Protein methyltransferase 7 deficiency in Leishmania major increases neutrophil associated pathology in murine model

Leishmania major is the main causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World. In Leishmania parasites, the lack of transcriptional control is mostly compensated by post-transcriptional mechanisms. Methylation of arginine is a conserved post-translational modification executed by Protein Arginine Methyltransferase (PRMTs). The genome from L. major encodes five PRMT homologs, including the cytosolic protein associated with several RNA-binding proteins, LmjPRMT7. It has been previously reported that LmjPRMT7 could impact parasite infectivity. In addition, a more recent work has clearly shown the importance of LmjPRMT7 in RNA-binding capacity and protein stability of methylation targets, demonstrating the role of this enzyme as an important epigenetic regulator of mRNA metabolism. In this study, we unveil the impact of PRMT7-mediated methylation on parasite development and virulence. Our data reveals that higher levels of LmjPRMT7 can impair parasite pathogenicity, and that deletion of this enzyme rescues the pathogenic phenotype of an attenuated strain of L. major. Interestingly, lesion formation caused by LmjPRMT7 knockout parasites is associated with an exacerbated inflammatory reaction in the tissue correlated with an excessive neutrophil recruitment. Moreover, the absence of LmjPRMT7 also impairs parasite development within the sand fly vector Phlebotomus duboscqi. Finally, a transcriptome analysis shed light onto possible genes affected by depletion of this enzyme. Taken together, this study highlights how post-transcriptional regulation can affect different aspects of the parasite biology

Heritability estimates for biometric measures of the Pantaneiro horse

This study used data registered in the Brazilian Pantaneiro Horse Association, in the period of 1972 to 2000. Fifteen linear biometric measures taken at registration (Wither height, back height, croup height, midback height, head length, neck length, backloin length, croup length, shoulder bone length, head width, chest width, hip width, shin bone perimeter and thorax perimeter), on 2248 registered animals were analyzed using the MTDFREML program to estimate genetic and phenotypic variances as well as hertabilities, genetic and phenotypic correlation between the traits of interest. The factors sex, month, year of register and age were fitted as fixed effects in the model. In general the coefficient of variation for these traits was low (2 to 8 percent) which may indicate selection problems in the future. The heritabilities evaluated lay between 0.27 (head width) and 0.83 (thorax perimeter). The inbreeding coefficient was in general low with a mean level of 8 percent, for the animals that showed inbreeeding (1 percent). The genetic correlations were high between all 15 linear biometric measures, except for traits that correlation with the thorax perimeter that were low and sometimes negative

Heritability estimates for biometric measures of the Pantaneiro horse

This study used data registered in the Brazilian Pantaneiro Horse Association, in the period of 1972 to 2000. Fifteen linear biometric measures taken at registration (Wither height, back height, croup height, midback height, head length, neck length, backloin length, croup length, shoulder bone length, head width, chest width, hip width, shin bone perimeter and thorax perimeter), on 2248 registered animals were analyzed using the MTDFREML program to estimate genetic and phenotypic variances as well as hertabilities, genetic and phenotypic correlation between the traits of interest. The factors sex, month, year of register and age were fitted as fixed effects in the model. In general the coefficient of variation for these traits was low (2 to 8 percent) which may indicate selection problems in the future. The heritabilities evaluated lay between 0.27 (head width) and 0.83 (thorax perimeter). The inbreeding coefficient was in general low with a mean level of 8 percent, for the animals that showed inbreeeding (1 percent). The genetic correlations were high between all 15 linear biometric measures, except for traits that correlation with the thorax perimeter that were low and sometimes negative

Variance analyses for biometric measures of the Pantaneiro horse in Brazil

Data were available on 1034 animals registered in the genealogical registration book of the Brazilian Pantaneiro Horse Breeders Association (ABCCP) from 1991 to 2000. Fifteen linear measures were analyzed using GLM, PRINCOMP and CORR procedures of SAS. In general, the effect of the factors studied were important (p0.05). Sex is significant (p<0.01) for most traits. Sex did not affect the back loin length. The factor subregion and breeder within subregion were significant (p<0.01) for all measures, except head width, which wasn't significant. This may present a preference for type of animals for breeder within subregion. Of all the traits, body length and chest width were significant (p<0.01) for age. The month of registration wasn't significant for the wither height, croup height and head width. The year of registration wasn't significant for wither height, back height, croup height, midback height and shin bone perimeter. Of the traits examined, the variance coefficients in general were low. The correlation between heights were in general high. The correlation between height and others measures were medium, except for with body width which was higher (0.52). Body width and the other widths had a tendency to have higher correlations. The variation must be carefully monitored along with inbreeding coefficients to ensure that the decrease in variability does not adversely affect the beneficial characteristics of this breed

Variance analyses for biometric measures of the Pantaneiro horse in Brazil

Data were available on 1034 animals registered in the genealogical registration book of the Brazilian Pantaneiro Horse Breeders Association (ABCCP) from 1991 to 2000. Fifteen linear measures were analyzed using GLM, PRINCOMP and CORR procedures of SAS. In general, the effect of the factors studied were important (p0.05). Sex is significant (p<0.01) for most traits. Sex did not affect the back loin length. The factor subregion and breeder within subregion were significant (p<0.01) for all measures, except head width, which wasn't significant. This may present a preference for type of animals for breeder within subregion. Of all the traits, body length and chest width were significant (p<0.01) for age. The month of registration wasn't significant for the wither height, croup height and head width. The year of registration wasn't significant for wither height, back height, croup height, midback height and shin bone perimeter. Of the traits examined, the variance coefficients in general were low. The correlation between heights were in general high. The correlation between height and others measures were medium, except for with body width which was higher (0.52). Body width and the other widths had a tendency to have higher correlations. The variation must be carefully monitored along with inbreeding coefficients to ensure that the decrease in variability does not adversely affect the beneficial characteristics of this breed

Variance analyses for biometric measures of the pantaneiro horse in Brazil.

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