Michael G. Gonda is a contributing author, " Animal immunogenetics: understanding immunoglobulins and the Major Histocompatibility Complex." Michael G. Gonda is a contributing author, "Livestock and companion animal genetics: genetics of infectious disease susceptibility." Book description: Animal genetics is a foundational discipline in the fields of animal science, animal breeding, and veterinary sciences. While genetics underpins the healthy development and breeding of all living organisms, this is especially true in domestic animals, specifically with respect to breeding for key traits. Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics is a new textbook that takes an innovative approach, looking at both quantitative and molecular breeding approaches. The bookprovides a comprehensive introduction to genetic principles and their applications in animal breeding. This text provides a useful overview for those new to the field of animal genetics and breeding, covering a diverse array of topics ranging from population and quantitative genetics to epigenetics and biotechnology. Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics will be an important and invaluable educational resource for undergraduate and graduate students and animal agriculture professionals. Divided into six sections pairing fundamental principles with useful applications, the book's comprehensive coverage will make it an ideal fit for students studying animal breeding and genetics at any level.
During the last ten years, the use of molecular markers, revealing polymorphism at the DNA level, has been playing an increasing part in animal genetics studies. Amongst others, the microsatellite DNA marker has been the most widely used, due to its easy use by simple PCR, followed by a denaturing gel electrophoresis for allele size determination, and to the high degree of information provided by its large number of alleles per locus. Despite this, a new marker type, named SNP, for Single Nucleotide Polymorphism, is now on the scene and has gained high popularity, even though it is only a bi-allelic type of marker. In this review, we will discuss the reasons for this apparent step backwards, and the pertinence of the use of SNPs in animal genetics, in comparison with other marker types.
* The Beginnings: Ode to a Wee Mouse (E J Eisen) * Testing Quantitative Genetic Selection Theory (E J Eisen) * Maternal Effects, Genomic Imprinting and Evolution (J Funk-Keenan & W R Atchley) * Inbreeding and Crossbreeding (G A Brockmann) * Genotype by Environment Interaction: Lessons From the Mouse (W D Hohenboken) * Genetics of Growth in the Mouse (J M Cheverud) * Genetics of Body Composition and Metabolic Rate (L Bunger & W G Hill) * Genetics of Reproduction (M K Nielsen) * Genetics of Behavior (R J Hitzemann) * Genetics of Disease Resistance (S L Ewart & R A Ramadas) * Genomic Dissection of Complex Trait Predisposition (D Pomp) * Mouse Mutagenesis (D R Beier) * Embryo Biotechnologies (C A Pinkert & M J Martin) * Transgenics (J D Murray & E A Maga) * The Mouse in Biomedical Research (R B Roberts & D W Threadgill) * The Mouse Genome Sequencing Project: An Overview (M C Wendl et al.)
For the last 25 years, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Animals (OMIA) has been providing free global access to an ever-increasing record of discoveries made by animal geneticists around the world. To mark this 25-year milestone, this document provides a brief account (including some pre-history) of how OMIA came to be; some timelines of important discoveries and advances in the genetics of the animal species covered by OMIA, gleaned from the OMIA database; and an analysis of the current state of knowledge regarding likely causal variants of single-locus traits in OMIA species, also gleaned from the OMIA database.
The development of DNA-based markers has had a revolutionary impact on gene mapping and, more generally, on all of animal and plant genetics. With DNA-based markers, it is theoretically possible to exploit the entire diversity in DNA sequence that exists in any cross. For this reason, high resolution genetic maps are being developed at an unprecedented speed. The most commonly used DNA-based markers include those based on a cloned and (usually) sequenced DNA fragment and other, more random, assays for genetic polymorphism that can be grouped under the heading of fingerprint markers. The advantages and disadvantages of the various marker types are discussed, along with their application to the reference chicken genetic linkage maps and to the search for quantitative trait loci (QTL). The prospects for the use of DNA-based markers in marker-assisted selection are considered, along with likely future trends in poultry gene mapping. Further development of both physical and linkage genome maps of the chicken will allow animal scientists to more efficiently detect and characterize QTL and will provide them access to the wealth of genetic information that is being generated about the human genome and the genomes of model species, such as the mouse and Drosophila.
Genetics play an important role in the development and course of alcohol abuse, and understanding genetic contributions to this disorder may lead to improved preventative and therapeutic strategies in the future. Studies both in humans and in animal models are necessary to fully understand the neurobiology of alcoholism from the molecular to the cognitive level. By dissecting the complex facets of alcoholism into discrete, well-defined phenotypes that are measurable in both human populations and animal models of the disease, researchers will be better able to translate findings across species and integrate the knowledge obtained from various disciplines. Some of the key areas of alcoholism research where consilience between human and animal studies is possible are alcohol withdrawal severity, sensitivity to rewards, impulsivity, and dysregulated alcohol consumption.
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It is widely accepted among conservation biologists that genetics is, more than ever, an essential and efficient tool for wild and captive population management and reserve design. However, a true synergy between population genetics and conservation biology is lacking. Following the first International Workshop on Population Genetics for Animal Conservation in 2003 at the Centro di Ecologia Alpina, Trento, Italy (recently incorporated into the Edmund Mach Foundation), the scientific committee felt that, given the global urgency of animal conservation, it was imperative that discussions at the conference were made accessible to graduate students and wildlife managers. This book integrates 'the analytical methods approach' with the 'real problems approach' in conservation genetics. Each chapter is an exhaustive review of one area of expertise, and a special effort has been made to explain the statistical tools available for the analysis of molecular data as clearly as possible. The result is a comprehensive volume of the state of the art in conservation genetics, illustrating the power and utility of this synergy.
The need for evolutionary studies on quantitative traits that integrate genetics is increasing. Studies on consistent individual differences in behavioural traits provide a good opportunity to do controlled experiments on the genetic mechanisms underlying the variation and covariation in complex behavioural traits. In this review we will highlight the contribution of genetic studies in animal personality research. We will start with reviewing the evidence that shows how much variation in animal personality traits is genetic, and connect this to knowledge from human personality studies. We will continue by considering the nature of that variation, its generation and maintenance. Finally we will point to further possibilities for studying the genetics of animal personalities. We will underline the importance of integrating both proximate and ultimate approaches when studying the evolution of animal personalities.
There have been considerable recent advancements in animal breeding and genetics relevant to disease control in cattle, which can now be utilised as part of an overall programme for improved cattle health. This review summarises the contribution of genetic makeup to differences in resistance to many diseases affecting cattle. Significant genetic variation in susceptibility to disease does exist among cattle suggesting that genetic selection for improved resistance to disease will be fruitful. Deficiencies in accurately recorded data on individual animal susceptibility to disease are, however, currently hindering the inclusion of health and disease resistance traits in national breeding goals. Developments in 'omics' technologies, such as genomic selection, may help overcome some of the limitations of traditional breeding programmes and will be especially beneficial in breeding for lowly heritable disease traits that only manifest themselves following exposure to pathogens or environmental stressors in adulthood. However, access to large databases of phenotypes on health and disease will still be necessary. This review clearly shows that genetics make a significant contribution to the overall health and resistance to disease in cattle. Therefore, breeding programmes for improved animal health and disease resistance should be seen as an integral part of any overall national disease control strategy.
Scientists revisiting mysterious 540-million-year-old microfossils from Brazil have overturned a major idea about early animal life。 What were once thought to be trails left behind by tiny worm-like creatures are now believed to be fossilized communities of bacteria and algae — some with remarkably preserved cells and organic material still intact
Abstract Increased rates of inbreeding are one side effect of breeding programmes designed to give genetic progress for traits of economic importance in livestock. Inbreeding leads to inbreeding depression for traits showing dominance, and will ultimately lead to a decrease in genetic variance within populations. Here we review theoretical and experimental literature from animal breeding, evolutionary biology and conservation genetics on the consequences of inbreeding in terms of trait means and genetic and environmental variance components. The genetic background for these effects is presented and the experimental literature interpreted in relation to them. Furthermore, purging of deleterious alleles and the variable nature of effects of inbreeding on populations are discussed. Based on the literature, we conclude that inbreeding in animal breeding must be controlled very efficiently to maintain long-term sustainable livestock production in the future. The tools to do this efficiently exist, and much can be learnt on inbreeding from the literature in fields only distantly related to animal breeding.
Abstract Domesticated animals are universally familiar. How, when, where and why they became domesticated is less well understood. The genetic revolution of the past few decades has facilitated novel insights into a field that previously was principally the domain of archaeozoologists. Although some of the conclusions drawn from genetic data have proved to be contentious, many studies have significantly altered or refined our understanding of past human animal relationships. This review seeks not only to discuss the wider concerns and ramifications of genetic approaches to the study of animal domestication but also to provide a broader theoretical framework for understanding the process itself. More specifically, we discuss issues related to the terminology associated with domestication, the possibility of domestication genes, and the promise and problems of genetics to answer the fundamental questions associated with domestication.
Genetics for the animal sciences , Genetics for the animal sciences , مرکز فناوری اطلاعات و اطلاع رسانی کشاورزی
Preface.1. A Brief History of Animals.2. The Genetic Toolkit for Development.3. Building Animals.4. Evolution of the Toolkit.5. Diversification of Body Plans and Body Parts.6. Evolution of Morphological Novelties.7. Morphological Variation and Species Divergence.8. From DNA to Diversity: The Primacy of Regulatory Evolution.Glossary.Index
Although animal pollination is often proposed as a major driver of floral divergence, questions remain about its importance in plant speciation. One issue is whether pollinator specialization, traditionally thought necessary for floral isolation, is prevalent enough to have played a major role in speciation. Furthermore, the ecological and geographic scenarios under which pollinator transitions occur are poorly understood, and the underlying genetic factors are just beginning to be uncovered for a few systems. Nevertheless, macroevolutionary studies consistently show that transitions to animal pollination are accompanied by an increase in diversification rate. Here we consider several models and diverse empirical data on how pollinators could influence speciation. We conclude that floral isolation is rarely, if ever, sufficient to cause speciation on its own, but that it acts synergistically with other isolating mechanisms. A more comprehensive approach is the key to an improved understanding of the role of pollinators in angiosperm speciation.
Special issue : Statistics, genetics and animal/plant breeding - papers in honour of Robin Thompson
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and lethal primary brain tumor. Over the past few years tremendous genomic and proteomic characterization along with robust animal models of GBM have provided invaluable data that show that “GBM”, although histologically indistinguishable from one another, are comprised of molecularly heterogenous diseases. In addition, robust pre-clinical models and a better understanding of the core pathways disrupted in GBM are providing a renewed optimism for novel strategies targeting these devastating tumors. Here, we summarize a brief history of the disease, our current molecular knowledge, lessons from animal models and emerging concepts of angiogenesis, invasion, and metabolism in GBM that may lend themselves to therapeutic targeting.
-regulatory elements on these and other migratory species across both small and broad phylogenetic scales to significantly advance the field of genetics of animal migration.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) in higher animals is rapidly becoming a well characterized genetic system at the molecular level. In this paper, I shift the focus to consider questions in organismal evolution that can be addressed by mtDNA assay. For the first time, it is possible to estimate empirically matriarchal phylogeny; to determine directionality in crosses producing hybrids; and to study the population genetic consequences of varying female demographies and life histories. The data obtainable from mtDNA may be especially well suited for studies of population genetic structure, dispersal, and historical zoogeography. The female-mediated, clonal transmission of mtDNA is also stimulating new ways of thinking about times to common ancestry of asexual lineages within otherwise sexually reproducing populations; about the possible relevance of mtDNA-nuclear DNA interactions to reproductive isolation; and about the very meaning of the phylogenetic status of related species with respect to particular kinds of genetic characters. These and other topics are reviewed.