Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Wenwen Li Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium Author-Name: Ann Van Soom Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium Author-Name: Luc Peelman Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium Title: Repeats as global DNA methylation marker in bovine preimplantation embryos Abstract: DNA methylation undergoes dynamic changes and is a crucial part of the epigenetic regulation during mammalian early development. To determine the DNA methylation levels in bovine embryos, we applied a bisulfite sequencing based method aimed at repetitive sequences including three retrotransposons (L1_BT, BovB, and ERV1-1-I_BT) and Satellite I. A more accurate estimate of the global DNA methylation level compared to previous methods using only one repeat sequence, like Alu, could be made by calculation of the weighted arithmetic mean of multiple repetitive sequences, considering the copy number of each repetitive sequence. Satellite I and L1_BT showed significant methylation reduction at the blastocyst stage, while BovB and ERV1-1-I_BT showed no difference. The mean methylation level of the repetitive sequences during preimplantation development was the lowest at the blastocyst stage. No methylation difference was found between embryos cultured in 5% and 20% O2. Because mutations of CpGs negatively influence the calculation accuracy, we checked the mutation rate of the sequenced CpG sites. Satellite I and L1_BT showed a relatively low mutation rate (1.92 and 3.72% respectively) while that of ERV1-1-I_BT and BovB was higher (11.95 and 24% respectively). Therefore we suggest using a combination of repeats with low mutation rate, taking into account the proportion of each sequence, as a relatively quick marker for the global DNA methylation status of preimplantation stages and possibly also for other cell types. Keywords: epigenetics, retrotransposon, bisulfite sequencing Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 43-50 Volume: 62 Issue: 2 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/29/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/29/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201702-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:2:id:29-2016-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Antonella Dalle Zotte Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy Author-Name: Giulia Tasoniero Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy Author-Name: Eero Puolanne Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland Author-Name: Hervé Remignon Author-Workplace-Name: University of Toulouse INPT ENSAT, UMR 1388 Genetic, Phisiology and Breeding System, Castanet-Tolosan, France Author-Name: Mattia Cecchinato Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy Author-Name: Elena Catelli Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy Author-Name: Marco Cullere Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy Title: Effect of "Wooden Breast" appearance on poultry meat quality, histological traits, and lesions characterization Abstract: The purposes of the study were to investigate the effects of Wooden Breast (WB) myodegeneration on poultry meat quality and to give a contribution in typing lesions morphology. At a poultry meat cutting facility, 474 carcasses of a high-breast-yield hybrid chickens were inspected for WB condition, and 30 normal (N) and 30 affected (WB) breast fillets (Pectoralis major) were randomly selected. The WB condition represented 53.2% of the examined carcasses. Weight, cross sectional area (CSA), pH, L*, a*, b* colour values, water-holding capacity, and Warner-Bratzler shear force were determined. Samples were also visually and histologically evaluated. Affected samples were heavier, thicker, paler (P < 0.001), and characterized by palpatory hardness and lower water holding capacity (P < 0.05). Macroscopically, abnormalities were primarily localized in the cranial portion of the fillet and defined by the presence of bulges, petechiae, fluid and clear exudate, and higher pH. Microscopically, the WB condition was characterized by muscle fibres with greater CSA (P < 0.001) and higher giant fibres prevalence (P < 0.01). Data suggest a relationship between breast weight and WB condition. Keywords: emergent myopathy, breast muscle defect, myodegeneration Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 51-57 Volume: 62 Issue: 2 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/54/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/54/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201702-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:2:id:54-2016-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jun-Liang Li Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Yuan-Qing Xu Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Bin-Lin Shi Author-Name: Deng-Sheng Sun Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Su-Mei Yan Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, P.R. China Author-Name: Xiao-Yu Guo Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Huhhot, P.R. China Title: Dietary chitosan affects metabolism of arachidonic acid in weaned piglets Abstract: The effects of chitosan on immune function via arachidonic acid (AA) pathway in weaned piglets were investigated. A total of 180 piglets (Duroc × Yorkshire × Landrace) were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments and fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 100, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg chitosan/kg feed, respectively. Results showed that serum AA, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) contents in piglets were increased in a linear or quadratic dose-dependent manner with increasing chitosan on day 28 (P < 0.05). Chitosan increased serum cytosolic-phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) activity in a linear or quadratic dose-dependent manner on day 14 or 28, and improved 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) activity in a linear manner and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) activity quadratically on day 28 (P < 0.05). Moreover, chitosan elevated gene expression of cPLA2 mRNA quadratically in the small intestine on days 14 and 28, increased the COX-2 mRNA expression in the duodenum or jejunum in a linear or quadratic manner on day 28, and improved the 5-LOX mRNA expression quadratically in the small intestine (P < 0.05). These results implied that the metabolism of AA was regulated by chitosan in a dose-dependent relationship, which may be one reason why chitosan affected immune function via AA pathway in weaned piglets. Keywords: cytosolic-phospholipase A2, prostaglandin E2, leukotriene B4, 5-lipoxygenase, cyclooxygenase-2, mRNA expression Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 58-66 Volume: 62 Issue: 2 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/39/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/39/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201702-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:2:id:39-2016-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Pavlo Fedorov Author-Name: Roman Grabic Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Ganna Fedorova Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jacky Cosson Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Sergii Boryshpolets Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Author-Name: Borys Dzyuba Author-Workplace-Name: South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Vodňany, Czech Republic Title: Development and application of LC/HRPS for quantification of adenine nucleotides, creatine phosphate, and creatine in sturgeon spermatozoa Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the applicability of liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution product scan (LC/HRPS) mass spectrometry for simultaneous quantification of adenine nucleotides, creatine phosphate, and creatine levels after fixation of sturgeon sperm by perchloric acid. This approach has been used for the determination of adenine nucleotides, creatine, and creatine phosphate in biological tissues, but no applications to sperm cells have been reported to date. The results of method validation showed that specific correction factors for the calculation of macroergic phosphate content in sperm cells extracted by perchloric acid should be used to get accurate concentration values. The proposed LC/HRPS method is beneficial for the analysis of adenine nucleotides because it allows simultaneous quantification of all target analytes at low concentrations in a single run. This is an advantage compared to conventional methods based on colorimetric or chemiluminescent assays and even compared to sophisticated methods based on high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance. Keywords: macroergic phosphates, high resolution mass spectrometry, extraction, method validation, sperm, chondrostean fishes Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 67-74 Volume: 62 Issue: 2 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/4/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/4/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201702-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:2:id:4-2016-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Peter Strapák Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Eva Strapáková Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Genetics and Breeding Biology, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Mária Rušinová Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology and Food Resources, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Nitra, Slovak Republic Author-Name: Iveta Szencziová Author-Workplace-Name: Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Slovak Republic, Bratislava, Slovak Republic Title: The influence of milking on the teat canal of dairy cows determined by ultrasonographic measurements Abstract: The effect of milking on the length and diameter of the teat canal during teat regeneration immediately after milking was evaluated. The practical measurements of the teat canal were performed on 70 Holstein cows using ultrasound Aloka Prosound device 2. A special "bath method" of the teat ultrasonographic scanning was used at set time intervals - before milking, immediately after milking, and 30, 60, 90, and 120 min after milking. Before milking, the average length of the teat canal was 10.67 mm and 9.3 mm and the teat canal diameter was 1.11 mm and 1.09 mm for front and rear teats, respectively. The average length of the front and rear teat canal significantly increased by about 20.5 and 32.9% and the front and rear teat canal diameter increased by 9.0 and 9.1% on average immediately after milking compared to values detected before milking. After 120 min of regeneration the teat canal was by 3.56 and 14.95% longer than before milking for front and rear teats, respectively. Prolongation of the teat canal was significantly affected by teat position. Based on the present results, the time period of 120 min is not sufficient for the complete regeneration of the teat canal length to the pre-milking values. On the other hand, we recorded total regeneration of the teat diameter within 120 min after milking. The initial values of the front and rear teat diameter were equal to those measurd 120 min after milking. Keywords: ultrasonography, udder, teat regeneration, milking traits Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 75-81 Volume: 62 Issue: 2 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/68/2015-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/68/2015-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201702-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:2:id:68-2015-CJAS Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Yi Wan Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China Author-Name: Chendong Ma Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China Author-Name: Peipei Wei Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China Author-Name: Qi Fang Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China Author-Name: Xing Guo Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China Author-Name: Bangyuan Zhou Author-Workplace-Name: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China Author-Name: Runshen Jiang Title: Dynamic expression of HSP90B1 mRNA in the hypothalamus of two Chinese chicken breeds under heat stress and association analysis with a SNP in Huainan chickens Abstract: The effects of heat stress on HSP90B1 messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in the hypothalamus of chicken were investigated and HSP90B1 variations were detected. Females of two Chinese chicken breeds (Huainan and Wenchang) were used for the experiments. At 64 days of age, the ambient temperature (24 ± 1°C) was increased to 35 ± 1°C for 24 h (heat stress), then decreased to 24 ± 1°C for 24 h (recovery). Hypothalamus samples were collected at 0, 12, and 24 h during heat stress, as well as 12 and 24 h during recovery. The HSP90B1 mRNA expression increased significantly during heat stress and significantly decreased during recovery being higher in Huainan chickens. Fifteen primer pairs were designed to amplify the exons of HSP90B1 by a polymerase chain reaction, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected by Sanger sequencing. In Huainan chickens, we identified a SNP (NC_006088.3:g.6798G>A) in exon 14 of HSP90B1 which did not cause amino acid variation but caused a codon for glutamic acid change from GAG to GAA. The frequencies for genotypes AA, GA, and GG were 0.49, 0.27, and 0.24, respectively. Individuals with the GG genotype survived heat stress at 42°C for a longer time (248.2 ± 39.3 min) than individuals with GA and AA genotypes, which survived for 227.2 ± 44.5 min and 179.3 ± 36.5 min, respectively. The results suggested that the increased heat tolerance was associated with the higher expression of HSP90B1, and genotype GG could be used as a potential marker for heat resistance in chickens. Keywords: heat shock protein, mRNA level, single nucleotide polymorphism, thermal stress Journal: Czech Journal of Animal Science Pages: 82-87 Volume: 62 Issue: 2 Year: 2017 DOI: 10.17221/8/2016-CJAS File-URL: http://cjas.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/8/2016-CJAS.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/cjs-201702-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:2:id:8-2016-CJAS