SummaryGenetic variations in chromosome Y are enabling researchers to identify paternal lineages, which are informative for introgressions and migrations. In this study, the male-specific region markers, sex-determining region-Y (SRY), amelogenin (AMELY) and zinc finger (ZFY) were analysed in seven Turkish native goat breeds, Angora, Kilis, Hair, Honamlı, Norduz, G€ urc€ u and Abaza. A SNP in the ZFY gene defined a new haplotype Y2C. All domestic haplogroups originate from Capra aegagrus, while the finding of Y1A, Y1B, Y2A and Y2C in 32, 4, 126 and 2 Turkish domestic goats, respectively, appears to indicate a predomestic origin of the major haplotypes. The occurrence of four haplotypes in the Hair goat and, in contrast, a frequency of 96% of Y1A in the Kilis breed illustrate that Y-chromosomal variants have a more breed-dependent distribution than mitochondrial or autosomal DNA. This probably reflects male founder effects, but a role in adaptation cannot be excluded.

In recent years, the focus of disease resistance and susceptibility studies in cattle have been on determining patterns in the innate immune response of key proteins, such as Toll-like receptors (TLR). In the bovine genome, there are 10 TLR family members and, of these, TLR2, TLR4, and TLR6 are specialized in the recognition of bacterial ligands. Indigenous cattle breeds of Anatolia have been reported to show fewer signs of clinical bacterial infections, such as bovine tuberculosis and mastitis, and it is hypothesized that this might be due to a less stringent genetic selection during breeding. In contrast, Holstein-Friesian cattle have been under strong selection for milk production, which may have resulted in greater susceptibility to diseases. To test this hypothesis, we have compared the TLR2, TLR4, and TLR6 genes of Anatolian Black (AB), East Anatolian Red (EAR), South Anatolian Red (SAR), Turkish Grey (TG), and Holstein (HOL) cattle using next-generation sequencing. The SAR breed had the most variations overall, followed by EAR, AB, TG, and HOL. TG had the most variations for TLR2, whereas SAR had the most variations in TLR4 and TLR6. We compared these variants with those associated with disease and susceptibility traits. We used exon variants to construct haplotypes, investigated shared haplotypes within breeds, and proposed candidate haplotypes for a disease resistance phenotype in Anatolian cattle breeds.

Staphylococcus aureus is the leading cause of intoxications in humans. Also, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is an emerging problem in food-producing animals. The presence of MRSA in milk may create a risk to public health. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of MRSA in bulk tank milk samples. Dne hundred and twenty bulk tank milk samples were analyzed using the convenient sampling method. The isolates were confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) targeting nuc and mecA gene in S. aureus. Antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolates were tested by disc agar diffusion method. On the current study, S. aureus was detected in 44 (36.66%) of the samples. The presence of the mecA gene was found to be positive in 40 (75.4%) of the 53 S. aureus isolates. As a result of the study, a high incidence of MRSA was detected in bulk tank milk samples. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are at risk of being transferred to humans via milk. For safe and healthy milk consumption, uncontrolled use of antibiotics in dairy cows should be avoided.

Abstract:In recent years, the focus of disease resistance and susceptibility studies in cattle have been on determining patterns in the innate immune response of key proteins, such as Toll-like receptors (TLR). In the bovine genome, there are 10 TLR family members and, of these, TLR2, TLR4 and TLR6 are specialized in recognition of bacterial ligands. Indigenous cattle breeds of Anatolia have been reported to show fewer signs of clinical bacterial infections, such as bovine tuberculosis and mastitis, and it is hypothesized that this might be due to a less stringent genetic selection during breeding.In contrast, Holstein-Friesian cattle have been under strong selection for milk production, which may have resulted in greater susceptibility to diseases. To test this hypothesis, we have compared the TLR2, TLR4 and TLR6 genes of Anatolian Black (AB), East Anatolian Red (EAR), South Anatolian Red (SAR), Turkish Grey (TG), and Holstein (HOL) cattle using Next Generation Sequencing. The SAR breed had the most variations overall, followed by EAR, AB, TG and HOL. TG had the most variations for TLR2 whereas SAR had the most variations in TLR4 and TLR6. We compared these variants with those associated with disease and susceptibility traits. We used exon variants to construct haplotypes, investigated shared haplotypes within breeds and determined candidate haplotypes for disease resistance phenotype in Anatolian cattle breeds.

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Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is one of the most common hereditary diseases in cats, with high prevalence in Persian and Persian-related cats. PKD is caused mainly by an inherited autosomal dominant (AD) mutation, and animals may be asymptomatic for years. We screened 16 cats from various breeds exhibiting a renal abnormality by ultrasound examination and genotyped them for the c.10063C>A transversion on exon 29 of the polycystin-1 ( PKD1) gene, by PCR–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). Among these cats, a Siamese nuclear family of 4 cats with ancestral hereditary renal failure were screened by whole-genome sequencing (WGS) to determine novel variations in genes associated with both AD and autosomal recessive PKD in humans. During the study period, one cat died as a result of renal failure and was forwarded for autopsy. Additionally, we screened 294 cats asymptomatic for renal disease (Angora, Van, Persian, Siamese, Scottish Fold, Exotic Shorthair, British Shorthair, and mixed breeds) to determine the prevalence of the mutation in cats in Turkey. Ten of the symptomatic and 2 of the asymptomatic cats carried the heterozygous C → A transversion, indicating a prevalence of 62.5% and 0.68%, respectively. In the WGS analysis of 4 cats in the Siamese nuclear family, novel variations were determined in the fibrocystin gene ( PKHD1), which was not compatible with dominant inheritance of PKD.

There are many potential genes that are known to be related to meat production and that can be used for selection to improve meat quality and production include Calpain (CAPN1), Myostatin (MSTN), Calpastatin (CAST), Osteopontin (SPP1) and Thyroglobulin (TG). This study evaluated Zavot (n=60), Anatolian Black (n=59; AB), South Anatolian Red (n=53; SAR), Turkish Gray (n=60; TG) and East Anatolian Red (n=49; EAR) cattle breeds, with the primary goal of investigating DNA polymorphisms of the CAST, TG, SPP1, MSTN and CAPN1 genes. Polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was employed to genotypes. Restriction enzymes revealed polymorphisms with 2 alleles and three genotypes of each CAST, TG, SPP1 and CAPN1 genes were determined in all breeds, while the MSTN locus was found to be monomorphic. Deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was not observed in the five cattle breeds on SPP1 locus. Significant deviation was observed from HWE in the TG and AB breeds on TG locus. Except for the TG and SAR breeds, genotype frequencies were not consistent with the HWE on CAPN1 locus. Four breeds were found at Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium except AB breed for CAST locus. Consequently, this study has shown that genetic polymorphisms do not exist in the MSTN gene but do exist in the remaining four genes that were examined in five Turkish native cattle breeds.

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