Early Post-Hatch Nutrition Influences Performance and Muscle Growth in Broiler Chickens

The poultry industry is under pressure to produce safe and good quality meat in the welfare conditions. Many areas such as genetics, biosecurity, and immunoprophylaxis were improved, and hatchery is one of the areas in which welfare could be improved for better production output. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of early post-hatch nutrition providing body weight and muscle development in broiler chickens. The experiment involving two groups (chicken hatched with access to water and feed in the hatcher, and chicken without feed and water in hatcher) was replicated three times, and the body weights and breast-muscle index of the randomly chosen 30 chickens per group in each term were measured on the 1st, 7th, 21st, and 35th day of life. The breast-muscle sample was taken for genetic examination (the expression of the myoD, myoG, and MRF4 genes) and histological examination. The results showed that the positive effect of early nutrition was observed on the seventh day of bird life with higher expression of myoG and MRF4 and higher body weight of the birds. The positive effect of early nutrition on the diameter of the breast-muscle fibers was visible on days 21 and 35 of chicken life. The average final body weight in groups with early access to food and water was 5% higher than in groups hatched under classic conditions. Conclusions: early feeding in the hatcher improves performance and muscle growth in broiler chickens

Assessment of the Genetic Diversity of Chrysanthemum Cultivars Using SSR Markers

Chrysanthemums are undoubtedly one of the most popular flowering plants in the world. Their exceptional importance in Asian culture resulted in the global popularization of this species, which resulted in the high interest of breeders. Chrysanthemums can be divided into three groups: small-flowered, mid-flowered, and large-flowered. The exceptional economic importance and a large number of varieties make them problematic to identify, resulting in a less efficient breeding process. In the case of chrysanthemums, genotypes are almost impossible to distinguish by using phenotypic methods due to the high variation in morphological characteristics, even when they belong to the same group. The aim of the study was to evaluate the genetic diversity of 97 chrysanthemum cultivars using 14 selected SSR markers. Large-flowered varieties (Angali and Rosee D’une) were characterized by the smallest mutual distance, and the greatest distance was between large-flowered (Impact Rood) and small-flowered (Conaco Yellow) varieties. All methods of visualizing the results reveal a clear distinctiveness of small-flowered cultivars, except for the cultivars from the Moira series

The Product of Matrix Metalloproteinase Cleavage of Doxorubicin Conjugate for Anticancer Drug Delivery: Calorimetric, Spectroscopic, and Molecular Dynamics Studies on Peptide–Doxorubicin Binding to DNA

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are extracellular matrix degradation factors, promoting cancer progression. Hence, they could provide an enzyme-assisted delivery of doxorubicin (DOX) in cancer treatment. In the current study, the intercalation process of DOX and tetrapeptide–DOX, the product of the MMPs’ cleavage of carrier-linked DOX, into dsDNA was investigated using stationary and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-Vis spectrophotometry and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the same tetrapeptide–DOX…DNA and DOX…DNA systems were also performed. The undertaken studies indicate that DOX and tetrapeptide–DOX can effectively bond with dsDNA through the intercalation mode; however, tetrapeptide–DOX forms less stable complexes than free DOX. Moreover, the obtained results demonstrate that the differences in DNA affinity of both forms of DOX can be attributed to different intercalation modes. Tetrapeptide–DOX shows a preference to intercalate into DNA through the major groove, whereas DOX does it through the minor one. In summary, we can conclude that the tetrapeptide–DOX intercalation to DNA is significant and that even the lack of non-specific proteases releasing DOX from the tetrapeptide conjugate, the presence of which is suggested by the literature for the efficient release of DOX, should not prevent the cytostatic action of the anthracycline

<i>BRCA1</i> founder mutations and beyond in the Polish population: A single-institution <i>BRCA1/2</i> next-generation sequencing study

<div><p>Hereditary mutations in <i>BRCA1/2</i> genes increase the risk of breast cancer by 60–80% and ovarian cancer by about 20–40% in female carriers. Detection of inherited mutations in asymptomatic carriers allows for the implementation of appropriate preventive measures. <i>BRCA1/2</i> genotyping is also important for poly(adenosine diphosphate)-ribose polymerase (PARP) inhibitor administration. This work addresses the need for next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology for the detection of <i>BRCA1/2</i> mutations in Poland where until recently mostly founder mutations have been tested, and whether <i>BRCA</i> diagnostics should be extended beyond the panel of founder mutations in this population. The study comprises 2931 patients who were referred for genetic counseling and tested for founder and recurrent mutations in <i>BRCA1</i> (5382insC (c.5266dupC; p.Gln1756Profs), c.5370C>T (c.5251C>T; p.R1751*), 300T>G (c.181T>G; p.Cys61Gly), 185delAG (c.68_69delAG; p.Glu23Valfs), and 4153delA (c.4035delA; p.Glu1346Lysfs)) by high-resolution melting/Sanger sequencing. A total of 103 (3.5%) mutations were detected, including 53 (51%) in healthy subjects and 50 (49%) in cancer patients. Then, based on more stringent clinical and pedigree criteria, sequencing of all <i>BRCA1/2</i> exons was performed in 454 (16%) patients without founder mutations by NGS, which detected 58 mutations (12.8%), 40 (8.8%) of which were pathogenic. In 14 (3.1%) subjects, variants of uncertain significance (VUS) were detected, and in four (0.9%) subjects, the detected mutations were benign. In total, 161 mutations were detected using our two-step algorithm (founder test and NGS), of which 64% were founder mutations, 25% were NGS-detected pathogenic mutations, 9% were VUS, and 2% were benign. In addition, 38 mutations not yet reported in the Polish population were detected. In total, founder mutations accounted for only 64% of all detected mutations, and the remaining mutations (36%) were dispersed across the <i>BRCA1/2</i> gene sequences. Thus, in Poland, testing for constitutional mutations in <i>BRCA1/2</i> should be carried out in two stages, where NGS is performed in qualifying subjects if founder mutations are not identified.</p></div

Frequencies of mutations detected with the screening test targeting founder and recurrent <i>loci</i> in <i>BRCA1</i> per year and total.

<p>Frequencies of mutations detected with the screening test targeting founder and recurrent <i>loci</i> in <i>BRCA1</i> per year and total.</p

Percentage share of all detected mutations with both the screening test (103) and NGS (58): Pathogenic (40), VUS (14), benign (4).

<p>Percentage share of all detected mutations with both the screening test (103) and NGS (58): Pathogenic (40), VUS (14), benign (4).</p

The frequency of mutations detected in <i>BRCA1/2</i> with NGS among 454 individuals, per year and total (2014–2016).

<p>The frequency of mutations detected in <i>BRCA1/2</i> with NGS among 454 individuals, per year and total (2014–2016).</p