RESUMEN
Although humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) calves are reported to vocalize, this has not been measurably verified. During March 2006, an underwater video camera and two-element hydrophone array were used to record nonsong vocalizations from a mother-calf escort off Hawaii. Acoustic data were analyzed; measured time delays between hydrophones provided bearings to 21 distinct vocalizations produced by the male calf. Signals were pulsed (71%), frequency modulated (19%), or amplitude modulated (10%). They were of simple structure, low frequency (mean=220 Hz), brief duration (mean=170 ms), and relatively narrow bandwidth (mean=2 kHz). The calf produced three series of "grunts" when approaching the diver. During winters of the years 2001-2005 in Hawaii, nonsong vocalizations were recorded in 109 (65%) of 169 groups with a calf using an underwater video and single (omnidirectional) hydrophone. Nonsong vocalizations were most common (34 of 39) in lone mother-calf pairs. A subsample from this dataset of 60 signals assessed to be vocalizations provided strong evidence that 10 male and 18 female calves vocalized based on statistical similarity to the 21 verified calf signals, proximity to an isolated calf (27 of 28 calves), strong signal-to-noise ratio, and/or bubble emissions coincident to sound.
Asunto(s)
Acústica , Grabación de Cinta de Video , Vocalización Animal , Acústica/instrumentación , Comunicación Animal , Animales , Monitoreo del Ambiente/instrumentación , Hawaii , YubartaRESUMEN
The alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase 1 enzyme (GGTA1) produces the alpha-Gal epitopes, responsible for pig-to-human hyperacute xenograft rejection. Recently, efforts have been directed at inactivating the porcine GGTA1 gene in order to reduce hyperacute rejection. As very little is known about the genetic variability of this key gene among pig breeds, we investigated the variation in its nucleotide sequence, by amplification of the entire coding region with the use of polymerase chain reaction followed by DNA sequencing. Eight commercial pig populations were analysed and 17 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected: 11 in intronic regions and 6 in the 3' untranslated region (UTR). No SNPs change the encoded protein; however, 8 of these SNPs may alter the transcriptional regulation and pre-mRNA splicing of GGTA1.
Asunto(s)
Alelos , Galactosiltransferasas/genética , Variación Genética , Porcinos/genética , Animales , Regulación de la Expresión Génica/genética , Humanos , Intrones/genética , Polimorfismo de Nucleótido Simple/genética , Precursores del ARN/genética , Empalme del ARN/genética , Transcripción Genética , Trasplante HeterólogoRESUMEN
Gene duplications are common in the vertebrate genome, and duplicated loci often show a variation in copy number that may have important phenotypic effects. Here we describe a powerful method for quantification of duplicated copies based on pyrosequencing. A reliable quantification was obtained by amplification of the duplication break-point and a corresponding nonduplicated sequence in a competitive PCR assay. A comparison with an independent method for quantification based on the Invader technology revealed an excellent correlation between the two methods. The pyrosequencing-based method was evaluated by analyzing variation in copy number at the duplicated KIT/Dominant white locus in pigs. We were able to distinguish haplotypes at this locus by combining the duplication breakpoint test with a diagnostic test for a functionally important splice mutation in the duplicated gene. An extensive allelic variation, including the presence of a new allele carrying a single KIT copy expected to encode a truncated KIT receptor, was revealed when analyzing white pigs from commercial lines.
