A novel heterozygote allele in caprine melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) gene: an association with heat stress traits.

Climate change negatively influences the productive and reproductive abilities of goats. There is a need to understand the relationship between heat stress and genes that may aid in the development of climate-resilient goats. Melanism variation in goats plays a role in thermoregulation, in which the melanogenic genes have a pleiotropic effect on the regulation of physiological responses and behavior that are altered due to heat stress in the animals. Thus, the present study was conducted to establish a possible association between the coat color gene (MC1R) and heat stress characteristics. The physiological responses and cortisol levels were recorded in forty different coat-colored goats. The genotyping of the animals revealed four SNPs at the 183rd (C/T), 332nd (C/G), 748th (G/T), and 801st (C/G) positions, among which the black and brown goat populations had novel SNPs at the 332nd position. Eight haplotypes were constructed, and an association study revealed that haplotypes (CCGG, TCGG, and CCTC) that were linked to white animals had lower cortisol values, rectal temperature, skin temperature, and respiration rate. The multivariate and cluster analyses revealed that the white goats were distinct from the rest of the goats. In addition, the docking results revealed the residues that were forming the interaction complex, which could play a role in melanogenesis in the animals and, in turn, the heat stress ability of the goats. Altogether, the results of the present study could pave the way for more research into coat color genes and their relationship with heat stress traits.

Molecular characterization and prevalence of bovine hemoprotozoan and rickettsial organism from Bhubaneswar, Eastern India.

The blood parasites adversely affect the bovine population and are one of the major hindrances to productivity and health of livestock, globally. This study aimed to study the prevalence of some bovine hemoparasites, their molecular characterization, and associated risk factors in and around Bhubaneswar, a place in Eastern India. Microscopy (Giemsa stained thin blood smear) and polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based prevalence studies were undertaken for a total of 106bovine blood samples belonging to different breed, age, and sex presented to Veterinary Clinical Complex. DNA was extracted by conventional method and primer targeting msp5 gene (382 bp) for Anaplasma marginale, Tams1 gene (572 bp) for Theileria annulata and VSG RoTat 1.2 gene (110 bp) for Trypanosoma evansi, were used. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis were also carried out for representative PCR products. The risk factors were correlated with prevalence by logistic regression analysis. Blood smear examination revealed a prevalence an overall of 48.11% (51/106) out of which the prevalence of T. annulata, A. marginale and T. evansi, and concurrent infection were reported to be 26.42%, 10.38%, 3.77%, and 7.55% respectively. All the samples found positive in microscopy were also found positive in PCR. PCR assay revealed an overall prevalence of 73.58% (T. annulata: 37.74%, A. marginale:17.92%, T. evansi: 5.66% and concurrent infection:12.26%). A higher prevalence was observed in the age group of 2-4 years (37.74%), females (61.32%) and cross-bred Jersey (50%). Representative PCR products were sequenced and assigned by GenBank (OL550058: A. marginale; OL604429: T. annulata and OL550059: T. evansi). There is a paucity of disease mapping of these parasites in most parts of the country. The study is probably the first report of molecular characterization of T. evansi and A. marginale from the region which gives some information of possible genetic diversity of the isolates circulating in the region. Future research should include large-scale epidemiological surveys as well as concurrent diagnosis of these hemoparasites for better treatment and control strategies.