Several biometric measures were taken from 48 adult (mean age 2.78+-1.71 years) Basset Hound dogs (24 males and 24 females) belonging to different farms. For each animal, the following biometrical measurements were considered: withers height, chest height, chest depth, trunk length, rump length, ischium width of the rump, ear and nose length, chest and cannon circumference. Results showed that sexual dimorphism was not present; however, two morphological groups of Basset Hound with some differences were found. The first group consisted of animals with high and broad chest, while the second one was more compact, with more pronounced nose and ears. Considering breed health, it would be interesting to select the subjects of the first group since showing an anatomical conformation less susceptible to some disorders typical of the breed. On the contrary, focusing our interest on the breed hunting attitude, the second group would have some characteristics more suitable for this purpose.

gains or losses of ≥1 kb of genomic DNA. These polymorphisms represent the most important source of variability in mammalian genomes in terms of interested nucleotides. Many CNVs represent neutral polymorphic variants, whereas several others cause or are associated with both Mendelian and complex traits. We already investigated CNVs in the ovine genome by cross-species array comparative genome hybridization and produced a first sheep CNV map based on the cattle genome. In this study we used the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip data generated in Italian sheep breeds to identify CNVs in the Ovis aries genome. Genotyping data were obtained for 24 animals for each of 15 different breeds (Altamurana, Appenninica, Bagnolese, Bergamasca, Biellese, Delle Langhe, Fabrianese, Gentile di Puglia, Istrian Pramenka, Laticauda, Massese, Pinzirita, Sambucana, Sopravissana and Valle del Belice). Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) included in the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip were first mapped on the Oar_v3.1 build of the sheep genome. CNVs were called after filtering genotyping data using the PennCNV software with stringent parameters and correction for waviness effects to reduce false positives. In total, we identified 656 CNV events, covering on the whole 2.62 Mb, and corresponding to 24 CNV regions (CNVRs): 21 were characterized by a loss and 3 by a gain of copy number. Some of these CNVRs harbour coding genes involved in important metabolic pathways and signalling processes. Additional studies are needed to evaluate the effects of these CNVs on phenotypic and production traits in sheep and their usefulness in defining relationships among breeds.

Italy has a long history of sheep breeding and, despite a dramatic number contraction occurred in the last century, still counts several local sheep breeds that may represent a unique source of genetic diversity. Here we present the results from the genetic characterization of seven Italian dairy sheep breeds by 19 STR markers. High levels of polymorphism were generally detected, with 16.2 average alleles per locus and an average gene diversity of 0.79. The within-breed analysis highlighted, in six out of the seven breeds, a remarkable proportion of loci displaying significant heterozygote deficit. Moreover, within-breed percentages of locus pairs with significant genotypic disequilibrium were, for all breeds, markedly higher than expected by chance thus suggesting the presence of population stratification. The subdivision was particularly evident for the Leccese sheep breed and was confirmed by the STRUCTURE analysis. On the contrary, results generally highlighted Sarda as the most homogeneous, but less inbred, population, consistently with its large census size and longstanding effective genetic management practices. Both STRUCTURE analysis and measures of genetic distance, with the exception of those based on allele sharing, suggested the presence of a phylogeographic gradient, with Sarda as the most differentiated breed and continental breeds from the same region tending to group closer to each other.Taken together, the results highlighted that all the Italian breeds display a genetic variability content comparable to other European breeds, thus demonstrating their importance as genetic reservoir for future selection options. However, management actions should be more effectively implemented in local endangered breeds in order to reduce inbreeding and within-breed sub-structuring.

Several evidences of the presence of zebuine markers in Podolian cattle breeds have been collected so far. Here we present the results of a polymorphism analysis at the GHR gene in southern and eastern European cattle breeds confirming the presence of zebuine alleles (Sau96I- and LINE-) in Podolian cattle also at the somatotropin receptor gene. These findings are most likely due to the introgressive hybridization that frequently occurred by the time Indian zebu cattle migrated towards Eastern Europe first as wild populations (25-30 thousand years ago) and then following Asian invaders (in late Roman times). The different GHR alleles at taurine and zebuine cattle likely predate domestication, their distribution primarily reflecting separate domestication events, although influence of natural and man-guided selection on shaping present-day distributions should not be disregarded, due to the strong adaptive significance of GHR-mediated processes. Therefore, GHR polymorphism should be taken into great account in evaluating functional variability in cattle breeds for conservation purposes.

The aim of this work was to verify the possibility to use molecular methodologies and optimize a deterministic method for the assessment of a genetic ovine meat using the analysis of coat color gene polymorphisms. The studied animals, 5 for each breed, belong to 7 Italian sheep breeds. This work has investigated the polymorphism of six candidate coat colour genes. Several polymorphisms were found and some of them are new. An Agouti allele that seems to be specific to the Altamurana Breed and an allele of TYRP2 specific to the Sarda Breed were identified. This research highlights the presence of characteristics that encourage further studies of these genes taking into consideration a larger number of animals.

A project entitled “CA.RA.VA.N., Toward a CAmel tRAnsnational VAlue chain” (http://www.arimnet2.net/index.php/researchprojects/projects-2nd-call-2/ca-ra-va-n), involving research institutions from Spain, Italy, France, Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, has been recently financed by EU through the Arimnet2 instrument. Additional partners from eligible (Tunisia) and non-eligible areas (Mauritania and Austria) have been associated to the project due to relevant interest in, and expected contribution to, the topic of the project. General goals and activities planned within the CA.RA.VA.N. project, together with an overview of the already launched initiatives, known constraints and emerging opportunities for the development of the dromedary sector in Northern African countries will be discussed.

Background: Umbilical cord matrix mesenchymal stem cells (UCM-MSCs) present a wide range of potential therapeutical applications. The extracellular calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) regulates physiological and pathological processes. We investigated, in a large animal model, the involvement of CaSR in triggering osteogenic and neurogenic differentiation of two size-sieved UCM-MSC lines, by using AMG641, a novel potent research calcimimetic acting as CaSR agonist. Methodology/Principal Findings: Large (.8mm in diameter) and small (,8mm) equine UCM-MSC lines were cultured in medium with high calcium (Ca2+) concentration ([Ca2+]o; 2.87 mM) and dose-response effects of AMG641 (0.01 to 3mM) on cell proliferation were evaluated. Both cell lines were then cultured in osteogenic or neurogenic differentiation medium containing: 1) low [Ca2+]o (0.37 mM); 2) high [Ca2+]o (2.87 mM); 3) AMG641 (0.05, 0.1 or 1 mM) with high [Ca2+]o and 4) the CaSR antagonist NPS2390 (10 mM for 30 min) followed by incubation with AMG641 in high [Ca2+]o. Expression of osteogenic or neurogenic differentiation biomarkers was compared among groups. In both cell lines, AMG641 dose- dependently increased cell proliferation (up to P,0.001). Osteogenic molecular markers expression was differentially regulated by AMG641, with stimulatory (OPN up-regulation) in large or inhibitory (RUNX2 and OPN down-regulation) effects in small cells, respectively. AMG641 significantly increased alkaline phosphatase activity and calcium phosphate deposition in both cell lines. Following treatment with AMG641 during osteogenic differentiation, in both cell lines CaSR expression was inversely related to that of osteogenic markers and inhibition of CaSR by NPS2390 blocked AMG641-dependent responses. Early-stage neurogenic differentiation was promoted/triggered by AMG641 in both cell lines, as Nestin and CaSR mRNA transcription up-regulation were observed. Conclusions/Significance: Calcium- and AMG641-induced CaSR stimulation promoted in vitro proliferation and osteogenic and early-stage neurogenic differentiation of UCM-MSCs. CaSR activation may play a fundamental role in selecting specific differentiation checkpoints of these two differentiation routes, as related to cell commitment status.

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest of consumers in traditional dairy products whose origin from defined geographical areas is guaranteed. These products are appreciated for the distinctive sensorial characteristics, derived by extensive grazing system on natural and artificial pastures and traditional cheese-making techniques. Moreover, a considerable public interest is also attributed to typical dairy products for their role in stimulating the economy of rural areas and in preserving environment and biodiversity. Here we present the results of a survey on the botanical composition of Alta Murgia pastures, together with the analysis of VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in milk from ewes reared under a typical farm system in the Alta Murgia National Park (Apulia region, southern Italy). Data from two less ordinary farm systems are also reported as external reference. The botanical composition of pastures was estimated by three modified Whittaker plots placed in the prevailing habitat types. Milk samples were analyzed for VOC compounds by head-space SPME/GC-MS. Consumer acceptance of cheese, made from each milk sample using homogeneous traditional cheese-making techniques, was evaluated. The study provides interesting insights on the floral composition of Alta Murgia pastures and the first characterization of VOC profiles in ewe’s raw milk from Alta Murgia.

The Camelidae species occupy a peculiar niche within the adaptive immune response and the camel lineage has been proposed as a fascinating model in the evolution of immune systems. In fact, the significant amount of special heavy chain-only antibodies in the serum, in addition to the tetrameric IgGs along with a repertoire, largely diversified by extensive somatic hypermutation, result in novel paratopes different from those of conventional antibodies. Moreover, for the first time in a mammalian organism, it was shown that T cell receptor evolution has been favoured in the dromedary by mutation in the productively rearranged gamma (TRG) and delta (TRD) genes, thus contributing to the repertoire diversity of γδ heterodimer. Under this scenario, in order to gain further insights into the function and evolution of the T cell receptor gamma/delta heterodimer, we investigated the genomic structure and the gene content of the TRG and TRD loci in Old World camels. The availability of recent draft genomes and new re-sequenced data of the three species, Camelus dromedarius (n = 7), Camelus bactrianus (n = 9) and Camelus ferus (n = 9) (at an average 15-fold coverage using the Illumina HiSeq2000) allowed us to determine the map of the entire TRG locus. It spans approximately 198 kb, it is flanked at its 5' end by the AMPH gene and it contains three V-J-C cassettes. Furthermore, the retrieval of relevant contigs, about 900 kb long, confirmed that TRD locus with its V, D, J and C genes, as in eutherians and birds, is clustered within the TRA locus.

Italy has a rich diversity in farm animals. In particular, Tuscany hosts a number of autochthonous bovine breeds that are, or have been, relevant for the economic sustainability of the agriculture, the origin and history of which are still poorly documented. Most of these breeds suffered in the past a dramatic loss of economic importance being substituted by cosmopolite and more productive breeds. The aim of the present study was to analyse levels of genetic diversity and relationship among local cattle breeds from Tuscany (Central Italy) using microsatellite markers. DNA from 194 animals (Calvana, 61; Garfagnina, 43; Pontremolese, 23; Chianina, 67) was analyzed at 22 microsatellite loci. Number of alleles (NA) and allelic frequencies were estimated. Locus by locus FST, exact tests for deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) and pair-wise linkage disequilibrium (LD) among microsatellite loci were evaluated. In addition, various among-population genetic distances were calculated. The study evidenced a significant departure from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in all the analyzed breeds, probably caused by a rather high level of inbreeding for Calvana, Garfagnina and Pontremolese, whereas likely reflecting the results of recent selective processes in Chianina. The overall fixation index was 0.115±0.054. Results obtained in this study suggest that the situation of the analyzed breeds is risky as their variability is compromised by a high level of inbreeding, in particular Pontremolese was the most compromised breed. Several distance metrics highlighted a only moderate differentiation between Chianina and Calvana if compared to values found among the other breeds. Also molecular coancestry and kinship distance supported the hypothesis that Calvana originated from Chianina, whereas Garfagnina and Pontremolese should have different ancestral origins. The low genetic variability suggests the need for a careful genetic management of the breeds, in order to maintain long-term population survival and adaptability and to avoid the risk of more excessive increase in the inbreeding level, which would result in significant inbreeding depression and in significant loss of genetic variation.

Through their domestication and subsequent selection, sheep have been adapted to thrive in a diverse range of environments. To characterise the genetic consequence of both domestication and selection, we genotyped 49,034 SNP in 2,819 animals from a diverse collection of 74 sheep breeds. We find the majority of sheep populations contain high SNP diversity and have retained an effective population size much higher than most cattle or dog breeds, suggesting domestication occurred from a broad genetic base. Extensive haplotype sharing and generally low divergence time between breeds reveal frequent genetic exchange has occurred during the development of modern breeds. A scan of the genome for selection signals revealed 31 regions containing genes for coat pigmentation, skeletal morphology, body size, growth, and reproduction. We demonstrate the strongest selection signal has occurred in response to breeding for the absence of horns. The high density map of genetic variability provides an in-depth view of the genetic history for this important livestock species.

Italy counts several sheep breeds, arisen over centuries as a consequence of ancient and recent genetic and demographic events. To finely reconstruct genetic structure and relationships between Italian sheep, 496 subjects from 19 breeds were typed at 50K single nucleotide polymorphism loci. A subset of foreign breeds from the Sheep HapMap dataset was also included in the analyses. Genetic distances (as visualized either in a network or in a multidimensional scaling analysis of identical by state distances) closely reflected geographic proximity between breeds, with a clear north–south gradient, likely because of high levels of past gene flow and admixture all along the peninsula. Sardinian breeds diverged more from other breeds, a probable consequence of the combined effect of ancient sporadic introgression of feral mouflon and long-lasting genetic isolation from continental sheep populations. The study allowed the detection of previously undocumented episodes of recent introgression (Delle Langhe into the endangered Altamurana breed) as well as signatures of known, or claimed, historical introgression (Merino into Sopravissana and Gentile di Puglia; Bergamasca into Fabrianese, Appenninica and, to a lesser extent, Leccese). Arguments that would question, from a genomic point of view, the current breed classification of Bergamasca and Biellese into two separate breeds are presented. Finally, a role for traditional transhumance practices in shaping the genetic makeup of Alpine sheep breeds is proposed. The study represents the first exhaustive analysis of Italian sheep diversity in an European context, and it bridges the gap in the previous HapMap panel between Western Mediterranean and Swiss breeds.

Genetic diversity is important for the maintenance of the viability and the evolutionary or adaptive potential of populations and species. The hemoglobin (Hb) represent a unique system for studying adaptive changes because these oxygen-carrying proteins closely connect metabolic activities with external conditions. As far as cattle are concerned, previous works evidenced an unusual hemoglobin polymorphism in Italian Podolic cattle; particularly, the HBAY variant was found to be associated with decreased hematocrit and hemoglobin values. In addition, the presence of identical marker alleles in Podolic cattle (Bos taurus) and Indian zebu (Bos indicus) provided further support for the theory that Asian bovine genes could have contributed in the past to the Podolic breed. Aim: Based on the above-mentioned evidences, the present paper has a double aim: (i) to check the presence of the above variants in breeds belonging to different cattle groups, namely, two undoubtedly Brachiceros breed - such as Italian Frisian (IF) and Italian Brow (IB) - and Grey Alpine (GA), a rustic cattle breed for which there are evidences suggesting resemblance with breeds classified as Bos taurus primigenius; (ii) to confirm the functional effect of the HBAY phenotype. Materials and Methods: In this study, a sample of 79 unrelated registered GA cattle was selected from a recently-established herd located in the province of Bari (Apulia, Italy) composed by animals purchased over time directly from different breeders from Northern Eastern Italy and thus quite representative of the original breeding area. For comparison, 82 unrelated registered IF cattle and 92 unrelated registered IB cattle were sampled in 10 different Apulian farms. Hematological variables were evaluated using a hematology analyzer. Hb phenotypes were analyzed with isoelectric focusing in a pH range of 6.7-7.7 (PAGIF). A T-test for independent samples was adopted to evaluate the significance of the difference in the mean hematocrit and hemoglobin values between the group of animals displaying and not displaying the Y alpha-globin variant. Results: The positively charged Y alpha-globin variant, encoded by the HBA1Y gene, was observed only in Grey Alpine with a 0.13 frequency value as opposed to that of the alternative N variant. We also recorded the presence of the common variants A and B of the beta globin system, along with the silent mutant AZebu, the frequency of the corresponding HBBA, HBBB and HBBAZebu genes being 0.73, 0.23 and 0.04, respectively. Neither HBA1Y alpha gene or AZebu beta allele was detected in the other sampled breeds. Conclusion: Actually, the presence of identical marker alleles in IP and GA suggests they share a common origin, possibly tracing back to earliest ancestors such as Bos primigenius primigenius. In addition, the present study provides further support for a functional effect of HBAY as associated with decreased hematocrit values in cattle.

Background A study was carried out to evaluate the response of different native sheep breeds to experimental infection with Anaplasma ovis, the most prevalent sheep tick-borne pathogen in Apulia (Southern Italy). Thirty-four lambs belonging to a Northern European breed (Suffolk) and two Southern Italian breeds (Comisana and Altamurana) were infected. Eleven clinical as well as haematological parameters were monitored at different temporal resolutions on the same subjects before and after the infection, resulting in a data set of 435 observations. The present work, aiming to further the research, presents the results of a multivariate analysis carried out to identify which parameters out of the eleven considered are the most reliable parameters to be considered as markers of the disease phenotype as well as prognosticators of practical clinical importance. Results Data were analysed by discriminant analysis. Out of the eleven considered variables (red blood cells, packed cell volume, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin content, haemoglobin concentration, white blood cells, neutrophils, leukocytes, platelets, rectal temperature), only seven were included in the step-wise model since significantly increasing the Mahlanobis distance between the two closest groups. Both discriminant functions resulted to be highly significant (P < 0.0001) and the percentage of variation accounted for by the first discriminant function was 63.6% of the variance in the grouping variable. Conclusions Taken together, the observed results stress the marked differentiation among the three breeds in terms of physio-pathological phenotypes indicating packed cell volume and red blood cell count as the most informative parameters in the routine clinical practice for A. ovis infection in sheep.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION: P2×7R is a member of the ionotropic family of purinergic receptors activated by millimolar concentrations of extracellular ATP such as induced by inflammatory stimuli. The receptor is widely expressed in cells of haematopoietic origin such as monocytes, macrophages and microglia. There is growing interest in anta-gonist compounds of the P2×7R since it has been demonstrated to be a viable therapeutic target for inflammatory diseases. Here, we tested the possible P2×7 antagonist effect of MED1101, a newly synthesised dialdehydic compound on U937 monocyte cells. RESULTS: Human U937 cells express the full-length P2×7A receptor isoform. Treatment with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a potent inducer of inflammation, significantly increased the expression of the receptor in the plasma membrane. Importantly, MED1101 induced internalisation of the P2×7R already after 30 min incubation in both physiological conditions and in presence of the inflammatory stimulus (LPS) and this effect was observable for up to 12 h after its removal. Moreover, MED1101 induced an impairment of monocyte migration/transmigration through direct P2×7R antagonism and subsequent inhibition of the intracellular signal transduction processes of Ca(2+) influx and MAPK phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: Our results clearly demonstrate that in U937 monocyte cells MED1101 acts as a P2×7R antagonist through the induction of receptor internalisation and subsequent inhibition of down-stream signal transduction pathways that regulate monocyte migration/transmigration, thus playing a potential therapeutic role in inflammatory diseases.

Genetic studies of livestock populations focus on questions of domestication, within- and among-breed diversity, breed history and adaptive variation. In this review, we describe the use of different molecular markers and methods for data analysis used to address these questions. There is a clear trend towards the use of single nucleotide polymorphisms and whole-genome sequence information, the application of Bayesian or Approximate Bayesian analysis and the use of adaptive next to neutral diversity to support decisions on conservation.

In Italy several local sheep breeds and populations are reared, though most of them are endangered or in very critical conditions and, therefore, in need of conservation actions. This paper aims to outline the genetic relationship among nineteen Italian local and country-wide sheep breeds by the means of a multidimensional scaling analysis conducted over the allele sharing distance estimated from the genotypic data at the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip. The analysis highlighted the presence of a strong geographical gradient in the distribution of the genetic variability of the considered breeds, with a North to South main gradient, along which almost all the breeds were positioned, followed by a minor East to West gradient, discriminating insular breeds from continental breeds. The results suggest that historical events of admixture and gene flow among contiguous areas played a significant role in determining the current pattern of genetic diversity among the Italian breeds, consistently with traditional sheep management practices (extensive rearing and transhumance) characterizing the history of sheep breeding in the Italian peninsula.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) are increasingly used in livestock to infer genetic variability and relationship within and among breeds. Since displaying different mutational properties, bi-allelic markers could reconstruct dissimilar scenarios with respect to long-established Short Tandem Repeats (STRs). Here we present the results from the genetic characterization of seven Italian breeds using 111 SNPs, compared to those previously obtained from 19 STR loci typed on the same population sample (Sarda: 97; Comisana: 67; Altamurana: 83; Leccese: 86; Gentile di Puglia: 74; Bagnolese: 33; Laticauda: 30). All the 111 SNP loci resulted to be polymorphic in the total sample, with only six loci being monomorphic in at least one breed. After pruning of loci displaying MAF<0.1, a total of 103 SNPs were left in the overall sample dataset. The overall SNP gene diversity was 0.40 (±0.09). A remarkably low proportion of SNPs (on average 2.2%) displayed significant (P<0.01) deviations from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium within the seven breeds. The Leccese breed displayed not only the highest levels of Hardy-Weinberg and gametic disequilibrium (4.9% of SNPs), but also the highest inbreeding coefficient (FIS=0.05) and the highest within-breed allele-sharing distance (D=0.31). These results are consistent with the evidence of sub-structuring within the Leccese breed, as suggested by both the STRUCTURE analysis and the NJ tree based on the inter-individual allele-sharing distance. In addition, the analysis among-breeds highlighted a marked differentiation of Sarda, likely consistent with its insular nature. A more complex scenario was observed when looking at the ability of SNP in reconstructing genetic connections among Italian sheep breeds in comparison to what obtained previously with STR. SNP generally provided poorer resolution in reconstructing the genetic relationships among the seven Italian sheep breeds, likely due to their limited number. Interestingly, the study produced also a first clue of overdominance as shaping the pattern of variability at olfactory receptor genes in the ovine species.

In the Apulia region, the Altamurana sheep breed is seriously facing the extinction risk due not so much to the small population size (about 500 animals) as to the lack, since more than fifteen years, of data on the population structure and on the productive and reproductive status of residual animals. Starting from the analysis of the extant situation, this work aims to highlight the actions needed, as a first step, to evaluate the genetic potential of the current Altamurana nucleus and, subsequently, to implement an effective genetic management plan. Recently, the 214/7 Measure (“biodiversity safeguard”) of the Apulian Rural Development Plan for the period 2007-2013, providing financial support to Apulian breeders devoted to the rearing of local sheep breeds, has been implemented. Being inspired by this positive scenario, here we propose a five-year breed management hypothesis that would convert the breed status (following the FAO classification) from endangered (<1.000 heads) to critical (1.000<N<5.000). The plan, that should involve public and private bodies, would allow to obtain the relevant data needed to evaluate the real economic sustainability of the breed reintroduction, with particular attention to farms included in the Alta Murgia National Park.

Current cattle breeds are commonly classified as belonging either to the Bos taurus taurus or Bos taurus indicus sub-species or, alternatively, as well as to hybrids among them. In particular, several evidences have been produced so far, highlighting the presence of zebuine biochemical and genetic markers in breeds belonging to the Podolic group. Here we present novel evidences concerning the presence of zebuine markers in taurine cattle breeds from Southeastern Europe. In particular, the paper presents two sub-sections: the first, describing the results of a polymorphism analysis carried out at the GHR gene, in a population sample of 254 animals belonging to the Italian Podolic, Ukranian Grey, Hungarian Grey, Polish Red, Polish White Back, Lithuanian White Backed and Lithuanian Light Grey breeds; the second illustrating the presence of common hemoglobin protein markers, notably the alfa-globin Y and beta-globin AZebu variants, in samples belonging to Italian Podolic and Grey Alpine cattle breeds. Taken together, these results confirm the hybrid nature of European cattle breeds belonging to the Podolic group and, for the first time, suggest a possible zebuine influence (likely mediated by cattle of the Podolic group) in the Grey Alpine cattle breed.

Studies on milk proteins revealed that a qualitative and quantitative polymorphism may be often found regarding alpha-lactalbumin (α-LA). In mammals, a similar phenomenon was widely documented in the alpha globin system as the result of a gene duplication. The presence of several, differently expressed alpha-lactalbumin gene (LALBA) products suggests that the mechanism underlying this phenomenon may involve non allelic genes. Molecular investigations performed on water buffalo confirmed the presence of duplicated LALBA gene arrangements and the same results were obtained analyzing the DNA from bovine samples. The duplication of LALBA gene was found in two species belonging to the subfamily Bovinae, proving the duplication to be a widespread phenomenon which might have occurred even before the splitting of the common ancestral species Bovidae; thus, it is highly probable that the phenomenon will also occur in the subfamily Caprinae. This paper reports the preliminary results of investigations, carried out by nested-PCR on Altamurana samples, aiming to analyze the LALBA gene arrangement in the ovine species. The results, though needing further confirmation, support the hypothesis that, similarly to what found in buffalo and cattle, a tandemly repeated copy of the LALBA gene is present in sheep.

Safety and quality foods of animal origin are extremely important for consumers. The aim of this work was to evaluate the feasibility of a method to track the breed origin of sheep meat all along the production chain using molecular genetics tools. A total of 800 samples evenly distributed among seven Italian sheep breeds have been typed at 19 STR markers, together with 90 samples from both imported sheep animals and local crossbred animals withdrawn at slaughterhouses. A maximum likelihood assignment test was adopted to evaluate STR ability to allocate samples to their true breed of origin. Sarda animals were all correctly allocated, as well as more than 98% of samples from the other breeds. Only slightly worst allocation performances were observed for imported and crossbred animals. Preliminary results seem quite promising, though further analyses will be needed in order to better understand the statistical power of such an assignment test before implementation in the sheep meat production chain.

The aim of this work is to evaluate the feasibility of a method to track the breed origin of sheep meat all along the production chain using molecular genetics tools. A total of 800 samples, evenly distributed among seven Italian sheep breeds, have been typed at 19 STR markers, together with 90 samples from both imported sheep and local crossbred animals withdrawn at slaughterhouses. A maximum likelihood assignment test was adopted to evaluate STR ability to allocate samples to their true breed of origin. Sarda animals were all correctly allocated, as well as more than 98% of samples from the other breeds. Preliminary results seem quite promising, though further analyses will be needed in order to better understand the statistical power of such an assignment test before implementation in the sheep meat production chain.

The camel (Camelus dromedarius) represents an important economic resource in many arid areas across several countries, as a pack or racing animal or since providing milk, meat and hair. Despite its relevance, an exhaustive survey of the genetic variability among camel populations in North Africa is still lacking due to absence of cross-border studies in the currently available literature. As a consequence, a collaborative effort was recently launched to fill this gap. The project is now in its infancy stage. Here we describe the genesis of the project and provide preliminary details on the methodological approach. Up to now, 310 blood samples, representative of the different camel types found in Tunisia, together with 214 blood samples from Algeria and 78 blood samples representative of the north western coast of Egypt have been sampled. Further efforts are currently being made in order to ensure a good representativeness for camel populations in Egypt. A set of 20 FAO STR has been adopted. Analysis of data is expected to provide original insights on the historical process of camel dispersal in Northern Africa and contribute to a better characterization of camel populations in this region.

Natural and artificial selection affect genome structure causing genetic variation between breeds. Dense marker maps of thousand SNP disseminated across the whole genome allow for the investigation of chromosomal regions that differ between breeds. Several statistical approaches have been proposed to study selection signatures in livestock species. In this work, four approaches were used to study selection signatures in a sample of 496 sheep belonging to 20 Italian breeds, different for geographical origin and production aptitude. The four approaches were: I) Fst Outlier Detection (FOD), implemented in the LOSITAN software. II) comparison of Breed LS means of the sum of differences in SNP allele frequencies along sliding windows (SNP_DIFF). III) Correspondence analysis (CA). VI) Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA). Animal were genotyped with the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip. The first six chromosomes were considered. After data editing, a total of 20,194 SNP were retained for the analysis. The different approaches were able to identify the same regions expressing variation between breeds. On OAR6, for example, all methods highlighted a region located between 35 and 41 Mb, where BMPR1b and ABCG2 loci map. Moreover, SNP able to differentiate between breeds were also detected at 76, 96 and 107 Mb, near to KIT, IL8 and SCD5 loci, respectively. All methods were able to discriminate breeds and, in general, a geographical pattern of variation has been detected. However each approach may supply different kind of information. FOD detected a relatively low number of markers in divergent selection but it was able to identify loci under balanced selection. CA and CDA decomposed the total variability of SNP markers among breeds in different and uncorrelated variables that could be useful for the identification of genes influencing complex traits.

Dense marker maps allow for the investigation of genomic regions that differentiate between breeds. In this work, 496 sheep belonging to 20 Italian sheep breeds were genotyped with the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip. After data editing, 2,180 SNP located on chromosome 6 were analyzed with 4 different approaches. I) Fst Outlier Detection (FOD), implemented in the LOSITAN software, based on the comparison between Fst calculated on actual data and expected heterozygosity (He) and Fst under an island model. II) Composite Log-likelihood (CLL), based on calculation of CLL of the observed allelic frequencies across overlapping windows of 9 markers. III) Correspondence analysis (CA). VI) Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA). The different approaches were able to identify regions at OAR6 that expressed variation between breeds. Highest values for all statistics were found for a region spanning between 35 and 41 Mb known to harbour BMPR1b and ABCG2 loci. SNPs with a relevant discriminating power between breeds were also found at 76, 96 and 107 Mb, near to KIT, IL8 and SCD5 genes respectively. FOD detected 227 not neutral markers (17 under positive and 210 under balanced selection) using a confidence interval of 0.95. A total of 62 windows out of 242 were significant for CLL (P &amp;lt; 0.01). Several 85 and 135 SNPs exceeded empirical threshold for CA and CDA, respectively. The discriminating power was high for all methods and in general, they revealed a geographical pattern of variation between breeds. Moreover, each method provided specific information. FOD supplied a relatively low number of markers in divergent selection but it was able to identify loci under balanced selection. CA and CDA allowed a decomposition of total variability in different and uncorrelated variables that could be useful for the identification of genes influencing complex traits. The use of different statistical methods to study genetic variability between ethnic groups could provide indications about the adaptation to local conditions as well as the effect of selection.