Project description:The genetic and developmental mechanisms that control the decision between scale and feather growth â two profoundly different epidermal appendages, and an important developmental shift in the evolution of birds from their dinosaurian ancestors â remain poorly understood. Domestic pigeons display dramatic variation in foot epidermal appendages within a single species, and classical studies suggest that a small number of genes control much of this variation; thus pigeons provide a tractable model to understand skin appendage specification and variation. Here we show that feathered feet in pigeons are the consequence of a partial transformation of limb-type identity mediated by cis-regulatory changes in the hindlimb-specific transcription factor Pitx1 and forelimb-specific transcription factor Tbx5. We also demonstrate that ectopic hindlimb expression of Tbx5 is associated with the development of foot feathers in domestic chickens, suggesting that similar developmental mechanisms underlie phenotypic convergence in avian lineages that diverged over 100 MYA. These results show how qualitative and quantitative changes in expression of regional patterning genes can generate localized changes in organ fate and morphology, and provide a viable molecular mechanism for the evolution of hindlimb scale and feather distribution in dromaeosaurs. Examination of H3K27ac status in embryonic limb buds from two domestic pigeon breeds, racing homer and Indian fantail
Project description:In feather-footed pigeons, mutant alleles of PITX1 and TBX5 drive the partial redeployment of an evolutionarily conserved forelimb genetic program in the hindlimb.
Project description:To evaluate the lncRNAs and mRNAs in ovaries associated with egg production performance in domestic pigeons, high-throughput RNA sequencing of ovaries between high and low egg production performance groups were performed and analyzed in this study.
Project description:The genetic and developmental mechanisms that control the decision between scale and feather growth – two profoundly different epidermal appendages, and an important developmental shift in the evolution of birds from their dinosaurian ancestors – remain poorly understood. Domestic pigeons display dramatic variation in foot epidermal appendages within a single species, and classical studies suggest that a small number of genes control much of this variation; thus pigeons provide a tractable model to understand skin appendage specification and variation. Here we show that feathered feet in pigeons are the consequence of a partial transformation of limb-type identity mediated by cis-regulatory changes in the hindlimb-specific transcription factor Pitx1 and forelimb-specific transcription factor Tbx5. We also demonstrate that ectopic hindlimb expression of Tbx5 is associated with the development of foot feathers in domestic chickens, suggesting that similar developmental mechanisms underlie phenotypic convergence in avian lineages that diverged over 100 MYA. These results show how qualitative and quantitative changes in expression of regional patterning genes can generate localized changes in organ fate and morphology, and provide a viable molecular mechanism for the evolution of hindlimb scale and feather distribution in dromaeosaurs.
Project description:RNA isolated from draining tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN) from 5-week old pigs, either clinically infected with a feral isolate of Pseudorabies virus or uninfected were interrogated using Illumina Digital Gene Expression Tag Profiling. Over 100 million tag sequences were observed, representing 4,064,189 unique 21-base sequences collected from TBLN at time points 1, 3, 6 and 14 days post-infection (dpi) RNA isolated from draining tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN) from 5-week old pigs (% per group pooled), either clinically infected with feral isolate FS268 of Pseudorabies virus or uninfected at 1, 3, 6, and 14 days post inoculation. Over 100 million tag sequences were observed, representing 4,064,189 unique 21-base sequences.
Project description:A comparative profile of miRNAs in pre- and post-differentiated pigeon SMSCs (SMSC-1d and SMSC-5d) was performed by using high-throughput sequencing. We identified known porcine miRNAs, novel miRNAs, and miRNAs that are conserved in other birds and mammals. Our findings demonstrated that miRNAs are extensively involved in the differentiation of SMSCs in pigeons, and provide a valuable resource for the pigeon breeding.
Project description:This clinical trial studies the effectiveness of a web-based cancer education tool called Helping Oncology Patients Explore Genomics (HOPE-Genomics) in improving patient knowledge of personal genomic testing results and cancer and genomics in general. HOPE-Genomics is a web-based education tool that teaches cancer/leukemia patients, and patients who may be at high-risk for developing cancer, about genomic testing and provide patients with information about their own genomic test results. The HOPE-Genomics tool may improve patient’s genomic knowledge and quality of patient-centered care. In addition, it may also improve education and care quality for future patients.
Project description:RNA isolated from draining tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN) from 5-week old pigs, either clinically infected with a feral isolate of Pseudorabies virus or uninfected were interrogated using Illumina Digital Gene Expression Tag Profiling. Over 100 million tag sequences were observed, representing 4,064,189 unique 21-base sequences collected from TBLN at time points 1, 3, 6 and 14 days post-infection (dpi)