Fate and recovery of nitrogen applied as slow release brown coal-urea in field microcosms: 15N tracer study.

The over-use of synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilisers for crop production can cause environmental pollution through leaching and gaseous losses, resulting in low N use efficiency (NUE). Previous work has shown that brown coal (BC) combined with urea can slow down the fertiliser-N release to better synchronise soil N supply with crop N demand. The study aimed to evaluate the impact of granulated BC-urea (BCU) applied to sweet corn on NUE, fate and recovery of fertiliser-N using an 15N tracer technique. In this in-field microcosm study, 10 atom percent enriched 15N-labelled urea (46% N) and BCU (20% N) were applied as N fertilisers at rates of 90 or 180 kg N ha-1. On average, BCU fertiliser reduced the urea-derived 15N losses as nitrous oxide (N2O) by 64%, ammonia (NH3) by 73% and downward movement of total N by 59% compared to urea. Reduced losses of applied BCU fertiliser-15N were associated with significantly increased microbial immobilisation, soil retention and availability of fertiliser-15N to plants for longer periods of time, compared with urea. As a result, BCU enhanced cob yield by an average of 23%, 15N uptake by 21% and fertiliser NUE by 21% over urea. The plant recovery of fertiliser-15N was significantly higher from BCU (59%) than the recovery from urea (38%). Moreover, mining of native soil-N was lower when the N-fertiliser source was BCU cf. urea, suggesting that BCU could be used as a more N-efficient alternative to urea in cropping systems.

Prevention of mastitis in multiparous dairy cows with a previous history of mastitis by oral feeding with probiotic Bacillus subtilis.

Mastitis is a very common inflammatory disease of the mammary gland of dairy cows, resulting in a reduction of milk production and quality. Probiotics may serve as an alternative to antibiotics to prevent mastitis, and the use of probiotics in this way may lessen the risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria developing. We investigated the effect of oral feeding of probiotic Bacillus subtilis (BS) C-3102 strain on the onset of mastitis in dairy cows with a previous history of mastitis. BS feeding significantly decreased the incidence of mastitis, the average number of medication days and the average number of days when milk was discarded, and maintained the mean SCC in milk at a level substantially lower than the control group. BS feeding was associated with lower levels of cortisol and TBARS and increased the proportion of CD4+ T cells and CD11c+ CD172ahigh dendritic cells in the blood by flow cytometry analysis. Parturition increased the migrating frequency of granulocytes toward a milk chemoattractant cyclophilin A in the control cows, however, this was reduced by BS feeding, possibly indicating a decreased sensitivity of peripheral granulocytes to cyclophilin A. These results reveal that B. subtilis C-3102 has potential as a probiotic and has preventative capacity against mastitis in dairy cows.

Microspectroscopic visualization of how biochar lifts the soil organic carbon ceiling.

The soil carbon (C) saturation concept suggests an upper limit to the storage of soil organic carbon (SOC). It is set by the mechanisms that protect soil organic matter from mineralization. Biochar has the capacity to protect new C, including rhizodeposits and microbial necromass. However, the decadal-scale mechanisms by which biochar influences the molecular diversity, spatial heterogeneity, and temporal changes in SOC persistence, remain unresolved. Here we show that the soil C storage ceiling of a Ferralsol under subtropical pasture was raised by a second application of Eucalyptus saligna biochar 8.2 years after the first application-the first application raised the soil C storage ceiling by 9.3 Mg new C ha-1 and the second application raised this by another 2.3 Mg new C ha-1. Linking direct visual evidence from one-, two-, and three-dimensional analyses with SOC quantification, we found high spatial heterogeneity of C functional groups that resulted in the retention of rhizodeposits and microbial necromass in microaggregates (53-250 µm) and the mineral fraction (<53 µm). Microbial C-use efficiency was concomitantly increased by lowering specific enzyme activities, contributing to the decreased mineralization of native SOC by 18%. We suggest that the SOC ceiling can be lifted using biochar in (sub)tropical grasslands globally.

Associations between Gastrointestinal Nematode Infection Burden and Lying Behaviour as Measured by Accelerometers in Periparturient Ewes.

The application of precision livestock farming (PLF) technologies will underpin new strategies to support the control of livestock disease. However, PLF technology is underexploited within the sheep industry compared to other livestock sectors, and research is essential to identify opportunities for PLF applications. These opportunities include the control of endemic sheep disease such as parasitic gastroenteritis, caused by gastrointestinal nematode infections, which is estimated to cost the European sheep industry EUR 120 million annually. In this study, tri-axial accelerometers recorded the behaviour of 54 periparturient Welsh Mule ewes to discover if gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) infection burden, as measured by faecal egg count (FEC), was associated with behavioural variation. Linear mixed models identified that increasing FECs in periparturient ewes were significantly associated with a greater number of lying bouts per day and lower bout durations (p = 0.013 and p = 0.010, respectively). The results demonstrate that FECs of housed periparturient ewes are associated with detectable variations in ewe behaviour, and as such, with further investigation there is potential to develop future targeted selective treatment protocols against GIN in sheep based on behaviour as measured by PLF technologies.

Herbicide residues in Australian grain cropping soils at sowing and their relevance to crop growth.

Herbicides are used extensively in Australian grain cropping systems. Despite occasional observations of herbicide-induced phytotoxicity, there is little information on the persistence and carryover of multiple herbicide classes in cropping soils and the risk to subsequent crops. Two soil surveys were conducted, in 2015 (n = 40) and 2016 (n = 42), across different Australian grain cropping fields prior to sowing of winter crops, and soil samples analysed for herbicide residues (16 analytes in 2015 and 22 analytes in 2016). Samples in 2015 were taken at two depths (0-10 cm and 10-30 cm), whilst samples in 2016 were taken in topsoil (0-10 cm) only, but from two discrete locations in each field. Our research in both years found at least one herbicide (or herbicide metabolite) residue at all sites, with a median of 6 analytes detected in 2015 and 7 analytes detected in 2016. The most frequently detected residues were glyphosate and its primary breakdown product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), in 87 and 100%, respectively, of topsoil (0-10 cm) samples in 2015, and 67 and 93% of samples in 2016. The median concentration of glyphosate in 2015 was 0.12 mg kg-1, while AMPA was 0.41 mg kg-1. In 2016, median concentrations of glyphosate and AMPA were 0.22 mg kg-1 and 0.31 mg kg-1. Residues of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, trifluralin and diflufenican were also detected in >40% of topsoil samples in both seasons, but with median concentrations of <0.05 mg kg-1. A literature review found limited availability of phytotoxicity thresholds for major grain crops exposed to soilborne herbicide residues. A risk assessment using available thresholds suggested that although up to 29% of fields contained trifluralin residues that could constrain cereal crop growth, and 24% of fields contained residues of phenoxy or sulfonylureas that could affect dicotyledonous crops, the majority of these fields when planted with tolerant crops would be unlikely to be affected by herbicide residues. More work is required to ascertain the spatial distribution, bioavailability and phytotoxicity of residues and residue mixtures to enable a more accurate agronomic risk assessment.

Temporal dynamics of trematode intermediate snail host environmental DNA in small water body habitats.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveying has potential to become a powerful tool for sustainable parasite control. As trematode parasites require an intermediate snail host that is often aquatic or amphibious to fulfil their lifecycle, water-based eDNA analyses can be used to screen habitats for the presence of snail hosts and identify trematode infection risk areas. The aim of this study was to identify climatic and environmental factors associated with the detection of Galba truncatula eDNA. Fourteen potential G. truncatula habitats on two farms were surveyed over a 9-month period, with eDNA detected using a filter capture, extraction and PCR protocol with data analysed using a generalized estimation equation. The probability of detecting G. truncatula eDNA increased in habitats where snails were visually detected, as temperature increased, and as water pH decreased (P < 0.05). Rainfall was positively associated with eDNA detection in watercourse habitats on farm A, but negatively associated with eDNA detection in watercourse habitats on farm B (P < 0.001), which may be explained by differences in watercourse gradient. This study is the first to identify factors associated with trematode intermediate snail host eDNA detection. These factors should be considered in standardized protocols to evaluate the results of future eDNA surveys.

Interaction of preimplantation factor with the global bovine endometrial transcriptome.

Preimplantation factor (PIF) is an embryo derived peptide which exerts an immune modulatory effect on human endometrium, promoting immune tolerance to the embryo whilst maintaining the immune response to invading pathogens. While bovine embryos secrete PIF, the effect on the bovine endometrium is unknown. Maternal recognition of pregnancy is driven by an embryo-maternal cross talk, however the process differs between humans and cattle. As many embryos are lost during the early part of pregnancy in cattle, a greater knowledge of factors affecting the embryo-maternal crosstalk, such as PIF, is needed to improve fertility. Therefore, for the first time, we demonstrate the effect of synthetic PIF (sPIF) on the bovine transcriptome in an ex vivo bovine endometrial tissue culture model. Explants were cultured for 30h with sPIF (100nM) or in control media. Total RNA was analysed via RNA-sequencing. As a result of sPIF treatment, 102 genes were differentially expressed compared to the control (Padj<0.1), although none by more than 2-fold. The majority of genes (78) were downregulated. Pathway analysis revealed targeting of several immune based pathways. Genes for the TNF, NF-κB, IL-17, MAPK and TLR signalling pathways were down-regulated by sPIF. However, some immune genes were demonstrated to be upregulated following sPIF treatment, including C3. Steroid biosynthesis was the only over-represented pathway with all genes upregulated. We demonstrate that sPIF can modulate the bovine endometrial transcriptome in an immune modulatory manner, like that in the human endometrium, however, the regulation of genes was much weaker than in previous human work.

Rapid detection of Galba truncatula in water sources on pasture-land using loop-mediated isothermal amplification for control of trematode infections.

BACKGROUND: Fascioliasis caused by the trematodes Fasciola hepatica and F. gigantica, is a global neglected zoonotic disease estimated to cost the livestock industry over €2.5 billion annually. Farm management measures and sustainable use of anthelmintics can, in principle, effectively control trematode infection in livestock and reduce the rate of developing anthelmintic resistance. Previously, we designed an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay to identify a common trematode intermediate host, the freshwater snail Galba truncatula, in water sources to measure specific trematode infection risk areas on pasture-land. To improve this procedure, we now report a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay to identify G. truncatula eDNA. METHODS: A LAMP assay was designed and optimised (e.g. temperature, time duration and primer concentration) to identify G. truncatula DNA. The ability of the LAMP assay to target G. truncatula DNA was identified, and LAMP assay limit of detection was investigated in comparison to conventional PCR. In the field, 48 water samples were collected from stream, ditch and water pool habitats in four locations at two Aberystwyth University farms over a seven week period to investigate the applicability of the LAMP assay for use on eDNA samples, in comparison to conventional PCR. RESULTS: The LAMP assay delivered detectable results in 30 min at 63 °C. The assay discriminated between G. truncatula DNA and non-target DNA, presenting a level of DNA detection comparable to conventional PCR. No significant difference was found between the ability of the LAMP and PCR assay to identify G. truncatula eDNA in water samples. Kappa coefficient analysis revealed a moderate level of agreement between LAMP and PCR assays. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that the LAMP assay can detect G. truncatula eDNA in a simple and rapid manner. The LAMP assay may become a valuable tool to determine optimum pasture management for trematode parasite control.

IL-12p40 gene expression in lung and hilar lymph nodes of MPS-resistant pigs.

Mycoplasma pneumonia of swine (MPS) is caused by Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae (M.hp) and is a common chronic respiratory disease of pigs. Recently, a genetically selected variant of the Landrace pig (Miyagino L2) has a lower incidence of pulmonary MPS lesions. We investigated the pathological and immunological characteristics of MPS resistance in these pigs (n = 24) by comparing with the normal landrace pig (control: n = 24). The pathological MPS lung lesion score in MPS-selected landrace pigs was significantly lower than in the control. The gene expression of interleukin (IL)-12p40, which acts as a chemoattractant and a component of the bioactive cytokines IL-12 and IL-23, was significantly higher at the hilar lymph nodes, lung, and spleen in MPS-selected landrace pigs than in control landrace pigs, and these were negatively correlated with the macroscopic MPS lung lesion score. In summary, we demonstrate that resistance against MPS in Miyagino L2 pigs is associated with IL-12p40 up-regulation, in comparison with normal landrace pigs without the MPS vaccine. In addition, a comparative study of macroscopic MPS lung lesions and IL-12p40 gene expression in lung and hilar lymph nodes may lead to beneficial selection traits for the genetic selection for MPS resistance in pigs.

A slow release brown coal-urea fertiliser reduced gaseous N loss from soil and increased silver beet yield and N uptake.

Increasing crop yield and fertiliser nitrogen (N)-use efficiency is important for productive agricultural systems with a reduced environmental footprint. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of slow release brown coal-urea (BCU) fertiliser on the gaseous N losses, biomass yield and N uptake by silver beet (Beta vulgaris L.) compared to commercial urea. Two soils were amended with urea, BCU 1 (22% N) or BCU 2 (17% N) as N-fertiliser at the rate of 50 or 100 kg N ha-1. Five gas sampling periods were undertaken to measure the loss of N as N2O and NH3. After 10 weeks, biomass, N concentration, and N uptake of silver beet, and mineral and mineralisable N of post-harvest soil were measured. BCU substantially increased fertiliser N availability and uptake by silver beet, reduced N2O emission by 29% and NH3 emission by 36% compared to urea alone, irrespective of soil type. Compared to urea, BCU blends increased biomass yield by 27% and 23% in a Tenosol and Dermosol soil, respectively. In addition, application of BCU fertiliser substantially enhanced the potentially mineralisable N and organic carbon content of soil. These results provide evidence that granulation of urea with brown coal (BC) can increase silver beet N-use efficiency and yield in different soil types, and more work is now required to validate this technology for other crops.

Assessing plant-available glyphosate in contrasting soils by diffusive gradient in thin-films technique (DGT).

Glyphosate represents one quarter of global herbicide sales, with growing interest in both its fate in soils and potential to cause non-target phytotoxicity to plants. However, assessing glyphosate bioavailability to plants from soil residues remains challenging. Here we demonstrate that the diffusive gradient in thin-films technique (DGT) can effectively measure available glyphosate across boundary conditions typical of the soil environment: pH 4-9, P concentrations of 20-300 µg P L-1 and NaHCO3 concentrations of 10-1800 mg L-1. In this study, four soils with different glyphosate sorption properties were dosed with up to 16 mg kg-1 of glyphosate and phytotoxicity to wheat and lupin was measured against the DGT-glyphosate concentrations. An improved dose response curve was obtained for root elongation of wheat and lupin across soil types when DGT-glyphosate was used instead of alkaline-extractable (i.e., total extractable) glyphosate. Total extractable glyphosate concentrations of 2.6 and 5.0 mg glyphosate kg-1 in the sandy Tenosol, equivalent to 2.9 and 6.5 µg L-1 DGT-extractable glyphosate, reduced the root length of lupins (but not wheat) by 32-36% compared with the untreated control. DGT is therefore a promising method for assessing phytotoxic levels of glyphosate across different soils.

Nitrogen Dynamics in Soil Fertilized with Slow Release Brown Coal-Urea Fertilizers.

Reducing the release rate of urea can increase its use efficiency and minimize negative effects on the environment. A novel fertilizer material that was formed by blending brown coal (BC) with urea, delayed fertilizer N release in controlled climatic conditions in a glasshouse, through strong retention facilitated by the extensive surface area, porous structure and chemical functional groups in the BC. However, the role of BC as a carrier of synthetic urea and the effect of their interaction with various soil types on the dynamics and mineralization of N remains largely unclear. Therefore, a soil column incubation study was conducted to assess the release, transformation and transportation of N from several different brown coal-urea (BCU) granules, compared to commercial urea. Blending and subsequent granulation of urea with BC substantially increased fertilizer N retention in soil by decreasing gaseous emissions and leaching of N compared to urea alone, irrespective of soil type. The BCU granule containing the highest proportion of BC had lower leaching and gaseous emissions and maintained considerably higher mineral and mineralizable N in topsoil. Possible modes of action of the BCU granules have been proposed, emphasizing the role of BC in enhancing N retention over a longer period of time. The results support the notion that BCU granules can be used as a slow release and enhanced efficiency fertilizer for increasing availability and use efficiency of N by crops.

Phenotypic and functional analysis of bovine peripheral blood dendritic cells before parturition by a novel purification method.

Dendritic cells (DCs) are specialized antigen presenting cells specializing in antigen uptake and processing, and play an important role in the innate and adaptive immune response. A subset of bovine peripheral blood DCs was identified as CD172a+ /CD11c+ /MHC (major histocompatibility complex) class II+ cells. Although DCs are identified at 0.1%-0.7% of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), the phenotype and function of DCs remain poorly understood with regard to maintaining tolerance during the pregnancy. All cattle used in this study were 1 month before parturition. We have established a novel method for the purification of DCs from PBMC using magnetic-activated cell sorting, and purified the CD172a+ /CD11c+ DCs, with high expression of MHC class II and CD40, at 84.8% purity. There were individual differences in the expressions of CD205 and co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 on DCs. There were positive correlations between expression of cytokine and co-stimulatory molecules in DCs, and the DCs maintained their immune tolerance, evidenced by their low expressions of the co-stimulatory molecules and cytokine production. These results suggest that before parturition a half of DCs may be immature and tend to maintain tolerance based on the low cytokine production, and the other DCs with high co-stimulatory molecules may already have the ability of modulating the T-cell linage.

Effects of preimplantation factor on interleukin-6 and prostaglandin F2α and E2 in the bovine endometrium.

Preimplantation factor (PIF) is a pregnancy specific peptide with immune modulatory properties exerted on the human endometrium. Viable bovine embryos secrete PIF, but its effect on the bovine endometrial immune response is unknown, both in native and inflammatory stimulated endometrial tissue. An ex vivo bovine endometrial tissue culture model was used with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as an inflammatory stimulant. The effect of synthetic PIF (sPIF) was assessed, in three separate experiments, on the secretion or mRNA expression of essential prostaglandins and cytokines. Radioimmunoassays were used to assess prostaglandin secretion and ELISA for IL-6 secretion from endometrial explants. mRNA expression of IL6 and IL8 was analysed from endometrial explants with real-time PCR. Synthetic PIF reduced native IL-6 secretion from explants when pre-treated for 24 h. There was no effect of sPIF on IL-6 secretion from LPS challenged explants; however, sPIF increased IL6 mRNA expression when challenged with 500 ng/mL LPS. There was no effect of sPIF on prostaglandin secretion or mRNA expression of IL8. Therefore, sPIF is able to modulate the native IL-6 production pathway in the bovine endometrium, yet demonstrates no effect on prostaglandin secretion or IL8 expression. Unlike in human studies, effects of sPIF were minimal, thus sPIF is not an effective modulator of the immune targets investigated in the bovine endometrium.

Hybrid brown coal-urea fertiliser reduces nitrogen loss compared to urea alone.

Synthetic nitrogen (N) fertilisers, such as urea, are susceptible to rapid dissipation from soil. More gradual release of mineral N from fertiliser may reduce the off-site movement of mineral N, thereby enhancing N supply to crops and minimising negative off-site impacts. We hypothesised that granulation of urea with humified brown coal (BC) delays mineral N release and maintains higher concentrations of N in soil than conventional urea granules. Four different brown coal-urea granules, with C:N ratios of 1-10, were prepared by pan granulation. Advanced spectroscopic and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) techniques confirmed loading of urea-N into the BC structure. Nitrogen-release from BCU granules was slower than from urea, resulting in higher N retention over a longer period for increasing growth and N uptake by crop plants. This trend increased with higher loading of BC, emphasising the significant role of BC in N retention. These findings support the hypothesis that BC is suitable for developing slow release N fertilisers.

Comparison of the microbial population in rabbits and guinea pigs by next generation sequencing.

This study aimed to determine the microbial composition of faeces from two groups of caecotrophagic animals; rabbits and guinea pigs. In addition the study aimed to determine the community present in the different organs in the rabbit. DNA was extracted from seven of the organs in wild rabbits (n = 5) and from faecal samples from domesticated rabbits (n = 6) and guinea pigs (n = 6). Partial regions of the small ribosomal sub-unit were amplified by PCR and then the sequences present in each sample were determined by next generation sequencing. Differences were detected between samples from rabbit and guinea pig faeces, suggesting that there is not a microbial community common to caecotrophagic animals. Differences were also detected in the different regions of the rabbits' digestive tracts. As with previous work, many of the organisms detected were Firmicutes or unclassified species and there was a lack of Fibrobacteres, but for the first time we observed a high number of Bacteroidetes in rabbit samples. This work re-iterates high levels of Firmicutes and unclassified species are present in the rabbit gut, together with low number of Fibrobacteres. This suggests that in the rabbit gut, organisms other than the Fibrobacteres must be responsible for fibre digestion. However observation of high numbers of Bacteroidetes suggests that this phylum may indeed have a role to play in digestion in the rabbit gut.

Cyclophilin A is a new M cell marker of bovine intestinal epithelium.

Microfold (M) cells in the follicle-associated epithelium (FAE) of Peyer's patches contribute to the mucosal immune response by the transcytosis of microorganisms. The mechanism by which M cells take up microorganisms, and the functional proteins by which they do this, are not clear. In order to explore one such protein, we developed a 2H5-F3 monoclonal antibody (2H5-F3 mAb) through its binding to bovine M cells, and identified the antibody reactive molecule as cyclophilin A (Cyp-A). The localization patterns of Cyp-A were very similar to the localization pattern of cytokeratin (CK) 18-positive M cells. Cyp-A was identified at the luminal surface of CK18-positive M cells in bovine jejunal and ileal FAE. The membranous localization of Cyp-A in the bovine intestinal cell line (BIE cells) increased as cells differentiated toward M cells, as determined by flow cytometry analysis. Additionally, BIE cells released Cyp-A to the extracellular space and the differentiation of BIE cells to M cells increased the secretion of Cyp-A, as determined by western blotting. Accordingly, Cyp-A may be localized in M cells in the small intestinal epithelium of cattle. The rise of the membranous localization and secretion of Cyp-A by differentiation toward M cells indicates that Cyp-A has an important role in the function of M cells. While Cyp-A of the M cell membrane may contribute to the uptake of viruses with peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase activity, in the extracellular space Cyp-A may work as a chemokine and contribute to the distribution of immuno-competent cells.

Serotonin Improves High Fat Diet Induced Obesity in Mice.

There are two independent serotonin (5-HT) systems of organization: one in the central nervous system and the other in the periphery. 5-HT affects feeding behavior and obesity in the central nervous system. On the other hand, peripheral 5-HT also may play an important role in obesity, as it has been reported that 5-HT regulates glucose and lipid metabolism. Here we show that the intraperitoneal injection of 5-HT to mice inhibits weight gain, hyperglycemia and insulin resistance and completely prevented the enlargement of intra-abdominal adipocytes without having any effect on food intake when on a high fat diet, but not on a chow diet. 5-HT increased energy expenditure, O2 consumption and CO2 production. This novel metabolic effect of peripheral 5-HT is critically related to a shift in the profile of muscle fiber type from fast/glycolytic to slow/oxidative in soleus muscle. Additionally, 5-HT dramatically induced an increase in the mRNA expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor coactivator 1α (PGC-1α)-b and PGC-1α-c in soleus muscle. The elevation of these gene mRNA expressions by 5-HT injection was inhibited by treatment with 5-HT receptor (5HTR) 2A or 7 antagonists. Our results demonstrate that peripheral 5-HT may play an important role in the relief of obesity and other metabolic disorders by accelerating energy consumption in skeletal muscle.

Extracellular cyclophilin A possesses chemotaxic activity in cattle.

Cyclophilin A (CyPA) was originally discovered in bovine thymocytes as a cytosolic binding protein of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporine A. Recent studies have revealed that in mice and humans, CyPA is secreted from cells in injured or infected tissues and plays a role in recruiting inflammatory cells in those tissues. Here we found that in cattle abundant level of extracellular CyPA was observed in tissues with inflammation. To aid in investigating the role of extracellular CyPA in cattle, we generated recombinant bovine CyPA (rbCyPA) and tested its biological activity as an inflammatory mediator. When bovine peripheral blood cells were treated with rbCyPA in vitro, we observed that rbCyPA reacts with the membranous surface of granulocytes, monocytes and lymphocytes. Chemotaxis analysis showed that the granulocytes migrate toward rbCyPA and the migration is inhibited by pre-treatment with an anti-bovine CyPA antibody. These results indicate that, as for mice and humans, extracellular CyPA possesses chemotactic activity to recruit inflammatory cells (e.g., granulocytes) in cattle, and could thus be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammation.

Unmasking Novel Loci for Internal Phosphorus Utilization Efficiency in Rice Germplasm through Genome-Wide Association Analysis.

Depletion of non-renewable rock phosphate reserves and phosphorus (P) fertilizer price increases has renewed interest in breeding P-efficient varieties. Internal P utilization efficiency (PUE) is of prime interest because there has been no progress to date in breeding for high PUE. We characterized the genotypic variation for PUE present within the rice gene pool by using a hydroponic system that assured equal plant P uptake, followed by mapping of loci controlling PUE via Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS). Loci associated with PUE were mapped on chromosomes 1, 4, 11 and 12. The highest PUE was associated with a minor indica-specific haplotype on chromosome 1 and a rare aus-specific haplotype on chromosome 11. Comparative variant and expression analysis for genes contained within the chromosome 1 haplotype identified high priority candidate genes. Differences in coding regions and expression patterns between genotypes of contrasting haplotypes, suggested functional alterations for two predicted nucleic acid-interacting proteins that are likely causative for the observed differences in PUE. The loci reported here are the first identified for PUE in any crop that is not confounded by differential P uptake among genotypes. Importantly, modern rice varieties lacked haplotypes associated with superior PUE, and would thus benefit from targeted introgressions of these loci from traditional donors to improve plant growth in phosphorus-limited cropping systems.