Estimates of Effective Population Size in Commercial and Hatchery Strains of Coho Salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum, 1792)).

Understanding the genetic status of aquaculture strains is essential for developing management guidelines aimed at sustaining the rates of genetic gain for economically important traits, as well as securing populations that will be robust to climate change. Coho salmon was the first salmonid introduced to Chile for commercial purposes and now comprises an essential component of the country's aquaculture industry. Several events, such as admixture, genetic bottlenecks, and rapid domestication, appear to be determinants in shaping the genome of commercial strains representing this species. To determine the impact of such events on the genetic diversity of these strains, we sought to estimate the effective population size (Ne) of several of these strains using genome-wide approaches. We compared these estimates to commercial strains from North America and Japan, as well as a hatchery strain used for supportive breeding of wild populations. The estimates of Ne were based on a method robust to assumptions about changes in population history, and ranged from low (Ne = 34) to relatively high (Ne = 80) in the Chilean strains. These estimates were higher than those obtained from the commercial North American strain but lower than those observed in the hatchery population and the Japanese strain (with Ne over 150). Our results suggest that some populations require measures to control the rates of inbreeding, possibly by using genomic information and incorporating new genetic material to ensure the long-term sustainability of these populations.

First genome sequence of Chilean Brucella canis SCL strain provides insights on the epidemiology and virulence factors, explaining differences between geographical origins

BACKGROUND: Brucella canis is the etiological agent of canine brucellosis, a worldwide neglected zoonosis that constitutes one of the major infectious causes of infertility and reproductive failure in dogs. Although genomic information available for this pathogen has increased in recent years, here we report the first genome sequencing of a B. canis strain in Chile, and the differences in virulence genes with other B. canis strains. RESULTS: Genome assembly produced a total length of 3,289,216 bp, N50 of 95,163 and GC% of 57.27, organized in 54 contigs in chromosome I, and 21 contigs in chromosome II. The genome annotation identified a total of 1981 CDS, 3 rRNA and 36 tRNA in chromosome I, and 1113 CDS and 10 tRNA in chromosome II. There is little variation between the different strains and the SCL isolate. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Chilean SCL strain is closely related to B. canis and B. suis strains. Small differences were found when compared to the Serbian isolate, but all strains shared the same recent common ancestor. Finally, changes in the sequence of some virulence factors showed that the SCL strain is similar to other South American B. canis strains. CONCLUSIONS: This work sequenced and characterized the complete genome of B. canis strain SCL, evidencing the complete presence of all the genes of the virB operon, and minor changes in outer membrane proteins and in the urease operon. Our data suggest that B. canis was introduced from North America and then spread throughout the South American continent.

Prevalence and Genomic Characterization of Brucella canis Strains Isolated from Kennels, Household, and Stray Dogs in Chile.

Canine brucellosis caused by Brucella canis is a zoonotic disease that causes reproductive alterations in dogs, such as infertility, abortion, and epididymitis. This pathogen is especially prevalent in South America, and due to the lack of official control programs and the growing trend of adopting dogs it constitutes a public health risk that must be addressed. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of B. canis infection in kennel, shelter, and household dogs and to characterize the genomic properties of circulating strains, including ure and virB operons and omp25/31 genes. Samples from 771 dogs were obtained, and the infection was detected by blood culture and/or serology in 7.0% of the animals. The complete ure and virB operons and the omp25/31 genes were detected. Interestingly, we found different single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in some of the analyzed genes, which could mean a change in the fitness or virulence of these strains. This study provides further evidence about dogs as a source of B. canis strains that can infect people. This also highlights the need to implement official control programs, including the mandatory testing of dogs, especially stray dogs, before adoption.

Thymic B Cells Promote Germinal Center-Like Structures and the Expansion of Follicular Helper T Cells in Lupus-Prone Mice.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the activation of autoreactive T and B cells, autoantibody production, and immune complex deposition in various organs. Previous evidence showed abnormal accumulation of B cells in the thymus of lupus-prone mice, but the role of this population in the progression of the disease remains mostly undefined. Here we analyzed the spatial distribution, function, and properties of this thymic B cell population in the BWF1 murine model of SLE. We found that in diseased animals, thymic B cells proliferate, and cluster in structures that resemble ectopic germinal centers. Moreover, we detected antibody-secreting cells in the thymus of diseased-BWF1 mice that produce anti-dsDNA IgG autoantibodies. We also found that thymic B cells from diseased-BWF1 mice induced the differentiation of thymocytes to follicular helper T cells (TFH). These data suggest that the accumulation of B cells in the thymus of BWF1 mice results in the formation of germinal center-like structures and the expansion of a TFH population, which may, in turn, activate and differentiate B cells into autoreactive plasma cells. Therefore, the thymus emerges as an important niche that supports the maintenance of the pathogenic humoral response in the development of murine SLE.

Rearing and growth of the Octopus Robsonella fontaniana (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae) from planktonic hatchlings to benthic juveniles.

Globally, octopus larviculture is one of the challenges faced in the attempt to diversify aquaculture and achieve cephalopod farming. Currently, only juveniles of Octopus vulgaris, Octopus joubini, and Enteroctopus dofleini have been obtained at an experimental level. This is the first study to look at the characteristics of planktonic and benthic Robsonella fontaniana juveniles in an effort to analyze the morphometric changes occurring during their planktonic and benthic phases and to explore the feasibility of obtaining settlement under controlled conditions. The morphometric measurements varied exponentially over time and did not show different tendencies before and after settlement. Mantle growth in relation to total length fit a logarithmic regression, whereas arm length and eye diameter increased linearly with respect to total length throughout the entire paralarval and juvenile periods. This suggests that the size of the mantle decreases with age in proportion to the total octopus length, whereas the organs more directly involved in catching prey tend to increase in direct proportion to the total length. The present study shows that R. fontaniana can be reared from hatching through the final paralarval stage on a diet of Lithodes santolla (king crab) zoeae; after settlement, the juveniles can be reared on a diet of crab such as Petrolisthes.