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Ward JA, Ng'ang'a SI, Randhawa IAS, McHugo GP, O'Grady JF, Flórez JM, Browne JA, Pérez O’Brien AM, Landaeta-Hernández AJ, Garcia JF, Sonstegard TS, Frantz LAF, Salter-Townshend M, MacHugh DE. Genomic insights into the population history and adaptive traits of Latin American Criollo cattle. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231388. [PMID: 38571912 PMCID: PMC10990470 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
Criollo cattle, the descendants of animals brought by Iberian colonists to the Americas, have been the subject of natural and human-mediated selection in novel tropical agroecological zones for centuries. Consequently, these breeds have evolved distinct characteristics such as resistance to diseases and exceptional heat tolerance. In addition to European taurine (Bos taurus) ancestry, it has been proposed that gene flow from African taurine and Asian indicine (Bos indicus) cattle has shaped the ancestry of Criollo cattle. In this study, we analysed Criollo breeds from Colombia and Venezuela using whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array data to examine population structure and admixture at high resolution. Analysis of genetic structure and ancestry components provided evidence for African taurine and Asian indicine admixture in Criollo cattle. In addition, using WGS data, we detected selection signatures associated with a myriad of adaptive traits, revealing genes linked to thermotolerance, reproduction, fertility, immunity and distinct coat and skin coloration traits. This study underscores the remarkable adaptability of Criollo cattle and highlights the genetic richness and potential of these breeds in the face of climate change, habitat flux and disease challenges. Further research is warranted to leverage these findings for more effective and sustainable cattle breeding programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- James A. Ward
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Said I. Ng'ang'a
- Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University, MunichD-80539, Germany
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, LondonE1 4NS, UK
| | | | - Gillian P. McHugo
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - John F. O'Grady
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | - Julio M. Flórez
- Acceligen, Eagan, MN55121, USA
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproduction, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | - John A. Browne
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
| | | | - Antonio J. Landaeta-Hernández
- Unidad de Investigaciones Zootécnicas, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad del Zulia, Maracaibo, Venezuela
| | - Jóse F. Garcia
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine and Animal Reproduction, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (Unesp), Jaboticabal, Brazil
| | | | - Laurent A. F. Frantz
- Palaeogenomics Group, Department of Veterinary Sciences, Ludwig Maximilian University, MunichD-80539, Germany
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, LondonE1 4NS, UK
| | | | - David E. MacHugh
- Animal Genomics Laboratory, School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
- Conway Institute of Biomolecular and Biomedical Research, University College Dublin, DublinD04 V1W8, Ireland
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2
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Worku D, Hussen J, De Matteis G, Schusser B, Alhussien MN. Candidate genes associated with heat stress and breeding strategies to relieve its effects in dairy cattle: a deeper insight into the genetic architecture and immune response to heat stress. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1151241. [PMID: 37771947 PMCID: PMC10527375 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1151241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The need for food products of animal origin is increasing worldwide. Satisfying these needs in a way that has minimal impact on the environment requires cutting-edge technologies and techniques to enhance the genetic quality of cattle. Heat stress (HS), in particular, is affecting dairy cattle with increasing frequency and severity. As future climatic challenges become more evident, identifying dairy cows that are more tolerant to HS will be important for breeding dairy herds that are better adapted to future environmental conditions and for supporting the sustainability of dairy farming. While research into the genetics of HS in the context of the effect of global warming on dairy cattle is gaining momentum, the specific genomic regions involved in heat tolerance are still not well documented. Advances in omics information, QTL mapping, transcriptome profiling and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genomic regions and variants associated with tolerance to HS. Such studies could provide deeper insights into the genetic basis for response to HS and make an important contribution to future breeding for heat tolerance, which will help to offset the adverse effects of HS in dairy cattle. Overall, there is a great interest in identifying candidate genes and the proportion of genetic variation associated with heat tolerance in dairy cattle, and this area of research is currently very active worldwide. This review provides comprehensive information pertaining to some of the notable recent studies on the genetic architecture of HS in dairy cattle, with particular emphasis on the identified candidate genes associated with heat tolerance in dairy cattle. Since effective breeding programs require optimal knowledge of the impaired immunity and associated health complications caused by HS, the underlying mechanisms by which HS modulates the immune response and renders animals susceptible to various health disorders are explained. In addition, future breeding strategies to relieve HS in dairy cattle and improve their welfare while maintaining milk production are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destaw Worku
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Food and Climate Sciences, Injibara University, Injibara, Ethiopia
| | - Jamal Hussen
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Giovanna De Matteis
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, CREA Research Centre for Animal Production and Aquaculture, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Benjamin Schusser
- Reproductive Biotechnology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Mohanned Naif Alhussien
- Reproductive Biotechnology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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3
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Camargo LSA, Saraiva NZ, Oliveira CS, Carmickle A, Lemos DR, Siqueira LGB, Denicol AC. Perspectives of gene editing for cattle farming in tropical and subtropical regions. Anim Reprod 2023; 19:e20220108. [PMID: 36819485 PMCID: PMC9924776 DOI: 10.1590/1984-3143-ar2022-0108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Cattle productivity in tropical and subtropical regions can be severely affected by the environment. Reproductive performance, milk and meat production are compromised by the heat stress imposed by the elevated temperature and humidity. The resulting low productivity contributes to reduce the farmer's income and to increase the methane emissions per unit of animal protein produced and the pressure on land usage. The introduction of highly productive European cattle breeds as well as crossbreeding with local breeds have been adopted as strategies to increase productivity but the positive effects have been limited by the low adaptation of European animals to hot climates and by the reduction of the heterosis effect in the following generations. Gene editing tools allow precise modifications in the animal genome and can be an ally to the cattle industry in tropical and subtropical regions. Alleles associated with production or heat tolerance can be shifted between breeds without the need of crossbreeding. Alongside assisted reproductive biotechnologies and genome selection, gene editing can accelerate the genetic gain of indigenous breeds such as zebu cattle. This review focuses on some of the potential applications of gene editing for cattle farming in tropical and subtropical regions, bringing aspects related to heat stress, milk yield, bull reproduction and methane emissions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Allie Carmickle
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
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Wani AK, Akhtar N, Singh R, Prakash A, Raza SHA, Cavalu S, Chopra C, Madkour M, Elolimy A, Hashem NM. Genome centric engineering using ZFNs, TALENs and CRISPR-Cas9 systems for trait improvement and disease control in Animals. Vet Res Commun 2023; 47:1-16. [PMID: 35781172 DOI: 10.1007/s11259-022-09967-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Livestock is an essential life commodity in modern agriculture involving breeding and maintenance. The farming practices have evolved mainly over the last century for commercial outputs, animal welfare, environment friendliness, and public health. Modifying genetic makeup of livestock has been proposed as an effective tool to create farmed animals with characteristics meeting modern farming system goals. The first technique used to produce transgenic farmed animals resulted in random transgene insertion and a low gene transfection rate. Therefore, genome manipulation technologies have been developed to enable efficient gene targeting with a higher accuracy and gene stability. Genome editing (GE) with engineered nucleases-Zinc finger nucleases (ZFNs) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) regulates the targeted genetic alterations to facilitate multiple genomic modifications through protein-DNA binding. The application of genome editors indicates usefulness in reproduction, animal models, transgenic animals, and cell lines. Recently, CRISPR/Cas system, an RNA-dependent genome editing tool (GET), is considered one of the most advanced and precise GE techniques for on-target modifications in the mammalian genome by mediating knock-in (KI) and knock-out (KO) of several genes. Lately, CRISPR/Cas9 tool has become the method of choice for genome alterations in livestock species due to its efficiency and specificity. The aim of this review is to discuss the evolution of engineered nucleases and GETs as a powerful tool for genome manipulation with special emphasis on its applications in improving economic traits and conferring resistance to infectious diseases of animals used for food production, by highlighting the recent trends for maintaining sustainable livestock production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atif Khurshid Wani
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Nahid Akhtar
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Reena Singh
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Ajit Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina, 120 Mason Farm Road, CB# 7260, 3093 Genetic Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599-2760, USA
| | - Sayed Haidar Abbas Raza
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Simona Cavalu
- Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy, University of Oradea, P -ta 1Decembrie 10, 410073, Oradea, Romania
| | - Chirag Chopra
- School of Bioengineering and Biosciences, Lovely Professional University, Punjab, 144411, India
| | - Mahmoud Madkour
- Animal Production Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Elolimy
- Animal Production Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
| | - Nesrein M Hashem
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, Alexandria, 21545, Egypt.
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Carmickle AT, Larson CC, Hernandez FS, Pereira JMV, Ferreira FC, Haimon MLJ, Jensen LM, Hansen PJ, Denicol AC. Physiological responses of Holstein calves and heifers carrying the SLICK1 allele to heat stress in California and Florida dairy farms. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:9216-9225. [PMID: 36114060 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Inheritance of the SLICK1 allele of the prolactin receptor gene improves thermotolerance of lactating Holstein cows under humid heat stress conditions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether pre- and postweaning Holstein heifers carrying the SLICK1 allele would show physiological responses indicative of higher tolerance to heat stress in high- and low-humidity climates. A total of 101 heifer calves of two age groups heterozygous for the SLICK1 allele and 103 wild-type half-siblings were evaluated during July 2020 in 3 dairy farms in central California and 2 in south Florida. Dry bulb temperature and relative humidity data were recorded during evaluation and used to calculate the temperature-humidity index (THI). Physiological measurements were obtained between 1600 and 1900 h in California, and 1200 and 1400 h in Florida and included rectal temperature, respiration rate, skin temperature, and sweating rate. Data were analyzed via Generalized Linear Mixed Models including the main effects of genotype, state, group, sire, farm within state, and interactions, with THI included as a covariate. The correlations between THI and dependent variables were analyzed via linear regression. The average 24-h THI was higher in Florida compared with California (90 vs. 72, respectively); the main driver of the higher THI in Florida was the high relative humidity (average 85.6% in Florida vs. 36.7% in California). In Florida, the rectal temperature of slick calves was 0.4°C lower than non-slick calves (39.5 ± 0.1 vs 39.9 ± 0.1°C); no differences were detected between slick and non-slick calves in California. Regardless of genotype, heifer calves in Florida had higher respiration rate, higher rectal and skin temperatures, and lower sweating rate than in California. This study is the first to evaluate physiological responses of calves carrying the SLICK1 allele under heat stress conditions in different climates. Our findings demonstrate that the presence of this allele is associated with lower rectal temperatures in pre- and post-weaning Holstein females. According to the physiological parameters evaluated, calves raised in Florida appeared to be under more severe heat stress; in those conditions, the SLICK1 allele was advantageous to confer thermotolerance as evidenced by lower rectal temperature in slick animals.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Colleen C Larson
- Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611
| | | | - Jessica M V Pereira
- Veterinary Teaching and Research Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Tulare 93274
| | - Fernanda C Ferreira
- Veterinary Teaching and Research Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California-Davis, Tulare 93274
| | | | - Laura M Jensen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611
| | - Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611
| | - Anna C Denicol
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis 95616.
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6
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Sosa F, Carmickle AT, Oliveira LJ, Sagheer M, Saleem M, Yu FH, Altman MD, Dikmen S, Denicol AC, Sonstegard TS, Larson CC, Hansen PJ. Effects of the bovine SLICK1 mutation in PRLR on sweat gland area, FOXA1 abundance, and global gene expression in skin. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:9206-9215. [PMID: 36085108 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The SLICK1 mutation in the prolactin receptor (PRLR) results in a short-hair coat and increased ability to regulate body temperature during heat stress. It is unclear whether the mutation affects capacity for sweating. The objective of this observational study was to evaluate whether the SLICK1 mutation in PRLR alters characteristics of skin related to sweat gland abundance or function. Skin biopsies from 31 Holstein heifers, including 14 wild-type (SL-/-) and 17 heterozygous slick (SL+/-), were subjected to histological analysis to determine the percent of the surface area of skin sections that are occupied by sweat glands. We detected no effect of genotype on this variable. Immunohistochemical analysis of the forkhead transcription factor A1 (FOXA1), a protein essential for sweating in mice, from 6 SL-/- and 6 SL+/- heifers indicated twice as much FOXA1 in sweat glandular epithelia of SL+/- heifers as in SL-/- heifers. Results from RNA sequencing of skin biopsies from 5 SL-/- and 7 SL+/- heifers revealed few genes that were differentially expressed and none that have been associated with sweat gland development or function. In conclusion, results do not support the idea that the SLICK1 mutation changes the abundance of sweat glands in skin, but do show that functional properties of sweat glands, as indicated by increased abundance of immunoreactive FOXA1, are modified by inheritance of the mutation in PRLR.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Sosa
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910
| | - A T Carmickle
- Department of Animal Science, University of California-Davis, Davis 95616
| | - L J Oliveira
- Department of Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens 30602
| | - M Sagheer
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910
| | - M Saleem
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910; Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - F H Yu
- Interdisciplinary Center for Biotechnology Research, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610
| | - M D Altman
- Department of Animal Science, University of California-Davis, Davis 95616
| | - S Dikmen
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Animal Science, University of Uludag, Bursa, 16059, Turkey
| | - A C Denicol
- Department of Animal Science, University of California-Davis, Davis 95616
| | | | - C C Larson
- Okeechobee County Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Okeechobee 34972
| | - P J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910.
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7
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Sosa F, Santos JEP, Rae DO, Larson CC, Macchietto M, Abrahante JE, Amaral TF, Denicol AC, Sonstegard TS, Hansen PJ. Effects of the SLICK1 mutation in PRLR on regulation of core body temperature and global gene expression in liver in cattle. Animal 2022; 16:100523. [PMID: 35468510 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2022.100523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The SLICK1 mutation in bovine PRLR (c.1382del; rs517047387) is a deletion mutation resulting in a protein with a truncated intracellular domain. Cattle carrying at least one allele have a phenotype characterized by a short hair coat (slick phenotype) and increased resistance to heat stress. Given the pleiotropic nature of prolactin, the mutation may affect other physiological characteristics. The liver is one organ that could potentially be affected because of the expression of PRLR. The mutation is a dominant allele, and heterozygous animals have a similar hair coat to that of animals homozygous for the mutation. Present objectives were to determine whether inheritance of the SLICK1 mutation affects liver gene expression and if animals homozygous for the SLICK1 allele differ from heterozygotes in liver gene expression and regulation of body temperature during heat stress. In one experiment, rectal and ruminal temperatures were less for Holstein heifers that were heterozygous for the SLICK1 allele compared with wildtype heifers. There were 71 differentially expressed genes in liver, with 13 upregulated and 58 downregulated in SLICK1 heterozygotes. Among the ontologies characteristic of differentially expressed genes were those related to immune function and fatty acid and amino acid metabolism. In a prospective cohort study conducted with adult Senepol cattle, body temperature and hepatic gene expression were compared between animals heterozygous or homozygous for the SLICK1 mutation. There were no differences in ruminal temperatures between genotypes, rectal temperature was higher in animals homozygous for the SLICK1 mutation, and there was only one gene in liver that was differentially expressed. It was concluded that inheritance of the SLICK1 allele can exert functional changes beyond those related to hair growth although changes in liver gene expression were not extensive. Results are also consistent with the SLICK1 allele being dominant because there were few differences in phenotype between animals inheriting one or two copies of the allele.
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Affiliation(s)
- Froylan Sosa
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA
| | - José E P Santos
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA
| | - D Owen Rae
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville 32610-0136, USA
| | - Colleen C Larson
- Okeechobee County Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida/Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Okeechobee, FL 34972, USA
| | - Marissa Macchietto
- Minnesota Supercomputing Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Juan E Abrahante
- Informatics Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Thiago F Amaral
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA
| | - Anna C Denicol
- Department of Animal Science, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | | | - Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0910, USA.
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