Chromosomal and histological evidences of infertility in F2 and F2 backcross. Hybrid generations of Clarias anguillaris and Heterobranchus longifilis

Male meiosis was studied in 9 different mating combinations in parental, first, second and backcross generation hybrids of Clarias anguillaris and Heterobranchus longifilis. 27 bivalents were recorded in metaphase I for seven mating combinations. The number of bivalents in F1 hybrid male x C. anguillaris female could not be determined due to a high degree of clumping of the chromosomes. All metaphase I cells observed in female F1 hybrid x male H. longifilis had three complex bivalents consisting of 43.3% giant ring and 56.7% giant rod chromosomes. The number of ring bivalents per cell was higher in parental H. longifilis than parental C. anguillaris. The number of ring bivalents per cell increased from F1 (6.7 and 8.2) to F2 backcross (13.5) hybrid generations indicating increasing chromosomal instability of backcross hybrids over Fl and F2 hybrid

Distribution, Hybridization, and Taxonomic Status of Two-lined Salamanders (\u3ci\u3eEurycea bislineata\u3c/i\u3e complex) in Virginia and West Virginia

We used three diagnostic protein markers to examine salamanders of the Eurycea bislineata complex at 80 localities in Virginia and West Virginia. Two groups were strongly differentiated and met at a narrow contact zone. Rare hybridization was observed as well as limited introgression up to 5 km north and 10 km south of the contact zone. At the contact zone, 1% F1, 2% F2, 32% backcross, and 66% parental genotypes were observed. This pattern of parapatric distribution with limited hybridization and introgression argues for the recognition of Eurycea bislineata and E. cirrigera as separate species

LPS resistance of SPRET/Ei mice is mediated by Gilz, encoded by the Tsc22d3 gene on the X chromosome

Natural variation for LPS-induced lethal inflammation in mice is useful for identifying new genes that regulate sepsis, which could form the basis for novel therapies for systemic inflammation in humans. Here we report that LPS resistance of the inbred mouse strain SPRET/Ei, previously reported to depend on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), maps to the distal region of the X-chromosome. The GR-inducible gene Tsc22d3, encoding the protein Gilz and located in the critical region on the X-chromosome, showed a higher expressed SPRET/Ei allele, regulated in cis. Higher Gilz levels were causally related to reduced inflammation, as shown with knockdown and overexpression studies in macrophages. Transient overexpression of Gilz by hydrodynamic plasmid injection confirmed that Gilz protects mice against endotoxemia Our data strongly suggest that Gilz is responsible for the LPS resistance of SPRET/Ei mice and that it could become a treatment option for sepsis

The peptide motif of the single dominantly expressed class I molecule of the chicken MHC can explain the response to a molecular defined vaccine of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV)

In contrast to typical mammals, the chicken MHC (the BF-BL region of the B locus) has strong genetic associations with resistance and susceptibility to infectious pathogens as well as responses to vaccines. We have shown that the chicken MHC encodes a single dominantly expressed class I molecule whose peptide-binding motifs can determine resistance to viral pathogens, such as Rous sarcoma virus and Marek’s disease virus. In this report, we examine the response to a molecular defined vaccine, fp-IBD1, which consists of a fowlpox virus vector carrying the VP2 gene of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) fused with ?-galactosidase. We vaccinated parental lines and two backcross families with fp-IBD1, challenged with the virulent IBDV strain F52/70, and measured damage to the bursa. We found that the MHC haplotype B15 from line 15I confers no protection, whereas B2 from line 61 and B12 from line C determine protection, although another locus from line 61 was also important. Using our peptide motifs, we found that many more peptides from VP2 were predicted to bind to the dominantly expressed class I molecule BF2*1201 than BF2*1501. Moreover, most of the peptides predicted to bind BF2*1201 did in fact bind, while none bound BF2*1501. Using peptide vaccination, we identified one B12 peptide that conferred protection to challenge, as assessed by bursal damage and viremia. Thus, we show the strong genetic association of the chicken MHC to a T cell vaccine can be explained by peptide presentation by the single dominantly expressed class I molecule

(Re)-conciliation of genetics and genomics approaches for cotton fiber quality improvement

The integration of genomics and plant breeding is driven by the increasing availability of sequence resources and by technological developments. The simultaneous measurement of the expression of thousands of genes is possible, and comparisons between contrasting genotypes and/or biological states, as well as within segregating populations has become feasible. In genetical genomics, the merger of genetics and genomics, gene expression profiles are quantitatively assessed within a segregating population, and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) can be mapped like classical QTLs. Methods and examples of applications related to genetical genomics will be reviewed, with emphasis on hybridisation-based (microarray) and PCR-based (cDNA-AFLP) techniques. Despite the complexity of the molecular mechanisms underlying its development, the study of the cotton fiber has become a trait of primary interest. Several maps, including QTL maps, have been published, structural and metabolic genes related to fiber initiation or elongation have been identified, and several large EST projects have been developed. In this context, the applicability of a genetical genomics approach for the study of cotton fiber quality will be discussed. A new cooperative project with CIRAD, Bayer CropScience and CSIRO, and supported by the French National Agency for Research, ANR, was initiated in 2007. The project aims at the genetic and genomic dissection of fiber quality using an interspecific Gossypium hirsutum X G. barbadense RIL population. Classical QTL mapping of fiber properties will be undertaken using data from different locations, and eQTLs will be detected using both microarray and cDNA-AFLP population-wide profiling. (Résumé d'auteur

Wheat-barley hybridization – the last forty years

Abstract Several useful alien gene transfers have been reported from related species into wheat (Triticum aestivum), but very few publications have dealt with the development of wheat/barley (Hordeum vulgare) introgression lines. An overview is given here of wheat 9 barley hybridization over the last forty years, including the development of wheat 9 barley hybrids, and of addition and translocation lines with various barley cultivars. A short summary is also given of the wheat 9 barley hybrids produced with other Hordeum species. The meiotic pairing behaviour of wheat 9 barley hybrids is presented, with special regard to the detection of wheat– barley homoeologous pairing using the molecular cytogenetic technique GISH. The effect of in vitro multiplication on the genome composition of intergeneric hybrids is discussed, and the production and characterization of the latest wheat/barley translocation lines are presented. An overview of the agronomical traits (b-glucan content, earliness, salt tolerance, sprouting resistance, etc.) of the newly developed introgression lines is given. The exploitation and possible use of wheat/barley introgression lines for the most up-to-date molecular genetic studies (transcriptome analysis, sequencing of flow-sorted chromosomes) are also discussed

Acaricide resistance and genetic affinities of some selected populations of Tetranychus urticae Koch in New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science (Horticultural) in Entomology at Massey University

A study of resistance to acaricides in a number of populations of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae, in New Zealand had been carried out. Natural genetic and cytoplasmic incompatibilities between populations were also investigated with a view to possible biological control of the pest. Facets of acaricide resistance that were studied included multi-resistance, cross-resistance, negatively correlated resistance and the inheritance of resistance. Chemicals used included an organophosphate representative (parathion-methyl), a carbamate (formetanate), an ungrouped compound (tricyclohexyltin hydroxide) and an organochlorine (dicofol). Cross-resistance was demonstrated between parathion-methyl and formetanate in five populations obtained from widely separate areas of New Zealand. The resistance to parathion of three strains was found to be inherited as a single dominant character and transmissible by both sexes. Cytoplasmic factors (or nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions) and minor genes were found to contribute slightly to the expression of total resistance. No resistance to tricyclohexyltin hydroxide (Plictran) and dicofol (Kelthane) was detected. High degrees of incompatibility (haploid egg lethality) were observed in the hybrids of crosses between the various populations. Chromosomal rearrangements in balanced, heterozygous conditions, in conjunction with the cytoplasm, were considered to be important factors determining the interpopulational sterilities. The interpopulational incompatibility phenomenon was found to be multi-factorial and not associated with the resistance factor. The egg mortalities of some backcross series which remained constantly high in spite of several crossings, implicated that the introduction of normal males to a resistant mite population in an enclosed area (e.g. in a glasshouse) might be a worthwhile proposition in the integrated control of spider mites. Backcross hybrids, on allowing to multiply randomly, were capable of forming new gene combinations, leading consequently to the formation of new strains which were genetically different from the original parents used in the backcross series

Marker-assisted backcrossing for introgression of the saltol locus conferring salt stress tolerance in rice. [PE0856]

Soil salinization represents a threat for rice cultivation. The H2020 project NEURICE (New Commercial EUropean Rice) aimed at identifying and introducing genetic variation for salt tolerance in European rice germplasm, mainly by exploiting the positive effect of the Saltol QTL in maintaining the Na/K homeostasis. The Saltol QTL from the indica rice donor IR64-Saltol (located on chromosome 1) was introgressed into two japonica Italian varieties, Onice and Vialone Nano following a marker-assisted backcross (MABC) scheme, through three backcrosses and two selfing to achieve the BC3F4 generation. During the backcrosses, the scheme was coupled to an embryo rescue technique to fasten the process. At each backcross cycle, the foreground and background selections relied on SNP-based KASP markers. The BC3F1 selected lines showed a 91-98 and 93-98 recovery percentage for Onice and Vialone Nano backcrosses, respectively. BC3F2 lines were genotyped to identify homozygous lines at Saltol locus and the best BC3F3 lines (10 in Vialone Nano and 12 in Onice) were subjected to genotyping by sequencing (GBS) to allow a more precise screening of the recurrent parent genome. Finally, the best BC3F4 lines were subjected to field phenotyping in salinized fields on delta Po river, to in vivo assess their salt tolerance

Crop Varieties and Corn Hybrids for Ohio in 1960

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Quantitative detection of _Potato virus Y_ in potato plants and aphids - Discussion of diverse applications in potato research

Every year potato growers worldwide complain about severe yield losses caused by _Potato virus Y_ (PVY). Therefore, PVY along with _Potato leafroll virus_ belongs to the most important potato viruses. There are three main strains of PVY: PVY^O^, PVY^N^ and PVY^C^. However, also recombinant forms exist such as PVY^N^Wilga and PVY^NTN^, both of which increase in importance due to their potential to displace the non-recombinant strains at a high percentage. They appear also in mixed infections. In recent years PCR and qPCR assays were developed to differentiate PVY isolates. In order to identify PVY isolates by PCR often large amplicons have to be generated which requires the input of expensive enzymes. On the other hand, qPCR assays until now do not allow the differentiation between PVY^N^Wilga and PVY^NTN^. 

For the discrimination between PVY^O^/PVY^N^Wilga and PVY^N^/PVY^NTN^ a qPCR assay was developed, which allows the differentiation and highly efficient quantification of both strains and recombinants, respectively. For this purpose dual-labeled hydrolysis probes tagged with different fluorophores were designed. The assay is suitable for many different applications, for example safety research on genetically modified (GM) potato plants. The goal of this research is to determine whether genetic modification causes changes in resistance to viruses. Two different GM cultivars were examined for signs of altered resistance to an infection with PVY in comparison to their near-isogenic lines and three reference cultivars. Reference cultivars are included to determine the baselines for resistance and thus to be able to decide if the changes could represent a biological risk. The plants to be investigated were mechanically inoculated with PVY^N^Wilga or PVY^NTN^ and analyzed by means of the developed assay after two weeks. The results of the experiment indicate that the differences in virus titer between the reference cultivars are higher than between the GM potatoes and their isogenic lines. Therefore, in our experiments the GM potato plants showed no alteration in PVY resistance to neither one of the tested strains.

Since _Myzus persicae_ is one of the most important vectors transmitting PVY, the developed assay will also be applied to the quantification of PVY particles in aphids. The displacement of PVY^O^ and PVY^N^ by PVY^N^Wilga and PVY^NTN^ may be due to a difference in efficiency of transmission by _M. persicae_. Therefore, the objective is to test whether more virus particles of the recombinant forms in comparison to the non-recombinant strains PVY^O^ and PVY^N^ bind in the stylets of _M. persicae_. 

A third possible application of the developed assay may be of interest in potato breeding. The exact quantification of PVY particles in plants allows the classification of resistance in potato plants. It is possible to estimate whether a resistance is extreme or not. Extreme resistance is characterized by the absence or presence of very low amounts of virus particles in plants several days after inoculation. When testing the plants for PVY infection by ELISA, often unspecific reactions occur which makes it difficult to differentiate between plants weakly infected and plants very weakly infected. An exact quantification of the PVY titer gives more certainty for the determination of the resistance type.

In conclusion, the developed assay is an efficient and low-cost method that allows the differentiation and quantification of PVY^O^/PVY^N^Wilga on the one hand and PVY^N^/PVY^NTN^ on the other hand with high throughput. The method can be utilized for a wide range of applications in potato research.
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