Half Siblings Research Articles

Genetic Studies on Growth Traits in Rajasri Variety of Backyard Chicken

Background: Rajasri, a synthetic dual purpose variety suitable for backyard rearing. The current study was aimed to study the inheritance of Rajasri birds. Methods: This study was carried out during April 2019 to August 2019 at poultry research station, Hyderabad. Data collected on 6980 chicks produced from 220 sires and 660 dams in half sib mating in 4 hatches were utilized to estimate the genetic parameters.Result: Highly significant (P≤0.01) influence of hatch and sex on body weights and average daily gains and shank length was observed. The overall least-squares means of body weights at birth, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18 and 20 weeks of age were 32.35±0.4, 80.87±0.17, 184.29 ±0.44, 351.49±0.76, 576.16±1.10, 741.31±0.97, 878.03±0.91, 1038.9±0.91, 1160.61±0.99, 1271.59±1.27 and 1370.64±1.72g and shank length at 4 and 6 weeks of age were 47.49±0.05 and 62.18±0.06 mm, respectively. The overall least-square means of average daily gain peaks at 6-8 weeks age. Heritability estimates of body weights through sire component ranged from 0.04±0.016 (BW20) to 0.44±0.05 (BW0). Genetic and phenotypic correlations among body weights were ranged from 0.02±0.14 (BW6-BW14) to 0.98±0.01 (BW16-BW18) and 0.003±0.01 (BW2-BW20) to 0.93±0.01 (BW18-BW20), respectively.

Kin Recognition in Guppies Uses Self-Referencing Based on Olfactory Cues.

AbstractKin recognition plays an important role in social behavior and evolution, but the proximate mechanisms by which individuals recognize kin remain poorly understood. In many species, individuals form a "kin template" that they compare with conspecifics' phenotypes to assess phenotypic similarity-and, by association, relatedness. Individuals may form a kin template through self-inspection (i.e., self-referencing) and/or by observing their rearing associates (i.e., family referencing). However, despite much interest, few empirical studies have successfully disentangled self-referencing and family referencing. Here, we employ a novel set of breeding crosses using the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata) to disentangle referencing systems by manipulating exposure to kin from conception onward. We show that guppies discriminate among their full and maternal half siblings, which can be explained only by self-referencing. Additional behavioral experiments revealed no evidence that guppies incorporate the phenotypes of their broodmates or mother into the kin template. Finally, by manipulating the format of our behavioral tests, we show that olfactory communication is both necessary and sufficient for kin discrimination. These results provide robust evidence that individuals recognize kin by comparing the olfactory phenotypes of conspecifics with their own. This study resolves key questions about the proximate mechanisms underpinning kin recognition, with implications for the ontogeny and evolution of social behavior.

Mating designs commonly used in plant breeding: A review

Mating design represents "rules" for arranging different controlled crossings; a mating design is a procedure of producing progenies. This review describes mating designs commonly used in plant breeding. Biparental is the simplest design in which a number of P plants are paired off to give ½P families; the parents are mated only once in pairs. The design is simple and it provides information needed to determine if significant genetic variation is present in a population for a long term selection program. A polycross is a mating arrangement for interpollinating a group of cultivars or clones using natural hybridization in an isolated crossing block. The design is often used for generating synthetic cultivars. The North Carolina (NC) mating designs permit determination and/or estimation of variance components (additive and dominance components) by using the information from half-sib (HS) families. The experimental material of North Carolina designs I, II and III is developed from F2 generation as a base material. The design III (NCIII) involves backcrossing the F2 plants to the two parental inbred lines from which the F2 were derived. The NCIII design was extended to include a third tester. This third tester is the F1 from the two parental inbred lines; in this extended form, this design is known as the triple test cross (TTC). Line x Tester mating design uses inbred lines as the base population. The design is useful in deciding the relative ability of a number of female and male inbreds to produce desirable hybrid combinations. When the same parents are used as females and males in breeding, the mating design is called diallel. Parents used range from inbred lines to broad genetic base varieties to clones. The design is the most commonly used in crop plants to estimate GCA and SCA and variances. Generally, it should be noted that is not the mating design per se, but the breeder who breeds a new cultivar. Consequently, proper choice and use of a mating design will provide the most valuable information for breeding

Frameshift Variant in Novel Adenosine-A1-Receptor Homolog Associated With Bovine Spastic Syndrome/Late-Onset Bovine Spastic Paresis in Holstein Sires.

Since their first description almost 100 years ago, bovine spastic paresis (BSP) and bovine spastic syndrome (BSS) are assumed to be inherited neuronal-progressive diseases in cattle. Affected animals are characterized by (frequent) spasms primarily located in the hind limbs, accompanied by severe pain symptoms and reduced vigor, thus initiating premature slaughter or euthanasia. Due to the late onset of BSP and BSS and the massively decreased lifespan of modern cattle, the importance of these diseases is underestimated. In the present study, BSP/BSS-affected German Holstein breeding sires from artificial insemination centers were collected and pedigree analysis, genome-wide association studies, whole genome resequencing, protein–protein interaction network analysis, and protein-homology modeling were performed to elucidate the genetic background. The analysis of 46 affected and 213 control cattle revealed four significantly associated positions on chromosome 15 (BTA15), i.e., AC_000172.1:g.83465449A>G (–log10P = 19.17), AC_000172.1:g.81871849C>T (–log10P = 8.31), AC_000172.1:g.81872621A>T (–log10P = 6.81), and AC_000172.1:g.81872661G>C (–log10P = 6.42). Two additional loci were significantly associated located on BTA8 and BTA19, i.e., AC_000165.1:g.71177788T>C and AC_000176.1:g.30140977T>G, respectively. Whole genome resequencing of five affected individuals and six unaffected relatives (two fathers, two mothers, a half sibling, and a full sibling) belonging to three different not directly related families was performed. After filtering, a homozygous loss of function variant was identified in the affected cattle, causing a frameshift in the so far unknown gene locus LOC100848076 encoding an adenosine-A1-receptor homolog. An allele frequency of the variant of 0.74 was determined in 3,093 samples of the 1000 Bull Genomes Project.

Estimating indirect parental genetic effects on offspring phenotypes using virtual parental genotypes derived from sibling and half sibling pairs.

Indirect parental genetic effects may be defined as the influence of parental genotypes on offspring phenotypes over and above that which results from the transmission of genes from parents to their children. However, given the relative paucity of large-scale family-based cohorts around the world, it is difficult to demonstrate parental genetic effects on human traits, particularly at individual loci. In this manuscript, we illustrate how parental genetic effects on offspring phenotypes, including late onset conditions, can be estimated at individual loci in principle using large-scale genome-wide association study (GWAS) data, even in the absence of parental genotypes. Our strategy involves creating “virtual” mothers and fathers by estimating the genotypic dosages of parental genotypes using physically genotyped data from relative pairs. We then utilize the expected dosages of the parents, and the actual genotypes of the offspring relative pairs, to perform conditional genetic association analyses to obtain asymptotically unbiased estimates of maternal, paternal and offspring genetic effects. We apply our approach to 19066 sibling pairs from the UK Biobank and show that a polygenic score consisting of imputed parental educational attainment SNP dosages is strongly related to offspring educational attainment even after correcting for offspring genotype at the same loci. We develop a freely available web application that quantifies the power of our approach using closed form asymptotic solutions. We implement our methods in a user-friendly software package IMPISH (IMputing Parental genotypes In Siblings and Half Siblings) which allows users to quickly and efficiently impute parental genotypes across the genome in large genome-wide datasets, and then use these estimated dosages in downstream linear mixed model association analyses. We conclude that imputing parental genotypes from relative pairs may provide a useful adjunct to existing large-scale genetic studies of parents and their offspring.

Novel mutation points to a hot spot in CDKN1C causing Silver\u2013Russell syndrome

BackgroundPathogenic CDKN1C gain-of-function variants on the maternal allele were initially reported as a cause of IMAGe syndrome characterized by intrauterine growth retardation, metaphyseal dysplasia, primary adrenal insufficiency and genital anomalies. Recently, a maternally inherited CDKN1C missense mutation (p.Arg279Leu) was identified in several members of a single family clinically diagnosed with Silver–Russell syndrome (SRS) but without adrenal insufficiency. Thereafter, two half siblings from UK with familial SRS were described who carried the same mutation. This specific amino acid change is located within a narrow functional region containing the mutations previously associated with IMAGe syndrome.ResultsHere, we describe a third familial case with maternally inherited SRS due to a missense variant affecting the same amino acid position 279 but leading to a different amino acid substitution (p. (Arg279Ser)). The two affected family members (mother and son) presented with the complete SRS phenotype (both Netchine–Harbison CSS score 5 of 6) but without body asymmetry or adrenal insufficiency.ConclusionsIn comparison with loss-of-function genomic IGF2 mutations, CDKN1C gain-of-function mutations are a less frequent cause of SRS and seem to affect a cluster of few amino acids.

Genotype by environment interactions for inner shell color and growth traits in the purple freshwater pearl mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii, reared with different water depths and mud substrates

A breeding selection program for improving inner shell color and growth was developed for Hyriopsis cumingii, to enhance purple pearl production. In freshwater pearl culture, adjusting culture water depth and mud substrate supply are routinely carried out to improve pearl quality. To improve selection decisions in different conditions, we estimated heritabilities and genotype by environment (G × E) interactions on inner shell color and growth traits in 1571 17-month-old animals from 8 half sib family of purple selective strain of H. cumingii reared in different water depths (WD1, 32 cm; WD2, 48 cm) and mud substrates (MS, mussel pond mud substrate; SS, shrimp pond mud substrate) were analyzed. With the same mud substrate, H. cumingii reared at WD1 showed increased performance in shell color and growth. Heritability estimates for growth traits (shell length, shell height, shell width, body weight and shell weight) were higher at WD1 and higher at WD2 for inner shell color parameters (L, a, band dE⁎) when rearing in MS, while showed opposite pattern in SS. At the same water depth, H. cumingii reared with MS showed better performance in shell color and growth traits. Heritability estimates for growth traits were higher in SS and higher in MS for inner shell color parameters when rearing at WD1, while showed opposite pattern at WD2. Heritability estimates for L, a and all growth traits were moderate and high (h2 > 0.15), while were low for b and dE⁎ (h2 < 0.15). Genetic correlations for inner shell color parameters and growth traits within the four conditions were less than 0.8, except that some combinations of depth and mud substrate with over 0.9 for shell growth traits and shell color traits showed significant G × E correlations. The rank of individuals with comprehensive breeding value was different in four conditions, and the percentage of individual family sources shared in some pair conditions were small, which indicated re-ranking during selective breeding program. This study provides guidelines for a selective breeding strategy for improving inner shell color and growth in H. cumingii when mussels are reared under different conditions

Patterns of genetic variation in leading-edge populations of Quercus robur: genetic patchiness due to family clusters

The genetic structure of populations at the edge of species distribution is important for species adaptation to environmental changes. Small populations may experience non-random mating and differentiation due to genetic drift but larger populations, too, may have low effective size, e.g., due to the within-population structure. We studied spatial population structure of pedunculate oak, Quercus robur, at the northern edge of the species’ global distribution, where oak populations are experiencing rapid climatic and anthropogenic changes. Using 12 microsatellite markers, we analyzed genetic differentiation of seven small to medium size populations (census sizes 57–305 reproducing trees) and four populations for within-population genetic structures. Genetic differentiation among seven populations was low (Fst = 0.07). We found a strong spatial genetic structure in each of the four populations. Spatial autocorrelation was significant in all populations and its intensity (Sp) was higher than those reported in more southern oak populations. Significant genetic patchiness was revealed by Bayesian structuring and a high amount of spatially aggregated full and half sibs was detected by sibship reconstruction. Meta-analysis of isoenzyme and SSR data extracted from the (GD)2 database suggested northwards decreasing trend in the expected heterozygosity and an effective number of alleles, thus supporting the central-marginal hypothesis in oak populations. We suggest that the fragmented distribution and location of Finnish pedunculate oak populations at the species’ northern margin facilitate the formation of within-population genetic structures. Information on the existence of spatial genetic structures can help conservation managers to design gene conservation activities and to avoid too strong family structures in the sampling of seeds and cuttings for afforestation and tree improvement purposes.

Parental substance misuse and reproductive timing in offspring: A genetically informed study

Abstract Parents with substance misuse provide their children with a potentially risky rearing environment. According to the evolutionary life history theory, such environments steer individuals towards faster reproductive strategy. However, parents providing their children with hazardous environments may also pass on genes associated with early parenthood. In register data on individuals born in Sweden 1973–1993 (N = 2,176,128), the hazard ratio of entering parenthood by age 25 was 1.70 (95% CI 1.69–1.72) and 1.85 (1.82–1.89) among offspring of fathers and mothers with substance misuse, respectively, compared to others. In analyses using an offspring-of-siblings design in three types of parental sibling pairs (half siblings, full siblings and dizygotic twins, and monozygotic twins) increasingly controlling for genetic confounding, associations between parental substance misuse and offspring's early reproduction gradually attenuated. Our results suggest that the association between parental substance misuse and earlier parenthood in offspring is at least partly genetically confounded. Life history theory should be further tested with genetically informative research designs.

Enhanced polycross breeding of tall fescue through marker-based paternity identification and estimation of combining ability

Half-sib (HS) mating is the most important breeding method of open-pollinated sexual forage grasses such as tall fescue. Progeny testing procedures of half-sib families can only measure general combining ability (GCA) due to the unknown pollen donor. In tall fescue, genetic studies using HS mating and application of molecular markers for paternity identification in polycross progenies are so far limited. In this study, 960 genotypes from sixteen half-sib families of tall fescue derived from polycrosses, along with their corresponding parental genotypes were evaluated for agro-morphological traits in the field during 2016 and 2017. Genetic diversity of the parental genotypes was assessed using twenty EST-SSR markers and then a minimal set of primers was used to identify the most likely male parent in the polycross progenies. Considerable genetic variation was observed among the parental genotypes based on both morphological and molecular assessments. Moderate to high estimates of narrow sense heritability (0.53–0.84) for morphological traits indicated that phenotypic selection can be successful to achieve genetic progress. The EST-SSR markers allowed to identify a unique paternal parent in 177 of the offspring which were divided into 66 full-sib families. The number of genotypes per full-sib family varied from 1 to 11. Marker data used to identify full-sib families, estimate specific combining ability (SCA), and select siblings based on the genetic value of both parents. No clear association was found between GCA of parents and the corresponding SCA for forage yield, indicating that both additive and dominant gene actions may play a role in the genetic control of this trait. The obtained results highlighted the importance of marker-based paternity identification to increase gain from selection in polycross breeding programs of tall fescue.

Examination of the causes of mortality in non-beak-trimmed pure line laying hens with special regard to aggression

The experiment was started with 1,508 Rhode Island Red (RIR) and 1,820 Rhode Island White (RIW) type non-beak-trimmed day-old pullets, which were originated from 58 RIR and 70 RIW different pedigree cocks, respectively. From all of the 128 cocks 26 half sibling offspring were tested. The pure line pullets were raised up to 18 weeks of age in a closed building, in deep litter pens and moved to the laying house and placed into three types of keeping systems [furnished cage, alternative pen (litter and floor) and conventional cage] thereafter. The number of dead birds and the cause of mortality were recorded daily during the whole rearing and egg-laying period, up to 72 weeks of age. During the rearing period the most frequent cause of mortality was wasting, which accounted for nearly 36% of the total mortality. Aggression was responsible for 28.3% of the total mortality. Depending on the type of the pullets (RIR or RIW), differences were observed in the frequency of occurrence of mortality causes. For example, oedema and beak deformation occurred only in the RIR, whereas technological injury and aggression only in the RIW pullets during the rearing period. During the egg-laying period aggression was the most common cause of mortality. Its lowest occurrence was observed in the alternative pens. In both of the examined types there were found cocks, whose offspring died exclusively by aggression, and cocks, whose offspring did not show any loss due to aggression. The ratio of these cocks differed significantly (P&lt;0.05) between the two types examined. Based on the results it was established that the genetic background has significant effect on the mortality caused by aggression in non-beak-trimmed laying hens.

Genotype by environment interaction between aerated and non-aerated ponds and the impact of aeration on genetic parameters in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

A major problem in smallholder Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) farms is that the achieved production is much lower than under optimal management. One of the main environmental factors contributing to lower production is dissolved oxygen (DO), because the majority of Nile tilapia production takes place under smallholder farms with no aeration of ponds which leads to large DO fluctuations. On the contrary, breeding programs select fish in aerated ponds. Aerating ponds is currently not an option for smallholder farmers because either it is too expensive or they lack access to cheap electricity supply. Therefore, it is crucial to know the genetic correlation between aerated and non-aerated ponds to optimize breeding programs to select fish that perform well in ponds with fluctuating DO levels. The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate the presence of genotype by environment (GxE) interaction between aerated and non-aerated earthen ponds using a design that minimized common environmental effects and 2) the impact of (non-)aeration on genetic parameters. The experimental fish were mass-produced using natural group spawning and nursed in four 30m2 hapas. A random sample of fingerlings from each hapa was tagged and randomly distributed to aerated and non-aerated ponds for a grow-out period of 217 and 218 days. Body weight and photographs were taken on five consecutive time points during grow-out. Of the stocked fish, 2063 were genotyped-by-sequencing. A genomic relationship matrix was built using 11,929 SNPs to estimate genetic parameters with ASReml. No-aeration significantly reduced mean harvest weight (HW), survival and thermal growth coefficient (TGC) compared to aeration. Substantial heritabilities (0.14–0.45) were found for HW, TGC, surface area (SA) and body shape, expressed as ellipticity, and low heritabilities (0.03–0.04) for survival in aerated and non-aerated ponds. In both ponds, the environmental effect common to full sibs was not significant. Genetic coefficients of variation were 20–23% lower and heritabilities were 19–25% lower in the non-aerated pond compared to the aerated pond, for HW, TGC and survival. Genetic correlations between ponds for HW, standard length, height, SA and TGC were 0.81, 0.80, 0.74, 0.78 and 0.78, respectively. In summary, some GxE interaction between aerated and non-aerated ponds was found and no-aeration decreased genetic coefficients of variation and heritabilities compared to aerated ponds. Breeding programs are recommended to use half sib information from non-aerated farms or to set up a reference population for genomic selection in a non-aerated environment either on-station or in farms.

Journal Digest: Home Environment; Postpartum Mental Illness; Placebo in Psychedelic Study; Single Gene Mutation; Topiramate

Journal Digest: Home Environment; Postpartum Mental Illness; Placebo in Psychedelic Study; Single Gene Mutation; Topiramate

P0060COMBINED NOVEL PBX1 AND RET VARIANTS IN AN ADULT WITH SYNDROMIC RENAL HYPOPLASIA: A CASE REPORT

Abstract Background and Aims Congenital abnormalities of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUT) represent the main cause of pediatric end-stage renal disease with vast pheno- and genotypic heterogeneity. However, its contribution to adult chronic kidney disease (CKD) is less well characterized. We here report on an adult who underwent genetic testing for previously unrecognized CAKUT. Method Phenotypic characterization of a family with mild syndromic form of kidney hypoplasia. Panel-based genetic analysis for CAKUT associated genes in DNA from peripheral blood cells, oral mucosa, and urinary cells. Results A 20-year-old male presented with bilateral hypoplastic kidneys, first diagnosed with nocturnal enuresis at the age of ten. For CKD stage 2 (eGFR 72ml/min/1.73m), hypertension, and moderate albuminuria (300mg/d) he was treated with Ramipril. Additionally, facial dysmorphism with low-set microtia, slight micrognathia, and slightly impaired intelligence was apparent. Bilateral audiograms did not reveal any hearing impairment. His father showed slightly reduced kidney size without any laboratory anomalies or extrarenal symptoms. Further family history including his mother and three half siblings presented unremarkable. Genetic analysis revealed the following two variants: First, a novel heterozygous truncating variant, absent from patient and population databases, was found in PBX1 c.992C&amp;gt;A p.Ser331* (NM_002585.3). As this variant was detected in 25% of NGS reads, we tested for potential mosaicism by direct sequencing in DNA obtained from oral mucosa and urinary epithelia. While the latter showed no PBX1 variation, mucosa cells revealed the mutated allele in 50% of reads. Segregation analysis of the father showed PBX1 wild-type. The mother was not available for genetic testing. Additionally, we identified a novel heterozygous splice site variant in RET: c.1760-5C&amp;gt;A (NM_020975.4), absent from both patient and population databases. This substitution is predicted to affect splicing at the acceptor site of exon 10. Sanger sequencing demonstrated paternal inheritance. Conclusion Pathogenic PBX1 variants were recently associated with CAKUTHED (Congenital Abnormalities of the Kidney and Urinary Tract with or without Hearing loss, abnormal Ears, or Developmental delay) syndrome (Heidet 2017), characterized by highly variable phenotypes. PBX1 encodes a homeodomain transcription factor taking part in transcriptional regulation during embryonic development. Functional studies suggest disturbed PBX1-dependent transactivation ability and altered nuclear translocation, resulting in abnormal interactions between PBX1 proteins and cofactors (Slavotinek 2017). Prevailing PBX1 expression in embryonic compared to adult kidneys support an important function in development (Le Tanno 2017). An aberrant splicing effect of the identified RET variant is supported by the fact that the father, who carries the same variant but PBX1 wild-type, has slightly reduced kidneys. Associations between abnormal kidney development and alterations of RET were first described in stillborn fetuses with renal agenesis (Skinner 2008), but also in patients with vesicoureteral reflux (Yang 2008). RET encodes for a receptor tyrosine-protein kinase, which while binding ligands such as GDNF (glial cell-line derived neurotrophic factor) is involved in signaling pathways and plays an important part during organ development. Particularly, the RET/GDNF signaling pathway plays a crucial role during development of the kidneys (Costantini 2010). Functional analyses indicate an altered phosphorylation status of RET as possible causative mechanism. To the best of our knowledge, this case is the first to report on combined PBX1 and RET gene variants associated with mild syndromic renal hypoplasia, likely mitigated by genetic mosaicism.

Association and Familial Coaggregation of Type 1 Diabetes and Eating Disorders: A Register-Based Cohort Study in Denmark and Sweden.

OBJECTIVETo ascertain the association and coaggregation of eating disorders and childhood-onset type 1 diabetes in families.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSUsing population samples from national registers in Sweden (n = 2,517,277) and Demark (n = 1,825,920), we investigated the within-individual association between type 1 diabetes and eating disorders and their familial coaggregation among full siblings, half siblings, full cousins, and half cousins. On the basis of clinical diagnoses, we classified eating disorders into any eating disorder (AED), anorexia nervosa (AN) and atypical AN, and other eating disorder (OED). Associations were determined with hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs from Cox regressions.RESULTSSwedish and Danish individuals with a type 1 diabetes diagnosis had a greater risk of receiving an eating disorder diagnosis (HR [95% CI] Sweden: AED 2.02 [1.80–2.27], AN 1.63 [1.36–1.96], OED 2.34 [2.07–2.63]; Denmark: AED 2.19 [1.84–2.61], AN 1.78 [1.36–2.33], OED 2.65 [2.20–3.21]). We also meta-analyzed the results: AED 2.07 (1.88–2.28), AN 1.68 (1.44–1.95), OED 2.44 (2.17–2.72). There was an increased risk of receiving an eating disorder diagnosis in full siblings in the Swedish cohort (AED 1.25 [1.07–1.46], AN 1.28 [1.04–1.57], OED 1.28 [1.07–1.52]); these results were nonsignificant in the Danish cohort.CONCLUSIONSPatients with type 1 diabetes are at a higher risk of subsequent eating disorders; however, there is conflicting support for the relationship between having a sibling with type 1 diabetes and an eating disorder diagnosis. Diabetes health care teams should be vigilant about disordered eating behaviors in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes.

The Rearing Environment and Risk for Major Depression: A Swedish National High-Risk Home-Reared and Adopted-Away Co-Sibling Control Study.

The authors sought to clarify the role of rearing environment in the etiology of major depression. Defining high risk as having at least one biological parent with major depression, the authors identified a Swedish National Sample of 666 high-risk full sibships and 2,596 high-risk half sibships containing at least one home-reared and one adopted-away sibling. Major depression was assessed from national medical registries. Controlling for sex, parental age at birth, and, for half siblings, history of major depression in the nonshared parent, the risk for major depression in the matched adopted compared with home-reared full and half siblings was reduced by 23% (95% CI=7-36) and by 19% (95% CI=10-38), respectively. This protective rearing effect was not influenced by the relative educational status of the biological and adoptive parents. However, in both full and half sibships, the protective effect of adoption disappeared when an adoptive parent or stepsibling had major depression or the adoptive home was disrupted by parental death or divorce. In matched full and half sibships at high risk for major depression, compared with individuals raised in their home environment, those reared in adoptive homes (homes selected in Sweden for their high-quality rearing environment) had a significantly reduced risk for major depression. This protective effect disappeared if an adoptive parent had major depression or if the adoptive home experienced parental death or divorce during childhood/adolescence. The rearing environment has a meaningful impact on risk for major depression, and this effect is likely mediated both by parental depression and the continuity or disruption of the home environment.

Variability in a Silage Maize “Zea mays, L.” Base Population via Two Types of Families 3. Forage botanical composition and dry matter partitioning

The base population for the recent study which is a yellow seed synthetic variety of maize was provided by Dr. M. Abd El-Sattar Ahmed, professor of crop science, Crop Science Department, faculty of Agriculture, Egypt. Two types of families had formulated, as a step before selection for high yielding ability. Those were half-sib (H.S) families and the first generation of self-pollination (S1) families. Variability in the base population gene pool had estimated depending on vari-ance components of the families. Reduction in mean values associated with S1 families relative to half-sib families reached 0.182, 1.18, 0.98, 3.88, 2.75 and 5.72% for leaves percentage, stem percentage, ear percentage, grain percentage, cob per-centage and husk percentage, respectively. Genotypic variances among S1 families was larger in magnitude than the respec-tive value for half-sib families in each measured botanical composition and dry matter partitioning characters. Meanwhile, within family’s variance, (σ2f), environmental variances (σ2e) had reduced in S1 families relative to half-sib families in each measured character. Genotypic variation among half-sib and S1 families were less than 20% of the studied botanical compo-sition and dry matter partitioning characters mean values, except for cob percentage and husk percentage that had a genotyp-ic variation amount to 24% and 26%, respectively. The estimates of additive variance (δ2A) were positive for all studied botanical composition and dry matter partitioning characters. While, the estimates of dominance variance (δ2D) were nega-tive for all characters, the ratio of δ2A/δ2G indicated that additive genetic variance was more effective in controlling all stud-ied botanical composition and dry matter partitioning characters. Estimates of heritability were higher in magnitude when calculated from first selfing generation (S1) compared to half-sib families, for all studied characters. Stem percentage ex-pressed the least estimate heritability among all studied characters in each family type (0.798 and 0.414 for half-sib and S1 families, respectively). This might indicate the influence of environment in the expression of that character. Meanwhile husk percentage had highest genetic control expressed on heritability estimates from the two studied types of families.

Variability in Forage yield of a Silage Maize “Zea mays, L.”Base Population via Two Types of Families

The base population for the recent study which is ayellow seed synthetic variety of maize was provided by Dr. M. Abd El-Sattar Ahmed, professor of crop science, Crop Science Department, faculty of Agriculture, Egypt.Two types of families had formulated, as a step before selection for high yielding ability. Those were half-sib (H.S) fami-lies and the first generation of self-pollination(S1) families. Variability in the base population gene pool had estimated depending on variance components of the families. The ratio of σ2A/ σ2G indicated that, additive genetic variance was more effective in controlling green and dry forage yield. This might indicate the importance of additive genetic vari-ance in maize population, consequently, selection among inbred- progeny would expect to be superior to other meth-ods under most genetic situations. Reduction in mean values of forage yield associated with selfing, reached 0.62 and 0.57 for green forage yield (Kg/ plot) and dry forage yield (Kg/plot), respectively. Values of genotypic variances estimated from S1 families were of larger magnitude amounted to 1.63 and 1.94 times the corresponding values for half- sib families in green forage yield and dry forage yield. Opposite to that, environmental variance estimates from S1 families were 0.56 and 0.55 of the respective values from half- sib families in green forage yield and dry forage yield respectively.Genotypic variations in term of coefficient relative to the overall mean of green yield and dry yield were less than 20%of the character mean when estimated from half-sib and S1 families (10.85 vs. 13.96 and 10.21 vs. 14.31% for green and dry forage, respectively).Dry forage yield expressed the highest estimates of heritability in both family types (0.829 and 0.877 for half –sib and S1 families, respectively). While, the obtained values for green forage yield were of lower magnitude (0.53 and 0.67 for half-sib and S1 families, respectively). This might indicate addition-al environmental influences with green forage yield.

Genetic Relatedness, Emotional Closeness and Physical Aggression: A Comparison of Full and Half Sibling Experiences.

Two studies investigated whether perceived closeness of siblings, and aggression between siblings, were associated with genetic relatedness. In following Hamilton’s rule, we predicted that as the coefficient of relatedness between siblings increased, emotional closeness would also increase while conflict would decrease. Contrary to the predictions, we found no effect of genetic relatedness in Study 1 when we compared participants’ (n = 240) ratings of emotional closeness; participants also reported significantly higher levels of conflict with full siblings than with half siblings. In Study 2, participants (n = 214) also reported a higher frequency of physical aggression with full siblings than with half siblings. These findings were contrary to the prediction from Hamilton’s rule. We discuss them in relation to parental investment in biological and non-biological offspring.

Evaluation of the genetic diversity and root architecture under osmotic stress of common grapevine rootstocks and clones

Grapevine is grown as a grafted plant, mainly using phylloxera-resistant rootstocks obtained when this aphid destroyed European vineyards, and the use of a reduced number of rootstocks in each production area is common. This indicates that the genetic variability that is being used could be insufficient to tackle new stress constraints. Changes that will be produced as a consequence of climate change are promoting the development of new rootstocks and the study, in a deeper manner, of those already in use, mainly in relation to drought stress. In this work, we have studied 40 rootstock accessions, including clones of common rootstocks, others developed later, some recovered from old abandoned fields and other, resprouted rootstocks. From these accessions, 19 unique SSR profiles were obtained and chlorotypes were assigned, as no information was available for them in the VIVC database, thus generating new knowledge. Genetic variability was analysed in the 110 Ritcher, 140 Ruggieri and 1103 Paulsen rootstocks (derived from Vitis berlandieri and Vitis rupestris), commonly used in the countries of greater wine production (Spain, France and Italy), and in the 19 rootstocks with unique profiles. As expected, higher variability was found in the latter. Fortunately, variability was also found in the small sample of which reflects there is variability among the three more-commonly-used rootstocks despite they are half and/or full sibs. Considering all the germplasm analysed, the relationships found agree with a recent report stating that some genotypes had been erroneously assigned, previously, and show that another genotype may not be correct. Variability was also found in clones of several rootstocks, with considerable variability in some of them, including two rootstocks rescued from old abandoned vineyards. This result suggests the possibility of evaluating these materials for other traits. Finally, evaluation of osmotic-stress tolerance was carried out in in vitro culture, using media containing PEG. Micropropagated plants of one rootstock classified as drought-resistant, another reported as sensitive and two others whose classification in the field is variable were used. The results indicate that this methodology can be useful in breeding programmes, to screen the variability in osmotic-stress tolerance among clones and to study root architecture and plasticity.