Parasitism-Induced Changes in Microbial Eukaryotes of Peruvian Alpaca Gastrointestinal Tract.

Alpacas, important genetic resources in the Andean region of Peru, are vulnerable to diarrhea caused by pathogenic parasites such as Eimeria lamae and Giardia sp., which can be fatal, especially in neonates, due to their physiological immaturity and limited adaptability. The study investigated the diversity and abundance of intestinal fungi and protists in alpacas infected with Eimeria lamae and Giardia sp. compared to healthy alpacas. A total of 19 alpacas, aged between one and two months, were included. They were divided into two groups, one with pathological conditions (nine) and the other healthy (ten). Parasitological analyses for the detection of parasites and subsequent molecular analysis were performed on the collected fecal samples. The results revealed a greater diversity and abundance of protists in infected alpacas in comparison with healthy alpacas, while the fungal composition did not show significant changes. Therefore, parasitic infections affect the protist component of the alpaca gut microbiota. Also, it was observed that Blastocystis was identified in all healthy alpacas, serving as a possible marker of the health of the intestinal microbiota; in addition, Prussia and Pichia are beneficial fungi that help control diseases. This groundbreaking study in neonatal alpacas is the first to explore potential changes in the intestinal microbiota during an infectious state, underscoring the importance of further research to comprehend its effects on alpaca health and immune responses.

Microsatellite-Based Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of Huacaya Alpacas (Vicugna pacos) in Southern Peru.

The alpaca population mostly consists of the Huacaya phenotype and is widely distributed in Southern Peru. This study aimed to estimate the genetic diversity and population structure of two Huacaya alpaca populations (Ajoyani and Quimsachata) using fourteen and twelve microsatellite markers for each population, respectively. A total of 168 alpaca biological samples were outsourced to Peruvian laboratories for DNA extraction and genotyping. For genetic diversity, observed heterozygosity (Ho), expected heterozygosity (He), polymorphism information content (PIC), and fixation indices values were estimated. An admixture analysis was performed for the population structure analysis. Different programs were used for these estimations. In total, 133 (Ajoyani) and 129 (Quimsachata) alleles were found, with a range of 4 to 17 by locus. The mean HO, HE, and PIC per marker for Ajoyani were 0.764 ± 0.112, 0.771 ± 0.1, and 0.736; for Quimsachata, they were 0.783 ± 0.087, 0.773 ± 0.095, and 0.738, respectively. The population structure showed no structure with K = 2. This study provides useful indicators for the creation of appropriate alpaca conservation programs.

Genetic diversity and population structure of a Peruvian cattle herd using SNP data.

New-generation sequencing technologies, among them SNP chips for massive genotyping, are useful for the effective management of genetic resources. To date, molecular studies in Peruvian cattle are still scarce. For the first time, the genetic diversity and population structure of a reproductive nucleus cattle herd of four commercial breeds from a Peruvian institution were determined. This nucleus comprises Brahman (N = 9), Braunvieh (N = 9), Gyr (N = 5), and Simmental (N = 15) breeds. Additionally, samples from a locally adapted creole cattle, the Arequipa Fighting Bull (AFB, N = 9), were incorporated. Female individuals were genotyped with the GGPBovine100K and males with the BovineHD. Quality control, and the proportion of polymorphic SNPs, minor allele frequency, expected heterozygosity, observed heterozygosity, and inbreeding coefficient were estimated for the five breeds. Admixture, principal component analysis (PCA), and discriminant analysis of principal components (DAPC) were performed. Also, a dendrogram was constructed using the Neighbor-Joining clustering algorithm. The genetic diversity indices in all breeds showed a high proportion of polymorphic SNPs, varying from 51.42% in Gyr to 97.58% in AFB. Also, AFB showed the highest expected heterozygosity estimate (0.41 ± 0.01), while Brahman the lowest (0.33 ± 0.01). Besides, Braunvieh possessed the highest observed heterozygosity (0.43 ± 0.01), while Brahman the lowest (0.37 ± 0.02), indicating that Brahman was less diverse. According to the molecular variance analysis, 75.71% of the variance occurs within individuals, whereas 24.29% occurs among populations. The pairwise genetic differentiation estimates (FST) between breeds showed values that ranged from 0.08 (Braunvieh vs. AFB) to 0.37 (Brahman vs. Braunvieh). Similarly, pairwise Reynold's distance ranged from 0.09 (Braunvieh vs. AFB) to 0.46 (Brahman vs. Braunvieh). The dendrogram, similar to the PCA, identified two groups, showing a clear separation between Bos indicus (Brahman and Gyr) and B. taurus breeds (Braunvieh, Simmental, and AFB). Simmental and Braunvieh grouped closely with the AFB cattle. Similar results were obtained for the population structure analysis with K = 2. The results from this study would contribute to the appropriate management, avoiding loss of genetic variability in these breeds and for future improvements in this nucleus. Additional work is needed to speed up the breeding process in the Peruvian cattle system.