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One of the major issues in Scottish and Highland Fold cats is osteochondrodysplasia, a bone and cartilage development disorder. A point mutation in TRPV4 gene, associated to the ear-folded phenotype, is responsible of osteochondrodysplasia in those cat breeds. DNA amplification and genotyping by sequencing are currently the standard techniques to identify carrier animals. We developed a Ligase Detection Reaction technique, which is cheaper, more affordable and time saving analysis, obtaining 100% of correct genotyping and identification of all the fold animals as heterozygous for the c.1024G > T mutation. Ligase Detection Reaction can be used to determine the genotype of kittens even before the manifestation of the folded ears character. Despite the presence of the mutation, none of the fold animals presented clinical or radiographic signs of the disease. Thus, the association between the c.1024G > T genotype and osteochondrodysplasia, at least in young animals, is not evident. Further studies are required to fully evaluate this association.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of high levels of Tenebrio molitor dietary inclusion (15%) on molecular mechanisms that influence poultry health in a broiler chicken diet. The global gene expression of four tissues (breast, liver, jejunum, and caecum) was evaluated using the RNA-Seq approach. The analysis of differentially expressed genes suggested that the use of Tenebrio molitor leads to the overexpression of genes related to protein elongation required for tissue growth and development in the gut and liver. It would also appear to contain nutrients that reduce the expression of genes related to the immune system and inflammation of the mucosa. The dietary inclusion of Tenebrio molitor in poultry could also lead to a possible inactivation of the growth factor and a reduction of tissue free-radicals. No genes alterations have been detected in liver RNA expression that would discourage the use of larvae in feeding broilers.

The BLUES project: implementing innovative practices in screening and home care for women with perinatal depression Introduction Perinatal depression is frequent (1 woman out of 10 during the perinatal period), nonetheless to this day the screening is incomplete and the treatment gap is high. Materials and methods The BLUES project was financed by the Italian Ministry of Health and implemented in 10 Local Health Units of Lombardy Region. It had the goals of improving screening and implementing home visiting for women with perinatal depression. As far as the first goal, a smartphone app searchable by authorized professionals has been developed for transmitting screening tools (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale - EPDS - and Whooley questions) to a cloud database; the app was also connected to a free website informing on mental health during the perinatal period. As far as the second goal, a home visiting programme was implemented according to the WHO Thinking Healthy method. A total of 110 professionals (most midwives), working in the family care centers, attended a structured training course in the Thinking Healthy approach and then applied the intervention to women during the perinatal period. The effectiveness and feasibility of the intervention were assessed at its completion (pre-post comparisons). Results The smartphone app and the related website were successfully activated in family care centers in the Province of Lecco (Lombardy, Italy). 39 women responding to selection criteria (EPDS ≥ 10 and a diagnosis of depression) were recruited for the home visiting intervention: 31 of them have completed the Thinking Healthy program. A clinically significant reduction of the EPDS scores was assessed in 80% of the women with moderate depressive symptoms (EPDS score ≥ 12). Both women and professionals evaluated the intervention useful and acceptable. Conclusions The BLUES project improved the screening using e-tools and implemented home visiting following the Thinking Healthy method. The process of task shifting from mental health sector to midwives was successful, while professionals met difficulties in balancing home visiting activities and routine activities.

Poultry biodiversity represents a key factor to improve poultry resilience and promote sustainable and low input farming systems. The EU and member states promote protection of livestock biodiversity and the development of alternative farming through funding projects such as “Local Chicken Breeds in Alternative Production Chain: Welfare, Quality and Sustainability” (funded by the Italian Ministry of Research and University). The aim of the present research was to identify among five different poultry genotypes Bionda Piemontese (BP), Robusta Maculata (RM), RM x Sasso (RMxS), BP x Sasso (BPxS) and a commercial hybrid (Ross 308) the best suitable breed in terms of productivity and welfare for alternative housing system. A total of 300 (60 x genotype), 21 days old male birds were randomly allotted in two housing systems: 1) standard intensive farming (controlled environment, 33 kg/m2 and standard diet) and 2) free-range (“natural” environmental conditions, 21 kg/m2, access to outdoor area and low-input diet). Slaughtering was performed at 81 days of age. During the trial, the productive performance and behaviour of the animals were evaluated. The housing system, the genotype and their interaction significantly affected many of the studied variables, showing broiler not the ideal genotype for extensive farming system, which is more suited for low/medium performance strains.

The slaughter performance and meat quality of two native Italian chicken breeds

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a motor neuron disease (MND) in humans and diverse animal species: canid, felid, and bovid. To date, bovine SMA has been reported in Brown Swiss, Holstein, Friesian, and Red Danish breed; it has been associated with a genetic mutation of the FVT1 gene, also known as 3-ketodihydrosphingosine reductase (KDSR). The aim of the present case series was to describe clinical presentation, pathological findings, and genetic analysis of five Blond d'Aquitaine calves diagnosed with SMA and to determine whether the mutation was associated with the disease. Five Blonde d'Aquitaine calves (three females and two males) from the same cow-calf operation farm were presented between June 2018 and February 2019 because unable to stand or walk unassisted since birth. Neurological examination aroused suspicion of a diffuse lesion affecting the peripheral nervous system in all calves. Findings from electromyographic investigations and muscle and nerve biopsies were consistent with a non-regenerative, chronic, active axonal neuropathy and marked neurogenic muscular atrophy and assumed to be associated with a neurodegenerative process. Histopathological examination of tissue samples from two animals revealed neuronal loss and several degenerated, shrunken, and hypereosinophilic neurons at the level of the ventral horn of the cervico-thoracic and the lumbo-sacral intumescence, diffuse loss of myelinated axons at the level of the ventral funiculi of all segments of the spinal cord, and moderate diffuse astrocytic reaction. These findings confirmed the diagnosis of SMA. No mutation of the FVT1 gene was found on genetic analysis. Further study into the causative gene mutation of SMA in Blonde D'Aquitaine calves is under way. Identification of a novel genetic mutation could improve our understanding of the disease in human medicine.

Bianca di Saluzzo (BS) and Bionda Piemontese (BP) are two Italian chicken breeds, mainly reared for meat production, primarily in antibiotic-free farming. However, technical information on their growth pattern is still missing. At hatching, 150 unsexed chicks of each breed were weighed, labeled, and reared in indoor pens up to 8 w of age. At 8 w of age, the chicks were separated by sex and randomly transferred to growing pens with access to an external paddock (15 birds/pen, 4 pens/sex for each breed). The body weight (BW) was recorded biweekly for each bird, from hatching to 32 w of age. In order to identify an improvement strategy, the objectives of our study were to analyze the growth pattern of these birds using the Gompertz mathematical model and compare results with other chicken breeds. Polymorphism of the PAX7 gene was also analyzed to test its association with growth traits. Both BS and BP are close to unselected native breeds and, among the Italian local poultry, they are confirmed to be slow-growing birds with an intermediate size between heavy and light chicken breeds. Regarding the PAX7 gene, two alleles were found, F and G, and showed an association with the actual BW in the BP females from 14 w of age onwards. The G allele always exhibited a more favorable effect than the F allele. In small size poultry population, a delicate balance between preservation of biodiversity and performance improvement should be considered. Consequently, the most proper way could be an approach based on a mating scheme to keep inbreeding under control, increase growth rate, and improve commercial maturity.

The Eurasian Scops Owl Otus scops is a migratory owl whose population is declining throughout a large part of its breeding range, due to intensification of farming practices and land-use changes. F...

The aim of investigation was to evaluate a traceability system to detect industrial chicken meat among indigenous products, considering issues that could affect assignment accuracy. The dataset included 2 Italian indigenous meat breeds, namely Bionda Piemontese (2 ecotypes) and Bianca di Saluzzo, one broiler line, and 3 layer lines. Assignment tests were performed using a standard panel of 28 microsatellite loci. To evaluate effects of inbreeding and substructure on assignment accuracy, a simulated dataset was prepared. Broilers and layers belong to homogeneous populations and never enter the clusters of indigenous breeds. Ambiguity or misallocation are expected between the Bionda ecotypes and between the 2 indigenous breeds, but it is unlikely that niche products provided by Bionda and Bianca will compete with one another. Non-random mating reduces accuracy, but only populations having weak genetic differentiation are involved, namely those that are less interesting to discriminate. The dataset can be used as a reference population to distinguish commercial meat from indigenous meat with great accuracy. Misallocations increase as number of loci decreases, but only within or between the indigenous breeds. A subpanel of the most resolving 14 loci keeps sufficient informative content to provide accuracy and to correctly allocate additional test samples within the reference population. This analytical tool is economically sustainable as a method to detect fraud or mislabeling. Adoption of a monitoring system should increase the value of typical products because the additional burden of molecular analyses would improve commercial grade and perception of quality.

A 15-d-old female crossbreed calf was referred because of paraplegia since birth. Clinical examination revealed a skin defect covered by hair on the dorsal midline in the thoracic area of the spine. Thoracolumbar spinal cord neuroanatomic localization was determined based on neurologic examination. Computed tomography of the thoracolumbar spine revealed incomplete fusion of the vertebral arches from T6 to T10 and duplication of the vertebral arch of T7. At the level of T6-T7, duplication of the spinal cord with 2 segments completely separated by a septum of hyperattenuating, probably cartilaginous, tissue was noted. Histologically, the spinal segments had different degrees of duplication. Three central canals were detected in one region. Genetic investigation for the presence of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism, which has been investigated in both human and veterinary medicine as a possible cause of neural tube defects and abortion, was carried out and was negative in both the calf and her dam.

The anthropology of the Mediterranean area has been constructed as a field of enquiry for scholars coming from the North of the world and the “north” of anthropology. Indifference for, and lack of communication with, native scholars and local traditions of folklore and ethnological studies created tensions and misunderstandings, which ultimately led to a redefinition of power relationships between the different anthropological communities. Mediterranean societies have thus become a fertile laboratory for the renewal of the discipline, and Mediterranean anthropology can provide a useful point of reference for global non-hegemonic anthropological projects., Confluenze. Rivista di Studi Iberoamericani, Vol 10, No 2 (2018): Violencia estatal, persecutoria, ideologías, terrorismo de estado y genocidio

The European Union has implemented breeding programmes to increase scrapie resistance in sheep. A similar approach can be applied also in goats since the K222 allele provides a level of resistance equivalent to that of ARR in sheep. The European Food Safety Authority stated that breeding for resistance could be offered as an option for Member States to control classical scrapie in goats. We assessed the impact of different breeding strategies on PRNP genotype frequencies using a mathematical model that describes in detail the evolution of K222 in two goat breeds, Chamois Coloured and Saanen. Different patterns of age structure and replacement rate were modelled as factors affecting response to selection. Breeding for scrapie resistance can be implemented in goats, even though the initial K222 frequencies in these breeds are not particularly favourable and the rate at which the resistant animals increase, both breeding and slaughtered for meat production, is slow. If the goal is not to achieve the fixation of resistance allele, it is advisable to carry out selection only until a desired frequency of K222-carriers has been attained. Nucleus selection vs. selection on the overall populations is less expensive but takes longer to reach the desired output. The programme performed on the two goat breeds serves as a model of the response the selection could have in other breeds that show different initial frequencies and population structure. In this respect, the model has a general applicability. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13567-018-0518-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Simple Summary Mastitis is a worldwide diffused disease usually treated with an excessive use of antibiotics. Therefore, antimicrobial resistance is an important issue to be addressed by scientists. One of the possible solutions to decrease the use of drugs is genetic selection of resistant animals, that is, individuals that can be more resistant to mastitis. In our survey we analyzed Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes known to be involved in both infection resistance and immune system activity. We found a group of SNPs that can be associated to mastitis related phenotypes (namely SCS) and that can be used for selecting resistant animals. An efficient selection is able to improve both animal welfare and quality and safety of animal products Abstract Mastitis is an infectious disease affecting the mammary gland, leading to inflammatory reactions and to heavy economic losses due to milk production decrease. One possible way to tackle the antimicrobial resistance issue stemming from antimicrobial therapy is to select animals with a genetic resistance to this disease. Therefore, aim of this study was to analyze the genetic variability of the SNPs found in candidate genes related to mastitis resistance in Holstein Friesian bulls. Target regions were amplified, sequenced by Next-Generation Sequencing technology on the Illumina® MiSeq, and then analyzed to find correlation with mastitis related phenotypes in 95 Italian Holstein bulls chosen with the aid of a selective genotyping approach. On a total of 557 detected mutations, 61 showed different genotype distribution in the tails of the deregressed EBVs for SCS and 15 were identified as significantly associated with the phenotype using two different approaches. The significant SNPs were identified in intergenic or intronic regions of six genes, known to be key components in the immune system (namely CXCR1, DCK, NOD2, MBL2, MBL1 and M-SAA3.2). These SNPs could be considered as candidates for a future genetic selection for mastitis resistance, although further studies are required to assess their presence in other dairy cattle breeds and their possible negative correlation with other traits.

Cet article se fonde sur une documentation tiree des actes d'un proces penal et du discours mediatique qui l'a accompagne, d'ou se degage une image de "familles musulmanes" repressives et fondamentalistes, dont les choix et les actions quotidiennes seraient l'expression d'une tradition niant les droits des femmes et des jeunes. Mettant en evidence les ingredients et les modalites d'une representation qui se fait l'instrument d'une exclusion sociale, cette analyse permet de reflechir sur l'ideologie des droits de l'homme fondamentaux. En particulier, sur l'ecart qui se creuse entre la reconnaissance de principe du pluralisme culturel et la tendance a estimer que les droits universels ne se realisent que dans les pratiques "occidentales" et "modernes"

The objective of this study was to demonstrate the usefulness of an immunomagnetic method to purify subpopulations of milk somatic cells. The experiment was conducted on milk samples collected from healthy cows (n = 17) and from cows with clinical mastitis (n = 24) due to a Staphylococcus aureus natural infection. A two-step immunomagnetic purification was applied to simultaneously separate three somatic cell subpopulations from the same milk sample. Total RNA was extracted and qPCR was performed to determinate mRNA levels of innate immunity target genes in purified somatic cell subpopulations. Good quality and quantity of RNA allowed the reference gene analysis in each cell subpopulation. An up-regulation of the main genes involved in innate immune defence was detected in separated polymorphonuclear neutrophilic leucocytes-monocytes and lymphocytes of mastitic milk. These results and flow cytometric analysis suggest that the immunomagnetic purification is an efficient method for the isolation of the three populations from milk, allowing the cells to be studied separately.

The ageing population is posing increasingly similar challenges to the societies on both shores of the Mediterranean, where families remain the primary welfare agencies. The socio-demographic and ethnographic evidence surveyed in this article reveals that although old forms of relatedness such as co-residence in extended families continue to play a role, they are complemented by coping strategies in which a familistic ideology favors the “extension” of families through new forms of relatedness ranging from close residential proximity between children and parents to live-in homecare where domesticity may catalyze kinning processes between elders and their caregivers.

The objective of this study was to assess the effect on growth traits of a mating scheme aimed to minimize progeny inbreeding using genomic information. 150 birds (75 males and 75 females) of Bianca di Saluzzo, a slow growing breed autochthonous of Piedmont region, were genotyped by a set of 14 microsatellite markers. For each subject the genetic distances were calculated. Six family lines were identified and 10 hens for each line were grouped in a single box. For each line the cock with the highest genetic variability was identified and coupled with the most distant female genetic line. 440 individuals of three generations (G0, G1 and G2) were weighted every 15 days from hatch to 180 days of age; Gompertz linear model was used to describe the growth index over the three generations. Daily growth rate significantly increased (P < 0.001) over successive generations in males (G0 = 16 g/d; G1 = 20 g/d; G2 = 25 g/d) and in females (G0 = 12 g/d; G1 = 14 g/d; G2 = 28 g/d). The age Inflection point significantly decreased (P

Cats are usually spreaders of allergens that are critical for sensitive people; the Siberian cat is a breed supposed to be low level allergenic, according to some breeders’ statements. The sequence of the two genes, namely Ch1 and Ch2, that code for the allergen Fel d 1, the major allergen responsible for outbreaks of allergy symptoms, is not yet known in the Siberian cat, and finding this was the aim of our investigation. Notably, our work is the first survey of the genetic structure of these genes in Siberian cats. The comparison of the sequences of Siberian cats, non-Siberian cats, and sequences present in the National Center for Biotechnology Information database revealed a considerable number of mutations; some of those detected in the Siberian cat, due to their position in exon regions, could affect the Fel d 1 allergenic properties. Therefore, further investigations are recommended to assess if the identified mutations can be responsible for a reduced-allergen synthesis and can be used as markers for selection of low level allergenic cats.

In Italy, since 2005 a breeding plan to increase scrapie resistance has been adopted. The impact of this selection on genetic diversity was assessed on Sambucana, an autochtonous sheep breed reared in southern Piedmont, by analysing the evolution of allele frequencies at different levels: PRNP (prion protein) gene, microsatellite loci on OAR13 (where PRNR maps), and microsatellite loci on other chromosomes, not subjected to selection for scrapie resistance. A total of 147 young rams, 80 born in 2004 and 67 in 2008–2009 were analysed. Evidence of diversity loss was observed for PRNP gene as a consequence of the directional selection. Diversity was affected in the immediate vicinity of PRNP but the effect on more distant loci on the same chromosome was trivial. With regard to neutral markers, lack of heterozygosis with no changeover of allele frequencies was observed suggesting an increase of inbreeding. Mating policies would be sufficient to solve these problems. A selection scheme based on genotyping rams and eliminating carriers of both susceptible and high susceptible alleles is the best way to improve natural resistance to scrapie with low costs and minimal problems in the current conservation programmes targeting rare breeds.

Animal productions (i.e. fish, eggs, milk and dairy products) represent the major source of exposure to dioxins, furans, and dioxin-like (DL) polychlorobiphenyls for humans. The negative effects of these highly toxic and persistent pollutants are mediated by the activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) that elicits the transcriptional induction of several genes, including those involved in xenobiotic metabolism. Previously we demonstrated the presence and functioning of the AHR signaling pathway in primary cultures of bovine blood lymphocytes. The aim of the present study was to investigate by real time PCR the expression and the inducibility of selected target genes (i.e. AHR, AHR nuclear translocator (ARNT), AHR repressor, CYP1A1 and CYP1B1) in uncultured cells from dairy cows naturally exposed to DL-compounds. The study was carried out on two groups of animals bred in a highly polluted area and characterized by a different degree of contamination, as assessed by bulk milk TEQ values, and a control group reared in an industry free area. Bovine lymphocytes expressed only AHR, ARNT and CYP1B1 genes to a detectable level; moreover, only CYP1B1 expression appeared to be correlated to TEQ values, being higher in the most contaminated group, and decreasing along with animal decontamination. Finally, lymphocytes from exposed cows displayed a lower inducibility of both CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 after the in vitro treatment with a specific AHR ligand. In conclusion, our results indicate that DL-compound contaminated cows may display significant changes in AHR-target gene expression of circulating lymphocytes.

The objective of this study was to determine the genetic structure and variability of Bionda Piemontese and Bianca di Saluzzo (Piedmont, Northwest Italy) using an international set of microsatellite loci (AVIANDIV-FAO). Differences compared with commercial lines and other Italian breeds were verified to justify the implementation of conservation programmes. Flock contribution to genetic variability was assessed following the approach implemented in the MolKin software. Comparison was performed using the fixation index and the Reynolds genetic distance. The most likely number of different populations was estimated using the clustering procedure implemented in STRUCTURE. The molecular information suggests that management practices could have prevented random mating and produced inbreeding and heterogeneity across flocks. In this respect, Bionda and Bianca show substructuring and are more similar to British breeds than other continental European breeds. Bionda and Bianca fit into the European breeds provided with the highest number of alleles and expected heterozygosity. There is a clear distinction between the Piedmont breeds and the other populations. The Piedmont poultry differ from both commercial lines and other Italian breeds and retain a high level of genetic variability. As for other indigenous breeds, Bionda and Bianca could make an original contribution to the industry in the future. A collective planned approach to restoration is essential, because the flocks are managed with poor regulation. Enhancing connection between breeders with an efficient replacement interchange and mating plan is the right way of controlling inbreeding, preventing substructuring and increasing variability within the flocks.

a b s t r a c t Ten markers specific to Sarcoptes mites were used in applying microsatellite genotyping to individual Sar- coptes mites collected in three European countries from 15 wild mammal populations belonging to 10 host species. The results showed that geographical separation had real biological significance for the def- inition of mite sub-populations, and that the degree of genetic exchange occurring between mites from different localities was apparently related to the geographical distance between locations. Wild host- derived mite populations were found to be clustered into three main groups: herbivore-, carnivore- and omnivore-derived Sarcoptes populations, with the omnivore-derived group located halfway between the herbivore- and carnivore-derived Sarcoptes populations. The separation between these three mite groups was better supported than the geographical separations; nevertheless, a kind of sub-clustering was detected within each of these three groups that separates mite populations into their geographical localities (countries). The lack of gene flow between Sarcoptes populations may have improved parasitic adaptations and led to what we refer to as a host-taxon-derived (carnivore host-, herbivore host- and omnivore host-derived) Sarcoptes mite found on European wild animals. Our results demonstrate that Sarcoptes is not a single panmictic population, even within each geographical location. This finding will have important ramifications for the study of the genetic structure of populations, life cycles, diagnosis and the monitoring protocols of the ubiquitous Sarcoptes mite, and could thus contribute to a better understanding of its associated epidemiology, which is of pivotal interest for wildlife biological conservation.

Analysis of the genetic diversity of the Alpine chamois in Italy was conducted using a pool of 26 microsatellite loci. A total of 209 animals were analyzed, representing six geographical populations from different location of the Southern slope of the Alps. Clear genetic differences have emerged between the sampled chamois groups. Some were consistent with an isolation-by-distance model. However, in parallel, other mechanisms intervened in areas that, in addition to being peripheral to the main alpine ridge, had suffered from recent bottlenecks. In such areas, genetic drift and a low rate of gene flow are likely explanations for the current genetic structure.

Genetic selection has been used to control transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in sheep populations based on the association between PRNP polymorphisms and resistance to scrapie. In goats even if a protective role has been suggested for several polymorphisms (I142M, H143R, N146D/S, R154H, R211Q, Q222K) by different European studies, a similar, univocal association has not been proved so far. The aim of this paper was to identify target polymorphisms in goats and their potential applicability in a selection plan in Italy. For this purpose, the existing genetic data on modulating resistance to classical and atypical scrapie in goats in this country will be used as starting point. Two Italian case–control studies concluded that the polymorphism at codon 222 (from glutamine to lysine Q/K) is important in influencing the susceptibility of goats to classical scrapie. Moreover, goats are susceptible to an unusual form of scrapie, named Nor98, and the H154 mutation was shown to be statistically associated with this disease in goats in an Italian case–control study. Currently, a strategy based on killing goats carrying the H154 mutation is being applied to manage atypical scrapie outbreaks in Italy. The current situation in Italy bodes well for the applicability of breeding plans based on the K222 mutation; data from independent studies on the role of K222 as a protective or even a resistance factor and its frequency in several Italian breeds are available. In the near future, as new data on K222 will be reported, testing the application of selective culling in classical scrapie goat outbreaks may become feasible.

Aims: To determine the variability of the prion protein gene (PRNP) in goats from Northern and Southern Italy. Methods and results: Genomic DNA isolated from goat blood was polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-amplified for the coding region of the PRNP gene and then sequenced. In total, 13 polymorphic sites were identified: G37V, T110P, G127S, M137I, I142M, I142T, H143R, R154H, P168Q, T194P, R211Q, Q222K and S240P (substitutions I142T and T194P are novel) giving rise to 14 haplotypes. Clear frequency differences between Northern and Southern breeds were found and confirmed by genetic distance analysis.Conclusions: Differences in allele distribution were found between Northern and Southern goats, in particular regarding the M142 and K222 alleles, possibly associated to scrapie resistance; philogeographical analysis supported the idea that Northern and Southern breeds may be considered as separate clusters. Significance and impact of the study: In Italy only limited studies have been carried out on caprine PRNP genotype distribution; this study is important to fill this lack of information. Moreover the finding of significant differences among allele distributions in Northern and Southern goats, especially if involved in modulating resistance/susceptibility, need to be carefully considered for the feasibility of selection plans for resistance to scrapie.

An investigation was undertaken with the aim of studying the repetitive region of the MUC1 gene and analyzing its polymorphisms in some Italian sheep breeds. Two primers previously used for the goat MUC1 gene analyses allowed for the amplification of 4 different alleles. The sequence analysis showed that the repetitive region of the sheep MUC1 gene is an array of 60-bp repeats, in accordance with the information reported in humans, cattle, and goats. The polypeptide sequence encoded by the consensus repeat was very similar to the corresponding sequences of goats and cattle. The average homology of all repeated units was 82%; when the repeats were compared with the derived consensus repeat, homology dropped to 78%. The repeats were not all perfectly conserved, but the sequence homology was nevertheless clearly sufficient to preserve the mechanism giving rise to the variable-number tandem-repeat polymorphism. In spite of their reduced sequence homology, the sheep repeats shared a high number of potential glycosylation sites. The conservation of the exact number and position of glycosylation sites did not seem to be very important for the purpose of functional integrity, but glycosylation appeared to be conserved as a bulk property. Analysis of the polymorphism in 6 Italian breeds showed that the sheep repetitive region seemed to be less variable and smaller in size than the repetitive region of the goat. The findings of this study suggest that ruminants can be a useful model to study the mechanisms by which the variation in the repeat number and the extracellular domain size can modulate the effectiveness of MUC1 as a cell-surface shield.

The objective of our study was to demonstrate the existence of a repetitive region in the goat MUC1 gene and to develop a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol to analyze its polymorphism in different breeds. Using 2 primers derived from the bovine MUC1 sequence, a PCR fragment was obtained and cloned. The sequence analysis shows that the repetitive region of goat MUC1 is an array of 60 bp repeats in accordance with the data reported for other species. The polypeptide sequences encoded by the consensus repeats of goat and bovine were exactly alike. A PCR protocol to improve the detection of goat MUC1 polymorphism was developed, and a total of 178 animals from 6 Italian breeds were analyzed. Fifteen different alleles, ranging in size from 1500 to 3000 bp, were found. The high number of alleles observed shows that the goat MUC1 is a hypervariable gene. These results are the basis for further investigations on the possible role of MUC1 polymorphism in the genetic control of disease susceptibility and production traits in the goat species.

A multiplex PCR able to identify cows’, goats’ and sheep's milk in dairy products was developed. Specific primers were designed in the mitochondrial 12s and 16s rRNA genes so as to generate fragments of different length. The assay was applied to 19 cheeses from the retail trade in order to verify the label statements. The multiplex PCR results were confirmed by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The proposed multiplex PCR represents a rapid and sensitive method applicable on a routine basis. In fact it enables to detect, in a single step, goats’, sheep's and cows’ milk in dairy products with a good sensitivity threshold (0.5%).

The aims of this investigation were to analyse the genetic variation of two Piemonte chicken local breeds, Bionda Piemontese and Bianca di Saluzzo, and to set them against some commercial lines. A panel of 19 microsatellite markers was used. On the overall, the results of different analyses highlight the genetic uniqueness of the two breeds; therefore they should be considered genetic resources worthy of preservation. The panel of microsatellites used in this investigation turns out to be a consistent and reliable tool for traceability. In fact, these markers are able to distinguish the two local populations from the commercial lines and they are able to confirm the existence of two genetically different clusters within the Bionda Piemontese, namely the ecotypes standard and Cuneo. Mating policies implemented to avoid inbreeding and, if necessary, a marker assisted conservation scheme would be sufficient to solve the problem of inbreeding.

The study of the genetic diversity gives important information about structure, subdivision in subunits and evolution of populations. Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra, Linneus 1758) are mountain ungulates belonging to the subfamily Caprinae. They are presently distributed over most of the medium to high altitude mountains in the Southern Europe. Ten distinct geographical populations have been recognised as subspecies (Masini and Lovari, 1988); one of this subspecies, R. r. rupicapra, includes also the chamois living on the Italian Alps.