badan 10-15 kg dan dibagi atas empat kelompok (K0, KP1, KP2, dan KP3). Kelompok K0, hanya diinjeksi dengan NaCl fisiologis sedangkan kelompok KP1, KP2, dan KP3 diinjeksi EE masing-masing 1, 2, dan 3 ml/ekor selama 13 hari berturut-turut. Pada hari ke-14, dilakukan pengambilan semen kambing dengan elektroejakulator dan selanjutnya dilakukan pemeriksaan kualitas spermatozoa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian EE dengan dosis 1 dan 3 ml/ekor EE selama 13 hari berturut-turut menyebabkan peningkatan kualitas spermatozoa dibanding kelompok kontrol. Berdasarkan hal tersebut dapat disimpulkan bahwa EE berpotensi meningkatkan kualitas spermatozoa pada kambing jantan lokal

Characterization of oil palm Acyl-CoA-Binding proteins and correlation of their gene expression with oil synthesis

Acyl-CoA-binding proteins (ACBPs) are involved in binding and trafficking acyl-CoA esters in eukaryotic cells. ACBPs contain a well-conserved acyl-CoA-binding domain (ACBD). Their various functions have been characterized in the model plant Arabidopsis and, to a lesser extent, in rice. In this study, genome-wide detection and expression analysis of ACBPs were performed on Elaeis guineensis (oil palm), the most important oil crop in the world. Seven E. guineensis ACBPs were identified and classified into four groups according to their deduced amino acid domain organization. Phylogenetic analysis showed conservation of this family with other higher plants. All seven EgACBPs were expressed in most tissues while their differential expression suggests various functions in specific tissues. For example, EgACBP3 had high expression in inflorescences and stalks while ACBP1 showed strong expression in leaves. Because of the importance of E. guineensis as an oil crop, expression of EgACBPs was specifically examined during fruit development. EgACBP3 showed high expression throughout mesocarp development, while EgACBP1 had enhanced expression during rapid oil synthesis. In endosperm, both EgACBP1 and EgACBP3 exhibited increased expression during seed development. These results provide important information for further investigations on the biological functions of EgACBPs in various tissues and, in particular, their roles in oil synthesis

Global Retinoblastoma Presentation and Analysis by National Income Level

Importance: Early diagnosis of retinoblastoma, the most common intraocular cancer, can save both a child's life and vision. However, anecdotal evidence suggests that many children across the world are diagnosed late. To our knowledge, the clinical presentation of retinoblastoma has never been assessed on a global scale. Objectives: To report the retinoblastoma stage at diagnosis in patients across the world during a single year, to investigate associations between clinical variables and national income level, and to investigate risk factors for advanced disease at diagnosis. Design, Setting, and Participants: A total of 278 retinoblastoma treatment centers were recruited from June 2017 through December 2018 to participate in a cross-sectional analysis of treatment-naive patients with retinoblastoma who were diagnosed in 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Age at presentation, proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, and tumor stage and metastasis. Results: The cohort included 4351 new patients from 153 countries; the median age at diagnosis was 30.5 (interquartile range, 18.3-45.9) months, and 1976 patients (45.4%) were female. Most patients (n = 3685 [84.7%]) were from low- A nd middle-income countries (LMICs). Globally, the most common indication for referral was leukocoria (n = 2638 [62.8%]), followed by strabismus (n = 429 [10.2%]) and proptosis (n = 309 [7.4%]). Patients from high-income countries (HICs) were diagnosed at a median age of 14.1 months, with 656 of 666 (98.5%) patients having intraocular retinoblastoma and 2 (0.3%) having metastasis. Patients from low-income countries were diagnosed at a median age of 30.5 months, with 256 of 521 (49.1%) having extraocular retinoblastoma and 94 of 498 (18.9%) having metastasis. Lower national income level was associated with older presentation age, higher proportion of locally advanced disease and distant metastasis, and smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma. Advanced disease at diagnosis was more common in LMICs even after adjusting for age (odds ratio for low-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 17.92 [95% CI, 12.94-24.80], and for lower-middle-income countries vs upper-middle-income countries and HICs, 5.74 [95% CI, 4.30-7.68]). Conclusions and Relevance: This study is estimated to have included more than half of all new retinoblastoma cases worldwide in 2017. Children from LMICs, where the main global retinoblastoma burden lies, presented at an older age with more advanced disease and demonstrated a smaller proportion of familial history of retinoblastoma, likely because many do not reach a childbearing age. Given that retinoblastoma is curable, these data are concerning and mandate intervention at national and international levels. Further studies are needed to investigate factors, other than age at presentation, that may be associated with advanced disease in LMICs