Molecular Identification of Mycoplasma agalactiae in Iran Based on P30 Gene.

Mycoplasma agalactiae (M. agalactiae) is known as the main etiological agent of contagious agalactia (CA). The CA is a disease affecting dairy sheep and goats, the main characteristics of which include keratoconjunctivitis, arthritis, and mastitis. This pathogen results in milk production reduction and suppression, thereby leading to serious economic loss. In the present study, 125 sheep and goat samples were collected from 15 provinces of Iran. Cultural and molecular methods were used for sample characterization. After extracting genomic DNAs using the phenol/chloroform method, the PCR technique was employed to detect Mycoplasma genus in 163bp fragment of 16S rRNA gene (M-PCR) and M. agalactiae in 800bp fragment of conserve and specific P30 lipoprotein gene (P30-PCR) in cultural and clinical samples. Finally, to validate the experimental approach, a 375 bp amplicon of P80 lipoprotein was amplified using the MA-PCR. Out of 125 samples under investigation, 43 cases were positive, and Mycoplasma colonies were observed in the pleuropneumonia-like organisms agar culture. Based on the results of the M-PCR method, 61 specimens (out of 125 samples) were scored positive for Mycoplasma presence. Furthermore, 20 samples were positive according to the P30-PCR data. It should be mentioned that the MA-PCR was performed based on the P80 gene on 125 total samples to furtherverify the results for M.agalactiae detection. Based on the obtained data, P30 and P80 genes were presented and amplified in all Iranian M. agalactiae isolates (n=20). Our results indicated that the P30 gene was conserved and specific to all Iranian M. agalactiae isolates and this new P30-PCR method (as an MA-PCR technique) might be useful in the detection of this pathogen.

Genetic variation in vascular endothelial growth factor gene and its association with recurrent spontaneous abortion.

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays a main role in fetal and placental angiogenesis and is secreted by different cells of endometrium and placenta. OBJECTIVE: In the present study we investigated the association of VEGF gene polymorphisms with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). METHODS: A case-control study of 100 women with at least two consecutive pregnancy losses before 20 weeks of gestational age and 100 fertile controls was performed to evaluate four VEGF gene polymorphisms including +936C/T (rs3025039), -154G>A (rs1570360), rs3025010 and +5092A/C (rs2146323). Genotyping was performed by PCR based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Haplotype frequency was estimated for three SNPs' genotypes. Analysis of genetic STRUCTURE and K means clustering were performed to estimate genetic variation. RESULTS: We found an association between -154G/A heterozygous genotype (GA) and RSA. The VEGF single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in intron region (rs3025010) in different inheritance models was also associated with RSA. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed that VEGF SNP in intron 5 (rs3025010) was linked to promoter region SNP (rs1570360). Cluster analysis including Neighbor Joining and K-means clustering supported genetic differentiation of women with RSA and controls. CONCLUSION: Allelic polymorphisms in common VEGF SNPs was associated with RSA samples and haplotypes with at least one minor allele showing an association with RSA pathogenesis (Tab. 8, Fig. 2, Ref. 35).

Genetic diversity analysis in Opal cotton hybrids based on SSR, ISSR, and RAPD markers.

Cotton is one of the most economically important crops in Iran; hybridization is a means to increase the genetic diversity and obtain new elite cultivars in this crop. We examined agronomic characteristics and molecular genetic diversity in the Opal cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) cultivar and in F(2) progenies. Ten homo-primers and seven hetero-primers of 26 RAPD primers produced 261 reproducible bands, with an average of 4.18 bands per primer and 22% polymorphism. The OPB12/OPH08 primer gave the highest effective number of alleles (N(E)), and the largest Shannon index (I), Nei's genetic diversity (H), and polymorphism information content (PIC) values. Some RAPD bands were present in the parental genotypes but were absent in their hybrids. Ten ISSR primers produced 206 reproducible bands, with 49.4% polymorphism. The UBC807 locus gave the highest N(E), I, H, and PIC values. Some ISSR bands occurred only in the parental genotype, while others were only present in the hybrid genotypes. Four microsatellite loci produced 12 alleles, ranging from 181 to 236 bp, with 54% polymorphism. The TMB1421 locus, with a monomorphic allele, was digested with three restriction enzymes (CAP-microsatellite) to evaluate sequence variations among samples. Association analysis between molecular markers and agronomic data revealed a significant correlation between ISSR-UBC807-1500 and yield. The Mantel test performed among the genetic distance matrices obtained from RAPD, ISSR and SSR showed a non-significant regression between RAPD versus ISSR and ISSR versus SSR, while RAPD versus SSR showed a significant regression; regression for ISSR and RAPD+ISSR+SSR combined data was also significant. Cluster analysis (UPGMA) based on these three types of molecular markers differentiated cotton genotypes and their progenies. Among the molecular markers, ISSR revealed more genetic variation among the genotypes. However, using all three types of molecular markers provided a better overall view of cotton genome polymorphism.

Intra-specific genetic diversity in wild olives (Olea europaea ssp cuspidata) in Hormozgan Province, Iran.

Wild olive (O. europaea ssp cuspidata) plants grow in various regions of Iran and are expected to have considerable genetic diversity due to adaptation to the various environmental conditions. We examined the genetic diversity of four populations of wild olive growing in Hormozgan Province located in southern Iran by using 30 RAPDs and 10 ISSR markers. The mean value of polymorphism for RAPD loci was 73.71%, while the value for ISSR loci was 81.74%. The Keshar population had the highest value of intra-population polymorphism for both RAPD and ISSR loci (66.86 and 62.71%, respectively), while the Tudar population had the lowest values (20.35 and 28.81%, respectively). Similarly, the highest and lowest number of effective alleles, Shannon index and Nei's genetic diversity were also found for these two populations. The highest value of H(pop)/H(sp) within population genetic diversity for RAPD and ISSR loci was found for the Keshar population (H(pop) = 0.85 and H(sp) = 0.90). OPA04-750, OPA13-650 and OPA02-350 RAPD bands were specific for Tudar, Bondon and Keshar populations, respectively, while no specific ISSR bands were observed. Analysis of molecular variance as well as the pairwise F(ST) test showed significant differences for RAPD and ISSR markers among the populations. The NJ and UPGMA trees also separated the wild olive populations from each other, indicating their genetic distinctness. UPGMA clustering of the four wild olive populations placed the Tudar population far from the other populations; Keshar and Bokhoon population samples revealed more similarity and were grouped together. We conclude that there is high genetic diversity among O. europaea ssp cuspidata populations located in southern Iran. We also found RAPD and ISSR markers to be useful molecular tools to discriminate and evaluate genetic variations in wild olive trees.

Study of genetic diversity in some olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars by using RAPD markers.

RAPD markers variations were studied in eleven olive cultivars. Seventeen RAPD primers out of 27 produced 610 bands in total. Four hundred forty four bands were polymorphic bands (72.70 %) and 166 bands were monomorphic (27.20 %). Primer C05 produced the highest number of bands (56), while primer C03 produced the lowest number of bands (7). Specific bands were observed in some of the cultivars, which may be used in the cultivars discrimination. Different similarity coefficients determined among the cultivars studied, showed the highest value of similarity between cultivars Kroneiki and Manzanila. Different clustering methods showed distinctness of the olive cultivars studied. The grouping of the cultivars did not correlate completely with their place of origin or fruit characteristics.

Study of genetic polymorphism in some tetraploid cotton cultivars by using RAPD analysis.

RAPD markers variations were studied in ten tetraploid cotton cultivars. Thirty-eight RAPD primers used out of which 36 primers produced bands. In total 490 bands were obtained in which 340 were monomorphic and 150 were polymorphic. Grouping of the cotton genotypes by clustering and ordination based principal coordinate analysis revealed distinctness of the cultivars Zeta-2 and Bakhtegan X B-557. Grouping of the cultivars based on morphological, cytogenetic and molecular markers were partly in agreement.