Topic:Biology

The future of equine semen analysis.
Reproduction, fertility, and development    March 12, 2024   doi: 10.1071/RD23212
Peu00f1a FJ, Martu00edn-Cano FE, Becerro-Rey L, Ortega-Ferrusola C, Gaitskell-Phillips G, da Silva-u00c1lvarez E, Gil MC.We are currently experiencing a period of rapid advancement in various areas of science and technology. The integration of high throughput 'omics' techniques with advanced biostatistics, and the help of artificial intelligence, is significantly impacting our understanding of sperm biology. These advances will have an appreciable impact on the practice of reproductive medicine in horses. This article provides a brief overview of recent advances in the field of spermatology and how they are changing assessment of sperm quality. This article is written from the authors' perspective, using the sta...
Editorial: Physiological response to exercise-induced stress and stressful environmental stimuli: insights from systems biology.
Frontiers in veterinary science    February 16, 2024   Volume 11 1369154 doi: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1369154
Cappelli K, Hosseini-Ghaffari M, Lopreiato V, Mecocci S.No abstract available
Low levels of microRNA-21 in neutrophil-derived exosomes may contribute to airway smooth muscle hyperproliferation in horses with severe asthma.
American journal of veterinary research    February 12, 2024   1-8 doi: 10.2460/ajvr.23.11.0267
Vargas A, Mainguy-Seers S, Boivin R, Lavoie JP.Neutrophilic inflammation is associated with the degree of airway obstruction in severe equine asthma (SEA), but the contribution of these leukocytes to bronchial remodeling remains ill defined. Neutrophils could cause structural alterations of the airways by the release of exosomes, a type of cell-derived nanoparticles that can modify the biology of local and distant cells. Neutrophil-derived exosomes have been shown to increase airway smooth muscle (ASM) cell proliferation in humans and horses. Therefore, this study aimed to identify neutrophil exosomal microRNAs (miRs) implicated in the reg...
Trio-binning of a hinny refines the comparative organization of the horse and donkey X chromosomes and reveals novel species-specific features.
Scientific reports    November 17, 2023   Volume 13, Issue 1 20180 doi: 10.1038/s41598-023-47583-x
Jevit MJ, Castaneda C, Paria N, Das PJ, Miller D, Antczak DF, Kalbfleisch TS, Davis BW, Raudsepp T.We generated single haplotype assemblies from a hinny hybrid which significantly improved the gapless contiguity for horse and donkey autosomal genomes and the X chromosomes. We added over 15 Mb of missing sequence to both X chromosomes, 60 Mb to donkey autosomes and corrected numerous errors in donkey and some in horse reference genomes. We resolved functionally important X-linked repeats: the DXZ4 macrosatellite and ampliconic Equine Testis Specific Transcript Y7 (ETSTY7). We pinpointed the location of the pseudoautosomal boundaries (PAB) and determined the size of the horse (1.8 Mb) and ...
CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Targeting of BPV-1-Transformed Primary Equine Sarcoid Fibroblasts.
Viruses    September 17, 2023   Volume 15, Issue 9 1942 doi: 10.3390/v15091942
Monod A, Koch C, Jindra C, Haspeslagh M, Howald D, Wenker C, Gerber V, Rottenberg S, Hahn K.Equine sarcoids (EqS) are fibroblast-derived skin tumors associated with bovine papillomavirus 1 and 2 (BPV-1 and -2). Based on Southern blotting, the BPV-1 genome was not found to be integrated in the host cell genome, suggesting that EqS pathogenesis does not result from insertional mutagenesis. Hence, CRISPR/Cas9 implies an interesting tool for selectively targeting BPV-1 episomes or genetically anchored suspected host factors. To address this in a proof-of-concept study, we confirmed the exclusive episomal persistence of BPV-1 in EqS using targeted locus amplification (TLA). To investigate...
The equine ascarids: resuscitating historic model organisms for modern purposes.
Parasitology research    August 20, 2022   Volume 121, Issue 10 2775-2791 doi: 10.1007/s00436-022-07627-z
Cain JL, Nielsen MK.The equine ascarids, Parascaris spp., are important nematode parasites of juvenile horses and were historically model organisms in the field of cell biology, leading to many important discoveries, and are used for the study of chromatin diminution. In veterinary parasitology, Parascaris spp. are important not only because they can cause clinical disease in young horses but also because they are the only ascarid parasites to have developed widespread anthelmintic resistance. Despite this, much of the general biology and mechanisms of anthelmintic resistance are poorly understood. This review co...
Molecular Dynamics and Evolution of Centromeres in the Genus Equus.
International journal of molecular sciences    April 10, 2022   Volume 23, Issue 8 4183 doi: 10.3390/ijms23084183
The centromere is the chromosomal locus essential for proper chromosome segregation. While the centromeric function is well conserved and epigenetically specified, centromeric DNA sequences are typically composed of satellite DNA and represent the most rapidly evolving sequences in eukaryotic genomes. The presence of satellite sequences at centromeres hampered the comprehensive molecular analysis of these enigmatic loci. The discovery of functional centromeres completely devoid of satellite repetitions and fixed in some animal and plant species represented a turning point in centromere biology...
Maternal recognition of pregnancy in the mare: does it exist and why do we care?
Reproduction (Cambridge, England)    May 5, 2021   Volume 161, Issue 6 R139-R155 doi: 10.1530/REP-20-0437
Swegen A.Maternal recognition of pregnancy (MRP) is a process by which an early conceptus signals its presence to the maternal system and prevents the lysis of the corpus luteum, thus ensuring a maternal milieu supportive of pregnancy continuation. It is a fundamental aspect of reproductive biology, yet in the horse, the mechanism underlying MRP remains unknown. This review seeks to address some of the controversies surrounding the evidence and theories of MRP in the equine species, such as the idea that the horse does not conform to the MRP paradigm established in other species or that equine MRP invo...
Type I Collagen Suspension Induces Neocollagenesis and Myodifferentiation in Fibroblasts In Vitro.
BioMed research international    June 26, 2020   Volume 2020 6093974 doi: 10.1155/2020/6093974
The ability of a collagen-based matrix to support cell proliferation, migration, and infiltration has been reported; however, the direct effect of an aqueous collagen suspension on cell cultures has not been studied yet. In this work, the effects of a high-concentration aqueous suspension of a micronized type I equine collagen (EC-I) have been evaluated on a normal mouse fibroblast cell line. Immunofluorescence analysis showed the ability of EC-I to induce a significant increase of type I and III collagen levels, parallel with overexpression of crucial proteins in collagen biosynthesis, matura...
Insertion of Telomeric Repeats in the Human and Horse Genomes: An Evolutionary Perspective.
International journal of molecular sciences    April 18, 2020   Volume 21, Issue 8 2838 doi: 10.3390/ijms21082838
Santagostino M, Piras FM, Cappelletti E, Del Giudice S, Semino O, Nergadze SG, Giulotto E.Interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) are short stretches of telomeric-like repeats (TTAGGG)n at nonterminal chromosomal sites. We previously demonstrated that, in the genomes of primates and rodents, ITSs were inserted during the repair of DNA double-strand breaks. These conclusions were derived from sequence comparisons of ITS-containing loci and ITS-less orthologous loci in different species. To our knowledge, insertion polymorphism of ITSs, i.e., the presence of an ITS-containing allele and an ITS-less allele in the same species, has not been described. In this work, we carried out a gen...
HORSE SPECIES SYMPOSIUM: Advances in equine stem cell biology.
Journal of animal science    May 29, 2015   Volume 93, Issue 3 860-861 doi: 10.2527/jas.2014-8894
Coverdale JA, Hoagland T, Berg EL.No abstract available
Modelling the equine hindgut.
The Veterinary record    November 2, 2014   Volume 175, Issue 17 421 doi: 10.1136/vr.g6509
No abstract available
Assessing the function of mesenchymal stromal cells: all that glitters is not gold.
Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)    October 22, 2012   Volume 195, Issue 1 10-11 doi: 10.1016/j.tvjl.2012.09.017
Hackett CH.No abstract available
Structures of bovine, equine and leporine serum albumin.
Acta crystallographica. Section D, Biological crystallography    September 13, 2012   Volume 68, Issue Pt 10 1278-1289 doi: 10.1107/S0907444912027047
Bujacz A.Serum albumin first appeared in early vertebrates and is present in the plasma of all mammals. Its canonical structure supported by a conserved set of disulfide bridges is maintained in all mammalian serum albumins and any changes in sequence are highly correlated with evolution of the species. Previous structural investigations of mammalian serum albumins have only concentrated on human serum albumin (HSA), most likely as a consequence of crystallization and diffraction difficulties. Here, the crystal structures of serum albumins isolated from bovine, equine and leporine blood plasma are repo...
Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities of stem cells.
The Veterinary clinics of North America. Equine practice    August 30, 2011   Volume 27, Issue 2 351-362 doi: 10.1016/j.cveq.2011.06.003
Peroni JF, Borjesson DL.The recent interest in equine stem cell biology and the rapid increase in experimental data highlight the growing attention that this topic has been receiving over the past few years. Within the field of stem cell biology, the relevance of immunobiology is of particular intrigue. It appears that optimal and effective stem cell therapy for equine patients will require a thorough analysis of the immune properties of stem cells as well as their response to immune mediators. The main goal of this review is to discuss the biology of adult mesenchymal stem cells in the context of immunology.
A suspect horse excluded by analysis of species- and male-specific DNA and mtDNA.
Forensic science international    March 3, 2011   Volume 207, Issue 1-3 e66-e68 doi: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2011.02.006
Xu H, Han W, Zhao C, Manglai D.No abstract available
Characterizing the meiotic spindle configuration and chromosome complement of in vivo matured equine oocytes.
Animal reproduction science    May 20, 2010   Volume 121, Issue 1-2 Suppl 234-236 doi: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2010.04.136
Vanderwall DK, Baumann C, Viveiros M, Sertich PL, Kelleman AA, Maenhoudt C, Jacobson CC, De La Fuente R.No abstract available
Linear versus branching depictions of evolutionary history: implications for diagram design.
Topics in cognitive science    January 19, 2010   Volume 3, Issue 3 536-559 doi: 10.1111/j.1756-8765.2009.01077.x
Novick LR, Shade CK, Catley KM.This article reports the results of an experiment involving 108 college students with varying backgrounds in biology. Subjects answered questions about the evolutionary history of sets of hominid and equine taxa. Each set of taxa was presented in one of three diagrammatic formats: a noncladogenic diagram found in a contemporary biology textbook or a cladogram in either the ladder or tree format. As predicted, the textbook diagrams, which contained linear components, were more likely than the cladogram formats to yield explanations of speciation as an anagenic process, a common misconception am...
Equine cyathostomins: a review of biology, clinical significance and therapy.
Parasites & vectors    September 25, 2009   Volume 2 Suppl 2, Issue Suppl 2 S1 doi: 10.1186/1756-3305-2-S2-S1
Corning S.The small strongyles of horses, also known as cyathostomins, are considered the most prevalent and pathogenic parasites of horses today. The clinical syndrome of larval cyathostominosis which occurs as a result of mass emergence of inhibited stages has a high fatality rate despite the best standard of care given to affected horses. Management of the challenge level of cyathostomins to prevent the syndrome is preferable. Many different management programmes have been tried over the past two decades, with mixed success. Programmes have relied heavily on repeated use of anthelmintic treatments th...
The new framework for understanding placental mammal evolution.
BioEssays : news and reviews in molecular, cellular and developmental biology    July 8, 2009   Volume 31, Issue 8 853-864 doi: 10.1002/bies.200900053
Asher RJ, Bennett N, Lehmann T.An unprecedented level of confidence has recently crystallized around a new hypothesis of how living placental mammals share a pattern of common descent. The major groups are afrotheres (e.g., aardvarks, elephants), xenarthrans (e.g., anteaters, sloths), laurasiatheres (e.g., horses, shrews), and euarchontoglires (e.g., humans, rodents). Compared with previous hypotheses this tree is remarkably stable; however, some uncertainty persists about the location of the placental root, and (for example) the position of bats within laurasiatheres, of sea cows and aardvarks within afrotheres, and of der...
The legacy of Charles Darwin to man and horse.
Equine veterinary journal    May 8, 2009   Volume 41, Issue 2 98 doi: 10.2746/042516409x404948
Rossdale PD.No abstract available
Mule or hinny might be a natural model for studying the role of parent genomes in carcinogenesis.
Medical hypotheses    August 16, 2008   Volume 71, Issue 5 810-811 doi: 10.1016/j.mehy.2008.07.001
Guo S, Lu J, Li H, Ye J, Ma F, Wang Y, Li Q, Zhang F.No abstract available
Influence of fatty acid composition in mammalian erythrocytes on cellular aggregation.
Clinical hemorheology and microcirculation    August 30, 2007   Volume 37, Issue 3 237-243 
Plasenzotti R, Windberger U, Ulberth F, Osterode W, Losert U.The rheologic properties of red blood cells (RBC) are determined by humoral and cellular factors. Fatty acid composition of the RBC phospholipid bilayer is one factor influencing membrane fluidity this could affect RBC aggregation because of a higher bias of RBC deformability. The present investigation was performed to investigate a possible relationship between fatty acid composition and erythrocyte aggregation using animals with high RBC aggregation (horse and pig) and animals with immeasurable RBC aggregation (sheep). Horse and pig showed similar distribution of the four major components pa...
Chromosomal assignments for the equine AMPK family genes.
Animal genetics    June 1, 2006   Volume 37, Issue 3 293-294 doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01431.x
Dranchak PK, Ekenstedt KJ, Valberg SJ, Chowdhary BP, Raudsepp T, Mickelson JR.No abstract available
Scaling of skeletal muscle shortening velocity in mammals representing a 100,000-fold difference in body size.
Pflugers Archiv : European journal of physiology    December 7, 2005   Volume 452, Issue 2 222-230 doi: 10.1007/s00424-005-0017-6
Marx JO, Olsson MC, Larsson L.To fully understand the effect of scaling on skeletal muscle shortening velocity (V (0)), it is important to know which phenotypic characteristics drive the changes between species. The purpose of the current investigation was to compare the effects of body mass and femur length, as an estimate of total limb length, on V (0) in species that cover a 100,000-fold range of body masses. Using the slack test procedure, V (0) was determined for fibers expressing types I and IIa myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms in the mouse, rat, dog, human, horse, and rhinoceros under identical experimental condit...
[EIAV (equine infectious anemia virus): to better understand the lentiviral pathogenesis].
Virologie (Montrouge, France)    August 1, 2005   Volume 9, Issue 4 289-300 doi: 10.1684/vir.2011.2119
Leroux C, Montelaro RC, Sublimec E, Cadoru00e9 JL.Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is a lentivirus related to HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). EIAV causes a persistent infection characterized by recurring febrile episodes associating viremia, fever and thrombocytopenia. Despite a rapid virus replication and antigenic variation, most animals progress from a chronic stage characterized by recurring peaks of viremia and fever to an asymptomatic stage of infection. The understanding of the correlates of this immune control is of great interest in defining vaccine strategies. Research on EIAV over the last five decades has produced some in...
Evolution. Fossil horses–evidence for evolution.
Science (New York, N.Y.)    March 19, 2005   Volume 307, Issue 5716 1728-1730 doi: 10.1126/science.1105458
Macfadden BJ.No abstract available
On the difference in stability between horse and sperm whale myoglobins.
Archives of biochemistry and biophysics    March 9, 2005   Volume 436, Issue 1 168-177 doi: 10.1016/j.abb.2005.01.016
Regis WC, Fattori J, Santoro MM, Jamin M, Ramos CH.The work in the literature on apomyoglobin is almost equally divided between horse and sperm whale myoglobins. The two proteins share high homology, show similar folding behavior, and it is often assumed that all folding phenomena found with one protein will also be found with the other. We report data at equilibrium showing that horse myoglobin was 2.1 kcal/mol less stable than sperm whale myoglobin at pH 5.0, and aggregated at high concentrations as measured by gel filtration and analytical ultracentrifugation experiments. The higher stability of sperm whale myoglobin was identified for both...
Expression of equine interleukin-18 by baculovirus expression system and its biologic activity.
Microbiology and immunology    June 25, 2004   Volume 48, Issue 6 471-476 doi: 10.1111/j.1348-0421.2004.tb03538.x
Wu D, Murakami K, Liu N, Konishi M, Muneta Y, Inumaru S, Kokuho T, Sentsui H.The equine interleukin-18 (IL-18) cDNA that contains the coding sequence was cloned and a recombinant baculovirus, named AcEIL-18, was constructed. The recombinant protein of the equine IL-18 was expressed by AcEIL-18 and its expression was confirmed by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Western blotting. Insect cells infected with AcEIL-18 secreted a precursor IL-18 with 24 kilo dalton (kDa) into the culture supernatant. Western blot analysis showed that mature equine IL-18 about 18 kDa was also confirmed without co-expression of caspase-1. Culture supern...
Isolation from the horse genome of a new DNA transposon belonging to the Tigger family.
Mammalian genome : official journal of the International Mammalian Genome Society    June 1, 2004   Volume 15, Issue 5 399-403 doi: 10.1007/s00335-004-3040-6
Paulis M, Moralli D, Bensi M, De Carli L, Raimondi E.Tigger elements are human DNA transposons homologous to the pogo element of Drosophila melanogaster. They contain an open reading frame for a transposase very similar to the major mammalian centromere protein CENP-B. We found in the horse genome a DNA element ( Ecatig3) sharing 88% homology with human Tigger3. The presence of Tigger elements in the horse genome confirms previous data that date these elements before the divergence between Perissodactyla and Primates (80-90 Myr ago). Copy number evaluation indicates that the horse element is much more abundant than its human counterpart. Souther...
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