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No. of bitstreams: 2 Dissertação - Gabriel Feresin Pantalião - 2103.pdf: 1079775 bytes, checksum: fb08083324cd3c94d9a60fd9eeddd83d (MD5) license_rdf: 23148 bytes, checksum: 9da0b6dfac957114c6a7714714b86306 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2013-03-26 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / Drought is an environmental factor which narrows crop production, such as upland rice (Oryza sativa L.). The knowledge of aspects related to drought stress, and plant response to it, may furnish plant breeding programs essential data for the development of tolerant cultivars, and hence with higher yields under such conditions. Association mapping has been a successful approach to elucidate the genetic basis of economically important traits in plants, and afterward in the implementation of marker assisted selection (MAS). Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have been applied in a variety of contexts, including SNP identification and development. Among methodologies for marker discovery and high-throughput genotyping, GBS (Genotyping by Sequencing) points out by its low cost and speed at which samples can be analyzed. The aim of this work was to identify, by GBS, the polymorphism from SNP markers within 283 upland accessions from Embrapa Rice Core Collection (ERiCC) and associate them to yield under drought stress. After filtering the raw data of predetermined stringent parameters, 285.379 SNP were identified in the 12 rice chromosomes. For the association mapping, molecular and phenotypic data were combined for the identification of SNP associated to drought, aiming the subsequent development of a marker set for MAS besides the identification of genes for genetic engineering. The analysis identified 48 SNP associated with the evaluated traits, 13 associated to drought susceptibility index (DSI) and 35 to yield under drought stress. Among the 48 SNP, 35 was anchored in 31 rice genes. Seven genes, out of the 31, possessed SNP associated to DSI, and the other 24 genes to yield under drought stress. These genes may be evaluated to be effectively employed for MAS. If the overexpression of such genes provides an enhanced drought tolerance, they may be used in the development of tolerant rice cultivars. / A seca é um fator ambiental que limita a produção das culturas, como a do arroz de terras altas (Oryza sativa L.). O conhecimento de fatores envolvidos na tolerância à deficiência hídrica e das respostas das plantas a esse estresse podem fornecer subsídios aos programas de melhoramento para o desenvolvimento de cultivares tolerantes, e, consequentemente, com uma maior produtividade sob essas condições. O mapeamento associativo, ou análise de associação, tem sido aplicado com sucesso em plantas, sendo utilizado primeiramente na identificação de genes associados a caracteres de importância econômica, e posteriormente, na implementação de seleção assistida por marcadores (SAM). Tecnologias de sequenciamento de nova geração (NGS) têm sido recentemente utilizadas em projetos de sequenciamento e resequenciamento para identificar, validar e avaliar um grande número de SNPs, os quais podem ser utilizados em estudos de mapeamento associativo. Dentre os métodos desenvolvidos para a descoberta de marcadores moleculares e genotipagem de alto desempenho, destaca-se pela rapidez e baixo custo a genotipagem por sequenciamento (GBS). Esse trabalho objetivou detectar, via GBS, o polimorfismo de marcadores SNPs em 283 acessos de arroz de terras altas componentes da CNAE (Coleção Nuclear de Arroz da Embrapa) e associá-los à produtividade sob déficit hídrico. Após a filtragem dos dados brutos de acordo com parâmetros de estringência pré-definidos, foram contabilizados 285.379 SNPs distribuídos ao longo dos 12 cromossomos do arroz. As informações moleculares foram integradas aos dados fenotípicos derivados do experimento de avaliação de produtividade e Índice de Suscetibilidade à Seca (ISS), conduzido no ano de 2010 em Porangatu (GO) em ambiente com e sem deficiência hídrica, para possibilitar a análise de mapeamento associativo, e com isso, detectar marcadores SNPs relacionados à tolerância à seca e oportunizar o desenvolvimento de um conjunto de marcadores úteis para a seleção assistida para esse caráter, assim como genes para estudos de engenharia genética do arroz. Através da análise de associação, foram detectados 48 SNPs relacionados com os caracteres avaliados, dentre os quais 13 foram relacionados ao ISS e 35 à produtividade em condição de déficit hídrico. Dentre os 48 SNPs, foram identificados 35 SNPs ancorados em 31 genes de arroz. Dentre os genes identificados, sete deles continham SNPs associados ao ISS, enquanto que os restantes 24 genes continham SNPs associados à produtividade dos acessos em ambiente com deficiência hídrica. Esses genes podem ser avaliados para serem efetivamente utilizados na seleção assistida por marcadores. Adicionalmente, esses genes podem ser superexpressos para avaliar sua capacidade de aumentar a tolerância à seca, e em caso positivo, gerar cultivares comerciais de arroz geneticamente modificadas mais tolerantes a esse estresse.

A mandioca foi domesticada no sudoeste da bacia amazônica, e presentemente é o cultivo alimentício amazônico mais importante no mundo. Após a domesticação inicial pressões seletivas divergentes deram origem aos grupos de variedades de mandiocas mansas e bravas. A distribuição atual destes grupos é um tanto diferente ao longo da Amazônia, o que pode ser reflexo de padrões de dispersão distintos de variedades mansas e bravas ao longo da história da domesticação do cultivo. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a diversidade e estrutura genética, genômica e a filogeografia de mandiocas cultivadas por agricultores tradicionais ao longo dos principais rios da bacia amazônica brasileira. Análises filogenéticas de linhagens matrilineares foi realizada com base no polimorfismo de quatro marcadores microssatélites cloroplastidiais (cpSSR). A diversidade e estrutura genética foram avaliadas com 14 marcadores microssatélites nucleares (ncSSR), enquanto que a abordagem genômica foi realizada com base em 5.871 polimorfismos de nucleotídeos únicos (SNPs). Foi observada considerável diferenciação [FST = 0,78 (cpSSR), 0,28 (ncSSR), e 0,37 (SNPs)] entre as variedades cultivadas e Manihot esculenta ssp. flabellifolia, o parente silvestre da mandioca. Não foram detectadas associações de haplótipos cpSSR com os grupos de variedades mansas e bravas ou com os rios. Apesar da ausência de padrões filogeográficos, as análises de agrupamento e estrutura genética com base nos três tipos de marcadores avaliados sugeriram que as variedades mansas e bravas são igualmente relacionadas à população silvestre. O segundo padrão mais importante de estruturação genética foi observado entre variedades mansas e bravas [FST = 0,08 (ncSSR) e 0,10 (SNPs)], no entanto houve um considerável grau de mistura entre variedades de ambos os grupos. Estes resultados, juntamente com a elevada variação genética observada dentro de variedades mansas e bravas são resultantes do manejo realizado por agricultores tradicionais ao longo da região amazônica. A ausência de padrões filogeográficos entre rios e regiões foi observada também com marcadores ncSSR e SNPs. Entretanto, quando a estrutura genética e genômica foi avaliada dentro das variedades mansas e bravas, alguns padrões contarstantes e tendências de estruturação entre rios foram observados. A ausência de padrões claros de estrutura genética e genômica entre diferentes rios não permitiu inferências sobre prováveis rotas de dispersão do cultivo a partir do seu centro de origem no sudoeste da Amazônia. No entanto, os padrões contrastantes de diferenciação genética e genômica dentro de variedades mansas e bravas podem estar associados a histórias de dispersão distintas para estes grupos de variedades de mandioca. Entre os locos genômicos, 658 SNPs estão possivelmente sob seleção positiva quando se considera a divergência entre variedades de mandioca cultivada e o parente silvestre. Destes, 202 SNPs podem estar especificamente associados com a seleção divergente entre variedades mansas e bravas. Estes locos podem estar em genes importantes para a domesticação inicial e seleção para características importantes do cultivo, e podem ser o ponto de partida para o melhor entendimento das bases genômicas da domesticação e diversificação da mandioca. / Manioc, or cassava, was domesticated in southwestern Amazonia, and is currently the most important staple crop in the world that originated there. After its initial domestication divergent selective pressures gave rise to the groups of sweet and bitter varieties. The current distribution of these groups is somewhat different across Amazonia, which may be due to distinct dispersal patterns of sweet and bitter varieties during the crop\'s domestication history. The aim of the present study was to evaluate genetic diversity and structure, genomics, and phylogeography of manioc cultivated by traditional farmers along the major rivers of Brazilian Amazonia. Phylogenetic analyses among matrilineages were performed based on the polymorphism of four chloroplastidial microsatellite markers (cpSSR). The evaluation of genetic diversity and structure were performed with 14 nuclear microsatellite markers (ncSSR), and a genomics approach was performed based on 5,871 single nucleotide polymorphism markers (SNPs). Considerable differentiation [FST = 0.78 (cpSSR), 0.28 (ncSSR), and 0.37 (SNPs)] was observed between cultivated varieties and Manihot esculenta ssp. flabellifolia, manioc\'s wild relative. No associations of cpSSR haplotypes with the groups of sweet and bitter varieties, nor with rivers were detected. Despite the lack of phylogeographic patterns, the analyses of genetic structure and relationships suggested that sweet and bitter varieties are equally related to wild populations. The second most important pattern of genetic structuring was observed between sweet and bitter varieties [FST = 0.08 (ncSSR) and 0.10 (SNPs)], although there was considerable overlap between groups. These results, combined with the high levels of genetic variability observed within sweet and bitter varieties, are due to the traditional management practices of smallholder farmers across Amazonia. The lack of phylogeographical patterns among rivers and regions were also observed with ncSSR and SNP markers. However, when the genetic and genomic structures were separately evaluated within sweet and bitter varieties, some contrasting patterns and tendencies of genetic structuring among the rivers was observed. The absence of clear patterns of genetic and genomic structure among different rivers did not permit inferences on probable routes of dispersal of the crop from its center of origin in southwestern Amazonia. Nevertheless, the contrasting patterns of genetic and genomic differentiation within sweet and bitter varieties may be associated with distinct dispersal histories for these groups of manioc varieties. Among the genomic loci, 658 SNPs are possibly under positive selection when considering the divergence between cultivated varieties of manioc and the wild relative. Of these, 202 SNPs may be specifically associated with divergent selection between sweet and bitter varieties. These loci may be located in genes important for initial domestication and selection for important characteristics of the crop, and may be a starting point for better comprehension of the genomic bases of manioc domestication and diversification.

Au cours du vieillissement, les caractéristiques organoleptiques du vin se modifient au contact du bois de chêne. Le composé aromatique le plus important, la whisky-lactone, aux notes noix de coco et boisé, est facilement détectable et apprécié par les consommateurs.Quercus petraea et Q. robur, les deux principales espèces européennes de chêne utilisées pour le vieillissement des vins, ont des profils aromatiques très contrastés, particulièrement pour la whisky-lactone. Parvenir à identifier l’espèce de chêne permettrait de fournir aux tonnelleries des lots de bois plus homogènes. L’objectif de cette étude est d’identifier l’espèce de chêne à partir de bois sec, à l’aide de marqueurs moléculaires utilisables dans un contexte industriel. Le bois sec est un tissu mort dans lequel l’ADN est très dégradé et donc difficilement accessible. Pour optimiser l’extraction d’ADN à partir de ce tissu, nous avons développé une méthode de PCR en temps-réel ciblant l’ADN chloroplastique, permettant ainsi d’évaluer l’efficacité des différents protocoles d’extraction. Nous avons également développé des marqueurs moléculaires (SSRs et SNPs) fortement différenciés entre espèces et particulièrement bien adaptés au bois. Grâce à des protocoles d’extraction d’ADN optimisés et ces marqueurs performants, nous avons pu identifier l’espèce sur des lots de bois séchés pendant deux ans. De plus, par l’étude de 262 SNPs dont la moitié est fortement différenciée entre espèces, nous avons démontré que les gènes sélectionnés (loci « outlier ») sont très performants pour délimiter ces deux espèces proches. Ils permettent également de détecter des processus démographiques fins (flux de gènes intra- et interspécifiques), alors que les gènes a priori non-sélectionnés (loci neutres) se révèlent peu informatifs. / Most of aromatic compounds in wine are directly induced during maturation by the contactwith oak wood. For example, whisky-lactone, the most important aromatic compound,which gives a coconut and woody taste, is easily detected and appreciated by consumers.Quercus petraea and Q. robur, the two major European oak species used for wine maturation,have very contrasted aromatic patterns, especially for whisky-lactone. Identifying the speciesused for cooperage will facilitate the maturation process, for instance by providing winerieswith more homogenous batches of barrels. The objective of our study is to characterize theoak species directly from dry wood, using molecular markers that will be applicable in anindustrial context. Unfortunately, dry wood is a dead tissue in which DNA is highlydegraded and difficult to access. To optimize DNA recovery from dry wood, we developed aquantitative PCR protocol based on chloroplast DNA to evaluate the efficiency of DNAisolation protocols. We identified and developed molecular markers (SSRs and SNPs)adapted to dry wood that are particularly diagnostic. Using an optimized DNA isolationprotocol and these powerful markers, the species identity from wood samples dried duringtwo years could be successfully characterized. Using 262 SNPs highly differentiated betweenthe two species, we also demonstrate that genes under selection (outlier loci) haveoutstanding power to delimitate the two oak species and provide unique insights on intraandinterspecific gene flow, whereas genes lacking such a signature (putatively neutral loci)provide little or no resolution.

Le carcinome hépatocellulaire (CHC) est le plus fréquent des tumeurs primitives du foie. La carcinogenèse hépatique est un processus complexe et multifactoriel qui fait intervenir à la fois des facteurs génétiques de prédisposition (e.g. les SNPs) et environnementaux. Près de 50% des CHC ont pour étiologie une infection par le virus de l'hépatite B (VHB). Au cours de cette infection, de multiples altérations génétiques et virales s'accumulent et favorisent le développement tumoral. Nous avons montré que les CHC liés au VHB présentaient des caractéristiques cliniques et pathologiques différents que ceux d’autres étiologies : 1). Les mutations inactivatrices d’HBx sont sélectionnées dans les tissus tumoraux des CHC liés au VHB, suggérant qu’il existe une pression de sélection spécifique au cours de l’hépatocarcinogenèse. 2). Chez les patients ayant un faible nombre de copies d'ADN VHB par cellule dans le foie non-tumoral, une corrélation avec les facteurs de risque supplémentaires (VHC/OH/NASH) a été identifiée, suggérant un effet coopératif pour la carcinogenèse induite par le VHB. 3). Les mutations TP53 sont associées à un pronostic moins favorable chez les patients ayant un CHC liés au VHB. 4). Les CHC liés au VHB montrent plus fréquemment des phénotypes progéniteurs, avec une surexpression des gènes impliqués dans la régulation du cycle cellulaire et codant pour les protéines onco-fœtales. Quatre SNPs précédemment identifiés par des études pangénomiques (GWAS) asiatiques ont été validés dans la population européenne. Les distributions alléliques semblent varier selon l’étiologie de la pathologie hépatique. Ces résultats soulignent la complexité de la prédisposition génétique au CHC, dont l’étude doit prendre en considération l’origine géographique des patients ainsi que les facteurs de risque associés. / Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumors. Hepatic carcinogenesis is a complex and multifactorial process involving both genetic predisposition (e.g. SNPs) and environmental factors. Nearly 50% of HCC are caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection worldwide. During HBV infection, multiple genetic and viral alterations accumulate and promote tumor development. By analyzing resected HCC in France, we identified specific molecular features related to HBV infection. First, HBx inactivating mutations are selected in HCC tissues suggesting specific pressure of selection during hepatocarcinogenesis. Second, in patients with a low number of HBV DNA copies per liver cell, we identified additional risk factors like HCV infection, alcohol intake or NASH, suggesting a cooperative effect of these factors with HBV to induce the malignant transformation. Third, TP53 mutations associated with a poor prognostic for HBV infected resected HCC patients. At last, HBV-related tumors demonstrate more frequent progenitor phenotype compared to non-HBV HCC, with an up-regulation of genes that involved in cell cycle regulation and encoded onco-fetal/progenitor proteins. Four SNPs previously identified by genome-wide studies (GWAS) in Asian, have been validated in our European population. Allelic distributions seem to vary according to the etiologies of adjacent liver diseases. These findings underscore the complexity of the genetic predisposition of HCC; further study must consider the geographical origin of patients and associated risk factors.

<p dir="ltr">Pedicels are the slender stalks that attach the fruit to the plant. They play a crucial role in fruit development. The characteristics of the pedicel comprise complex traits that are controlled by multiple genes. To study whether genetic control of fruit mass was via control of pedicel characteristics, we used two unique hybrid apple populations: ‘20 Ounce’ x ‘Prairie Fire’ and ‘Edward VII’ x ‘Prairie Fire’. Both ‘20 Ounce’ and ‘Edward VII’ x ‘Prairie Fire’ produce large fruit over 200 g, whereas ‘Prairie Fire’ is a small-fruited crabapple with fruit size less than 2 g. These populations offer the potential to investigate how pedicel attributes relate to apple fruit size. Previous work established a correlation between pedicel characteristics and apple fruit mass. Specifically, pedicel length showed an inverse relationship, while pedicel diameter was directly related to fruit mass. Shorter and broader pedicels were expected to offer the least resistance to water and nutrient flows. We hypothesize that among the genes that control fruit mass, some govern pedicel length and diameter. Quantitative Trait Loci (QTLs) analysis (Linkage mapping) was performed, and 5 QTLs were associated with characteristics such as fruit mass, pedicel length and pedicel diameter with LOD scores of 4 and above. That being said, no common region was associated with both the fruit mass and pedicel characteristics. This does not support our hypothesis and suggests that different regions may be controlling all these traits. Knowledge of QTLs and subsequently genes that affect fruit mass and pedicel characteristics in apple have potential applications in apple breeding and fruit production. The identification and manipulation of these genes holds the promise of developing new apple cultivars with improved pedicel traits and ultimately fruit mass and enhanced fruit quality.</p>

Introduction: The continual increase of type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence is a global public health concern. The aetiology of T2D has not been fully elucidated and this is hampering the development of effective preventative and curative interventions to curb the T2D burden. Although much has been done to elucidate the environmental risk factors associated with T2D, little is known about the precise genetic risk factors that predispose people to it. There is limited knowledge about the common variants associated with T2D risk in the black South African population. However, evidence of shared common variants associated with T2D among people of different ethnicities has been documented. Nonetheless, the majority of the common variants that have been reported to be associated with T2D in other ethnicities are still yet to be evaluated in the black South African population. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of previously reported common genetic variants with T2D susceptibility, as indicated by impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), in a black South African population of Tswana descent. Methods: This study was a case-control study of 180 cases and 180 controls nested in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study baseline data, which was collected in 2005. The DNA samples of the participants were genotyped for 77 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), using Illumina® VeraCode technology on the BeadXpress® platform. The gPlink software was used to evaluate the standard genetic models of disease penetrance for the association of the common variants with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) while adjusting for age, sex and body mass index. Results: Four out of the 66 SNPs that were evaluated through the genetic association tests in this study were noted to be significantly associated with IGT (p< 0.05). Of the four SNPs, only rs1436955 was associated with an increase in T2D risk, while the other three variants, rs831571, rs8050136 and rs7542900, were noted to be associated with a decreased risk of T2D. However, none of the four SNPs was significantly associated with IGT after correcting for multiple testing (p <0.05). Conclusions: Black South Africans of Tswana descent might not share common variants associated with T2D risk, as indicated by IGT in other ethnicities. Wellpowered studies are required to evaluate the association of common variants with T2D risk in this population group. The results from this study emphasise the need for population-specific variants to assess the genetic susceptibility of complex diseases such as T2D in the black South African population. / MSc (Nutrition), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Introduction: The continual increase of type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence is a global public health concern. The aetiology of T2D has not been fully elucidated and this is hampering the development of effective preventative and curative interventions to curb the T2D burden. Although much has been done to elucidate the environmental risk factors associated with T2D, little is known about the precise genetic risk factors that predispose people to it. There is limited knowledge about the common variants associated with T2D risk in the black South African population. However, evidence of shared common variants associated with T2D among people of different ethnicities has been documented. Nonetheless, the majority of the common variants that have been reported to be associated with T2D in other ethnicities are still yet to be evaluated in the black South African population. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of previously reported common genetic variants with T2D susceptibility, as indicated by impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), in a black South African population of Tswana descent. Methods: This study was a case-control study of 180 cases and 180 controls nested in the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study baseline data, which was collected in 2005. The DNA samples of the participants were genotyped for 77 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), using Illumina® VeraCode technology on the BeadXpress® platform. The gPlink software was used to evaluate the standard genetic models of disease penetrance for the association of the common variants with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) while adjusting for age, sex and body mass index. Results: Four out of the 66 SNPs that were evaluated through the genetic association tests in this study were noted to be significantly associated with IGT (p< 0.05). Of the four SNPs, only rs1436955 was associated with an increase in T2D risk, while the other three variants, rs831571, rs8050136 and rs7542900, were noted to be associated with a decreased risk of T2D. However, none of the four SNPs was significantly associated with IGT after correcting for multiple testing (p <0.05). Conclusions: Black South Africans of Tswana descent might not share common variants associated with T2D risk, as indicated by IGT in other ethnicities. Wellpowered studies are required to evaluate the association of common variants with T2D risk in this population group. The results from this study emphasise the need for population-specific variants to assess the genetic susceptibility of complex diseases such as T2D in the black South African population. / MSc (Nutrition), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

La calidad de la carne está determinada por cualidades como el marmoleo, el sabor, la terneza y la composición, entre otras. Estas cualidades están reguladas a distintos niveles, y uno de ellos es la genética. Hoy en día se conoce buena parte de las vías metabólicas que regulan estas características, y se han propuesto "genes candidatos" que codifican factores importantes dentro de estas vías. Los genes PPARG, CEBPA, FABP4, LIPE y RXRA son parte de las vías de diferenciación adipocítica y del metabolismo lipídico. El objetivo de este proyecto fue caracterizar la variabilidad genética en estos genes en razas bovinas con diferente calidad carnicera. Los datos se obtuvieron por medio de técnicas moleculares (reacción en cadena de la polimerasa, re-secuenciación) aplicadas a muestras de ADN extraídas de animales pertenecientes a diferentes razas criadas alrededor del mundo. Luego se realizaron una serie de análisis a través de programas bioinformáticos y herramientas web. Algunos de los polimorfismos detectados en los genes y otros disponibles en las bases de datos de internet fueron seleccionados para realizar estudios de validación a nivel poblacional y análisis estadísticos de asociación a caracteres de calidad carnicera en una población de ganado local. Los resultados fueron diversos: PPARG y CEBPA presentaron una variabilidad moderada, y FABP4 y LIPE presentaron una variabilidad alta. Algunos de los polimorfismos analizados sugieren una asociación a la composición lipídica de la carne y otros caracteres de engrasamiento, como espesor de grasa dorsal. Algunas de las posibles explicaciones biológicas para estas asociaciones fueron analizadas con diferentes herramientas bioinformáticas y se observaron algunos fenómenos interesantes. El conocimiento de la variabilidad existente en estos genes es de importancia para complementar los métodos de selección genética tradicionales y mejorar la calidad del ganado.

The overall aim of this thesis was to investigate the genetic control of beef quality in a commercial population of Aberdeen Angus-sired cattle with a view to trait improvement. The population studied included 500 Angus-cross animals, all with purebred Aberdeen Angus sires, from a selection of farms throughout Scotland. A number of carcass-related weight traits and taste panel assessed sensory traits were measured on these animals. A population of 265 Charolais cross cattle (all with purebred sires) was then used to explore the extrapolation of results across breeds. The first aim of this thesis was to investigate heritabilities for important carcass and meat quality traits and to assess the quality of a number of taste-panel derived meat quality traits by calculating three consistency statistics. Consistency statistics (parameter range 0 to 1) for the taste panel traits were moderately high, particularly for panel member consistency and reproducibility, with values ranging from 0.48 to 0.81 and 0.43 to 0.73, respectively. Estimated heritabilities were low for most of the sensory taste-panel-evaluated traits, where the maximum value was 0.16 for overall liking, but were higher for carcass traits where carcass weight heritability was 0.7. To perform these analyses it was first necessary to confirm paternity using a number of genetic markers. Therefore, a comparison of the power of both microsatellite and SNP markers for paternity exclusion was carried out to determine the more effective method. Results indicated that approximately three times as many SNP markers than microsatellite markers were required for parentage exclusion, and a panel of 15 microsatellite markers was used to assign paternity before subsequent data analysis was carried out. The remaining aims of this thesis centred on exploring genetic markers for carcass and meat quality. Firstly, the Angus animals were genotyped for the del11 myostatin mutation which was found to be segregating at a relatively low frequency (0.04) and was shown to be associated with a 17.4 kg increase in carcass weight (P < 0.05) in the heterozygous animals when compared to the homozygous wild-type animals. By analysing the haplotype associated with the mutant allele, it was determined that there have been at least two separate introductions of the mutant allele into the Aberdeen Angus breed. A number of SNPs were also tested for their effects on the carcass and meat quality traits in the Angus animals. The SNPs fell into two groups: eight that have been incorporated into commercially available tests and a further 28 from alternative candidate genes that have effects in different breeds and species. In total, 17 SNPs significantly affected at least one of the traits measured. Of these significant associations, a number have been seen previously, such as the association between calpain and tenderness (P = 0.01) and growth hormone and eye muscle area (P = 0.05), and some of which were novel, such as the association between growth hormone receptor and steak odour (P = 0.02) and corticotrophin releasing hormone and gristle distance from fat (P = 0.004). A further six SNPs, identified by resequencing of the malic enzyme 1 (ME1) and small heterodimer partner (SHP) genes, were tested for their effects on the traits measured in this thesis. Five of the SNPs, including one which caused a non-synonymous amino acid change, had a significant effect on at least one of the traits tested including fat class (P = 0.002), eye muscle area (P = 0.01), sirloin weight before maturation (P = 0.03), sirloin steak tail length (P = 0.004) and juiciness (P = 0.004) where the effect sizes were 1.79 units, 565 mm2, 0.36 kg, 17.12 mm and 0.23 taste panel units, respectively. To assess the effect of the genotyped SNPs on intramuscular fat (IMF), a simple method of visible IMF quantification in the sirloin steak was developed using digital photographs and an image analysis program. Results showed that two SNPs in the calpain gene, known to be linked with an increase in meat tenderness, were associated with an increase in visible IMF% and the del11 mutation was associated with a reduction in visible IMF%. The heritabilities, SNP association validations and novel SNP-trait associations identified in this thesis provide tools for use in breeding programs, possibly via marker assisted selection to improve meat quality traits. However, the results seem breed-specific, as most of the significant effects were not replicated in the Charolais population.

Humans are approximately 99% similar with inter-individual differences caused in part by single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which poses a challenge for the effective treatment of disease. Bioinformatics resources can help to store and analyse gene and protein information to address this challenge, however these resources have limitations, so the collation and biocuration of gene and protein information is required. Using the large conductance calcium- and voltage-activated potassium channel, also known as the Big Potassium (BK) channel as an example, due to its ubiquitous expression and widespread varied role in human physiology, this study aimed to prioritise SNPs with the potential to affect the function of the channel. Using a BK channel resource created with bioinformatics tools and published literature, mSlo SNPs H55Q and G57A, located in the S0-S1 linker, were prioritised and selected for lab-based verification. These SNPs flank three cysteine residues proven to modulate channel cellular distribution via palmitoylation, a reversible process shown to increase protein association with the cell membrane. The SNPs alter the predicted palmitoylation status of C56, one of the cysteine residues located in the S0-S1 linker. The cellular distribution of BK channels incorporating the SNPs was assessed using confocal microscopy and revealed that the direction and magnitude of SNP mimetic cell membrane expression was closely related to the C56 predicted palmitoylation score; a 'C56 palmitoylation pattern' was observed. It was shown that exposure to metabolic substrates glucose, palmitate and oleate modulated SNP-mimetic cellular distribution and could invert the 'C56 palmitoylation pattern', indicating that there is interplay between the metabolic status of the cell and the amino-acid composition of the channel via palmitoylation. The creation of a novel BK channel resource in this thesis highlighted the limitations, and inter-dependency of bioinformatics and lab based experimentation, whilst SNP verification experiments solidified the link between S0-S1 cysteine residues and BK cellular distribution. BK channel function is linked with a number of physiological processes; thus, the potential clinical consequences of the SNPs prioritised in this thesis require further research.