BRAZIL ROAD-KILL: a dataset of wildlife terrestrial vertebrate road-kills

Mortality from collision with vehicles is the most visible impact of road traffic on wildlife. Mortality due to roads (hereafter road-kill) can affect the dynamic of populations of many species and can, therefore, increase the risk of local decline or extinction. This is especially true in Brazil, where plans for road network upgrading and expansion overlaps biodiversity hotspot areas, which are of high importance for global conservation. Researchers, conservationists and road planners face the challenge to define a national strategy for road mitigation and wildlife conservation. The main goal of this dataset is a compilation of geo-referenced road-kill data from published and unpublished road surveys. This is the first Data Paper in the BRAZIL series (see ATLANTIC, NEOTROPICAL, and BRAZIL collections of Data Papers published in Ecology), which aims make public road-kill data for species in the Brazilian Regions. The dataset encompasses road-kill records from 45 personal communications and 26 studies published in peer-reviewed journals, theses and reports. The road-kill dataset comprises 21,512 records, 83% of which are identified to the species level (n = 450 species). The dataset includes records of 31 amphibian species, 90 reptile species, 229 bird species, and 99 mammal species. One species is classified as Endangered, eight as Vulnerable and twelve as Near Threatened. The species with the highest number of records are: Didelphis albiventris (n = 1,549), Volatinia jacarina (n = 1,238), Cerdocyon thous (n = 1,135), Helicops infrataeniatus (n = 802), and Rhinella icterica (n = 692). Most of the records came from southern Brazil. However, observations of the road-kill incidence for non-Least Concern species are more spread across the country. This dataset can be used to identify which taxa seems to be vulnerable to traffic, analyze temporal and spatial patterns of road-kill at local, regional and national scales and also used to understand the effects of road-kill on population persistence. It may also contribute to studies that aims to understand the influence of landscape and environmental influences on road-kills, improve our knowledge on road-related strategies on biodiversity conservation and be used as complementary information on large-scale and macroecological studies. No copyright or proprietary restrictions are associated with the use of this data set other than citation of this Data Paper

Association of CSSM066 and ILSTS011 microsatellite markers and thyroglobulin gene SNP with backfat in Canchim cattle

Canchim, a synthetic breed of cattle derived from the Charolais and Zebu group has been used in the beef-cattle industry in Brazil as an alternative for intensifying production. One of the main concerns with this breed is its poor fat deposition and consequently, there is an effort to increase the performance for this trait. The thyroglobulin gene is located in a QTL region for fat deposition, and reports describe the influence of a polymorphism in the 5´ leader sequence of that gene on marbling and subcutaneous fat thickness. This study analyzed the association of this polymorphism in the thyroglobulin gene, as well as of two flanking microsatellite markers, CSSM066 and ILSTS011, with backfat thickness in 987 Canchim beef cattle. The CSSM066 and ILSTS011 microsatellite markers have a effect on fat thickness in the studied populations. However, this trait did not have association with the polymorphism of the thyroglobulin gene, which suggests that other genes of bovine chromosome 14 may be responsible for the variation in this trait

Mapeamento de QTL nos cromossomos 24 e 29 para medidas de peso, resistência a carrapato e estresse térmico em uma população F2 (Gir X Holandês)

In the latest years, Brazil became one of the most important countries regarding the production and exportation of animal-based food. Improvements on the sanitary conditions and animal research applied to animal production were some of the elements which have placed Brazil in this highlight position. However, difficulties on controlling the tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus and herd management limitations concerning heat stress situations hamper a greater development on the national production. A significant part of the variation on these traits is controlled by many genes (Quantitative Trait Loci - QTL). The identification of loci influencing these traits is important for genetic improvement programs. The objective of this study was to identify and map QTL for tick resistance and heat stress tolerance in the chromosomes 24 and 29, as well as QTL related to growth traits in a F2 population (Gir x Holstein) by using the microsatellites scan methodology. No QTL was identified for the tick number found. However, on chromosome 24, an indicative QTL (P<0.10) for birth weight was identified. On chromosome 29, significant QTL for sweating rate (P<0.01) and respiration frequency (P<0.05) were also recognized. In addition, a suggestive QTL (P<0.05) for standardized weaning weight was found in chromosome 29 in one of the families. These results could help to improve the knowledge about the general factors affecting the evaluated traits, making possible the development of more efficient selection strategies for the environment conditions in the Brazilian production systems.Financiadora de Estudos e ProjetosNos últimos anos, o Brasil tornou-se um dos principais países produtores e exportadores de produtos de origem animal. Melhorias nas condições sanitárias e pesquisas em melhoramento animal são alguns dos fatores que levaram o Brasil a essa posição de destaque. Entretanto, dificuldades no controle do carrapato Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus e no manejo do rebanho em situações de estresse térmico prejudicam o maior desenvolvimento da produção nacional. Uma parte significativa da variação dessas características quantitativas são controladas por vários genes (Quantitative Trait Loci - QTL). A identificação desses locos que influenciam essas características é de grande importância para o melhoramento genético. Esse trabalho teve como objetivo identificar e mapear QTL nos cromossomos 24 e 29 para resistência ao carrapato, tolerância ao estresse térmico e para medidas de crescimento em uma população F2 (Gir x Holandês), utilizando a metodologia de varredura cromossômica por microssatélites. Nenhum QTL para contagem de carrapatos foi identificado. No cromossomo 24, foi identificado um indicativo de QTL (P<0,10) para peso ao nascimento. No cromossomo 29, identificamos QTL para taxa de sudação (P<0,01) e freqüência respiratória (P<0,05), além de um QTL sugestivo (P<0,05) dentro de uma família para peso padronizado à desmama. Os resultados obtidos poderão auxiliar no conhecimento geral dos fatores que influenciam as características avaliadas, possibilitando o desenvolvimento de estratégias de seleção mais eficientes para as condições ambientais encontradas nos sistemas de produção brasileiros

Rapid identification of capybara (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris) through allele-specific PCR

The capybara is the largest rodent in the world and is widely distributed throughout Central and South America.  It is an animal of economic interest due to the pleasant flavor of its meat and higher protein content in comparison  to beef and pork meat.  The hide, hair and fat also have economic advantages. Thus,  as an animal with such high economic potential, it is the target of hunters, even though  hunting capybara is prohibited by law in Brazil.   Due to their  similarities,  capybara meat  is easily confused with  pork  meat.   This  occurs  upon  the apprehension of the  meat  from hunters, as well as in some restaurants that serve capybara meat that was slaughtered clandestinely. In both cases, when the meat is confiscated, those responsible for the crimes claim it is pork meat,  hindering  the enforcement of the law. A practical  course was ministered  to undergraduate biology students enrolled in the elective course Introduction to Genetic  Engineering  at Federal  University  of Sao Carlos (UFSCar), Sao Paulo  State, Brazil.  The  objective  of the  course was to establish  and  apply  a Polymerase  Chain  Reaction  (PCR) assay to identify capybara meat and discriminate it in relation  to other types of meat,  including pork. Primers  were designed based  on 12S rRNA,  transthyretin and  growth  hormone  receptor  genes.  The primers generated  capybara specific fragments  of approximately 220, 290 and 330 bp for transthyretin,12S rRNA  and  growth  hormone  receptor,  respectively.   The  duplexes  developed  in the  present work can be used effectively to discriminate capybara meat  from other  animals,  contributing to combating predatory capybara hunting. The results were extensively discussed and the students have contributed to written a paper  to be submitted to a publication

Genetic variability of 10 microsatellite markers in the characterization of Brazilian Nellore cattle (Bos indicus)

We assessed the polymorphism of 10 microsatellites in Brazilian Nellore cattle (Bos indicus) using a commercial multiplex system. Allele frequencies, polymorphism information content, heterozygosity and exclusion probability were calculated. Allele frequencies revealed that in the sample analyzed the markers were not equally polymorphic. The exclusion probabilities and the polymorphism information content of some loci in Nellore cattle were lower than in Bos taurus breeds. When all the microsatellites were considered the combined exclusion probability was 0.9989. This multiplex analysis can contribute toward pedigree information, adequate genetic improvements and breeding programs