Genetics in horses encompasses the study of hereditary traits and the genetic makeup that influences various characteristics and health conditions in equine populations. This field involves the analysis of genes and their functions, inheritance patterns, and the impact of genetic variations on traits such as coat color, performance ability, and susceptibility to diseases. Research in equine genetics employs techniques such as genome mapping, sequencing, and genetic testing to identify specific genes and mutations associated with these traits. This page gathers peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that explore the genetic basis of equine traits, the methodologies used in genetic research, and the implications for breeding, health management, and conservation of horse breeds.
Lambertini C, Bombardi C, Zannoni A, Bernardini C, Dondi F, Morini M, Rinnovati R, Spadari A, Romagnoli N.Proteinase activated receptor 4 (PAR) in the gastrointestinal tract is involved in the regulation of inflammation and pain pathways. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the distribution and expression of PAR in the jejunum of healthy horses and in the pathologic tracts from horses undergoing surgery for herniation of the small intestine through the epiploic foramen. Eight healthy horses (Group H) and eight horses with epiploic hernia (Group EH) were included; the jejunum samples were collected at the slaughter or intraoperatively after enterectomy, respectively. To evaluate PAR expres...
X-ray structures of homopolymeric human L-ferritin and horse spleen ferritin were solved by freezing protein crystals at different time intervals after exposure to a ferric salt and revealed the growth of an octa-nuclear iron cluster on the inner surface of the protein cage with a key role played by some glutamate residues. An atomic resolution view of how the cluster formation develops starting from a (μ -oxo)tris[(μ -glutamato-κO:κO')](glutamato-κO)(diaquo)triiron(III) seed is provided. The results support the idea that iron biomineralization in ferritin is a process initiating at the l...
Parsons Aubone AM, Bisiau CM, McCue PM, Bouma GJ.Mammals have a circadian rhythm that is synchronized by a master clock located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN regulates additional clocks located in peripheral tissues, including some involved in endocrine or reproductive functions. Studies in humans and mice report that molecular clocks also exist in the placenta. However, little is known about the presence of "Clock genes," namely Circadian Locomotor Output Cycles Kaput (CLOCK), Brain and Muscle Arnt-Like 1 (BMAL1), Period 1 (PER1), Period 2 (PER2), Cryptochrome 1 (CRY1), and Cryptochrome 2 (CRY2), in equine place...
Li B, He X, Zhao Y, Bai D, Li D, Zhou Z, Manglai D.Numerous studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are essential for testicular development and spermatogenesis. In order to further characterise these physiological processes, three immature and three mature testes of the Mongolian horse were collected and six libraries were established. Using small RNA sequencing technology, 531 mature miRNAs were identified, including 46 novel miRNAs without previously ascribed functions. Among the 531 miRNAs, 421 were expressed in both immature and mature libraries, 65 miRNAs were found solely in immature testis libraries and 45 miRNAs were found solely i...
Gurgul A, Jasielczuk I, Semik-Gurgul E, Pawlina-Tyszko K, Szmatoła T, Polak G, Bugno-Poniewierska M.The current role of the horse as a companion animal resulted in a decrease of interest in breeding and usage of draft horses. This meant that the population of cold-blooded horses in Poland has been dramatically reduced during the last decades. To avoid impoverishment of the gene pool of the local horse population, a conservation program was established which involves draft horses and other local horse breeds. The draft horses bred in Poland can be subdivided in a few horse types of which the most widespread and consolidated are Sztumski and Sokólski horses. These two subpopulations are pheno...
Totorikaguena L, Olabarrieta E, Lolicato F, Romero-Aguirregomezcorta J, Smitz J, Agirregoitia N, Agirregoitia E.The cannabinoid (CB) system has been involved in many aspects of reproduction and it is known that the systemic chronic use of exogenous CBs are deleterious to reproductive processes. Even so, it is not known what happens in relation to the physiology of the ovary when CB receptors are absent. The present study investigated the effect of the lack of CB1 and CB2 receptors in mice ovarian morphology, folliculogenesis, oocyte retrieval, and oocyte maturation and evaluated the use of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) by comparing classical IVM and two-step IVM by a...
Alloway E, Linder K, May S, Rose T, DeLay J, Bender S, Tucker A, Luff J.Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is the most common neoplasm of the equine stomach. However, the mechanisms underlying malignant transformation are unknown. As papillomavirus-2 (EcPV-2) is a likely cause of some genital SCCs, we hypothesized that EcPV-2 is associated with a subset of equine gastric SCCs. To this aim, we performed polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and in situ hybridization (ISH) for EcPV-2 E6/ E7 oncogenes on 11 gastric SCCs and on gastric samples from 15 control horses with no SCC. PCR for EcPV-2 was positive in 7/11 (64%) gastric SCCs; non-SCC gastric samples were all negative. I...
Miagkoff L, Archambault M, Bonilla AG.To describe the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of the most commonly isolated bacteria cultured from synovial fluid samples from horses with suspected septic synovitis treated at an equine referral hospital between May 1, 2008, and September 24, 2017. Methods: 131 synovial fluid samples from 108 client-owned horses. Methods: A retrospective medical record search was conducted to identify horses with suspected septic synovitis and results of synovial fluid bacterial culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Data collected included signalment, known or suspected origin of synovial ...
De Coster T, Velez DA, Van Soom A, Woelders H, Smits K.Invitro embryo production has evolved rapidly in the horse over the past decade, but blastocyst rates from vitrified equine oocytes remain quite poor and further research is needed to warrant application. Oocyte vitrification is affected by several technical and biological factors. In the horse, short exposure of immature oocytes to the combination of permeating and non-permeating cryoprotective agents has been associated with the best results so far. High cooling and warming rates are also crucial and can be obtained by using minimal volumes and open cryodevices. Vitrification of invivo-matur...
Santos RG, Hurtado R, Gomes LGR, Profeta R, Rifici C, Attili AR, Spier SJ, Mazzullo G, Morais-Rodrigues F, Gomide ACP, Brenig B, Gala-García A....Bacteria of the genusGlutamicibacterare considered ubiquitous because they can be found in soil, water and air. They have already been isolated from different habitats, including different types of soil, clinical samples, cheese and plants. Glutamicibacter creatinolyticus is a Gram-positive bacterium important to various biotechnological processes, however, as a pathogen it is associated to urinary tract infections and bacteremia. Recently,Glutamicibacter creatinolyticusLGCM 259 was isolated from a mare, which displayed several diffuse subcutaneous nodules with heavy vascularization. In this s...
Allen WRT, Wilsher S.Early embryo transfer in equids was undertaken simultaneously in the early 1970s in Cambridge, England, and Kyoto, Japan. Both groups achieved limited success when flushing the uterine horn ipsilateral to the side of ovulation but the rates improved markedly when the whole uterus was flushed on realization of the continued movement of the embryo throughout the uterine lumen after day 6. Initial transfers of embryos to recipient mares were carried out surgically, but nonsurgical transfer via the cervix has been used subsequently with increasing success, culminating in pregnancy rates of 75%-90%...
Lu G, Wu L, Ou J, Li S.Equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H) was first reported in a horse that died of equine serum hepatitis in the USA in 2018, and was determined having a strong association with equine serum hepatitis in the following studies. As a newly discovered virus, the genomic sequences of only seven EqPV-H strains have been reported. Considering this, an epidemiological study was performed to investigate the prevalence of EqPV-H in equines in Guangdong Province in China, and obtain genomic sequences of the field prevalent EqPV-H strains. The detection rate of EqPV-H was finally determined to be 8.33% (95%...
Su S, Zhao Y, Liu Z, Liu G, Du M, Wu J, Bai D, Li B, Bou G, Zhang X, Dugarjaviin M.The intestinal microbiota plays an important role in the health and metabolism of the host. Next-generation sequencing technology has enabled the characterization of the gut microbiota of several animal species. We analyzed the intestinal microbiota in six different parts of the gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of five Mongolian horses by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene V3-V4 hypervariable region. All horses were kept in the natural habitat of the Inner Mongolia grassland. Significant differences were observed among the microbiota compositions of the distinct GIT regions. In addition, while the mic...
Nakamura M, Tozaki T, Kakoi H, Nakamura K, Rajabi-Toustani R, Ohba Y, Matsubara T, Takasu M.The Kiso horse is native to Japan and is on the verge of extinction. Here, we used microsatellites to characterize changes in their genetic diversity over time. We divided a population of Kiso horses that genotyped during 2007-2017 into three groups based on birth year: Group 1, 1980-1998 (70 horses); Group 2, 1999-2007 (61 horses); and Group 3, 2008-2017 (42 horses). We genotyped 31 microsatellites to calculate average number of alleles, observed heterozygosity, and expected heterozygosity. All indicators decreased across age groups. The results indicate that Kiso horses have been experiencin...
de Lagarde M, Larrieu C, Praud K, Lallier N, Trotereau A, Sallé G, Fairbrother JM, Schouler C, Doublet B.The objective of the study was to identify the genetic determinants and characteristics of expanded-spectrum cephalosporin (ESC) resistance in commensal Escherichia coli from healthy horses in France in 2015. Faecal samples from 744 adult horses were screened for ESC-resistant E. coli isolates. The extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)/AmpC resistance genes were identified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. ESC phenotypes were horizontally transferred by conjugation or transformation. Plasmids carrying ESBL/AmpC genes were typed by PCR-based replicon typing, restriction fr...
Linz D, Hesselkilde E, Kutieleh R, Jespersen T, Buhl R, Sanders P.Atrial fibrillation is triggered by the pulmonary veins in humans. Although atrial fibrillation is known to occur in other species, the mechanisms of disease in these are not known. Here we present evidence for pulmonary vein triggers in the horse, where 3D HD Grid mapping was undertaken in the conscious state in the absence of fluoroscopy.
Leclere M, Costa MC.Gastrointestinal microbiota can be influenced by several factors, including diet and systemic inflammation, and in turn could act as a modulator of the allergic response. Fecal microbiota of horses with asthma has not been described. Objective: Analyze the bacterial fecal microbiota of horses with and without asthma under different environment and diet conditions, during both remission and exacerbation. Methods: Prospective observational study. Feces from 6 asthmatic and 6 healthy horses were collected under 3 different conditions: on pasture, housed indoors receiving good quality hay ("good h...
Lim QL, Tan YL, Ng WL, Yong CSY, Ismail A, Rovie-Ryan JJ, Rosli N, Annavi G.A molecular sexing method by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of a portion of the sex-determining region Y (SRY) and the zinc finger (ZF) gene, as well as six equine Y-chromosome-specific microsatellite markers, were tested in the Malayan tapir (Tapirus indicus). While the microsatellite markers did not yield any male-specific amplicons for sex-typing, the SRY/ZF marker system produced reliable molecular sexing results by accurately sex-typing 31 reference Malayan tapirs, using whole blood, dried blood spot (DBS), or tissue samples as materials for DNA extraction. The marker syste...
Antczak DF.The development of placentation that coincided with the evolution of mammals presented new challenges to the transmission of life from one generation to the next, particularly with regard to the possibility of maternal immunological recognition and destruction of the developing conceptus. The balance between immunity and tolerance dominates the immunological relationship between mother and fetus during mammalian pregnancy, and the focal point of this relationship lies at the interface between the trophoblast cells that comprise the outermost layer of the placenta and the maternal endometrial t...
Kinoshita Y, Niwa H, Uchida-Fujii E, Nukada T.Mycoplasma felis causes conjunctivitis in cats and respiratory diseases in horses. We report here the complete genome assembly of equine Mycoplasma felis strain Myco-2, which was isolated from an ill horse in Japan.
Ghosh S, Davis BW, Rosengren M, Jevit MJ, Castaneda C, Arnold C, Jaxheimer J, Love CC, Varner DD, Lindgren G, Wade CM, Raudsepp T.Disorders of sex development (DSD) and reproduction are not uncommon among horses, though knowledge about their molecular causes is sparse. Here we characterized a ~200 kb homozygous deletion in chromosome 29 at 29.7-29.9 Mb. The region contains genes which function as ketosteroid reductases in steroid hormone biosynthesis, including androgens and estrogens. Mutations in genes are associated with human DSDs. Deletion boundaries, sequence properties and gene content were studied by PCR and whole genome sequencing of select deletion homozygotes and control animals. Deletion analysis by PCR in ...
Waller BM, Julle-Daniere E, Micheletta J.Darwin observed that form, and in his view, meaning, of facial behaviour (observable changes in the appearance of the face, often termed facial 'expression') is similar between a wide range of species and concluded that this must be due to a shared ancestral origin. Yet, as with all social behaviours, exactly how to define similarity and determine homology is debated. Facial behaviour is linked to specific facial muscle movements, so one important factor in determining homology is the anatomical basis of facial behaviours that appear similar in both appearance and social function. The Facial A...
Bai H, Lu H, Wang L, Wang S, Zeng W, Zhang T.Ningqiang pony is one of the five pony breeds in China and is listed as a rare species. It is, therefore, meaningful to conduct stature research on this breed for its efficient reproduction, utilization and protection. This study is based on four SNP variants of adjacent LCORL/NCAPG, HMGA2, ZFAT and LASP1 genes, which have been found to be associated with horse height, and then, the 4 SNP loci in 22 Ningqiang ponies were analyzed. The results showed that there were genetic variations at the four loci in Ningqiang pony, there was a SNP on LCORL/NCAPG, HMGA2 and ZFAT gene all including T allele ...
Sandmeyer LS, Kingsley NB, Walder C, Archer S, Leis ML, Bellone RR, Bauer BS.To characterize clinical manifestations, measure frequency, and evaluate risk factors for equine recurrent uveitis (ERU) in Appaloosa horses in western Canada. Methods: 145 Appaloosa horses. Methods: Ophthalmic examinations were completed and eyes were classified as having no or mild clinical signs, or moderate, or severe damage from ERU. Clinical signs, age, sex, base coat color, and pattern were recorded. Whole blood and/or mane hair follicles were collected for DNA extraction, and all horses were tested for the leopard complex (LP) spotting pattern allele. Pedigree analysis was completed on...
Mehdizadeh Gohari I, Unterer S, Whitehead AE, Prescott JF.The role of type A in canine acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome and foal necrotizing enteritis is poorly characterized. However, a highly significant association between the presence of novel toxigenic and these specific enteric diseases has been described. These novel toxigenic strains produce 3 novel putative toxins, which have been designated NetE, NetF, and NetG. Although not conclusively demonstrated, current evidence suggests that NetF is likely the major virulence factor in strains responsible for canine acute hemorrhagic diarrhea syndrome and foal necrotizing enteritis. NetF is a be...
Han H, Chen Q, Gao Y, Li J, Li W, Dang R, Lei C.In the biological process of testicular spermatogenesis, the expression and interaction of many genes are regulated by microRNAs (miRNAs). However, comparisons of miRNA expression between descended testes (DTs) and undescended testes (UDTs) are rarely done in horses. In this study, we selected two UDTs (CKY2b and GU4b) from Chakouyi (CKY) and Guanzhong (GU) horses and eight DTs (GU1-3, CKY1, CKY3, CKY2a, GU4a, and GU5). Three groups were compared to evaluate expression patterns of testicular miRNA in stallion testes. Group 1 compared normal CKY horses and GU horses (CKY1 and CKY3 vs. GU1-3). G...
Loncaric I, Cabal Rosel A, Szostak MP, Licka T, Allerberger F, Ruppitsch W, Spergser J.The aim of the present study was to investigate the diversity of broad-spectrum cephalosporin-resistant spp. isolated from horses in Austria that originated from diseased horses. A total of seven non-repetitive cefotaxime-resistant sp. isolates were obtained during diagnostic activities from autumn 2012 to October 2019. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed. The isolates were genotyped by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Four out of seven isolates were identified as , two as and one as . All isolates displayed a multi-drug resistant phenotype. The detection of resistance genes r...
Socha W, Sztromwasser P, Dunowska M, Jaklinska B, Rola J.Equine arteritis virus (EAV) is maintained in the horse populations through persistently infected stallions. The aims of the study were to monitor the spread of EAV among Polish Hucul horses, to analyse the variability of circulating EAVs both between- and within-horses, and to identify allelic variants of the serving stallions EqCXCL16 gene that had been previously shown to strongly correlate with long-term EAV persistence in stallions. Serum samples (n = 221) from 62 horses including 46 mares and 16 stallions were collected on routine basis between December 2010 and May 2013 and tested f...
Sunday Idoko I, Tirosh-Levy S, Leszkowicz Mazuz M, Mohammed Adam B, Sikiti Garba B, Wesley Nafarnda D, Steinman A.Equine piroplasmosis (EP) is a tick-borne disease of equids, caused by the two haemoprotozoal parasites: and Nigeria constitutes a major crossroads of animal transport in West Africa and may serve as a factor in EP dissemination in the region. The study aim was to characterize EP parasites in donkeys and horses in northern Nigeria using a molecular approach. Blood was collected from 57 donkeys and 47 horses. EP infection was detected and characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Twenty five donkeys (43.8%) were infected with , five (8.8%) with three (5.3%) with dual infections. Four...
Graves KT, Eberth JE, Bailey E.Homozygous and compound heterozygous Miniature horses for ACAN alleles D1, D2, D3* and D4 exhibit chondrodysplastic dwarfism (OMIA 001271-9796). In a previous study, the carrier rate for these four alleles, combined, was 26.2%. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether carriers of these dwarfism-causing alleles had a shorter withers height than non-carriers. A total of 245 Miniature horses were tested for these four ACAN alleles and also were measured for withers height. Of these horses, 98 were carriers and 147 were non-carriers. A statistically significant difference of 1.43 inche...
Swiderski CE, Klei TR, Horohov DW.Quantification of cytokine mRNA using reverse transcription coupled with the polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has become a corner stone of the study of cytokine regulation. Quantitative competitive RT-PCR (QCRT-PCR) is commonly accepted as a reliable method for quantifying differences in mRNA levels but is both labor- and reagent-intensive. A noncompetitive polymerase chain reaction method that utilizes cytokine-specific, plasmid-derived, standard curves was developed for the quantification of equine cytokine mRNA. The assay can be performed on minute samples of cellular material, utilizes s...
Gibson CA, Daniels RS, Oxford JS, McCauley JW.The nucleotide sequences of ten haemagglutinin genes of representative H7N7 equine influenza viruses isolated between 1956 and 1977 have been determined by primer extension sequencing. Their nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences demonstrate a high degree of homology. These equine viruses can be divided into two distinct subgroups, the prototype-like, and a group comprising the early American isolates and the remaining equine viruses. The equine H7 haemagglutinins form a quite distinct group compared to H7 haemagglutinins isolated from other species. Each of these equine H7 haemagglutinin...
Abbara A, Ratnasabapathy R, Jayasena CN, Dhillo WS.The Kiss1 gene encodes a 145-amino acid pre-peptide, kisspeptin, which is cleaved into smaller peptides of 54, 14, 13, and 10 amino acids. This chapter reviews in detail the effects of kisspeptin on gonadotropin secretion in non-human mammals. Studies of kisspeptin's effects have included both acute and chronic administration regimens via a number of administration routes. Acute kisspeptin stimulates gonadotropin secretion in a wide range of species of non-human mammals, including rats, mice, hamsters, sheep, pigs, goats, cows, horses, and monkeys. In general, the stimulatory effect of kisspep...
Moon S, Lee JW, Shin D, Shin KY, Kim J, Choi IY, Kim J, Kim H.Using next-generation sequencing, we conducted a genome-wide scan of selective sweeps associated with selection toward genetic improvement in Thoroughbreds. We investigated potential phenotypic consequence of putative candidate loci by candidate gene association mapping for the finishing time in 240 Thoroughbred horses. We found a significant association with the trait for Ral GApase alpha 2 (RALGAP2) that regulates a variety of cellular processes of signal trafficking. Neighboring genes around RALGAP2 included insulinoma-associated 1 (INSM1), pallid (PLDN), and Ras and Rab interactor 2 (RIN2)...
Chang YF, Novosel V, Dubovi E, Wong SJ, Chu FK, Chang CF, Del Piero F, Shin S, Lein DH.Human blood collected from two patients from Westchester County, New York with human granulocytic ehrlichia (HGE) infection was inoculated into two ponies. Inoculated ponies developed clinical signs similar to a previous report (Madigan et al., 1995). Histopathological changes involved follicular hyperplasia of lymphoid tissues. HGE DNA was detected by PCR in muscle, fascia, peritoneum, and adrenal gland after the ponies produced a high level of antibodies to HGE. We suggest that HGE may reside in poorly vascularized connective tissues, where the antibodies may have some difficulties to penetr...
Gil L, Olaciregui M, Luño V, Malo C, González N, Martínez F.In recent years, there has been an increased interest in new preservation techniques that facilitate sperm storage and distribution, with freeze-drying (FD) having been proposed as an alternative method for sperm preservation and maintenance of genetic resources in different animal species. FD is a method in which frozen material is dried by sublimation of ice, thereby involving a direct transition from a solid (ice) to a vapour (gas) phase. One of the main advantages of FD is that nitrogen and dry ice are no longer required for the storage and shipment of frozen sperm, which can be stored at ...
Montagnier L.Recent data indicate that the lymphadenopathy-associated virus (LAV) is morphologically similar to animal lentiviruses, such as equine infectious anemia and visna viruses. This finding, together with the cross-reactivity of the core proteins of LAV with those of the equine infectious anemia virus and a similarity in genome structure and biological properties, allows LAV to be placed in the retroviral subfamily of Lentivirinae. Molecular data indicate a high degree of genetic variation of the virus, especially in the envelope gene, which have important implications for the origin of the virus (...
Johansson J, von Bahr-Lindström H, Jeck R, Woenckhaus C, Jörnvall H.The primary structure of the mitochondrial form of horse liver aldehyde dehydrogenase has been determined, utilizing peptide analyses and homology with other enzyme forms. The subunit exhibits N-terminal heterogeneity in size similar to that for the corresponding human mitochondrial protein, the longest form having 500 residues. Catalase was identified as a contaminant of the preparations. All four pairs within a set of aldehyde dehydrogenases can now be compared, including the same two species variants (horse and human) for both the cytosolic and mitochondrial enzyme, revealing characteristic...
Ishihara A, Zekas LJ, Weisbrode SE, Bertone AL.Cell-mediated and direct adenoviral (Ad) vector gene therapies can induce bone regeneration, including dermal fibroblasts (DFbs). We compared two effective therapies, DFb-mediated and direct Ad vector delivery of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2), for relative efficacy in bone regeneration. Equine rib drill defects were treated by percutaneous injection of either DFb-BMP2 or an Ad-BMP2 vector. At week 6, both DFb-BMP2- and Ad-BMP2-treated rib defects had greater bone filling volume and mineral density, with DFb-BMP2 inducing greater bone volume and maturity in the cortical bone aspect of the...
Finno CJ, Spier SJ, Valberg SJ.The recent development of equine genome maps by the equine genome community and the complete sequencing of the horse genome performed at the Broad Institute have accelerated the pace of genetic discovery. This review focuses on genetic diseases in the horse for which a mutation is currently known, including hyperkalemic periodic paralysis, severe combined immunodeficiency, overo lethal white syndrome, junctional epidermolysis bullosa, glycogen branching enzyme deficiency, malignant hyperthermia, hereditary equine regional dermal asthenia, and polysaccharide storage myopathy. Emphasis is placed...
Curik I, Zechner P, Sölkner J, Achmann R, Bodo I, Dovc P, Kavar T, Marti E, Brem G.While the negative effects of inbreeding and reduced heterozygosity on fecundity and survival are well established, only a few investigations have been carried out concerning their influence on morphological traits. This topic is of particular interest for a small and closed population such as the Lipizzan horse. Thus, 27 morphological traits were measured in 360 Lipizzan mares and were regressed on the individual inbreeding coefficients, as well as on the individual heterozygosity and mean squared distances (mean d(2)) between microsatellite alleles within an individual. Both individual heter...
Okoko T, Blagova EV, Whittingham JL, Dover LG, Wilkinson AJ.Virulence and host range in Rhodococcus equi depends on the variable pathogenicity island of their virulence plasmids. Notable gene products are a family of small secreted virulence-associated proteins (Vaps) that are critical to intramacrophagic proliferation. Equine-adapted strains, which cause severe pyogranulomatous pneumonia in foals, produce a cell-associated VapA that is necessary for virulence, alongside five other secreted homologues. In the absence of biochemical insight, attention has turned to the structures of these proteins to develop a functional hypothesis. Recent studies have ...
Nagata LP, Hu WG, Masri SA, Rayner GA, Schmaltz FL, Das D, Wu J, Long MC, Chan C, Proll D, Jager S, Jebailey L, Suresh MR, Wong JP.The efficacy of a DNA vaccine against western equine encephalitis (WEE) infection in mice was evaluated. The 26S structural region was expressed, in vitro from an internal T7 promoter using a rabbit reticulysate transcription/translation system; and from a CMV promoter after transfection into Vero cell monolayers. The proteins synthesized were reactive with anti-WEE virus (WEEV) antibodies, both in western blot analysis and histochemical staining, respectively. When the DNA vaccine plasmid, pVHX-6, was administered intraepidermally to mice, followed by challenge in a lethal mouse model, the le...
Schröder HJ.The growth of the fetus is determined by substrate supply mostly for mass accretion and energy gain, and by control systems. Experiments with whole animal models will face the following problems: (1) The fetus, like a three compartmental "Russian doll", is at the end of a long supply chain. There are interactions (e.g. hormones) and partitioning of substrates between the compartments. (2) The fetal organism is growing and differentiating at the same time and not in a steady-state. Experimental results thus depend on gestational age. (3) About 75% of animal experiments on fetal growth restricti...
Tiwari M, Gujar G, Shashank CG, Ponsuksili S.High altitude adapted livestock species (cattle, yak, goat, sheep, and horse) has critical role in the human socioeconomic sphere and acts as good source of animal source products including milk, meat, and leather, among other things. These species sustain production and reproduction even in harsh environments on account of adaptation resulting from continued evolution of beneficial traits. Selection pressure leads to various adaptive strategies in livestock whose footprints are evident at the different genomic sites as the "Selection Signature". Scrutiny of these signatures provides us crucia...
Moridi M, Masoudi AA, Vaez Torshizi R, Hill EW.To understand the origin and genetic diversity of Iranian native horses, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop sequences were generated for 95 horses from five breeds sampled in eight geographical locations in Iran. Sequence analysis of a 247-bp segment revealed a total of 27 haplotypes with 38 polymorphic sites. Twelve of 19 mtDNA haplogroups were identified in the samples. The most common haplotypes were found within haplogroup X2. Within-population haplotype and nucleotide diversities of the five breeds ranged from 0.838 ± 0.056 to 0.974 ± 0.022 and 0.011 ± 0.002 to 0.021 ± 0.001 res...
Orlando L.Alongside domestic horses and donkeys, the horse family, also known as equids, comprises six extant wild species of asses and zebras (Figure 1). Equids are extremely well represented in the fossil record, comprising a 55 million-year evolutionary history, punctuated by many episodes of innovation, extinction and migration. Limited to the single genus Equus today, in the Miocene (23.0–5.3 million years ago) the equid family flourished, comprising more than twenty genera. The group originated in Northern America, where the earliest fossil forms have been found, the so-called Hyracotheres, no l...
The Estonian Native Horse (ENH) is a medium-size pony found mainly in the western islands of Estonia and is well-adapted to the harsh northern climate and poor pastures. The ancestry of the ENH is debated, including alleged claims about direct descendance from the extinct Tarpan. Here we conducted a detailed analysis of the genetic makeup and relationships of the ENH based on the genotypes of 15 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs), 18 Y chromosomal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), mitochondrial D-loop sequence and lateral gait allele in DMRT3. The study encompassed 2890 horses of 61 b...
Aleman M, Gray LC, Williams DC, Holliday TA, Madigan JE, LeCouteur RA, Magdesian KG.Epilepsy is relatively uncommon in horses compared with other species and limited information is available. Objective: The objectives of the study were to describe the age of onset, clinical signs, clinicopathologic data, electroeticephalographic findings, treatment, and outcome, including long-term prognosis in Arabian foals with idiopathic epilepsy. Methods: Twenty-two foals were included in the study. Methods: Medical records from 1985 to 2005 were reviewed. Results: The age of onset of affected foals ranged from 2 days to 6 months. Seizures were characterized by generalized tonic and cloni...
Han L, Zhu S, Ning C, Cai D, Wang K, Chen Q, Hu S, Yang J, Shao J, Zhu H, Zhou H.The donkey (Equus asinus) is an important domestic animal that provides a reliable source of protein and method of transportation for many human populations. However, the process of domestication and the dispersal routes of the Chinese donkey are still unclear, as donkey remains are sparse in the archaeological record and often confused with horse remains. To explore the maternal origins and dispersal route of Chinese donkeys, both mitochondrial DNA D-loop and cytochrome b gene fragments of 21 suspected donkey remains from four archaeological sites in China were amplified and sequenced. Result...
Yang Y, Zhu Q, Liu S, Zhao C, Wu C.The origin of domestic horses in China was a controversial issue and several hypotheses including autochthonous domestication, introduction from other areas, and multiple-origins from both introduction and local wild horse introgression have been proposed, but none of them have been fully supported by DNA data. In the present study, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences of 714 Chinese indigenous horses were analyzed. The results showed that Chinese domestic horses harbor some novel mtDNA haplogroups and suggested that local domestication events may have occurred, but they are not the dominant ha...
Srikanth K, Kim NY, Park W, Kim JM, Kim KD, Lee KT, Son JH, Chai HH, Choi JW, Jang GW, Kim H, Ryu YC, Nam JW, Park JE, Kim JM, Lim D.The Jeju horse, indigenous to the Jeju Island in Korea may have originated from Mongolian horses. Adaptations to the local harsh environment have conferred Jeju horse with unique traits such as small-sized body, stocky head, and shorter limbs. These characteristics have not been studied previously at the genomic level. Therefore, we sequenced and compared the genome of 41 horses belonging to 6 breeds. We identified numerous breed-specific non-synonymous SNPs and loss-of-function mutants. Demographic and admixture analyses showed that, though Jeju horse is genetically the closest to the Mongol...
Thompson RE, Meyers MA, Veeramachaneni DNR, Pukazhenthi BS, Hollinshead FK.Organoids are a type of three-dimensional (3D) cell culture that more closely mimic the in vivo environment and can be maintained in the long term. To date, oviductal organoids have only been reported in laboratory mice, women, and cattle. Equine oviductal organoids were generated and cultured for 42 days (including 3 passages and freeze-thawing at passage 1). Consistent with the reports in mouse and human oviductal organoids, the equine oviductal organoids revealed round cell clusters with a central lumen. Developing a 3D model of the mare oviduct may allow for an increased understanding of t...
Sánchez MJ, Azor PJ, Molina A, Parkin T, Rivero JL, Valera M.Cresty neck is a relatively common morphological defect in Pura Raza Español horses and other Baroque type horse breeds, which adversely affects the breeding industry. Objective: To establish the within-breed prevalence, possible associated factors and heritability of cresty neck in Pura Raza Español horses. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of a large worldwide database of Pura Raza Español horses. Methods: The database included evaluations of 10,929 Pura Raza Español horses from 24 countries. Cresty neck score, on a 9 point scale, girth-to-height ratio, height at the withers, length of n...
Anton F, Leverkoehne I, Mundhenk L, Thoreson WB, Gruber AD.The human hCLCA1 and murine mCLCA3 (chloride channels, calcium-activated) have recently been identified as promising therapeutic targets in asthma. Recurrent airway obstruction in horses is an important animal model of human asthma. Here, we have cloned and characterized the first equine CLCA family member, eCLCA1. The 913 amino acids eCLCA1 polypeptide forms a 120-kDa transmembrane glycoprotein that is processed to an 80-kDa protein in vivo. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms were detected in the eCLCA1 coding region in 14 horses, resulting in two amino acid changes (485H/R and 490V/L). Ho...
Yamanaka T, Tsujimura K, Kondo T, Matsumura T, Ishida H, Kiso M, Hidari KI, Suzuki T.Equine H3N8 influenza A viruses (EIVs) cause respiratory disease in horses and circulate among horses worldwide. In 2004, an outbreak of canine H3N8 influenza A virus (CIV) occurred among dogs in Florida and has spread among dogs in the United States (US). Genetic analyses revealed that this CIV is closely related to the recent EIVs. Although CIV-infected dogs could be the source of H3N8 influenza A virus for horses, it remains unclear whether the CIV circulating in the United States still maintains its infectivity and/or pathogenicity in horses. To address this, we investigated the infectivit...
Falomo ME, Ferroni L, Tocco I, Gardin C, Zavan B.Endometriosis is a degenerative process due to a chronic inflammatory damage leading to extracellular matrix components deposition and glandular fibrosis. It is known that mesenchymal stem cells secrete a wide range of bioactive molecules, some of them modulating the immune inflammatory response, and others providing regeneration and remodeling of injured tissue. We have performed in vitro experiments in order to analyze the capability of allogenic equine adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) to infiltrate mares' endometrial tissues and to stimulate the expression of cytokines and metallopeptidas...
O'Nion VL, Montilla HJ, Qurollo BA, Maggi RG, Hegarty BC, Tornquist SJ, Breitschwerdt EB.Ehrlichia sp. DNA was amplified from 4 Ehrlichia-seroreactive horses from Mérida, Nicaragua. Sequencing of 16S rDNA, sodB, and groEL genes indicated that the bacterium is most likely a novel Ehrlichia species. The tick vector and the potential for canine and human infection remain unknown.
