A5062109461- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research
- Livestock Farming and Management
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- Plant and animal studies
- melanin and skin pigmentation
- Meat and Animal Product Quality
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- Milk Quality and Mastitis in Dairy Cows
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Lepidoptera: Biology and Taxonomy
- Aquatic life and conservation
- Muscle Physiology and Disorders
- Livestock and Poultry Management
- Freshwater macroinvertebrate diversity and ecology
- Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
- Helminth infection and control
University of Molise
2020-2025
Consorzio Milano Ricerche
2022
Sapienza University of Rome
2014-2021
Museo Galileo
2018-2019
Semi-feral local livestock populations, like Maremmana cattle, are the object of renewed interest for conservation biological diversity and preservation exploitation unique potentially relevant genetic material. The aim this study was to estimate parameters in semi-feral cattle using both pedigree- genomic-based approaches (FIS FROH), detect regions homozygosity (ROH) heterozygosity (ROHet) genome. average estimates were range reported other breeds (HE=0.261, HO=0.274). Pedigree-based...
To enhance and extend the knowledge about global historical phylogenetic relationships between Merino Merino-derived breeds, 19 populations were genotyped with OvineSNP50 BeadChip specifically for this study, while an additional 23 from publicly available genotypes retrieved. Three complementary statistical tests, Rsb (extended haplotype homozygosity between-populations), XP-EHH (cross-population extended homozygosity), runs of (ROH) islands applied to identify genomic variants potential...
The current distribution of genetic diversity is the result a vast array microevolutionary processes, including short-term demographic and ecological mechanisms long-term allopatric isolation in response to Quaternary climatic fluctuations. We investigated past processes that drove population differentiation spatial Italian wall lizard Podarcis siculus by means sequences mitochondrial cytb (n = 277 from 115 localities) nuclear mc1r β-fibint7genes 262 n 91, respectively) all its range....
Abstract Background Assessment of genetic diversity and population structure provides important control metrics to avoid erosion, inbreeding depression crossbreeding between exotic locally-adapted cattle breeds since these events can have deleterious consequences eventually lead extinction. Historically, the Alpine Arc represents an pocket biodiversity with a large number autochthonous that provide fundamental source income for entire regional economy. By using genotype data from...
Abstract Background The presence of goats in the Canary Islands dates back to late 1st millennium BC, which coincides with colonization by Amazigh settlers. However, exact geographic origin Canarian is uncertain since peoples were distributed over a wide spatial range. Nowadays, three breeds (Palmera, Majorera and Tinerfeña) are officially recognized, along two distinct South North Tinerfeña ecotypes, thriving arid dry semi-desertic environments Palmera adapted humid temperate areas that...
Summary Identifying genomic regions involved in the differences between breeds can provide information on genes that are under influence of both artificial and natural selection. The aim this study was to assess genetic diversity differentiation among four different Brown cattle populations (two original vs. two modern populations) characterize distribution runs homozygosity (ROH) islands using Illumina Bovine SNP50 BeadChip genotyping data. After quality control, 34 735 SNPs 106 animals...
Coat color is among the most distinctive phenotypes in cattle. Worldwide, several breeds share peculiar coat features such as presence of a fawn pigmentation calf at birth, turning over time to grey, and sexual dichromatism. The aim this study was search for polymorphisms under differential selection by contrasting grey cattle displaying above phenotype with non-grey breeds, identify underlying genes. Using medium-density SNP array genotype data, multi-cohort FST-outlier approach adopted...
Abstract Background During the Neolithic expansion, cattle accompanied humans and spread from their domestication centres to colonize ancient world. In addition, European occasionally intermingled with both indicine local aurochs resulting in an exclusive pattern of genetic diversity. Among most are breeds that belong so-called Podolian trunk, history which is still not well established. Here, we used genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data on 806 individuals belonging 36...
Analysis of genomic data is becoming more and common for the effective management livestock breeding programmes, even in case local populations. In this work, genome-wide Nero Siciliano pig breed were compared to that wild boar, Italian cosmopolitan breeds investigate its genetic structure, runs homozygosity (ROH) heterozygosity patterns. The has been reported have highest rate diversity among breeds, a variability comparable breeds. Analyses structure relationships underlined proximity an...
Abstract Two Cordulegaster dragonflies present in Italy, the Palaearctic and northern distributed boltonii endemic to south of peninsula trinacriae , meet central Italy give rise individuals intermediate morphology. By means mitochondrial nuclear markers Geometric Morphometrics applied sexual appendages, we defined i) geographical boundaries between two species ii) determined presence, extent, genetic characteristics hybridization. Genetic data evidenced asymmetric hybridization with males...
Abstract The availability of genotyping assays has allowed the detailed evaluation cattle genetic diversity worldwide. However, these comprehensive studies did not include some local European populations, including autochthonous Italian cattle. In this study, we assembled a large-scale, genome-wide dataset single nucleotide polymorphisms scored in 3,283 individuals from 205 populations worldwide to assess autozygosity and understand better relationships among populations. We prioritized...
The Maremmana cattle is an ancient Podolian-derived Italian breed raised in semi-wild conditions with distinctive morphological and adaptive traits. aim of this study was to detect potential selection signatures using medium-density single nucleotide polymorphism array. Putative were investigated combining three statistical approaches designed quantify the excess haplotype homozygosity either within (integrated score, iHS ) or among pairs populations ( Rsb XP-EHH ), contrasting a reference...
Abstract Aim of this study was to analyze the distribution and characteristics runs homozygosity in Bos taurus indicus breeds, as well their crosses, farmed all around world. With aim view, we used single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotypes for 3,263 cattle belonging 204 different breeds. After quality control, 23,311 SNPs were retained analysis. Animals divided into seven groups: 1) continental taurus, 2) temperate 3) indicus, 4) composite, 5) tropical 6) 7) composite. The climatic...
Abstract The African buffalo, Syncerus caffer , is a key species in ecosystems. Like other large herbivores, it plays fundamental role its habitat acting as an ecosystem engineer. Over the last few centuries, buffalo populations have declined because of range contraction and demographic decline caused by direct or indirect human activities. In Mozambique, historically home to herds, combined effect colonialism subsequent civil wars has created critical situation that urgently needs be...
The Montecristo wild goat is an endangered feral population that has been on the homonymous island in Tuscan Archipelago since ancient times. origins of goats are still debated, with authors dating their introduction either back to Neolithic times or between 6th and 13th century Common Era. To investigate evolutionary history relationships this we assembled a 50K SNP dataset including 55 Mediterranean breeds two nuclei sampled from ex situ conservation project. Diversity levels, gene flow,...
Abstract Aim Emergence of coastal lowlands during Pleistocene ice ages might have provided conditions for glacial expansions (demographic and spatial), rather than contraction, populations temperate species. Here, we tested these predictions in the insular endemic Sicilian wall lizard Podarcis wagleriana . Location Sicily neighbouring islands. Methods We sampled 179 individuals from 45 localities across whole range P. investigated demographic spatial variations through time using Bayesian...
Among Italian dairy cattle, the Holstein is most reared breed for production of Parmigiano Reggiano protected designation origin cheese, which represents one renowned products in entire industry. In this work, we used a medium-density genome-wide data set consisting 79,464 imputed SNPs to study genetic structure breed, including population area cheese production, and assessing its distinctiveness from North American population. Multidimensional scaling ADMIXTURE approaches were explore among...
Italy contains a large number of local goat populations, some which do not have recognized genetic structure. The "Mascaruna" is population reared for milk production in Sicily. In this study, total 72 individuals were genotyped with the Illumina Goat_IGGC_65K_v2 BeadChip aim to characterize diversity, structure and relatedness another 31 Italian populations. results displayed moderate level variability Mascaruna, concordance estimated values goats. Runs homozygosity islands are linked genes...
Abstract Groups of proximate continental islands may conceal more tangled phylogeographic patterns than oceanic archipelagos as a consequence repeated sea level changes, which allow populations to experience gene flow during periods low stands and isolation by vicariant mechanisms high stands. Here, we describe for the first time an ancient diverging lineage Italian wall lizard Podarcis siculus from western Pontine Islands. We used nuclear mitochondrial DNA sequences 156 individuals with aim...
The clouded anole Anolis nebulosus (Squamata: Polychrotidae) is widespread on the Pacific coast of Mexico. species also inhabits Don Panchito, a small islet located near Chamela-Cuixmala Biosphere Reserve in state Jalisco. We studied extent intraspecific differences morphology (absolute size and body proportions) mtDNA sequences (16S NDH2) between population living (N = 18 for morphometry; N 12 mtDNA) one facing mainland 38 16 mtDNA). individuals are larger than those with little overlap...
In recent years, great attention has been paid to many Podarcis species for which the observed intra-specific variability often revealed complexes still characterized by an unresolved relationship. When compared other species, P. siculus underwent fewer revisions and number of hidden within this taxon may have been, therefore, underestimated. However, studies based on genetic morphological data highlighted a marked differentiation populations inhabiting Western Pontine Archipelago. present...
Local breeds represent an underestimated resource in terms not only of their important cultural and economical role marginal areas, but also because they often own a potential genetic pool well adapted to extreme conditions. This fact is increasing interest, especially when considering climate global challenges where peculiar uncommon traits could be advantageous. In this study, we genotyped 24 individuals belonging the small residual Pagliarola sheep population using OvineSNP50K array,...
Genetic and phenotypic differentiation in allopatric conditions can be explained either by neutral phenomena or adaptative processes driven selection. In reptiles, coloration affect aspects directly related to their survival, representing a classical character under this context, secondary contact areas are natural laboratory understand evolutionary underlying genetic permeability, especially when populations differ traits such as coloration. The western whip snake Hierophis viridiflavus...
Italy counts a large number of local chicken populations, some without recognized genetic structure, such as Val Platani (VPL) and Cornuta (COS), which represent noteworthy resources. In this study, the genotype data 34 COS 42 VPL, obtained with Affymetrix Axiom600KChicken Genotyping Array, were used aim to investigate diversity, runs homozygosity (ROH) pattern, well population structure relationship within framework other Italian commercial chickens. The diversity indices, estimated using...