A5032790703- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Animal Genetics and Reproduction
- Cancer-related molecular mechanisms research
- Reproductive Physiology in Livestock
- Milk Quality and Mastitis in Dairy Cows
- Effects of Environmental Stressors on Livestock
- CRISPR and Genetic Engineering
- Digestive system and related health
- Molecular Biology Techniques and Applications
- Reproductive System and Pregnancy
- Meat and Animal Product Quality
- Wheat and Barley Genetics and Pathology
- melanin and skin pigmentation
- Biopolymer Synthesis and Applications
- Genomics and Phylogenetic Studies
- Infant Nutrition and Health
- RNA regulation and disease
- Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
- Pharmacological Effects and Assays
- Insect symbiosis and bacterial influences
- Spectroscopy and Chemometric Analyses
- Receptor Mechanisms and Signaling
- RNA Research and Splicing
- Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
Massey University
2019-2025
Livestock Improvement Corporation
2016-2025
DairyNZ
2009-2014
University of Auckland
2012-2014
University of Otago
2002-2008
A large proportion of pregnancy losses occur during the pre-implantation period, when developing embryo is elongating rapidly and signalling its presence to maternal system. The molecular mechanisms that prevent luteolysis support survival within environment are not well understood. To gain a more complete picture these events, genome-wide transcriptional profiles reproductive day 17 endometrial tissue were determined in pregnant cyclic Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle. Microarray analyses...
Abstract Lactation, hair development and homeothermy are characteristic evolutionary features that define mammals from other vertebrate species. Here we describe the discovery of two autosomal dominant mutations with antagonistic, pleiotropic effects on all three these biological processes, mediated through prolactin signalling pathway. Most conspicuously, in ( PRL) its receptor (PRLR) have an impact thermoregulation morphology phenotypes, giving prominence to this pathway outside classical...
Abstract The mammary gland is a prolific lipogenic organ, synthesising copious amounts of triglycerides for secretion into milk. fat content milk varies widely both between and within species recent independent genome-wide association studies have highlighted percentage quantitative trait locus (QTL) large effect on bovine chromosome 5. Although EPS8 MGST1 been proposed to underlie these signals, the causative status genes has not functionally confirmed. To investigate this QTL in detail, we...
We herein report the result of a large-scale, next generation sequencing (NGS)-based screen for embryonic lethal (EL) mutations in Belgian beef and New Zealand dairy cattle. estimated by simulation that cattle might carry, on average, ∼0.5 recessive EL mutations. mined exome sequence data from >600 animals, identified 1377 stop-gain, 3139 frame-shift, 1341 splice-site, 22,939 disruptive missense, 62,399 benign 92,163 synonymous variants. show have comparable load loss-of-function (LoF)...
Quantitative real-time PCR gene expression results are generally normalised using endogenous control genes. These reference genes should be expressed at a constant level across all sample groups in study, and not influenced by study treatments or conditions. There has been no systematic investigation of for bovine endometrium to date. The suitability both commonly used novel was evaluated this with the latter being selected from stably transcripts identified through microarray analysis...
Summary Variation at the pleiomorphic adenoma gene 1 ( PLAG1 ) locus has recently been implicated in regulation of stature and weight Bos taurus . Using a population 942 outbred Holstein–Friesian dairy calves, we report confirmation this effect, demonstrating strong association early life body with genotype. Peripubertal growth rate were also significantly associated Growth per kilogram weight, daily feed intake, gross efficiency residual intake not This study supports status as key...
Milk is composed of a complex mixture lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and various vitamins minerals as source nutrition for young mammals. The composition milk varies between individuals, with lipid in particular being highly heritable. Recent reports have highlighted region bovine chromosome 27 harbouring variants affecting fat percentage fatty acid content. We aimed to further investigate this locus two independent cattle populations, consisting Holstein-Friesian x Jersey crossbreed...
Lactose provides an easily-digested energy source for neonates, and is the primary carbohydrate in milk most species. Bovine lactose also a key component of many human food products. However, compared to analyses other components, genetic control has been little studied. Here we present first GWAS focussed on analysis traits. Using discovery population 12,000 taurine dairy cattle, detail 27 QTL concentration yield, subsequently validate effects 26 these loci distinct 18,000 cows. We next...
Polymorphisms underlying complex traits often explain a small part (less than 1 %) of the phenotypic variance (σ2 P). This makes identification mutations underling difficult and usually only subset large-effect loci are identified. One approach to identify more is increase sample size experiments but here we propose an alternative. The aim this paper use secondary phenotypes for genetically simple during QTL discovery phase traits. We demonstrate in dairy cattle data set where were milk...
Abstract Background Identifying associations between genetic markers and traits of economic importance will provide practical benefits for the dairy goat industry, enabling genomic prediction breeding value individuals, facilitating discovery underlying genes mutations. Genome-wide association studies were implemented to detect regions that are significantly associated with effects on lactation yields milk (MY), fat (FY), protein (PY) somatic cell score (SCS) in New Zealand goats. Methods A...
A receptive uterine environment is a key component in determining successful reproductive outcome. We tested the hypothesis that endometrial gene expression patterns differ fertile and subfertile dairy cow strains. Twelve lactating cattle of strains characterized as having (n = 6) phenotypes underwent embryo transfer on day 7 cycle. Caruncular intercaruncular tissue was obtained at 17 pregnancy, microarrays used to characterize transcriptional profiles. Statistical analysis microarray data...
Abstract A major pleiotropic quantitative trait locus (QTL) located at ~25 Mbp on bovine chromosome 14 affects a myriad of growth and developmental traits in Bos taurus indicus breeds. These QTL have been attributed to two functional variants the bidirectional promoter PLAG1 CHCHD7 . Although is good candidate for mediating these effects, its role remains uncertain given that are also associated with expression five additional genes broader locus. In current study, we conducted (eQTL)...
Abstract Background High-producing Holstein Friesian dairy cattle have a characteristic black and white coat, often with large proportions of black. Compared to light coat color, absorbs more solar radiation which is contributing factor heat stress in cattle. To better adapt rapidly warming climates, we aimed lighten their color by genome editing. Results Using gRNA/Cas9-mediated editing, introduced three bp deletion the pre-melanosomal protein 17 gene ( PMEL ) proposed as causative variant...
Rationale: Genetic variation of the β2-adrenoceptor (ADRB2) influences receptor function in vitro. There are reports that, vivo, bronchodilator response is related to ADRB2 genotype, and that clinical outcomes during chronic therapy with β2-agonist drugs also influenced by genotype. Whether these features single nucleotide polymorphisms or combinations (haplotypes) unclear. Objectives: Our aim was measure patients asthma stratified haplotype. This done after eliminating confounding effect...
Regulation of milk synthesis and secretion is controlled mostly through local (intramammary) mechanisms. To gain insight into the molecular pathways comprising this response, an analysis mammary gene expression was conducted in 12 lactating cows shifted from twice daily to once milking. Tissues were sampled by biopsy adjacent quarters these animals during two milking frequencies, allowing changes be assessed within each animal. Using bovine-specific, oligonucleotide arrays representing...
Increasing environmental temperatures are a threat to the sustainability of livestock production and, because high metabolic demands lactation, dairy in particular. Summer heat waves temperate climates reduce feed intake, milk production, and cow comfort. In extreme events, there is an increase mortality. tropical climates, cattle mostly (zebu) type or zebu crossbred with breeds. Crossbreeding undertaken combine tolerance tick resistance productivity absence improved tolerance, fertility...
Causal variants for complex traits, such as eQTL are often found in non-coding regions of the genome, where they hypothesised to influence phenotypes by regulating gene expression. Many regulatory marked histone modifications, which can be assayed chromatin immunoprecipitation followed sequencing (ChIP-seq). Sequence reads from ChIP-seq form peaks at putative regions, may reflect amount activity this region. Therefore, also associated with differences modifications excellent candidate causal...
White spotting of the coat is a characteristic trait various domestic species including cattle and other mammals. It hallmark Holstein-Friesian cattle, several previous studies have detected genetic loci with major effects for white in animals ancestry. Here, our aim was to better understand underlying molecular mechanisms spotting, by conducting largest mapping study this date.Using imputed whole-genome sequence data, we conducted genome-wide association analysis 2973 mixed-breed cows...
Abstract Background Fourier-transform mid-infrared (FT-MIR) spectroscopy provides a high-throughput and inexpensive method for predicting milk composition other novel traits from samples. While there have been many genome-wide association studies (GWAS) conducted on FT-MIR predicted traits, few GWAS individual wavenumbers. Using imputed whole-genome sequence 38,085 mixed-breed New Zealand dairy cattle, we 895 wavenumber phenotypes, assessed the value of these direct phenotypes identifying...