Cytogenetic characterization of Nigerian indigenous pig

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SDS-Page characterization of some elite cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) varieties

The shortcomings of genotype x environment interaction  necessitated the use of molecular methods in characterizing many plant species and in determining their phylogenetic relationships. In this study, some selected cowpea lines (27 varieties) from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile – Ife, the Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru, Kaduna and Genetic Resource Centre, IITA, Ibadan were characterized using sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) profiling. The protein banding profiles of the 27 cowpea varieties were scored and subjected to cluster analysis using Ward's minimum-variance method (WMVM) for dendrogram grouping. The dendrogram generated from the SDS-PAGE profiles grouped the varieties into seven clusters at 52% similarity coefficient. Hence, the biochemical characterization revealed more precise discrimination among the 27 cowpea varieties studied. Keywords: Cowpea, electrophoretic banding profiles, dendrogram grouping, total protein

Capacity of Nigerian national institutions to conduct biotechnology research to improve livestock productivity

Biotechnology development has been the subject of interest in Nigeria over the past decade. As part of the study by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) sponsored by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to investigate the development and/or prospects of biotechnology tools as applied to animal science research in Nigeria, a survey aimed at assessing biotechnology capacity of Nigeria for animal research was conducted between June and July 2004. The survey used a structured questionnaire, interviews and personal visits to some universities, polytechnics and national research institutions situated in strategic locations in Nigeria. Though a general deterioration of facilities in most universities was noted, there are quite a number of institutions identified to be capable of applying some biotechnology tools to improve animal production in Nigeria. There are well-trained Nigerian researchers in the country who when supplied with tools in biotechnology and financial support to carry out well-focused or coordinated research can help propel the country towards self-sufficiency in animal production. The role of ILRI and development investors like USAID in making significant intervention in the attainment of this goal is highlighted

African suid genomes provide insights into the local adaptation to diverse African environments

African wild suids consist of several endemic species that represent ancient members of the family Suidae and have colonized diverse habitats on the African continent. However, limited genomic resources for African wild suids hinder our understanding of their evolution and genetic diversity. In this study, we assembled high-quality genomes of a common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), a red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), as well as an East Asian Diannan small-ear pig (Sus scrofa). Phylogenetic analysis showed that common warthog and red river hog diverged from their common ancestor around the Miocene/Pliocene boundary, putatively predating their entry into Africa. We detected species-specific selective signals associated with sensory perception and interferon signaling pathways in common warthog and red river hog, respectively, which contributed to their local adaptation to savannah and tropical rainforest environments, respectively. The structural variation and evolving signals in genes involved in T-cell immunity, viral infection, and lymphoid development were identified in their ancestral lineage. Our results provide new insights into the evolutionary histories and divergent genetic adaptations of African suids