Molecular biology in horses involves the study of molecular processes and genetic mechanisms that underpin equine physiology and health. This field encompasses the analysis of DNA, RNA, proteins, and other biomolecules to understand gene expression, genetic variation, and cellular functions in horses. Techniques such as genomic sequencing, gene expression profiling, and molecular diagnostics are employed to explore topics like hereditary diseases, performance traits, and immune responses in equines. This page assembles peer-reviewed research studies and scholarly articles that investigate the molecular biology of horses, focusing on genetic research, molecular techniques, and their applications in equine science.
Lunn DP, Holmes MA, Duffus WP.This report describes the further characterization of a group of antibodies which have been assigned to Workshop Cluster 1 by the First International Workshop on Equine Leucocyte Antigens. These antibodies recognize a 22 kDa antigen, which is present on a large subset of T lymphocytes and neutrophils, and on medullary thymocytes. The antigen is polymorphic in its expression, and three equine phenotypes could be identified using the described antibodies. The function and homology of the antigen recognized by these antibodies are unknown.
Moore KH, Dunbar BS, Bousfield GR, Ward DN.Inhibin has been characterized from a number of mammals; however, it has not been extensively studied in horses. Western blot analysis was used to examine the size heterogeneity of equine inhibin alpha- and beta-subunits. The distribution of equine inhibin activity from the initial sizing column (S-200, 25 x 94 cm) indicated that the majority of equine inhibin activity was present as larger-molecular-size forms. When the large forms were analyzed by Western blot in nonreducing conditions, alpha-subunit bands were detected at 40,000 M(r), 56,000 M(r), 80,000 M(r), and 90,000 M(r); beta a reacti...
Zhang CH, Grünig G, Davis W, Antczak DF.The regulatory effects of phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) on the expression of the CD4 molecule on horse T cells were investigated. On both peripheral blood lymphocytes and thymocytes, PMA resulted in a rapid and transient down-regulation of equine CD4 expression, but had no such effect on the surface expression of equine CD5, CD8 or major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II molecules. Over 75% of the surface CD4 molecules per cell were lost after a 4 h exposure to PMA at 37 degrees C. The regulation of equine CD4 expression induced by PMA was temperature dependent and revers...
Grünig G, Barbis DP, Zhang CH, Davis WC, Lunn DP, Antczak DF.Equine peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) were enriched by positive selection using panning with a mixture of monoclonal antibodies against putative equine CD4 (Equine Leucocyte Antigen Workshop antibodies WS 1 and WS 72), or CD8 molecules (Workshop antibodies WS 12, WS 49, and WS 74). RNA was extracted from CD4 enriched cells (99% purity), from CD8 enriched cells (69% purity), from peripheral blood lymphocytes, and from neonatal equine thymus. RNA extracted from equine granulocytes and from equine kidney served as negative control. The RNA was electrophoresed in agarose and transferred to nyl...
Pirhonen A, Linnala-Kankkunen A, Mënpää PH.P1 protamines isolated from ejaculated human, stallion, bull, boar and ram spermatozoa and P2 protamines from human and stallion spermatozoa were subjected, after alkaline phosphatase treatment, to in vitro phosphorylation reactions using cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and protein kinase C (PKC). All P1 protamines were phosphorylated by PKA, whereas P2 protamines were phosphorylated only by PKC. In addition, human, stallion and boar, but not bull and ram, P1 protamines were phosphorylated by PKC. After phosphoamino acid analysis, the protamines showing positive signals for phosphoserine (...
Zhang CH, Donaldson WL, Antczak DF.A surface antigen of equine B lymphocytes was identified using the Equine Leucocyte Antigen Workshop antibody WS 65. This marker was expressed on almost all equine B cells, but not on T cells, granulocytes or thymocytes. WS 65 strongly stained cells in the follicular areas of lymph nodes and cells in the splenic nodules when tested on frozen tissue sections by immunohistochemistry. Equine leukemic T cells were not labeled by WS 65, and neither were the cells from a horse with B cell leukemia, although these latter cells carried surface immunoglobulin. Immunoprecipitation of lymphocyte membrane...
Bogumil R, Hunter CL, Maurus R, Tang HL, Lee H, Lloyd E, Brayer GD, Smith M, Mauk AG.The interaction of azide with variants of horse heart myoglobin (Mb) has been characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy and by molecular modeling calculations. Distal histidine variants (His64Thr, His64Ile, His64Lys) and charged surface variants (Val67Arg, Lys45Glu, Lys45Glu/Lys63Glu) were included in this study. All variants, with the exception of Val67Arg, have a lower azide affinity than the wild-type protein. Analysis of the temperature dependence of the FTIR spectra (277-313 K) revealed that the wild-type ...
Ascacio-Martínez JA, Barrera-Saldaña HA.A cDNA encoding horse growth hormone (ecGH) was isolated and sequenced. The coding sequence resembles a typical mammalian GH pre-protein and contains a 3' untranslated region of 101 nucleotides carrying two contiguous polyadenylation signals.
Science (New York, N.Y.)June 10, 1994
Volume 264, Issue 5165 1584-1587 doi: 10.1126/science.7515512
Willbold D, Rosin-Arbesfeld R, Sticht H, Frank R, Rösch P.Trans-activator (Tat) proteins regulate the transcription of lentiviral DNA in the host cell genome. These RNA binding proteins participate in the life cycle of all known lentiviruses, such as the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) or the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV). The consensus RNA binding motifs [the trans-activation responsive element (TAR)] of HIV-1 as well as EIAV Tat proteins are well characterized. The structure of the 75-amino acid EIAV Tat protein in solution was determined by two- and three-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance methods and molecular dynamics calculatio...
Adeyefa CA, Quayle K, McCauley JW.We describe a rapid method for genetic characterisation of influenza virus genes using reverse transcription and amplification by polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) of all virus segments simultaneously (multiplex RT/PCR) using primers based on the conserved terminal sequences. The product has been shown to be suitable for determination of partial nucleotide sequences which can be used to search nucleotide sequence databases and rapidly map the genetic origin of each segment. We illustrate the use of the method by analysing genetic reassortment in H7N7 equine influenza viruses.
Siles-Lucas M, Felleisen R, Cuesta-Bandera C, Gottstein B, Eckert J.Swiss and Spanish isolates of Echinococcus granulosus were compared using different molecular biological techniques: Genomic DNAs isolated from parasites originating from various intermediate hosts were subjected to Southern hybridization with different probes, the same source of DNA was used for DNA amplification using the Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) technique. With both methods the various isolates (metacestodes) of E. granulosus exhibited characteristic banding patterns which allowed us to assign them to the following groups of homologous profiles: (a) isolates of horse and donk...
Stewart F, Power CA, Lennard SN, Allen WR, Amet L, Edwards RM.The PCR technique and highly degenerate oligonucleotide primers were used to amplify a 282 bp fragment of the horse (Equus caballus) epidermal growth factor (EGF) cDNA. The clone corresponded to 94 amino acids of the EGF precursor molecule. The deduced amino acid sequence of the 53 residue EGF mitogenic peptide within the precursor sequence showed 60-70% identity with five other published EGF sequences. The PCR cDNA fragment hybridized to a 4.9 kb transcript in horse kidney and endometrial RNA which was of a similar size to the mature EGF transcript found in other mammalian species. The horse ...
Bailey E, Lear TL.We compared pools of DNA from 10 Thoroughbred horses and 10 Arabian horses for the presence of randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers which might be useful in distinguishing between the breeds. Using 212 decamer oligonucleotides and our polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions, 173 of the primers produced scoreable bands. The number of bands ranged from 0 to 9 with an average of 3.6. In family studies using 11 arbitrarily selected primers, five of the 11 primers produced polymorphic bands which exhibited Mendelian inheritance as dominant markers. When comparing the pooled DNA from...
Isa P, Snodgrass DR.A series of viral reassortants was prepared between equine rotaviruses H1 (G5), H2 (G3), and L338 (G13) and human rotavirus ST3 (G4). All contained the VP4 cognate gene segment 4 from the equine parental virus and the VP7 cognate gene segment 9 from ST3. Using these viruses and antisera prepared to them, it was shown that each of the three equine viruses possessed a serologically distinct VP4 or P serotype with a > or = 16-fold difference in reciprocal cross-neutralization titers. H1 VP4 was closely related to that of porcine virus OSU, i.e., P7. L338 gene 4 was sequenced, and the sequence and...
Obi T, Kabeyama A, Nishio A.In coronary arterial rings isolated from horses, 10(-8)-10(-6) mol/l acetylcholine (ACh) induced concentration-dependent contractions which were potentiated by the removal of endothelium and by pretreatment with L-nitro-arginine (LNAG) or methylene blue (MB). Relatively lower concentrations of ACh (10(-14)-10(-8) mol/l) induced relaxation when the coronary rings were contracted by phenylephrine (PE). ACh-induced contractions in the coronary rings without endothelium were competitively inhibited by each muscarinic subtype selective antagonist in the following order of potency: 4-diphenylacetoxy...
Dubin A, Potempa J, Travis J.In order better to understand the pathophysiology of the equine form of emphysema, two elastinolytic enzymes from horse neutrophils, referred to as proteinases 2A and 2B, have been extensively characterized and compared with the human neutrophil proteinases, proteinase-3 and elastase. Specificity studies using both the oxidized insulin B-chain and synthetic peptides revealed that cleavage of peptide bonds with P1 alanine or valine residues was preferred. Further characterization of the two horse elastases by N-terminal sequence and reactive-site analyses indicated that proteinases 2A and 2B ha...
Chirnside ED, Wearing CM, Binns MM, Mumford JA.cDNA copies of the M and N genes of equine arteritis virus (EAV) isolates were synthesized by reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction amplification. The cDNA was subjected to a cycle sequencing strategy using Taq polymerase, and the nucleotide and derived amino acid sequences of 10 virus isolates were compared. The M and N genes of all isolates had the same initiation and termination sites as the prototype Bucyrus strain and the encoded proteins were conserved between viruses. Comparison of nucleotide sequence homologies and phylogenetic tree analysis implied the existence ...
Robert P, Amsellem S, Christophe S, Benifla JL, Bellet D, Koman A, Bidart JM.To investigate the possibility that specific structural determinants within the equine follitropin receptor (eFSHR) are critical to the enhanced specificity of this receptor compared to other FSHRs, we used the RACE-PCR technique to clone the eFSHR from equine testis. Sequence analysis revealed that the eFSHR is highly homologous to other mammal FSHRs, but it presents 10 unique amino acid residue replacements in the extracellular domain. Furthermore, a potential N-glycosylation site was detected at a position not encountered in other receptors. Northern blot analysis identified three transcrip...
Pountney DL, Fundel SM, Faller P, Birchler NE, Hunziker P, Vasák M.Human neuronal growth inhibitory factor (GIF) impairs the survival of cultured neurons and is deficient in the brains of Alzheimer's disease victims. We have isolated and sequenced analogous proteins from bovine and equine brain. By comparing their primary structures with those of human, mouse and rat GIFs, a consensus GIF sequence was obtained. Although this exhibits ca. 65% similarity with primary structures of mammalian metallothioneins (MTs), some significant differences are expected in the content of helix and turn secondary structures. In contrast to MTs, which usually bind 7 Zn(II) ions...
Ball JM, Henry NL, Montelaro RC, Newman MJ.A simple, versatile and very inexpensive procedure for cross-linking synthetic peptides to the polystyrene surfaces of micro-well assay plates for use in ELISA was developed. The method is based on the use of poly-L-lysine (PLL) as the anchor protein for synthetic peptides which were then easily and covalently linked to the PLL using glutaraldehyde. The synthetic peptides used for the study were based on the amino acid sequence of the equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) envelope sequence and evaluated as antigens in an ELISA designed to detect antibodies in serum of EIAV-infected horses and ...
Leigh JA.A protein capable of activating bovine, equine and ovine plasminogen, but not that from human or porcine plasma, was purified from culture filtrates of Streptococcus uberis (strain 0140J). Purification was achieved by ammonium sulphate precipitation followed by molecular exclusion chromatography. The elution position of the native molecule was equivalent to a molecular mass of approximately 57 kDa. However, the molecular mass, as determined by SDS-PAGE, was 29 kDa, suggesting the existence of a dimeric structure. Purified immunoglobulin from three out of five monoclonal antibodies raised to th...
Vliegenthart JF.This research focuses on the study of glycoproteins, specifically investigating their carbohydrate chains and their various functions in living organisms. The article highlights the challenges in isolating specific carbohydrate chains […]
Taniguchi K, Urasawa T, Urasawa S.We determined the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the VP4 genes of five equine, two feline, and two canine rotavirus strains. A high degree of homology (> 97.0%) was found among the VP4 amino acid sequences of the equine strains H2, FI-14, and FI23. Equine strain L338 has a distinct VP4 amino acid sequence from those of the other equine strains (78.1% or less homology), and the L338 VP4 exhibited more than 17.0% divergence at the amino acid level from those of rotavirus strains published so far. The VP4 amino acid sequence of equine strain H1, which showed low homology with t...
Tulamo RM, Heiskanen T, Salonen M.High molecular weight (MW) hyaluronate (HA) is an integral part of synovial fluid (SF), regulating many important physiologic and pathophysiologic mechanisms. Many of its effects depend on, or are reflected in, the concentration and MW of HA. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to assess simultaneously the concentration and MW of HA in SF obtained from horses with various arthritides: acute traumatic arthritis; chronic traumatic arthritis, including degenerative joint disease (DJD); and infectious arthritis. The size-exclusion column was calibrated, using appropriate HA concentrati...
Agmon N, Doster W, Post F.Heme proteins react inhomogeneously with ligands at cryogenic temperatures and homogeneously at room temperature. We have identified and characterized a transition from inhomogeneous to homogeneous behavior at intermediate temperatures in the time dependence of CO binding to horse myoglobin. The turnover is attributed to a functionally important tertiary protein relaxation process during which the barrier increases dynamically. This is verified by a combination of theory and multipulse measurements. A likely biological significance of this effect is in the autocatalysis of the ligand release p...
Ko WH, O'Dowd JJ, Pediani JD, Bovell DL, Elder HY, Jenkinson DM, Wilson SM.Changes in intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) were monitored in a cell line that was derived from the equine sweat gland epithelium. ATP and closely related compounds could increase [Ca2+]i with a rank order of potency of UTP > or = ATP > ADP >> AMP = adenosine = alpha,beta-methylene-ATP. The responses to ATP and to UTP were initiated by the release of calcium from an internal store and subsequently sustained by calcium influx. The rise in [Ca2+]i thus seems to be mediated by P2U receptors that are coupled to phosphoinositidase C. Some desensitisation of this respon...
Allen MJ, Jemmerson R, Nall BT.Refolding of surface epitopes on horse cytochrome c has been measured by monoclonal antibody binding. Two antibodies were used to probe re-formation of native-like surface structure: one antibody (2B5) binds to native cytochrome c near a type II turn (residue 44) while the other (5F8) binds to a different epitope on the opposite face of the protein near the amino terminus of an alpha-helical segment (residue 60). The results show that within the first approximately 100 ms of refolding all of the unfolded protein collapses to native-like folding intermediates that contain both antibody binding ...
Vandergrifft EV, Swiderski CE, Horohov DW.We have cloned equine interleukin 4 (IL-4) cDNA using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and primers based on the human IL-4 sequence. The cDNA was amplified from mitogen-stimulated equine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The cloned PCR product shares extensive homology ith IL-4 sequences from other species.
Martano M, Power K, Cuccaro B, Razzuoli E, Maiolino P, Restucci B.The equine sarcoid is the most common skin neoplasia of fibroblastic origin in horses, characterized by an excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix produced by sarcoid fibroblasts under hypoxic condition. Neoplastic cells can adapt to hypoxia by using alternative energy sources, particularly those that arise from fatty acid oxidation (FAO). The Carnitine Palmitoyl Transferase 1A (CPT1A) belongs to Carnitine System (CS) and promotes the entrance of fatty acids into the mitochondria for β-oxidation. In this study, CPT1A expression was comparatively addressed in 25 equine sarcoids and 5 no...
Kambayashi Y, Nemoto M, Ochi A, Kishi D, Ueno T, Tsujimura K, Bannai H, Kawanishi N, Ohta M, Suzuki T.In this study, equine intestinal enteroids (EIEs) were generated from the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum and inoculated with equine coronavirus (ECoV) to investigate their suitability as in vitro models with which to study ECoV infection. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the EIEs were composed of various cell types expressed in vivo in the intestinal epithelium. Quantitative reverse-transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and virus titration showed that ECoV had infected and replicated in the EIEs. These results were corroborated by electron microscopy. This study suggests that EIEs can be novel in vitro ...
Feugang JM, Gad A, Menjivar NG, Ishak GM, Gebremedhn S, Gastal MO, Dlamini NH, Prochazka R, Gastal EL, Tesfaye D.Ovarian follicular fluid (FF) is a dynamic environment that changes with the seasons, affecting follicle development, ovulation, and oocyte quality. Cells in the follicles release tiny particles called extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing vital regulatory molecules, such as microRNAs (miRNAs). These miRNAs are pivotal in facilitating communication within the follicles through diverse signaling and information transfer forms. EV-coupled miRNA signaling is implicated to be associated with ovarian function, follicle and oocyte growth and response to various environmental insults. Herein, we in...
Du M, Li X, Bayinnamula , Wang N, Liu Y, Zhang L, Zhao Y, Dugarjaviin M.An important method for preserving equine germplasm is the cryopreservation of equine oocytes. Due to its ease, rapidity and affordability, vitrification freezing has taken over as the primary method of horse oocyte cryopreservation. The vitrification cryoprotectants utilized in this investigation were Ethylene glycol (E), Dimethyl sulfoxide (D), Sucrose (S), and Ficoll (F). According to the oocyte volume alteration, the treatment time was 39 s in equilibrium solution ED10 (10 % EG + 10 % DMSO), 32 s in equilibrium solution ED15 (15 % EG + 15 % DMSO), while 20 s in equilibrium so...
Calewaert A, Palarea-Albaladejo J, Coultous R, Capewell P, Hanks E, Decloedt A, van Loon G.MicroRNA (miRNA) has previously been used as a biomarker for cardiac disease in humans and dogs, however, studies in horses are not yet available. Objective: To determine if adult horses with moderate or severe mitral valve regurgitation have a different serum miRNA expression profile compared to healthy controls. Methods: Retrospective cross-sectional. Methods: Serum samples from 77 adult horses with moderate or severe mitral valve regurgitation and 77 healthy control horses were analysed using a commercial cardiac disease-specific miRNA panel previously used in dogs. Results: The commercial ...
Muñoz-Prieto A, Rubić I, Rešetar Maslov D, González-Sánchez JC, Mrljak V, Cerón JJ, Hansen S.Equine gastric ulcer syndrome (EGUS) is a common condition in horses. This study explores the use of liquid proteomics to identify new biomarkers in saliva and serum to monitor EGUS treatment. The proteomes of horses with EGUS before and after a successful treatment with omeprazole were analysed. In saliva, 503 proteins were identified, with 7 upregulated and 6 downregulated post-treatment. Among the proteins that changed, there was an increase in vimentin, linked to wound healing, and a decrease in podocalyxin, associated with tissue damage. In serum, 206 proteins were found, with significant...
Karagianni AE, Richard EA, Toquet MP, Hue ES, Courouce-Malblanc A, McGorum B, Kurian D, Aguilar J, Mazeri S, Wishart TM, Pirie RS.A state-of-the-art multi-omics approach was applied to improve our understanding of the aetio-pathogenesis of a highly prevalent, performance-limiting disorder of racehorses: mild-to-moderate equine asthma (MMEA). This is a prerequisite to improving prophylactic, management, and therapeutic options for this condition. Although a number of risk factors have been identified, options for intervention are limited. This study applied a multi-omic approach to reveal key inflammatory pathways involved in inflammatory cell recruitment to the lower airways and highlight distinct MMEA inflammatory profi...
Lou X, Shao W, Wu Y, Ma H, Chen H, Zheng N, Zhao Y.Active peptides in mare milk have unique biological activities, but how the bioactive protein in mare's milk changes under the influence of temperature has not been fully studied. Therefore, in this study, the differential expression of bioactive peptides potentially present in horse milk under different heat treatment conditions was investigated for the first time using peptidomic and bioinformatic techniques. We collected a total of 15 samples. In this study, we divided the samples into five groups, specifically, 65 °C, 30 min; 72 °C, 15 min; 83 °C; 10 min; 95 °C, 5 min; and an untreated...
Scupham AJ, Tong C.In 2018, a new virus, named equine parvovirus-hepatitis (EqPV-H), was discovered in a biologic product that had been administered to horses that subsequently developed clinical signs of equine serum hepatitis (Theiler disease). Further correlation of the virus with the disease sparked federal requirements that all equine biologics be free of EqPV-H. The initial quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) test for EqPV-H has proved to be sensitive to co-extracted PCR inhibitors in template nucleic acids, causing false-negative results. We investigated the use of digital PCR (dPCR) as a more robust test. ...
Stewart AS, Kopper JJ, McKinney-Aguirre C, Veerasamy B, Sahoo DK, Freund JM, Gonzalez LM.Gastrointestinal disease is a leading cause of death in mature horses. A lack of in vitro modeling has impeded the development of novel therapeutics. The objectives of this study were to develop and further characterize a small intestinal monolayer cell culture derived from equine jejunum including establishing normal measurements of intestinal permeability and restitution. Three-dimensional enteroids, derived from postmortem sampling of equine jejunum, were utilized to develop confluent epithelial monolayers. The presence of differentiated intestinal epithelial cell types and tight junctions ...
Radovic L, Remer V, Rigler D, Felkel S, Brem G, Wallner B.The paternally inherited, male-specific part of the Y chromosome (MSY) is an ideal marker for studying the origin, genealogies, and historical connections of horse patrilines. Here, we performed fine-scaled MSY haplotype (HT) analysis in two Baroque horse breeds, the Lipizzaner and the Kladruber, both known for their long-standing tradition of sire line breeding and interconnected genealogies. We genotyped 95 MSY markers using KASP technology in 90 stallions representing all patrilines of both breeds. We identified 14 HTs across eight Lipizzaner sire lines and six HTs in eight Kladruber lines....
Piotrowska-Tomala KK, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A, Jonczyk AW, Drzewiecka EM, Wrobel MH, Hojo T, Ferreira-Dias G, Skarzynski DJ.Endometrosis (chronic degenerative endometritis) results in morphological changes in the equine endometrium and impairs its secretory function. However, the effect of this condition on the myometrium remains unclear. Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) may affect female reproductive function and embryo transport by influencing uterine contractility through its receptors (LPARs). The objective of this study was to determine myometrial LPAR1-6 mRNA transcription, and the effects of LPA on myometrial contractions in mares with endometrosis during the mid-luteal and follicular phases of the estrous cycle....
Rabei ȘO, Cârstolovean AS, Culda CA, Mihalca AD.This is the first study that targets the epidemiology of Gasterophilus spp. in slaughtered horses from Romania. Previously to our research, there were five recorded species: Gasterophilus haemorrhoidalis, Gasterophilus inermis, Gasterophilus intestinalis, Gasterophilus nasalis, and Gasterophilus pecorum with a dispersed distribution throughout the country, the data being recorded more than 73 years ago. The collection of Gasterophilus larvae was carried out from the digestive system (stomach, duodenum, and rectum) of horses in three abattoirs, monthly between January 2023 and December 2023. Fo...
Nazari-Ghadikolaei A, Fikse WF, Viklund ÅG, Mikko S, Eriksson S.Swedish Warmblood horses (SWB) are bred for show jumping and/or dressage with young horse test scores as indicator traits. This study aimed to investigate possible candidate genes and regions of importance for evaluated and linearly scored young horse test traits. A single-step genome-wide association study (ssGWAS) was done using the BLUPF90 suite of programs for factors scores from factor analysis of traits assessed at young horse tests together with height at withers. The ssGWAS included 20,814 SWB with factors scores for four factors for evaluated traits. A total of 6436 of these horses al...
Sobhy NM, Refaai W, Kumar R, Bottros Youssef CR, Goyal SM.Bovine papillomaviruses (BPVs) commonly cause sarcoids in equines worldwide. Equine sarcoids (ESs) reduce the working ability of draft animals and produce untoward cosmetic changes in racing and dancing equine. In this study, nine horses and 16 donkeys with sarcoids were presented to Zagazig University Veterinary Clinic, Zagazig, Egypt. Of these, eight horses and six donkeys were found to be infected with BPV. On sequencing, all 14 viruses were found to be BPV1, which were distributed in two clades without specific differentiation among papillomaviruses (PVs) of donkeys, horses, and cattle. Co...
Palomino Lago E, Ross AKC, McClellan A, Guest DJ.Bone fractures are a significant problem in Thoroughbred racehorses. The risk of fracture is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. To determine the biological processes that are affected in genetically susceptible horses, we utilised polygenic risk scoring to establish induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from horses at high and low genetic risk. RNA-sequencing on iPSC-derived osteoblasts revealed 112 genes that were significantly differentially expressed. Forty-three of these genes have known roles in bone, 27 are not yet annotated in the equine genome and 42 currently have ...
Azcona F, Molina A, Demyda-Peyrás S.Analyzing genetic variability and inbreeding trends is essential for effective breed management in animal populations. To this, the characterization of runs of homozygosity (ROH) provides a good genomic approach to study the phenomena. The Polo Argentino (PA) breed, globally recognized as the best adapted to playing polo, is known for its strong influence of Thoroughbreds, intense selective breeding, and extensive use of reproductive biotechnologies. This study investigates the PA's genomic variability, by characterizing the ROH landscape and identifying ROH islands (ROHi) as potential genomic...
Nemoto M, Kawanishi N, Kambayashi Y, Bannai H, Yamanaka T, Tsujimura K.Equine influenza virus (EIV) can be transmitted by inhalation of aerosolized droplets, direct contact, and contaminated fomites. However, to our knowledge, there are no reports of the recovery of EIV from the air surrounding infected horses. Here, we evaluated whether EIV can be recovered from the air in the stalls of experimentally infected horses by using an air sampler. Furthermore, we examined whether rapid molecular test kits with reaction times of less than 30 min can detect EIV from air samples for potential field application. Two horses kept in individual stalls were experimentally i...
Drzewiecka EM, Molcan T, Sadowska A, Piotrowska-Tomala K, Słyszewska M, Dias GF, Skarżyński DJ, Szóstek-Mioduchowska A.Mares with endometrosis exhibit histological changes not only in the endometrium but also in the myometrium that suggest possible functional impairment. The molecular background of these changes is not well understood. We hypothesize that the transcriptomic profile of the mare myometrium varies depending on the degree of endometrosis in mares. Myometria were collected from mares in the mid-luteal phase of the estrous cycle with endometrium categories I, IIA, IIB, and III (∑n = 23), according to Kenney and Doig´s histopathological classification. Myometrial RNA was isolated and subjected...
Equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) is the simplest described within the family, related to the human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV-1 and HIV-2). There is an important interplay between host cells and viruses. Viruses need to hijack cellular proteins for their viral cycle completion and some cellular proteins are antiviral agents interfering with viral replication. HIV cellular partners have been extensively studied and described, with a special attention to host proteins able to inhibit specific steps of the viral cycle, called restriction factors. Viruses develop countermeasures against ...
Jurisic L, Auerswald H, Marcacci M, Di Giallonardo F, Coetzee LM, Curini V, Averaimo D, Ortiz-Baez AS, Cammà C, Di Teodoro G, Richt JA, Holmes EC....Members of the RNA virus order infect hosts ranging from marine invertebrates to terrestrial mammals. As such, understanding the determinants of host range in this group of viruses, as well as their patterns of emergence and disease potential, is of clear importance. The are a recently documented family within the . To date, mesoniviruses have only been associated with the infection of arthropod species, particularly mosquitoes, and hence are regarded as insect-specific viruses (ISVs). Herein, we report the first detection of a mesonivirus-Alphamesonivirus-1 -in mammals. Specifically, we uti...
Fakheri A, Esmaeilnejad B, Akbari H, Molaei R.Strongyle nematodes pose a major challenge in veterinary parasitology, causing significant economic losses in livestock due to resistance to conventional treatments. Current anthelmintics, like Ivermectin, often encounter resistance issues. This study aims to address these gaps by synthesizing Carbon Quantum Dots (CQDs) and Copper-Doped CQDs (Cu@CQDs) using glucose extract, and evaluating their nematicidal properties against strongyles in vitro. We assessed the nematicidal effects of CQDs and Cu@CQDs through larval feeding inhibition of first-stage larvae (L1), egg hatch inhibition (EHI), and ...
Petano-Duque JM, Urueña-Martinez E, Cabezas-Callejas LL, Perilla-Amaya J, Rueda-García V, Rondón-Barragán IS, Lopera-Vásquez R.EHV-1 is one of the most prevalent viral pathogens in horses; however, its prevalence is not well defined by cross-reactions of serological tests. Thus, this study aims to determine EHV-1/-4 prevalence in Colombian creole horses from Ibagué, Tolima, using molecular techniques, as well as to determine possible risk factors associated with viral infection. A cross-sectional study was carried out in 110 equines blood, serum, and semen samples from Ibagué, Tolima. Antibodies against EHV-1/-4 were determined through indirect ELISA. EHV-1 was detected by amplifying the glycoprotein H gene through ...
de Oliveira UV, Varjão JL, de Jesus Deiró AG, Maciel BM, Silva FL, Pinheiro AM, Gondim LFP, Munhoz AD.The aim of this study was to isolate from equids destined for slaughter in a Brazilian slaughterhouse. A total of 354 equids were analyzed, with blood samples collected from all the animals and samples of masseter muscle and brain tissue collected from 319 animals. A serological test was conducted to detect equids with specific antibodies for . Molecular detection of by nested PCR was performed on the tissue samples collected. Tissue samples were tested by murine bioassay in an attempt to isolate either the parasite or the parasite DNA. Real-time PCR was performed on the brain samples from 1...
Li X, Wang Z, Zhu M, Wang B, Teng S, Yan J, Wang H, Yuan P, Cao S, Qu X, Wang Z, Zhan K, Choudhury MP, Yang X, Bao Q, He S, Liu L, Zhao P, Jiang J....Horse domestication revolutionizes human civilization by transforming transportation, agriculture, and warfare patterns. Despite extensive studies on modern domestic horse origins, the intricate demographic history and genetic signatures underlying pony size remain unexplored. Here, a high-quality genome assembly of the Chinese Debao pony is presented, and 452 qualified individuals from 64 horse breeds worldwide are extensively analyzed. The authors' results reveal the conservation of ancient components in East Asian horses and close relationships between Asian horses and Western pony lineages...
Ulaangerel T, Mu S, Sodyelalt J, Yi M, Zhao B, Hao A, Wen X, Han B, Bou G.The success or failure of embryo fixation is crucial for embryo attachment and later development. As an epithelial chorioallantoic placenta-type animal, the horse has a special process of embryo implantation, and the mechanism of embryo fixation in horses is still unclear. Methods: In this study, the structural and transcriptomic characteristics of endometrial tissue from the fixed and nonfixed sides of 20-day gestation embryos in Mongolian horses were investigated to search for important genes and potential molecular markers associated with the fixation phase of equine embryos. Results: A com...
Lösle M, Lin CW, Beil-Wagner J, Aebi M, Buch T.Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) is a widely used hormone that synchronizes the female cycle and induces estrus in livestock. eCG is a heterodimeric glycoprotein composed of non-covalently linked α- and β-chains whose glycosylation profiles determine the in vivo activity of the hormone. The commercially available eCG products are crudely purified from the serum of pregnant mares, hence called pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG). Appropriate glycosylation of the protein is crucial for the correct binding to the receptor, receptor activation, and its half-life. The exact protein composi...
Mohtasebi S, Ahn S, Rosa B, Moyes K, Kuzmina TA, Gilleard JS, Poissant J.Equids are infected by a diversity of gastrointestinal nematode parasites, including 64 species of equine strongyle nematodes from19 genera. Despite numerous surveys of horse strongyles worldwide, certain geographic regions and rare species remain understudied. In 1964, a new species of equine strongyle, Cylicocyclus pekingensis, was described from a donkey in China. Subsequently, this species was recorded in horses from Kazakhstan and reclassified as Hsiungia pekingensis (K'ung and Yang, 1964), the only species in this genus. Since then, H. pekingensis has not been reported elsewhere, with li...
Stefaniuk-Szmukier M, Bieniek A, Ropka-Molik K, Bellone RR.Congenital stationary night blindness (CSNB) has been connected to the leopard complex spotting phenotype (LP) in various horse breeds. CSNB associated with LP is thought to be caused by a 1378 bp insertion in TRPM1, with homozygotes being nightblind and having few to no spots of pigment in their white patterned area. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of CSNB alleles in tarant-colored horses in Poland through a three-primer system for an allele-specific Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The TRPM1 gene insertion was genotyped in 221 horses belonging to Małopolska, Felin and Shetland Pon...
Hemeda AA, Zahran SA, Ali-Tammam M, Ewida MA, Kashef MT, Yassin AS, Mitra A, Youssef NH, Elshahed MS.The equine gut harbors a diverse microbial community and represents a rich source of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). To identify and characterize potentially novel CAZymes from a horse's hindgut metagenome, shotgun metagenomic sequencing was performed on DNA extracted from a stool sample of a male horse, followed by CAZyme annotation. Here, we report on the characterization of a novel enzyme (AH2) that was identified, synthesized, cloned, and characterized from the obtained CAZyme dataset. AH2 was identified as a GH130 family member and displayed exclusive xylanase activity, a trait hit...
