Insights into Hemoglobin Polymorphism and Related Functional Effects on Hematological Pattern in Mediterranean Cattle, Goat and Sheep

This report is a review of some of the results obtained over the course of 20 years spent investigating hemoglobin phenotypes and the related functional effects on hematological patterns in ruminant breeds. Tests included qualitative and quantitative analyses of hemoglobins and qualitative and quantitative analyses of α and β globins, as well as hemochromocytometric analysis. Understanding the adaptive significance of the hemoglobin variants was the goal of most of these investigations. The advances presented in this review and the previously unpublished findings included here provide evidence that Mediterranean breeds exhibit a fair number of positively charged variants, whose possible adaptive significance is discussed

The relationship between the presence of extra α-globin genes and blood cell traits in Altamurana sheep

Additional α-globin genes in sheep might produce extra α-globin chains and, consequently, the subject carrying triplicated (ααα) or quadruplicated (αααα) haplotypes may exhibit different hematological phenotypes when compared to the normal duplicated (αα) homozygotes (NN). Both ααα and αααα heterozygous (ND) and ααα and αααα homozygous (DD) individuals were obtained by selection and inbreeding. Chromatographic RP-HPLC analyses of the globin chains of 65 subjects (15 DD, 20 ND and 30 NN) were performed. A highly significant linear regression (r2 = 0.967) of the α/β ratio on the number of α-globin genes was found, and the α/β ratio ranged on average from 1.0 in NN individuals to 1.2 in the ND and 1.6 in the DD subjects. Values for blood fell within the range of normality but were rather peculiar as a whole. When the erythrocytes of individuals carrying normal arrangements were compared with those of subjects with extra α-genes, the latter had fewer erythrocytes that were bigger in size and had a higher Hb content and a greater osmotic fragility. This hematological picture is consistent with the existence of an unbalanced α/β ratio

Recent Land Abandonment Drivers in the Agro-Pastoral Areas of Apulia

Apulia is one of the most important agricultural regions in Italy, and its primary sector is the repository of important historic and cultural heritage. However, at present, in particular in the inner agro pastoral areas of the Murgia upland and the Gargano promontory, two serious threats risk to generate irreversible damages to local population, ecosystems and economic sector. The first one concerns the spread of paratubercolosis in semi-extensive dairy sheep and goat farms, with a positivity in the flocks of 60.5% and a seroprevalence of 3.0% for sheep and 14.5% for goats, with peaks of 50%. In economic terms, the uninfected farms had a mean profit efficiency of 84%, which dropped to 64% in the presence of this bacterium that reduces the productivity of feeding, veterinary services and labour. The second problem concerns the wine sector in the northern Apulia, and regards the greater profitability of non-autochthone varieties in comparison with typical ones, in intensive and semiextensive cultivation systems. This phenomenon is causing an intensification of wine growing also in the areas next to the agro-pastoral and inner territories of the Murgia highland, with significant pressure on its fragile ecosystems. These recent findings should be properly considered by decision makers in order to plan strategies for the restoration of more sustainable dairy and wine-growing sectors in these areas, so helping to increase farmers' profits, improve environmental conditions for the community and ensure higher food quality, security and safety for consumers

Biochemical and molecular investigations on qualitative and quantitative Hb polymorphism in the river buffalo (Bubalus bubalis L.) population reared in Southern Italy

On 398 river buffalo samples, randomly collected in distinct breeding areas of the Campania region, high-resolution analytical systems were used to identify both qualitative and quantitative variations of the Hb phenotype. Polyacrylamide gel isoelectric focusing and HPLC were used to determine the ratio between HBA1 and HBA2 globin chains; restriction endonuclease analysis was performed to assess whether quantitative variations in Hb bands were related to an unusual number of a-globin genes. In the two buffalo subpopulations, allele frequencies of the alpha and beta globin systems were calculated, and F statistics (FIS, FIT and FST) were estimated as parameters of genetic diversity. The results suggest that: i) as shown by RFLP analysis, only a couple of associated a globin genes account for the quantitative variations recorded at the phenotypic level; ii) as expected, in the a globin gene system (HBA), the frequency of haplotype B (HBA-B) largely exceeded that of haplotype A (HBA-A) (95.1% vs 4.9%); iii) the frequency of the usual allele at the beta locus is 0.6, as opposed to 0.4 of the slow variant; iiii) the most significant component of variation of the genetic system of hemoglobin is between individuals within the same location