11 research outputs found
Whole-genome sequence-based analysis of thyroid function
Tiina Paunio on työryhmän UK10K Consortium jäsen.Normal thyroid function is essential for health, but its genetic architecture remains poorly understood. Here, for the heritable thyroid traits thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4), we analyse whole-genome sequence data from the UK10K project (N = 2,287). Using additional whole-genome sequence and deeply imputed data sets, we report meta-analysis results for common variants (MAF >= 1%) associated with TSH and FT4 (N = 16,335). For TSH, we identify a novel variant in SYN2 (MAF = 23.5%, P = 6.15 x 10(-9)) and a new independent variant in PDE8B (MAF = 10.4%, P = 5.94 x 10(-14)). For FT4, we report a low-frequency variant near B4GALT6/ SLC25A52 (MAF = 3.2%, P = 1.27 x 10(-9)) tagging a rare TTR variant (MAF = 0.4%, P = 2.14 x 10(-11)). All common variants explain >= 20% of the variance in TSH and FT4. Analysis of rare variants (MAFPeer reviewe
Voter preparedness fo local government elections, 2000. Interim report on the findings and strategic recommendations arising from HSRC pre-election research for the Independent Electoral Commission.
The role of legumes as a component of biodiversity in a cross-European study of grassland biomass nitrogen
To investigate how plant diversity loss affects nitrogen accumulation in above-ground plant biomass and how consistent patterns are across sites of different climatic and soil conditions, we varied the number of plant species and functional groups (grasses, herbs and legumes) in experimental grassland communities across seven European experimental sites (Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom (Silwood Park), Portugal, Sweden and Greece). Nitrogen pools were significantly affected by both plant diversity and community composition. Two years after sowing, nitrogen pools in Germany and Switzerland strongly increased in the presence of legumes. Legume effects on nitrogen pools were less pronounced at the Swedish, Irish and Portuguese site. In Greece and UK there were no legume effects. Nitrogen concentration in total above-ground biomass was quite invariable at 1.66 +/- 0.03% across all sites and diversity treatments. Thus, the presence of legumes had a positive effect oil nitrogen pools by significantly increasing above-ground biomass, i.e. by increases in vegetation quantity rather than quality. At the German site with the strongest legume effect on nitrogen pools and biomass, nitrogen that was fixed symbiotically by legumes was transferred to the other plant functional groups (grasses and herbs) but varied depending on the particular legume species fixing N and the non-legume species taking it up. Nitrogenfixation by legumes therefore appeared to be one of the major functional traits of species that influenced nitrogen accumulation and biomass production, although effects varied among sites and legume species. This study demonstrates that the consequences of species loss on the nitrogen budget of plant communities may be more severe if legume species are lost. However, our data indicate that legume species differ in their N-2 fixation. Therefore, loss of an efficient N-2-fixer (Trifolium in our study) may have a greater influence on the ecosystem function than loss of a less efficient species (Lotus in our study). Furthermore, there is indication that P availability in the soil facilitates the legume effect on biomass production and biomass nitrogen accumulation
The role of legumes as a component of biodiversity in a cross- European study of grassland biomass nitrogen
To investigate how plant diversity loss affects nitrogen accumulation in above-ground plant biomass and how consistent patterns are across sites of different climatic and soil conditions, we varied the number of plant species and functional groups (grasses, herbs and legumes) in experimental grassland communities across seven European experimental sites (Switzerland, Germany, Ireland, United Kingdom (Silwood Park), Portugal, Sweden and Greece). Nitrogen pools were significantly affected by both plant diversity and community composition. Two years after sowing, nitrogen pools in Germany and Switzerland strongly increased in the presence of legumes. Legume effects on nitrogen pools were less pronounced at the Swedish, Irish and Portuguese site. In Greece and UK there were no legume effects. Nitrogen concentration in total above-ground biomass was quite invariable at 1.66 +/- 0.03% across all sites and diversity treatments. Thus, the presence of legumes had a positive effect oil nitrogen pools by significantly increasing above-ground biomass, i.e. by increases in vegetation quantity rather than quality. At the German site with the strongest legume effect on nitrogen pools and biomass, nitrogen that was fixed symbiotically by legumes was transferred to the other plant functional groups (grasses and herbs) but varied depending on the particular legume species fixing N and the non-legume species taking it up. Nitrogenfixation by legumes therefore appeared to be one of the major functional traits of species that influenced nitrogen accumulation and biomass production, although effects varied among sites and legume species. This study demonstrates that the consequences of species loss on the nitrogen budget of plant communities may be more severe if legume species are lost. However, our data indicate that legume species differ in their N-2 fixation. Therefore, loss of an efficient N-2-fixer (Trifolium in our study) may have a greater influence on the ecosystem function than loss of a less efficient species (Lotus in our study). Furthermore, there is indication that P availability in the soil facilitates the legume effect on biomass production and biomass nitrogen accumulation
Data from the BIODEPTH project (15 ecosystem-process variables measured at eight different European grassland field sites over three years) together with metadata and a table with site information
Unpaved road verges as hotspots of fleshy-fruited shrub recruitment and establishment
Hypothetical low-quality habitats can hold an overlooked conservation value. Some frugivorous mam-
mals such as the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) disperse many
viable seeds of fleshy-fruited shrubs along the verges of soft linear developments (SLD), such as trails
and firebreaks. However, seed arrival does not guarantee plant recruitment, since several post-dispersal
processes can alter seed rain. To examine whether SLD verges assist shrub recruitment and establish-
ment, we compared the density and the structure of a community of Mediterranean shrubs between
SLD verges and the adjacent scrubland.
Both seedlings and adult fleshy-fruited shrubs dispersed by foxes and rabbits reached higher densities
along SLD verges than in the scrubland, suggesting SLD verges can be suitable habitats for shrub recruit-
ment and establishment. Bird-dispersed shrubs showed a similar pattern, whereas shrubs dispersed by
ungulates and badgers (Meles meles) as well as rockroses (Cistaceae) showed similar densities in both hab-
itats. Shrub species composition and diversity were similar between habitats.
Due to a marked differential seed arrival, SLD verges housed higher densities of fleshy-fruited shrubs
than the adjacent scrubland. Established shrubs may attract seed-dispersing wildlife, and create proper
environments for plant recruitment, generating a reforestation feedback. Incipient shrub populations
along roadsides may act as stepping stones with potential to connect isolated populations in fragmented
landscapes, where SLD are pervasive. We recommend careful management of frugivore populations and
SLD verges in order to favor the diversity and the structural complexity of native vegetation while preventing the spread of invasive species.Peer reviewe
The role of legumes as a component of biodiversity in a cross-European study of grassland biomass nitrogen
A rare variant in APOC3 is associated with plasma triglyceride and VLDL levels in Europeans
The analysis of rich catalogues of genetic variation from population-based sequencing provides an opportunity to screen for functional effects. Here we report a rare variant in APOC3 (rs138326449-A, minor allele frequency ∼0.25% (UK)) associated with plasma triglyceride (TG) levels (-1.43 s.d. (s.e.=0.27 per minor allele (P-value=8.0 × 10 -8)) discovered in 3,202 individuals with low read-depth, whole-genome sequence. We replicate this in 12,831 participants from five additional samples of Northern and Southern European origin (-1.0 s.d. (s.e.=0.173), P-value=7.32 × 10 -9). This is consistent with an effect between 0.5 and 1.5 mmol l -1 dependent on population. We show that a single predicted splice donor variant is responsible for association signals and is independent of known common variants. Analyses suggest an independent relationship between rs138326449 and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels. This represents one of the first examples of a rare, large effect variant identified from whole-genome sequencing at a population scale