Article
Genetics & Heredity
Rong Dai, Huitong Zhou, Qian Fang, Ping Zhou, Yang Yang, Shuang Jiang, Jonathan G. H. Hickford
Summary: This study explored sequence variation in two regions of ovine DGAT1 and its effect on meat traits in New Zealand Southdown sheep. Three variant nucleotide sequences were identified, and one variant in intron 1 was found to be associated with increased loin meat yield, suggesting its potential as a gene marker for improving meat traits.
Article
Biology
Ahmed M. Darwish, Mohamed A. Abdelhafez, Hassan A. El-Metwaly, Jong S. Khim, Ahmed A. Allam, Jamaan S. Ajarem
Summary: This study investigated the genetic polymorphism of CSN2 and CSN3 genes in Maghrebi camels using PCR-SSCP and DNA sequencing tools. The results identified different genotypes and SNP variants in these genes, and showed that specific alleles had an impact on milk composition traits, such as milk fat. The findings suggest that genetic discrimination of these genes can be used as a valuable marker in selecting superior camels to improve milk composition.
Article
Biology
Thamer R. S. Aljubouri, Mohammed Baqur S. Al-Shuhaib
Summary: This study assessed mitochondrial D-loop genetic diversity in three breeds of Iraqi/Iranian prolific sheep, revealing different genetic patterns and diversity features, as well as shared haplotypes. Arabi exhibited the highest haplotype diversity, while Awassi showed the highest nucleotide polymorphism diversity. The fixation index indicated a high level of genetic material sharing among populations, with similar haplotypes mostly observed in Arabi and Karakul.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Adel H. M. Ibrahim, AbdelHamid F. M. Megaley, Ahmed M. A. Sallam
Summary: This study aimed to detect FOXP3 gene polymorphisms in Barki sheep, identifying two variants and three genotypes, and revealed a significant association between FOXP3 genotype and growth traits. The findings suggest that FOXP3 genotype may be useful for producing fast-growing lambs, but further research in a larger population is warranted for confirmation.
ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Oyekunle J. Oladosu, Ishaku L. Haruna, Sibusiso A. Hadebe, Huitong Zhou, Jon G. H. Hickford
Summary: This study investigated the variability of the immune response-related gene BoLA-DQA1 in cattle from Nigeria and New Zealand. Ten alleles were identified using a PCR-SSCP approach, with two novel alleles reported for the first time through DNA sequencing. Overall, 12.60% of nucleotide positions analyzed were found to be variable.
VETERINARY IMMUNOLOGY AND IMMUNOPATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Multidisciplinary
Qian Zhou, Ya-dong Chen, Sheng Lu, Yang Liu, Wen-teng Xu, Yang-zhen Li, Lei Wang, Na Wang, Ying-ming Yang, Song-lin Chen
Summary: The study developed a 50K Japanese flounder SNP array, named Yuxin No. 1, which showed good performance in genomic selection breeding, especially in disease resistance to bacterial pathogens.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Eman Mohamed Abd El Fattah, Tahani Salama Behour, Ayman Fouad Ashour, Amin Mohamed Said Amin
Summary: This study assessed the polymorphism of PRL and PRLR genes in 266 buffalo raised in two experimental herds in Egypt, and found significant associations between the polymorphism of PRLR gene and multiple traits, such as birth weight and weaning weight. This suggests that PRLR gene could be selectively used in Egyptian buffalo breeding to improve both productive and reproductive traits.
ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
L. E. R. Burrows, H. Zhou, C. M. A. Frampton, R. H. J. Forrest, J. G. H. Hickford
Summary: Flystrike is a significant cost and welfare issue for the New Zealand sheep industry. The FABP4 gene has been identified as a potential candidate gene for flystrike resilience in sheep.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Saisai Liu, Haofei Song, Zeyu Liu, Wei Lu, Quanqi Zhang, Jie Cheng
Summary: This study identified suitable reference miRNAs for quantitative expression analysis of miRNAs in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). Through miRNA-Seq analysis and literature search, 10 candidates were selected and their expression stability was evaluated using qRT-PCR and multiple methods. The results showed that miR-22-3p and miR-23a-3p were suitable reference miRNAs for both normal tissues and livers infected with E. tarda in P. olivaceus. These findings provide valuable information for future miRNA expression analysis in P. olivaceus.
Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Ishaku L. Haruna, Yunhai Li, Huitong Zhou, Jon G. H. Hickford
Summary: This study found that variations in the leptin gene can impact milk traits in cows, particularly affecting protein content. While there was no association between LEP genotypes and milk yield and fat percentage, cows with the AB genotype had lower protein content in their milk. This research suggests that variations in exon 3 of LEP may be useful for selecting cows for improvement in key milk traits.
NEW ZEALAND JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Shaobin Li, Qiming Xi, Fangfang Zhao, Jiqing Wang, Zhaohua He, Jiang Hu, Xiu Liu, Yuzhu Luo
Summary: This study identified the homologue of sheep KRTAP6-5 in goats, revealing variation associated with mean-fiber diameter, suggesting further investigation of KRTAP6-5 in the context of cashmere traits in goats.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Remote Sensing
Jingjing Xie, Qinjun Wang, Peng Liu, Zhichao Li
Summary: This study proposed an improved Gradient Boosting Regression Tree (IGBRT) method to invert copper contents using hyperspectral remote sensing. By introducing the iron element as an intermediate variable, a relationship between iron and copper contents was established to improve accuracy and efficiency. The results showed that the IGBRT algorithm had a higher coefficient of determination (R-2) and increased learning efficiency compared to traditional methods, providing important implications for remote sensing inversion of copper contents in uninhabited areas.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
(2021)
Article
Entomology
Jessica T. Thoroughgood, James S. Armstrong, Brandon White, Clare A. Anstead, Terry D. Galloway, L. Robbin Lindsay, Todd K. Shury, Jeffery E. Lane, Neil B. Chilton
Summary: Morphological identification of closely related flea species can be difficult due to DNA degradation and limitations in DNA extraction. PCR-SSCP combined with DNA sequencing of the 28S rRNA gene has been shown to effectively distinguish between these species, providing a valuable tool for molecular-based studies. This study successfully differentiated four closely related flea species using this approach, demonstrating its effectiveness in species delineation.
JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Salwa Faisal, Eman A. Toraih, Lina M. Atef, Ranya Hassan, Marwa M. Fouad, Essam Al Ageeli, Manal S. Fawzy, Hussein Abdelaziz Abdalla
Summary: This study evaluated the expression of MIR17HG in peripheral blood of alopecia areata patients and found its association with the disease. Upregulation of miR-17 was observed in patients and it showed high diagnostic performance. The rs4284505 genotype was also associated with the risk of alopecia and the severity of the phenotype.
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Muhammad Sajid Hamid Akash, Momina Shahid, Shaleem Suhail, Kanwal Rehman, Ahmed Nadeem, Tahir Maqbool Mir
Summary: This study found a significant association between AGT T174M (rs4762) genetic polymorphism and hypertension in diabetic patients within the Pakistani population. The C/T genotype of AGT T174M (rs4762) was found to be significantly higher in both hypertensive and hypertensive diabetic patients compared to the control group, and it was identified as a risk factor for developing hypertension in these populations.
FRONTIERS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eliska Kuchovska, Benedicte Morin, Rocio Lopez-Cabeza, Mathilde Barre, Corentin Gouffier, Lucie Blahova, Jerome Cachot, Ludek Blaha, Patrice Gonzalez
Summary: This study investigated the impacts of commonly detected insecticide and fungicide on the early development of Pacific oysters in the Arcachon Bay, France. Results suggest that current pesticide concentrations are safe for oyster early development but may have small direct effects through altered gene expressions.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohd Jahir Khan, Nikhil Singh, Sudhanshu Mishra, Ankesh Ahirwar, Felix Bast, Sunita Varjani, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Karthik Rajendran, J. Rajesh Banu, Ganesh Dattatraya Saratale, Rijuta Ganesh Saratale, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: Photosynthetic microbial fuel cells (PMFCs) with microalgae show potential in treating wastewater and generating electrical energy. The efficiency relies on algal growth, impacted by light intensity, resulting in biomass rich in biopolymers. Biopolymers recovered from biological sources can act as nanoadsorbents with nanomaterials, enhancing PMFC efficiency by removing pollutants. The review discusses the effects of light intensity on algae growth, recovery of biopolymers, removal of pollutants, and future perspectives in this field.
Article
Plant Sciences
Vandana Sirotiya, Ankesh Ahirwar, Megha Mourya, Mohd Jahir Khan, Anshuman Rai, Rajeev Kwatra, Anil K. Sharma, Harish, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Sunita Varjani, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: This article discusses the production of astaxanthin in microalgae under stress conditions and the possibility of utilizing industrial wastewater. By optimizing techniques and overcoming challenges, large-scale production of valuable biocompounds such as astaxanthin can be achieved, paving the way towards sustainable environmental development.
PHYTOCHEMISTRY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Matteo Scarsini, Stanislas Thiriet-Rupert, Brigitte Veidl, Florence Mondeguer, Hanhua Hu, Justine Marchand, Benoit Schoefs
Summary: This study reveals the equilibrium state of cells and the changes in gene expression during the transition from nitrogen repletion to nitrogen starvation conditions in diatoms.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ankesh Ahirwar, Mohd Jahir Khan, Vandana Sirotiya, Megha Mourya, Anshuman Rai, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Sunita Varjani, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: Haematococcus pluvialis is a potential source of natural astaxanthin with remarkable antioxidant properties. The high cost of extracting this pigment makes the cost of astaxanthin very high. Pulsed electric field (PEF) has been found to be a simple yet sensitive technique to permeabilize the thick cell wall of H. pluvialis and extract the pigment.
BIOENERGY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Megha Mourya, Mohd Jahir Khan, Ankesh Ahirwar, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Anshuman Rai, Sunita Varjani, Karthik Rajendran, J. Rajesh Banu, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: Microalgae, especially diatoms, are abundant sources of oil for biofuel production. This review focuses on enhancing lipid accumulation in diatoms through biochemical modeling and genetic engineering, as well as exploring the use of molecular tools, like CRISPR, for targeted genome modification to increase oil production. The aim is to widen the scope of metabolic pathways, improve lipid and biofuel production under nutrient stress, and study the quality and life cycle assessment of lipids from diatoms.
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Anshuman Rai, Mohd Jahir Khan, Ankesh Ahirwar, Rahul Deka, Nikhil Singh, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Sunita Varjani, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: Storing multiple energy forms from microalgae is not only facile but also lowers the cost of culturing the microalgae. Diatoms, among many microalgae, are responsible for converting stored lipids and biomass into hydrogen, and their silica frustules have immense applications in nanotechnology for hydrogen production and energy storage. This review discusses the scope and approaches to produce hydrogen from live diatoms and their biomass, highlighting their economic aspects and wide applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Justine Marchand, Hanhua Hu, Kalina Manoylov, Benoit Schoefs
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Anshuman Rai, Vandana Sirotiya, Megha Mourya, Mohd Jahir Khan, Ankesh Ahirwar, Anil K. Sharma, Rajeev Kawatra, Justine Marchand, Benoit Schoefs, Sunita Varjani, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: Discharge of untreated or partially treated toxic dyes from textile industries into water streams is hazardous for the environment. Conventional treatment processes generate additional environmental problems. Diatoms and microalgae have shown promise in dye remediation, with methods such as nanoporous diatoms and photosynthetic microbial fuel cells enhancing efficiency.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Rahul Deka, Shristi Shreya, Megha Mourya, Vandana Sirotiya, Anshuman Rai, Mohd Jahir Khan, Ankesh Ahirwar, Benoit Schoefs, Muhammad Bilal, Ganesh Dattatraya Saratale, Justine Marchand, Rijuta Ganesh Saratale, Sunita Varjani, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: Microbial fuel cells can be used to treat textile wastewater and generate electricity, with the potential use of environmentally friendly algae biomass. Algae can not only treat dyes in wastewater, but also act as a metal-consuming part in the microbial fuel cell.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Julia Zinsmeister, David Lalanne, Benoit Ly Vu, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Thi Thu Dang, Julia Buitink, Olivier Leprince
Summary: Seed longevity is important for preserving genetic diversity, and it is acquired during late maturation through the dismantlement of chloroplasts. The gene ABI4 plays a role in coordinating this process in Medicago truncatula, as its mutation leads to increased chlorophyll retention and reduced longevity. The study also found that the shutdown of photosynthesis during maturation is crucial for the acquisition of seed longevity.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sahar Karray, Justine Marchand, Alain Geffard, Tarek Rebai, Francoise Denis, Benoit Chenais, Amel Hamza-Chaffai
Summary: This study focused on evaluating the responses of the cockle, Cerastoderma glaucum, to metal exposures at different contamination levels in the Gulf of Gabes. The study examined the physiological state, bioaccumulation of metals, histological changes in gametogenesis and sexual maturity, and gene expression of key enzymes and proteins involved in responses to environmental stressors. Results showed a decrease in physiological status, consistent bioaccumulation of metals with contamination gradient, minimal differences in reproductive cycle, and varied patterns of gene expression. Overall, these findings suggest that measures of physiological condition, sex ratios, and gene expression could serve as biomarkers for assessing metal impacts on cockles, but further proteomics studies are needed.
ARCHIVES OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Anagha Nair, Ankesh Ahirwar, Shashikala Singh, Reeta Lodhi, Aishwarya Lodhi, Anshuman Rai, Dipak A. Jadhav, Harish, Sunita Varjani, Gurpreet Singh, Justine Marchand, Benoit Schoefs, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: Natural astaxanthin is richer than synthetic astaxanthin, but cultivating it in photobioreactors is expensive and downstream processing techniques for solubilization are not cost-effective. As a result, the cost of astaxanthin is high, leading pharmaceutical and nutraceutical companies to opt for synthetic astaxanthin. This review discusses the chemical character of astaxanthin, more cost-effective cultivating techniques, and its bioavailability. Moreover, the antioxidant properties of this microalgal product against various diseases are discussed, which make it a promising drug for reducing inflammation and its consequences.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Victor Murison, Josiane Herault, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Lionel Ulmann
Summary: Through genomic analysis, researchers have made progress in understanding the lipid degradation mechanisms of oleaginous diatoms, identifying 57 potential enzymes involved. Further analysis revealed that 9 genes were highly regulated under nitrogen starvation conditions, suggesting an important role in lipid degradation. Tertiary structure prediction highlighted two downregulated enzymes as potential targets for future functional genomics and purification studies to investigate their role in lipid degradation.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mohd Jahir Khan, Arivalagan Pugazhendhi, Benoit Schoefs, Justine Marchand, Anshuman Rai, Vandana Vinayak
Summary: This study fabricated calcium titanate (CaTiO3) and silica doped CaTiO3 (Si-CaTiO3) nanocomposites for perovskite solar cells (PVSCs). The PVSCs with Si-CaTiO3 showed higher power density in broad spectrum light, while the PVSCs with CaTiO3 showed higher power density under white LED light.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Emily Curren, Sandric Chee Yew Leong
Summary: Microplastics in marine ecosystems serve as microhabitats for diverse toxic plankton species, including viable resting cysts of dinoflagellates. The diversity of plankton communities on the plastisphere is influenced by anthropogenic factors. This study highlights the importance of plastics as vectors for the transport of harmful opportunistic species in the marine environment.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Vladimir G. Dvoretsky, Alexander G. Dvoretsky
Summary: The Barents Sea, as the largest Arctic shelf region, plays a vital role in supporting commercial fisheries. The ecosystem of this region is significantly influenced by both warm Atlantic Water (AW) and cold Arctic Water (ARW), resulting in distinct frontal zones. This study found that copepod populations, particularly herbivorous copepods, were most abundant and productive in the Polar Front, as well as in the eastern frontal zones. The geographic positions of sampling stations, depth, and chlorophyll a concentration were identified as the main factors influencing copepod biomass and production.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2024)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alberto Rovellini, Charlotte L. Mortimer, Matthew R. Dunn, Elizabeth A. Fulton, Jamaluddin Jompa, Abdul Haris, James J. Bell
Summary: This study compared the structural complexity of coral- and sponge-dominated areas of an Indonesian coral reef using 3D photogrammetry. The results showed that smaller-scale refugia were reduced in sponge-dominated reefs, potentially impacting smaller reef fauna.
MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2024)
