Comparison of diploid and triploid Heterobranchus bidorsalis using Polyacryl Amide Gel Electrophoresis (N-PAGE)

A comparative analysis on biochemistry and Polyacryl Amide Gel Electrophresis was carried out to determine the genetic diversity of diploid and triploid Heterobranchus bidorsalis. Sixteen samples of diploid and triploid farm-raised (mean weight; 512.6g and mean length; 41.6cm) were collected and the electrophoresis analysis was conducted using 5.5% Polyacryl Amide Gel and serum protein obtained from the blood of the live samples. 0.06% Coomassie blue was used for staining the gel while a mixture of ratio 1:2 of glacial acetic acid, meethanol and distilled water was used for de-staining the gel. The diploid and triploid possessed an equal total number of 23 electrophoretic protein bands. The molecular phylogenetics of both samples revealed low genetic variability. Results of this study will serve as a baseline analysis on the current genetic diversity of H. bidorsalis in Nigeria

Followership Imperative of Good Governance: Reflections on Nigeria’s ‘Second Chance’ at Democratization

This paper examines the role of followership in democratization vis-à-vis good governance in Nigeria. The Nigerian Fourth Republic is burdened by followership deficit. The near under-emphasis of the role of followership in the democratization process in both formal and informal discourses with regards to Nigeria is disturbing. Democracy is a game of number and the only system of government that allows the masses to contract government. In fact, the followers in any democratic society remain the largest bloc. And on the basis of this numerical supremacy to leaders, they wield (or are supposed, in the Nigeria’s example, to wield) a lot of power in determining/constituting leadership, molding and shaping leadership, checkmating leadership and thereby stemming the tide of bad governance. The paper discovered that a whole lot of challenges, though surmountable, exist in the way of critical exercise of followership. However, the paper attempts a paradigm shift from seemingly unending scholastic debates on leadership as though such would bring good governance that has eluded the largest black nation in the world to solution-specific examination of curious, active, critical, interrogative and participatory followership as the harbinger of good governance. Key words: Followership, democratization, Nigeria, good governance and developmen

Ploidy and genome composition of Musa germplasm at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)

Musa spp (bananas and plantains) constitute a hybrid-polyploid complex and are classified according to different genome compositions such as AA, BB, AB, AAA, AAB, ABB, AAAA, ABBB, AAAB and AABB. Knowledge of ploidy and exact genome compositions of the parental material is essential forMusa breeding. This study determined the ploidy levels and genome composition of the Musa germplasm collection, constituting over 300 accessions, at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria and Uganda. Flow cytometric analysis of nuclear DNA content was used toestimate ploidy levels, while genome composition was ascertained with RAPD markers that are specific for the A and B genomes of Musa. It was determined that at least 8% of the plants in the germplasmcollection were miss-classified in terms of ploidy and/or genome composition. The cultivars 'Pisang awak', 'Foulah 4' and 'Nzizi', previously classified as triploids, were found to be tetraploids by flowcytometry and conventional root tip chromosome counts. Similarly, cultivars that were previously classified as diploids including ‘Too’, and ‘Toowoolee’ were found to be triploids in our analysis. Ploidy and genome classification in Musa was generally determined from morphological characteristics. While our study showed that such a system is not always reliable, it was interesting to find that none of the plantains in the germplasm collection were miss-classified with regards to both ploidy and genome composition

Application of genomic and quantitative genetic tools to identify candidate resistance genes for brown rot resistance in peach.

The availability of a complete peach genome assembly and three different peach genome sequences created by our group provide new opportunities for application of genomic data and can improve the power of the classical Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) approaches to identify candidate genes for peach disease resistance. Brown rot caused by Monilinia spp., is the most important fungal disease of stone fruits worldwide. Improved levels of peach fruit rot resistance have been identified in some cultivars and advanced selections developed in the UC Davis and USDA breeding programs. Whole genome sequencing of the Pop-DF parents lead to discovery of high-quality SNP markers for QTL genome scanning in this experimental population. Pop-DF created by crossing a brown rot moderately resistant cultivar 'Dr. Davis' and a brown rot resistant introgression line, 'F8,1-42', derived from an initial almond × peach interspecific hybrid, was evaluated for brown rot resistance in fruit of harvest maturity over three seasons. Using the SNP linkage map of Pop-DF and phenotypic data collected with inoculated fruit, a genome scan for QTL identified several SNP markers associated with brown rot resistance. Two of these QTLs were placed on linkage group 1, covering a large (physical) region on chromosome 1. The genome scan for QTL and SNP effects predicted several candidate genes associated with disease resistance responses in other host-pathogen systems. Two potential candidate genes, ppa011763m and ppa026453m, may be the genes primarily responsible for M. fructicola recognition in peach, activating both PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI) responses. Our results provide a foundation for further genetic dissection, marker assisted breeding for brown rot resistance, and development of peach cultivars resistant to brown rot

A Differentiating Factor between Unitarism and Federalism: Police Powers and National Security in Nigeria

Underpinning the philosophy of governments (whatever their types – constitutional monarchy, democracy etc) are the provision of ‘good life’ and maintenance of law and order, the absence of which is a relapse into ‘the state of nature’. This therefore presupposes that government does not only fork itself into various institutions, each constitutionally charged with specific functions directly stemming from the foregoing but also that government institutionalizes power-“sharing” framework stating how, where and when these institutions should and will function; hence, the philosophy behind adoption of either a unitary or federal system by states the world over. Premising its argument on these phenomena and reviewing necessary literature for easy contribution to the on-going debate on police power in Nigeria, the paper relies on documentary method of study. It argues that police organization or control does not only strike a difference between unitarism and federalism but also the difference has significant implications on the Nigerian national security. The paper concludes by stressing that effective policing or effective maintenance of law and order in an ethno-culturally heterogeneous and “federal” state like Nigeria requires that its components’ chief security officers are so not only in theory but also essentially in praxis; and to this end, argues for a decentralized police force. Key words: federalism, unitarism, police power, colonialism, national security

A fruit quality gene map of Prunus

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Prunus </it>fruit development, growth, ripening, and senescence includes major biochemical and sensory changes in texture, color, and flavor. The genetic dissection of these complex processes has important applications in crop improvement, to facilitate maximizing and maintaining stone fruit quality from production and processing through to marketing and consumption. Here we present an integrated fruit quality gene map of <it>Prunus </it>containing 133 genes putatively involved in the determination of fruit texture, pigmentation, flavor, and chilling injury resistance.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A genetic linkage map of 211 markers was constructed for an intraspecific peach (<it>Prunus persica</it>) progeny population, Pop-DG, derived from a canning peach cultivar 'Dr. Davis' and a fresh market cultivar 'Georgia Belle'. The Pop-DG map covered 818 cM of the peach genome and included three morphological markers, 11 ripening candidate genes, 13 cold-responsive genes, 21 novel EST-SSRs from the ChillPeach database, 58 previously reported SSRs, 40 RAFs, 23 SRAPs, 14 IMAs, and 28 accessory markers from candidate gene amplification. The Pop-DG map was co-linear with the <it>Prunus </it>reference T × E map, with 39 SSR markers in common to align the maps. A further 158 markers were bin-mapped to the reference map: 59 ripening candidate genes, 50 cold-responsive genes, and 50 novel EST-SSRs from ChillPeach, with deduced locations in Pop-DG via comparative mapping. Several candidate genes and EST-SSRs co-located with previously reported major trait loci and quantitative trait loci for chilling injury symptoms in Pop-DG.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The candidate gene approach combined with bin-mapping and availability of a community-recognized reference genetic map provides an efficient means of locating genes of interest in a target genome. We highlight the co-localization of fruit quality candidate genes with previously reported fruit quality QTLs. The fruit quality gene map developed here is a valuable tool for dissecting the genetic architecture of fruit quality traits in <it>Prunus </it>crops.</p

Nutritional and anti-nutrient composition of Karaya gum tree (Sterculia setigera) seed: a potential fish feed ingredient

The nutritional and anti-nutritive composition of Karaya gum tree (Sterculia setigera) seed collected from Federal College of Wildlife Management estate, New Bussa, Nigeria was evaluated from October to December, 2013 with the aim of providing data that will guide the effective utilization and inclusion of this under exploited tropical plant seed in fish feed formulation. The seeds were washed, dried, grounded and analyzed for the proximate composition, vitamin and mineral contents as well as the anti-nutritive factors using standard procedures. The result showed that the mean values for the proximate composition were: moisture 5.20%, ash 3.95%, fat 26.03%, fiber 6.15%, protein 13.39% and carbohydrate 45.27%. The plant also contained vitamins and relatively adequate essential mineral elements of nutritional importance of macro elements such as calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium and micro elements of iron, manganese, zinc and copper. Some anti-nutritional factor such as; alkaloids, phytate, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, steroids and trace of oxalate were also found in the plant, but their composition will pose no serious&nbsp; nutritional problem if well processed before its inclusion in fish diet and could therefore be a cheap source of raw materials for the fortification applications in various fish feed formulations

Dormancy-associated MADS genes from the EVG locus of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] have distinct seasonal and photoperiodic expression patterns

Mapping and sequencing of the non-dormant evg mutant in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] identified six tandem-arrayed DAM (dormancy-associated MADS-box) genes as candidates for regulating growth cessation and terminal bud formation. To narrow the list of candidate genes, an attempt was made to associate bud phenology with the seasonal and environmental patterns of expression of the candidates in wild-type trees. The expression of the six peach DAM genes at the EVG locus of peach was characterized throughout an annual growing cycle in the field, and under controlled conditions in response to a long day–short day photoperiod transition. DAM1, 2, 4, 5, and 6 were responsive to a reduction in photoperiod in controlled conditions and the direction of response correlated with the seasonal timing of expression in field-grown trees. DAM3 did not respond to photoperiod and may be regulated by chilling temperatures. The DAM genes in peach appear to have at least four distinct patterns of expression. DAM1, 2, and 4 are temporally associated with seasonal elongation cessation and bud formation and are the most likely candidates for control of the evg phenotype

A Non-Targeted Approach Unravels the Volatile Network in Peach Fruit

Volatile compounds represent an important part of the plant metabolome and are of particular agronomic and biological interest due to their contribution to fruit aroma and flavor and therefore to fruit quality. By using a non-targeted approach based on HS-SPME-GC-MS, the volatile-compound complement of peach fruit was described. A total of 110 volatile compounds (including alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, esters, lactones, carboxylic acids, phenolics and terpenoids) were identified and quantified in peach fruit samples from different genetic backgrounds, locations, maturity stages and physiological responses. By using a combination of hierarchical cluster analysis and metabolomic correlation network analysis we found that previously known peach fruit volatiles are clustered according to their chemical nature or known biosynthetic pathways. Moreover, novel volatiles that had not yet been described in peach were identified and assigned to co-regulated groups. In addition, our analyses showed that most of the co-regulated groups showed good intergroup correlations that are therefore consistent with the existence of a higher level of regulation orchestrating volatile production under different conditions and/or developmental stages. In addition, this volatile network of interactions provides the ground information for future biochemical studies as well as a useful route map for breeding or biotechnological purposes

Development and evaluation of a 9K SNP array for peach by internationally coordinated SNP detection and validation in breeding germplasm

Although a large number of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers covering the entire genome are needed to enable molecular breeding efforts such as genome wide association studies, fine mapping, genomic selection and marker-assisted selection in peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch] and related Prunus species, only a limited number of genetic markers, including simple sequence repeats (SSRs), have been available to date. To address this need, an international consortium (The International Peach SNP Consortium; IPSC) has pursued a coordinated effort to perform genome-scale SNP discovery in peach using next generation sequencing platforms to develop and characterize a high-throughput Illumina Infinium® SNP genotyping array platform. We performed whole genome re-sequencing of 56 peach breeding accessions using the Illumina and Roche/454 sequencing technologies. Polymorphism detection algorithms identified a total of 1,022,354 SNPs. Validation with the Illumina GoldenGate® assay was performed on a subset of the predicted SNPs, verifying ∼75% of genic (exonic and intronic) SNPs, whereas only about a third of intergenic SNPs were verified. Conservative filtering was applied to arrive at a set of 8,144 SNPs that were included on the IPSC peach SNP array v1, distributed over all eight peach chromosomes with an average spacing of 26.7 kb between SNPs. Use of this platform to screen a total of 709 accessions of peach in two separate evaluation panels identified a total of 6,869 (84.3%) polymorphic SNPs.The almost 7,000 SNPs verified as polymorphic through extensive empirical evaluation represent an excellent source of markers for future studies in genetic relatedness, genetic mapping, and dissecting the genetic architecture of complex agricultural traits. The IPSC peach SNP array v1 is commercially available and we expect that it will be used worldwide for genetic studies in peach and related stone fruit and nut species