Selection signatures and landscape genomics analysis to reveal climate adaptation of goat breeds.

Goats have achieved global prominence as essential livestock since their initial domestication, primarily owing to their remarkable adaptability to diverse environmental and production systems. Differential selection pressures influenced by climate have led to variations in their physical attributes, leaving genetic imprints within the genomes of goat breeds raised in diverse agroecological settings. In light of this, our study pursued a comprehensive analysis, merging environmental data with single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variations, to unearth indications of selection shaped by climate-mediated forces in goats. Through the examination of 43,300 SNPs from 51 indigenous goat breeds adapting to different climatic conditions using four analytical methods: latent factor mixed models (LFMM), F-statistics (Fst), Extended haplotype homozygosity across populations (XPEHH), and spatial analysis method (SAM), A total of 74 genes were revealed to display clear signs of selection, which are believed to be influenced by climatic conditions. Among these genes, 32 were consistently identified by at least two of the applied methods, and three genes (DENND1A, PLCB1, and ITPR2) were confirmed by all four approaches. Moreover, our investigation yielded 148 Gene Ontology (GO) terms based on these 74 genes, underlining pivotal biological pathways crucial for environmental adaptation. These pathways encompass functions like vascular smooth muscle contraction, cellular response to heat, GTPase regulator activity, rhythmic processes, and responses to temperature stimuli. Of significance, GO terms about endocrine regulation and energy metabolic responses, key for local adaptation were also uncovered, including biological processes, such as cell differentiation, regulation of peptide hormone secretion, and lipid metabolism. These findings contribute to our knowledge of the genetic structure of climate-triggered adaptation across the goat genome and have practical implications for marker-assisted breeding in goats.

Serum proteomic analysis reveals high frequency of haptoglobin deficiency and elevated thyroxine level in heroin addicts.

Heroin addiction is a chronic, complex disease, often accompanied by other concomitant disorders, which may encumber effective prevention and treatment. To explore the differences in expression profiles of serum proteins in control and heroin addicts, we used two-dimensional electrophoresis coupled to MALDI-TOF/TOF, and identified 4 proteins of interest. Following validation of the increase in serum transthyretin, we assessed serum levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), triiodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4), and observed a robust increase in T4 in heroin addicts compared to controls. In addition, we performed haptoglobin (Hp) phenotyping, and showed that the frequency of Hp0 (serum devoid of haptoglobin) was significantly higher in heroin addicts. Altogether, these findings indicated that: (1) thyroid hormone imbalance is present in heroin addicts; (2) anhaptoglobinemia (Hp0) might a risk factor or a deleterious effect of heroin abuse.

Serum proteomics of methamphetamine addicts and up-regulation of complement factor H related to methamphetamine addiction.

Methamphetamine (METH) is a new type of drug with strong tolerance and addiction. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the processes of METH addiction are still not fully understood. To determine possible biomarkers and mechanisms that are responsible for METH addiction, a 2-DE based proteomics approach was used to evaluate the changes in protein expression of the serum in Chinese patients addicted to METH, which to the best of our knowledge is the first study of its kind. We identified five proteins that were markedly altered and complement factor H (CFH), the most stably up-expressed protein in each 2-DE experiment, was further studied using the rat conditioned place preference (CPP) model to detect any changes to its expression in the sera and six brain regions of interest. We report, for the first time, that CFH was positive related to METH addiction.

Proteome studies on liver tissue in a phenobarbital-induced rat model.

Many drugs may affect the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP), which is a major source of adverse drug interactions (ADR). Phenobarbital (PB) is the typical inducer of cytochrome P450. The aim of our study was to determine the changes in the cytosolic proteins expression in rat liver at a protein level following induction of cytochrome P450. Firstly, we made a phenobarbital-induced cytochrome P450 rat model. The total cytosolic proteins were then extracted from rat liver tissue and separated by 2-D gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Differentially expressed spots were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF tandem mass spectrometry followed by database searching. Eight differentially expressed proteins were identified and these proteins were found to be involved in protein degradation, oxidative stress, energy metabolism, biotransformation, and the synthesis of quinolinic acid (QUIN). These findings should provide useful information for research into the regulation of cytochrome P450 gene expression, drug metabolism and drug interaction.

Down-regulation of DJ-1 protein in the ejaculated spermatozoa from Chinese asthenozoospermia patients.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether the expression of DJ-1 protein, whose levels in spermatozoa have been reported to be highly correlated with male infertility caused by toxicants, is changed in spermatozoa of Chinese asthenozoospermia patients. DESIGN: DJ-1 measurement by Western blotting, quantitive ELISA, and isoelectric-focusing electrophoresis (IFE) combined with immunoblotting. SETTING: Academic medical center and research laboratories. PATIENT(S): Asthenozoospermia patients (n = 113), including mild asthenozoospermia patients (n = 70) and moderate asthenozoospermia patients (n = 43), and age-matched control subjects (n = 58). INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): DJ-1 in spermatozoa was determined by Western blotting and ELISA, the isoelectric point (pI) of DJ-1 by IFE combined with immunoblotting, and sperm superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity by an assay kit. RESULT(S): The sperm DJ-1 concentration in moderate asthenozoospermia patients was lower than those in mild asthenozoospermia patients and control subjects. DJ-1 with a more acidic pI was increased in asthenozoospermia patients. Sperm SOD activity was decreased in asthenozoospermia patients. CONCLUSION(S): DJ-1 levels are reduced in moderate asthenozoospermia patients. DJ-1 concentration is positively correlated with sperm motility and sperm SOD activity indicated by partial correlation analysis.