Osaiyuwu, O. H. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2022

Molecular evolution and inheritance pattern of Sox gene family among Bovidae

Sox gene is an evolutionarily conserved family of transcription factors that play important roles in cellular differentiation and numerous complex developmental processes. In vertebrates, Sox proteins are required for cell fate decision, morphogenesis, and control self-renewal in embryonic and adult stem cells. Sox gene family has been well studied in multiple species including humans but scanty or no study in Bovidae. In this study, we conducted a detailed evolutionary analysis of this gene family in Bovidae, including their physicochemical properties, biological functions, and patterns of inheritance. We performed a genome-wide cataloguing to explore the Sox gene family using multiple bioinformatics tools. Our analysis revealed conserved motifs that are crucial to the ability of Sox genes to interact with the regulatory regions of target genes and orchestrate multiple developmental and physiological processes. Importantly, we report a unique motif being EFDQYL/ELDQYL found in SoxE and SoxF groups. Further analysis revealed that this motif sequence accounts for the binding and transactivation potential of Sox proteins. Protein-protein interaction showed significant interaction among Sox genes and related genes implicated in embryonic development and the regulation of cell differentiation. We conclude that Sox gene family uniquely evolved among Bovidae with a few exhibiting important motifs that drives several developmental and physiological processes.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2021

Multivariate Characterization of Morpho-biometric Traits of Indigenous Helmeted Guinea Fowl (Numida meleagris) in Nigeria

This study was embarked upon to characterise phenotypically helmeted guinea fowls in three agro-ecologies in Nigeria using multivariate approach. Eighteen biometric characters, four morphological indices and eleven qualitative (phaneroptic) traits were investigated in a total of 569 adult birds (158 males and 411 females). Descriptive statistics, non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis H test followed by the Mann-Whitney U test for post hoc, Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA), General Linear Model, Canonical Discriminant Analysis, Categorical Principal Component Analysis and Decision Trees were employed to discern the effects of agro-ecological zone and sex on the morphostructural parameters. Agro-ecology had significant effect (P<0.05; P <0.01) on all the colour traits. In general, the most frequently observed colour phenotype of guinea fowl had pearl plumage colour (54.0%), pale red skin colour (94.2%), black shank colour (68.7%), brown eye colour (49.7%), white earlobe colour (54.8%) and brown helmet colour (72.6%). The frequencies of helmet shape and wattle size were significantly influenced (P <0.01) by agro-ecology and sex. Overall, birds from the Southern Guinea Savanna zone had significantly higher values (P <0.05) for most biometric traits compared to their Sudano-Sahelian and Tropical Rainforest counterparts. They were also more compact (120.83{+/-}1.61 vs. 113.96{+/-}0.97 vs. 111.33{+/-}1.19) and had lesser condition index (8.542{+/-}0.17 vs. 9.92{+/-}0.10 vs. 9.61{+/-}0.13) than their counterparts in the two other zones. The interaction between agro-ecology and sex had significant effect (P <0.05) on some quantitative variables. The MCA and discriminant analysis revealed considerable intermingling of the phaneroptic, biometric traits and body indices especially between the Sudano-Sahelian and Tropical Rainforest birds. Inspite of the high level of genetic admixture, the guinea fowl populations could best be distinguished using wing length, body length and eye colour. However, further complementary work on genomics will guide future selection and breeding programmes geared towards improving the productivity, survival and environmental adaptation of indigenous helmeted guinea fowls in the tropics.

genetics↗