Maternal genetic diversity and phylogenetic analysis of Indian riverine and swamp buffaloes: insights from complete mitochondrial genomes.

This study explored the genetic diversity and evolutionary history of riverine and swamp buffaloes in India, utilizing complete mitochondrial genome sequences. Through comprehensive sampling across varied agro-climatic zones, including 91 riverine buffaloes from 12 breeds and 6 non-descript populations, along with 16 swamp buffaloes of the Luit breed, this study employed next-generation sequencing techniques to map the mitogenomic landscape of these subspecies. Sequence alignments were performed with the buffalo mitochondrial reference genome to identify mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variations and distinct maternal haplogroups among Indian buffaloes. The results uncovered the existence of 212 variable sites in riverine buffaloes, yielding 67 haplotypes with high haplotype diversity (0.991), and in swamp buffaloes, 194 variable sites resulting in 12 haplotypes, displaying haplotype diversity of 0.950. Phylogenetic analyses elucidated the genetic relationships between Indian buffaloes and the recognized global haplogroups, categorizing Indian swamp buffaloes predominantly into the SA haplogroup. Intriguingly, the haplogroup SB2b was observed for the first time in swamp buffaloes. Conversely, riverine buffaloes conformed to established sub-haplogroups RB1, RB2, and RB3, underscoring the notion of Northwestern India as a pivotal domestication site for riverine buffaloes. The study supports the hypothesis of independent domestication events for riverine and swamp buffaloes, highlighting the critical role of genetic analysis in unraveling the complex evolutionary pathways of domestic animals. This investigation contributes to the global understanding of buffalo mitogenome diversity, offering insights into this important livestock species' domestication and dispersal patterns.

Molecular insights into Pashmina fiber production: comparative skin transcriptomic analysis of Changthangi goats and sheep.

Ladakh, one of the highest inhabited regions globally, hosts the unique Changthangi goat, renowned for producing Pashmina, the world's most luxurious natural fiber. In comparison, the fiber derived from Changthangi sheep is considered next only to Pashmina. This research endeavors to compare the skin transcriptome profiles of Changthangi goats and Changthangi sheep, aiming to discern the molecular determinants behind the recognition of Changthangi goats as the source of Pashmina. Drawing upon previously conducted studies, a collective of 225 genes correlated with fiber characteristics were extracted from the differentially expressed genes noticed between the two species (p-value of ≤ 0.05 and a log2 fold change of ≥ 1.5). These genes were analyzed using DAVID software to understand their biological functions and to identify enriched KEGG and Reactome pathways. The protein-protein interaction networks were constructed using Cytoscape, cytoHubba, and STRING to focus on key genes and infer their biological significance. Comparative transcriptome analysis revealed significantly higher expression of genes involved in signaling pathways like Wnt, MAPK, PI3K-Akt, Hedgehog, associated with fiber development and quality in Changthangi goats. These pathways play crucial roles in hair follicle (HF) formation, maintenance of epidermal stem cells, and fiber characteristics. Findings also highlight the enrichment of cell adhesion molecules and ECM-receptor interaction, emphasizing their roles in HF structure, growth, and signaling. This investigation offers an in-depth understanding of the molecular intricacies governing Pashmina production in Changthangi goats, providing valuable insights into their unique genetic makeup and underlying mechanisms influencing the exceptional quality of Pashmina fibers.

Comprehensive evaluation and validation of optimal reference genes for normalization of qPCR data in different caprine tissues.

BACKGROUND: Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) is a highly reliable method for validating gene expression data in molecular studies due to its sensitivity, specificity, and efficiency. To ensure accurate qPCR results, it's essential to normalize the expression data using stable reference genes. METHODS: This study aimed to identify suitable reference genes for qPCR studies in goats by evaluating 18 candidate reference genes (ACTB, BACH1, B2M, GAPDH, HMBS, HPRT1, PGK1, PPIA, PPIB, RPLP0, RPL19, RPS9, RPS15, RPS28, SDHA, TBP, UXT, and YWHAZ) in 10 different caprine tissues (heart, intestine, kidney, liver, lung, muscle, rumen, skin, spleen, and testis). An integrated tool called RefFinder, which incorporates various algorithms like NormFinder, GeNorm, BestKeeper, and ΔCt, was used to assess the stability of expression among these genes. RESULTS: After thorough analysis, ACTB, PPIB, and B2M emerged as the most stable reference genes, while RPL19, RPS15, and RPS9 were found to be the least stable. The suitability of the selected internal control genes was further validated through target gene analysis, confirming their efficacy in ensuring accurate gene expression profiling in goats. CONCLUSION: The study determined that the geometric average of ACTB, PPIB, and B2M creates an appropriate normalization factor for gene expression studies in goat tissues.

Genome-wide selection signatures address trait specific candidate genes in cattle indigenous to arid regions of India.

The peculiarity of Indian cattle lies in milk quality, resistance to diseases and stressors as well as adaptability. The investigation addressed selection signatures in Gir and Tharparkar cattle, belonging to arid ecotypes of India. Double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq) yielded nearly 26 million high-quality reads from unrelated seven Gir and seven Tharparkar cows. In all, 19,127 high-quality SNPs were processed for selection signature analysis. An approach involving within-population composite likelihood ratio (CLR) statistics and between-population FST statistics was used to capture selection signatures within and between the breeds, respectively. A total of 191 selection signatures were addressed using CLR and FST approaches. Selection signatures overlapping 86 and 73 genes were detected as Gir- and Tharparkar-specific, respectively. Notably, genes related to production (CACNA1D, GHRHR), reproduction (ESR1, RBMS3), immunity (NOSTRIN, IL12B) and adaptation (ADAM22, ASL) were annotated to selection signatures. Gene pathway analysis revealed genes in insulin/IGF pathway for milk production, gonadotropin releasing hormone pathway for reproduction, Wnt signalling pathway and chemokine and cytokine signalling pathway for adaptation. This is the first study where selection signatures are identified using ddRAD-seq in indicine cattle breeds. The study shall help in conservation and leveraging genetic improvements in Gir and Tharparkar cattle.

Skeletal muscle transcriptomics of sheep acclimated to cold desert and tropical regions identifies genes and pathways accentuating their diversity.

The current study attempts to investigate the differences in gene expression in longissimus thoracis muscles between sheep breeds acclimated to diverse environments. Changthangi sheep inhabits the cold arid plateau of Ladakh, at an altitude above 3000 m with prevalence of rarefied atmosphere. Muzzafarnagri sheep, on the other hand is found in the sub-tropical hot and humid plains at an altitude of about 250 m. Comparative transcriptomics was used to provide a molecular perspective of the differential adaptation of the two breeds. RNA sequencing data was generated from four biological replicates of the longissimus thoracis muscles from both breeds. The common genes expressed in both breeds were involved in muscle contraction and muscle fibre organization. The most significant pathways enriched in Changthangi muscles were glycogen metabolism, reduction of cytosolic Ca++ levels and NFE2L2 regulating anti-oxidant, while those in Muzzafarnagri were extracellular matrix organization and collagen formation. The hub genes identified in Changthangi were involved in hematopoiesis and HIF signaling pathway, suggesting the molecular acclimatization of Changthangi to the high altitude cold desert of Ladakh. The nodal genes discovered in Muzzafarnagri sheep were associated with the extracellular matrix which accentuates its significance in the development, growth and repair of muscles. The observed transcriptomic differences underscore the morphological and adaptive disparity between the two breeds. The candidate genes and pathways identified in this study will form the basis for future research on adaptation to high altitude and body size in small ruminants.

Therapeutic potential of Aloe vera-coated curcumin encapsulated nanoparticles in an Alzheimer-induced mice model: behavioural, biochemical and histopathological evidence.

OBJECTIVE: The main purpose of the present study was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of Aloe vera-coated curcumin encapsulated nanoparticles in mitigating Alzheimer's disease progression in mice, by examining behavioural changes, biochemical markers, and histopathological alterations, thus elucidating its potential as a treatment strategy. METHODS: The green synthesis method was used to synthesise this nanoformulation, which was then characterised using a variety of techniques, including percentage encapsulation efficacy, UV-visible spectroscopy, DLS, FT-IR, FESEM, and EDX. Several in-vivo assessments, including behavioural evaluations, dose optimisation studies, oxidative stress marker estimation, and histological studies, were conducted to determine the potential therapeutic impact of nanoformulation on the Alzheimer-induced mice model. RESULTS: The synthesised nanoparticles show a mean diameter of 76.12 nm ±1.23, a PDI of 0.313 ± 0.02, a zeta potential of 6.27 ± 0.65 mV, and the percentage encapsulation efficiency between 90% and 95% indicating good stability of synthesised nanoformulation. With the help of Morris water maze, Y-maze, and novel object recognition assay, the learning capacity and memory were assessed, and the results show that the synthesised nanoformulation significantly decreased the transfer latency to reach baited arm or to the hidden platform within 7 days. CONCLUSION: The formulation demonstrated significant biochemical benefits and remarkable cognitive advantages, establishing it as a prospective therapeutic intervention option that is both safe and effective.

Comparative manual and digital analysis of gonial angle in lateral cephalograms for gender determination.

Human skull has always been used for victim identification in forensic odontology. The gender-dimorphic bone of the skull is the mandible. The gonial angle has frequently been investigated for gender estimation with variable results and requires further exploration. We aim to compare the efficacy of gonial angle estimation by ancient methods of lateral cephalometric tracing compared with more recent digital analysis methods for gender estimation in the Indian population. Lateral cephalograms of 191 (96 M and 95F) cases above the age of 17 years were retrieved. Cephalometric analysis of gonial angle on radiographs was done using both manual cephalometric tracing method and digitally using Adobe Photoshop software. The results were subjected to statistical analysis for evaluation. The mean gonial angle was higher in females (125.05; 123.77 and 125.28) than in males (122.583; 121.715 and 122.008) using both manual and digital methods. On applying the logistical regression analysis (LRA), the digital method showed the highest gender estimation accuracy of 60.7% followed by Burstone's analysis (57.1%) and manual conventional analysis (56.5%). Burstone's analysis (57.9%) correctly identified increased females, whereas digital analysis (62.5%) and manual conventional analysis (59.4%) accurately recognised increased males. The present study showed a higher gender estimation accuracy using digital methods as compared to manual methods, but it still lacks the credibility to be used as a sole factor for predicting the gender of an individual. Hence, a cumulative factor must be taken into consideration for gender identification which would provide more promising results.

Study on the muscle transcriptome of two diverse Indian backyard poultry breeds acclimatized to different agro-ecological conditions.

OBJECTIVE: Free-range (FR) poultry production systems are associated with quality products and improved welfare. All the 19 diverse chicken breeds of India have evolved under the FR system and are adapted to different agro-climatic conditions. It is vital to explore indigenous germplasm with modern genomic tools to have insights into genomic characteristics of production traits and adaptation. METHODS: In this study, breast tissue transcriptome profiles were generated and analyzed from four biological replicates of two indigenous backyard poultry breeds of India-Ankaleshwar, a breed of the mainland, and Nicobari, a breed adapted to islands. The read quality of sequences was checked by FASTQC and processed reads were aligned to the reference genome (bGalGal1). RESULTS: More than 94% mapping to the reference genome was observed for all samples. A total of 12,790 transcripts were common across both groups, while 657 were expressed only in Ankaleshwar and 169 in Nicobari. The highest expressed genes across both groups were associated mainly with muscle structure, contraction, and energy metabolism. The highly expressed genes identified in Ankaleshwar were involved in fatty acid catabolism and oxidative stress mitigation. Functional terms, pathways, and hub genes in Nicobari participated in muscle fiber growth, adipogenesis, and fatty acid anabolism. A key hub gene (RAC1) in Nicobari is a potential candidate affecting the laying rate in chickens. The qRT-PCR results also substantiate the RNA-seq results. CONCLUSION: The findings provide a precious molecular resource to advance understanding of the genetic basis of adaptation, meat quality, and egg production in backyard chickens.

Assessment of genetic diversity of the fat-tailed Dumba sheep of India by mitochondrial and microsatellite markers.

India has a centuries-old tradition of sheep production and breeding that accomplish economic, agricultural, and religious roles. In addition to the 44 registered sheep breeds, there is a fat-tailed sheep population referred to as Dumba. This study evaluated genetic variation in Dumba sheep and its differentiation from other Indian sheep breeds using mitochondrial DNA and genomic microsatellite loci. Haplotype and nucleotide diversity based on mitochondrial DNA analysis revealed substantially high maternal genetic diversity in Dumba sheep. Major ovine haplogroups A and B observed in sheep populations across the globe registered their presence in the Dumba sheep. The molecular genetic analysis using microsatellite markers also showed high measures of allele (10.125 ± 0.762) and gene diversity (0.749 ± 0.029). Results correspond to the non-bottleneck population that is near mutation-drift equilibrium despite some deficiency in the number of heterozygotes (FIS = 0.043 ± 0.059). Phylogenetic clustering confirmed Dumba to be a distinct population. Results of this study endow authorities with critical information imperative for sustainable utilization and conservation of Indian fat-tailed sheep, which is considered to be an untapped genetic resource contributing to the food security, livelihood, and economic sustainability of rural households in marginal areas of the country.

Genetic diversity and differentiation of Thutho cattle from northeast India using microsatellite markers.

Cattle are losing maximum breeds among the world's livestock. Genetic variability data is essentially required for conservation decision-making. Thutho is a recently registered Indian cattle breed (INDIA_CATTLE_1400_THUTHO_03047) from the northeast region (NE), a biodiversity hotspot. Genetic diversity in the Thutho population and its differentiation from the only other cattle breed of NE (Siri) and cattle (Bachaur) of the neighboring region was established using highly polymorphic, FAO-recommended microsatellite markers. Numerous alleles (253) were detected across the 25 loci. The mean observed and expected numbers of alleles in the population were 10.12 ± 0.5 and 4.5 ± 0.37, respectively. The observed heterozygosity (0.67 ± 0.04) was lower than the expected heterozygosity (0.73 ± 0.03) which indicated a departure from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. A positive FIS value (0.097) confirmed the heterozygote deficiency in the Thutho population. Genetic distance, phylogenetic relationships, differentiation parameters, population assignment, and Bayesian analysis explicitly ascertained the unique genetic identity of the Thutho cattle. The population did not suffer any bottlenecks in the past. Thutho has minimum diversity among the three populations; hence, its scientific management needs to be initiated immediately. Interestingly, genetic variation is enough for formulating breeding programs for managing, improving, and conserving this precious indigenous cattle germplasm.

Genetic differentiation of Indian dromedary and Bactrian camel populations based on mitochondrial ATP8 and ATP6 genes.

Camelids are acknowledged worldwide to endure hostile conditions prevalent in the hot as well cold deserts across the globe. Adaptations to climatic extremes have been associated with mitochondrial protein variants such as ATP8 and ATP6 in different species. The camel genetic resources of India are represented by 9 breeds of dromedary camels which inhabit hot arid and semi-arid zones of the country and a small population of Bactrian camels found in the cold desert of Ladakh. In this study, within and between breed genetic diversity in Indian dromedaries and their divergence from Bactrian camels was investigated based on ATP8/6 genes. Sequence analysis of a mitochondrial DNA fragment encompassing ATP8 and ATP6 genes identified 15 haplotypes in the dromedaries of India and 3 haplotypes in Bactrian camels. The values of haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity were 0.647 and 0.00187 in the former and 0.679 and 0.00098, respectively in the latter. AMOVA analysis revealed 97.81% variance between the two species. Median-Joining network delineated three distinct mitochondrial haplogroups for Camelus dromedarius, Camelus ferus and Camelus bactrianus. Clear demarcation of the old world (Dromedary and Bactrian camels) and new world camelids (Alpaca, llama, guanaco and vicugna) was evident through the phylogenetic analysis.

Morphometric characteristics and microsatellite markers based diversity and differentiation recognizes the first prospective cattle breed from the Jharkhand state of India.

India is bestowed with immense cattle biodiversity with 50 registered breeds. However, the majority (59.3%) is yet not characterized. Identification and characterization are the gateways to the management of prized indigenous resources. Present research described a unique cattle population of Jharkhand state, managed under a traditional low-input, low-output system. It was characterized by morphological traits, performance parameters, and management practices. Animals have the characteristic pre-scapular location of the hump. Genetic variation within this population and its differentiation with the six closely distributed cattle breeds were evaluated using FAO recommended microsatellite markers. Jharkhandi cattle have substantial genetic variation based on gene diversity (>0.6) and the average number of alleles per locus (>8). The population did not suffer from a genetic bottleneck in the recent past. Pairwise Nei's genetic distance, phylogenetic relationship, population differentiation, and the correct assignment of all the animals to self group substantiated its separate genetic identity. Since gene flow (Nm = 2.8-7.32) was identified and admixture was indicated by the Bayesian analysis there is a pressing need for scientific management of this population. Results endow authorities with critical information for registering a new Indian cattle breed (Medini) that contributes to the food security, livelihood, and economic sustainability of rural tribal households.

Estimation of microsatellite-based autozygosity and its correlation with pedigree inbreeding coefficient in crossbred cattle.

In countries where farming is largely subsistence, no pedigree records of farm animals are maintained at farmers' herd and scientific mating plans are not observed which leads to the accumulation of inbreeding and loss of production potential. Microsatellites have been widely used as reliable molecular markers to measure inbreeding. We attempted to correlate autozygosity estimated from microsatellite data with the inbreeding coefficient (F) calculated from pedigree data in Vrindavani crossbred cattle developed in India. The inbreeding coefficient was calculated from the pedigree of ninety-six Vrindavani cattle. Animals were further grouped into three groups viz. acceptable/low (F: 0-5%), moderate (F: 5-10%) and high (F: ≥10%), based on their inbreeding coefficients. The overall mean of the inbreeding coefficient was found to be 0.070 ± 0.007. A panel of twenty-five bovine-specific loci were chosen for the study according to ISAG/FAO. The mean FIS, FST, and FIT values were 0.0548 ± 0.025, 0.012 ± 0.001 and 0.0417 ± 0.025, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the FIS values obtained and the pedigree F values. The locus-wise individual autozygosity was estimated using the method-of-moments estimator (MME) formula for locus-specific autozygosity. The autozygosities ascribing to CSSM66 and TGLA53 were found to be significantly (p < .01 and p < .05, respectively) correlated with pedigree F values.

Revelation of genes associated with energy generating metabolic pathways in the fighter type Aseel chicken of India through skeletal muscle transcriptome sequencing.

In this study, comparative analysis of skeletal muscle transcriptome was carried out for four biological replicates of Aseel, a fighter type breed and Punjab Brown, a meat type breed of India. The profusely expressed genes in both breeds were related to muscle contraction and motor activity. Differential expression analysis identified 961 up-regulated and 979 down-regulated genes in Aseel at a threshold of log2 fold change ≥ ±2.0 (padj<0.05). Significantly enriched KEGG pathways in Aseel included metabolic pathways and oxidative phosphorylation, with higher expression of genes associated with fatty acid beta-oxidation, formation of ATP by chemiosmotic coupling, response to oxidative stress, and muscle contraction. The highly connected hub genes identified through gene network analysis in the Aseel gamecocks were HNF4A, APOA2, APOB, APOC3, AMBP, and ACOT13, which are primarily associated with energy generating metabolic pathways. The up-regulated genes in Punjab Brown chicken were found to be related to muscle growth and differentiation. There was enrichment of pathways such as focal adhesion, insulin signaling pathway and ECM receptor interaction in these birds. The results presented in this study help to improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with fighting ability and muscle growth in Aseel and Punjab Brown chicken, respectively.

Tracing the genetic footprints: India's role as a gateway for pig migration and domestication across continents.

This study explored the maternal genetic diversity in the pig genetic resources of India by analyzing a mitochondrial D-loop fragment and comparing it with the corresponding sequences of previously published studies involving domestic pigs and wild boars. Sequencing of 103 samples representing different domestic pig populations revealed existence of 32 maternal haplotypes. The indices of haplotype and nucleotide diversity in Indian domestic pigs were 0.9421 and 0.015, respectively. Median-Joining network revealed that Indian pigs belong to Clade A and show conformity to 6 haplogroups reported worldwide (D1a, D1a1, D1a2, D1e, D1h and D3a). Among these, D1e and D1a2 were shared with Asian wild boars too. Interestingly, haplotype sharing was evident between Indian pigs and samples from other countries representing Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania. This study substantiates India's contribution as a possible pig domestication center and highlights the importance of the Indian subcontinent in dispersal of the species to other continents. Additionally, genetic evidence suggested the influence of trading routes and historical interactions in shaping pig genetic exchange. Overall, this investigation provides valuable insights into the genetic diversity, historical migration, and domestication of Indian domestic pigs, contributing to the broader understanding of global pig genetic resources and their evolutionary history.

Synthesis, characterization and antitubercular activities of heterocyclic selenosemicarbazones.

Reaction of cyclohexanoneselenosemicarbazone with aldehydes and ketones containing heterocyclic rings (2-oxindole, 6-cholro-2-oxindole, 3-methyl-2-oxindole, isatin, 1-methyl isatin, furfural, pyrrole-2-carboxldehyde) in ethanol yielded, respective, selenosemicarbazones {2-oxindoleselenosemicarbazone (2-HOxsesc,H1L), 6-chloro-2-oxindole selenosemicarbazone (6-ClHOxsesc, H2L), 3-methyl-2-oxindole selenosemicarbazone (3-MeHOxses, H3L), isatinselenosemicarbazone (HIstsesc, H4L), 1-methyl isatinselenosemicarbazone (1-MeHIstsesc, H5L), 2-thiopheneselenosemicarbazone (2-Hthiosesc, H6L), 2-furfuralselenosemicarbazone (2-Hfursesc, H7L) and 2-pyrrole selenosemicarbazone (2-Hpysesc, H8L)}. However the similar reaction with aldehyde containing single aromatic ring (3-chlorobenzaldehyde and 4-chlorobenzaldehyde) formed 1, 2-bis(3-chlorobenzylidiene) hydrazine (A) and 1, 2-bis(4-chlorobenzylidiene) hydrazine (B) rather than selenosemicarbazone. All the synthesized compounds were characterized using IR and NMR (1H, 13C) spectroscopy. Structure of A and B were confirmed by single crystal X-ray crystallography. The synthesized selenosemicarbazones were tested for their anti-tubercular activities and H1L, H3L, H5L and H6L are found to exhibit excellent anti-TB activity. The experimental data will give an opportunity to examine their anti-tubercular activities and identify the lead molecule.

Expression profiling of cytokine genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from Anaplasma marginale infected and healthy cattle.

In this study, changes in expression profiles of genes encoding 14 cytokines (IL1A, IL1B, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12A, IL12B, IL16, IFNA, IFNB, TGFB1, and TNFA) were investigated amongst six Anaplasma marginale infected and six healthy crossbred cattle. Health status of the animals was determined based on clinical signs, blood smear examination and molecular detection using A. marginale-specific primers. Total RNA was isolated from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of the infected animals as well as the healthy controls, which was further reverse transcribed to cDNA. Primers for real time PCR were designed using Primer3 software and the results were analyzed by the 2-ΔΔCt method with RPS15 and GAPDH as the reference genes. The expression levels of IL1A, IL1B, IL6, IL10, IL12A, IL12B, and TNFA varied significantly between the two groups, with higher expression in the infected cattle. The transcript abundance of IL4, IL16, and TGFB1 did not vary between the diseased and healthy animals. The expression of IL2 and IL8 was higher in the healthy animals, but the results were non-significant. Taken together, this study provides evidence for difference in expression of cytokine genes in response to anaplasmosis in crossbred cattle.

Comparative expression profiling of cytokine genes in Theileria annulata-infected and healthy cattle.

Theileriosis is one of the top ten economically important diseases in cattle in India. Cytokines are considered important mediators and regulators of the immune response to an infection. In the present study, the gene expression profiles of fourteen cytokines (IL1A, IL1B, IL2, IL4, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12A, IL12B, IL16, TGFB1, TNFA, IFNA and IFNB) were compared in Theileria annulata-infected and healthy crossbred cattle. Blood samples were obtained from the District Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, Karnal. The presence/absence of T. annulata infection in the animals was determined on the basis of blood smear examination and molecular detection through PCR using the genus-specific primers. Total RNA was extracted from peripheral blood mononuclear cells, which was further reverse transcribed to cDNA. Primer3 software was employed to design the primers for Real-Time qPCR. The results were examined using 2-∆∆Ct method with RPS15 and GAPDH as the reference genes. The expression of IL1B, IL6, IL8, IL10, IL12A, IL12B, TNFA, IFNA and IFNB was significantly higher, whereas the expression of IL2 was lower in the infected animals. The transcript levels of IL1A and TGFB1 were also higher in the diseased animals, but the results were non-significant. This study profiles the expression kinetics of various pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine genes in response to bovine theileriosis.

Identification of a new potential native Indian cattle breed by population differentiation based on microsatellite markers.

India has a rich heritage of rearing cattle where farmers selected native cattle suitable to their local agro-ecological conditions for centuries. It is reflected in 50 indigenous breeds of cattle, besides many lesser known populations not explored so far. It is the need of the hour to characterize such populations to have prudent improvement and conservation options. Thus, present study was carried out to assess the genetic diversity and relationship between an unexplored local cattle population (Kathani) and four established cattle breeds of adjoining area (Gaolao, Kosali, Ongole and Motu) by using 20 FAO recommended microsatellite markers. High variability was recorded in the Kathani population with a total of 198 alleles that varied between 5 (ILSTS11, TGLA22, INRA05) and 17 (ILSTS34) with a mean of 9.9 ± 0.73. The average observed heterozygosity (Ho) was 0.658 ± 0.054. Heterozygote deficiency was not significant (FIS = 0.029 ± 0.063) indicating random mating prevalent across this population. Mean estimates of observed number of alleles and heterozygosity over all the loci and five populations were 9.73 ± 0.421 and 0.617 ± 0.022, respectively. In the overall populations, the homozygote excess (FIT) of 0.293 ± 0.032, was partly due to the homozygote excess within breeds (FIS = 0.121 ± 0.025) and to a larger extent due to high (0.05 < FST < 0.15) genetic differentiation among them (FST = 0.195 ± 0.029). Substantial pairwise Nei's genetic distance and high population differentiation indicated towards separate genetic identity of Kathani cattle. The analysis of genetic structure based on Bayesian approach indicated that the most probable number of clusters is five confirming definitive genetic differentiation among all the popultions. Entire analysis showed that a significant amount of genetic variation is maintained in Kathani, a lesser known cattle population that is distinct from the recognized breeds in the proximity. As this autochthonous cattle plays role in the economic sustainability of a marginal and disadvantaged area, it is important to preserve and develop its breeding.

Variable sialic acid content in milk of Indian cattle and buffalo across different stages of lactation.

The aim of this Research Communication was to contribute to the knowledge of milk sialic acid concentration of bovines with specific focus on India. Sialic acids (SA) are important constituents of mammalian milks. Buffaloes are the main milk producing species in India, therefore, our research focused on both cow and buffalo. Two Indian cattle (Bos indicus) breeds (Sahiwal, Tharparkar), one cross bred cattle - Karan Fries (Tharparkar × Holstein Friesian) and a buffalo breed (Murrah) were selected. Systematic comparisons of the total, free and bound form of SA and also its distribution over the course of lactation- colostrums and mature milk (120-140 d) was generated. Animal management, sample collection and methodology of SA estimation were identical for the different groups. Colostrum had the highest concentration of SA, which declined with the progress of lactation in all the groups. Majority of the SA existed in bound form. No significant (P < 0.05) difference was recorded in the total, bound or free SA across all the groups. However, differences were obvious in the total and bound SA level in the mature milk. Indian cattle, Sahiwal and Tharparkar were equivalent, but had higher concentration of total and bound SA than crossbred cattle. Milk of buffalo had SA equivalent to that of crossbred cattle. The mean (se) levels of total SA was 23.4 (0.8), 25.8 (2.4), 20.3 (0.6) and 20.2 (1.2) in Sahiwal, Tharparkar, cross bred and Murrah buffalo, respectively. The findings suggested that milk of indigenous cattle may be a potential source of SA, a bioactive compound with beneficial effect on human health and a potential functional ingredient in foods. Results add value to the currently declining indigenous cattle of India.