1.
Munthe, Christian, 1962
(författare)
Precaution and Ethics: Handling risks, uncertainties and knowledge gaps in the regulation of new biotechnologies
2017
Bok (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
This volume outlines and analyses ethical issues actualized by applying a precautionary approach to the regulation of new biotechnologies. It presents a novel way of categorizing and comparing biotechnologies from a precautionary standpoint. Based on this, it addresses underlying philosophical problems regarding the ethical assessment of decision-making under uncertainty and ignorance, and discusses how risks and possible benefits of such technologies should be balanced from an ethical standpoint. It argues on conceptual and ethical grounds for a technology neutral regulation as well as for a regulation that not only checks new technologies but also requires old, inferior ones to be phased out. It demonstrates how difficult ethical issues regarding the extent and ambition of precautionary policies need to be handled by such a regulation, and presents an overarching framework for doing so.
2.
Sandin, Per, et al.
(författare)
Technology neutrality and regulation of agricultural biotechnology
2018
Ingår i: Professionals in food chains: ethics, rules and responsibility. EurSafe 2018, Vienna, Austria 13 – 16 June 2018 / edited by: Svenja Springer, Herwig Grimm. - Wageningen, Netherlands : Wageningen Academic Publishers. - 9789086863211
Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat) abstract
Agricultural biotechnology, in particular genetically modified organisms (GMOs), is subject to regulation in many areas of the world, not least in the European Union (EU). A number of authors have argued that those regulatory processes are unfair, costly, and slow and that regulation therefore should move in the direction of increased ‘technology neutrality’. The issue is becoming more pressing, especially since new biotechnologies such as CRISPR increasingly blur the regulatory distinction between GMOs and non-GMOs. This paper offers a definition of technology neutrality, uses the EU GMO regulation as a starting point for exploring technology neutrality, and presents distinctions between variants of the call for technology neutral GMO regulation in the EU.
3.
4.
Lillie, Mette, et al.
(författare)
Genomic signatures of 60 years of bidirectional selection for 8-week body weight in chickens
2018
Ingår i: Poultry Science. - : Elsevier BV. - 0032-5791 .- 1525-3171. ; 97:3, s. 781-790
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Sixty years, constituting 60 generations, have passed since the founding of the Virginia body weight lines, an experimental population of White Plymouth Rock chickens. Using a stringent breeding scheme for divergent 8-week body weight, the lines, which originated from a common founder population, have responded to bidirectional selection with an approximate 15-fold difference in the selected trait. They provide a model system to study the genetics of complex traits in general and the influences of artificial selection on quantitative genetic architectures in particular. As we reflect on the 60th anniversary of the initiation of the Virginia body weight lines, there is opportunity to discuss the findings obtained using different analytical and experimental genetic and genomic strategies and integrate them with a recent pooled genome resequencing dataset. Hundreds of regions across the genome show differentiation between the 2 lines, reinforcing previous findings that response to selection relied on standing variation across many genes and giving insights into the haplotype complexity underlying regions associated with body weight.
5.
Zubair, Muhammad
(författare)
Genetic variation, biochemical contents and wound healing activity of Plantago major
2012
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Plantago major L. (greater plantain, common plantain) has been used as a wound healing remedy in different parts of the world for centuries. Different bioactive compounds have been proposed to contribute to the wound healing properties of this plant. The present study was undertaken to investigate the impact of some genetic and environmental factors on the wound healing activity of common plantain. Seeds of P. major were collected from five populations in different parts of Sweden, and were germinated and grown in a greenhouse. As expected for an inbreeding species, RAPD analyses demonstrated considerable between-population variation but very sparse within-population and within-subpopulation variation. Six major phenolic compounds were encountered in samples of P. major, four of which were identified for the first time in this thesis; PLMA 1–PLMA 4. Between-population and sub-population differences in the contents of these chemical compounds showed no correlation with RAPD-based estimates of genetic relatedness. The contents of these compounds differed greatly between different plant organs of P. major. The highest concentration of plantamajoside and PLMA 2 was found in leaves whereas the highest concentration of verbascoside was found in flower stalks and seeds. Contents were significantly higher in freeze-dried leaf samples compared to samples dried at higher temperatures. Both water and ethanol-based extracts of P. major leaves stimulated the cell proliferation and migration in an in vitro scratch assay, and also showed anti-inflammatory activity in an in vitro NF-kB assay with oral epithelial cell cultures. Similarly, these extracts stimulated wound healing activities in ex vivo tests using detached pig ears. Further breeding efforts aimed at developing P. major as a crop plant, and medicinal research aimed at elucidating and optimizing extracts with wound healing properties, are thus warranted.
6.
Roos, Jonas
(författare)
Verticillium longisporum and plant immunity responses in Arabidopsis
2014
Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt) abstract
Verticillium spp. are soil-borne ascomycete fungi belonging to a subgroup of Sordariomycetes, and the three major plant pathogens Verticillium longisporum, V. dahliae and V. albo-atrum cause disease on numerous plant species worldwide. In Sweden, V. longisporum poses a threat to Brassica oilseed crops, and is thus emphasized in this thesis. Here the early immune responses to V. longisporum in the model plant Arabidopsis and recent data on the V. longisporum genome are presented. Three genes of importance in the Arabidopsis–V. longisporum interaction were studied. The genes were identified via transcriptome and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis. RabGAP22, a RabGTPase-regulating protein, was found to contribute to V. longisporum resistance. Pull-down assays revealed SERINE:GLYOXYLATE AMINOTRANSFERASE (AGT1) as an interacting partner during V. longisporum infection and the two proteins were shown to co-localize in the peroxisomes. Unexpectedly, a role for RabGAP22 was also found in stomatal immunity. The monoterpene synthase TPS23/27 was on the other hand found to contribute to fungal invasion, by triggering germination of V. longisporum conidia. The third gene codes for a nitrate/peptide transporter, NPF5.12. Pull-down experiments and fluorescent imaging revealed interaction between NPF5.12 and a major latex protein family member, NPFBP1. Implications in plant immunity processes of these three genes are further discussed. The genomes of two Swedish V. longisporum isolates were sequenced and found to have a size of approximately 70 Mb and harbor ~21,000 protein-coding genes. Initial analyses revealed that 86% of the V. longisporum genomes are shared with V. dahliae and V. albo-atrum, with a high extent of gene duplications. Large numbers of proteins were predicted to contain secretion motifs, and this group of proteins is presumed to play major roles in the interactions with V. longisporum host plants. In conclusion, this thesis work has revealed new fungal and plant host genes and thereby laid the basis for new plant breeding and disease protection strategies.
7.
Tengvall, Katarina, 1980-, et al.
(författare)
Bayesian model and selection signature analyses reveal risk factors for canine atopic dermatitis
2022
Ingår i: Communications Biology. - : Springer Nature. - 2399-3642. ; 5:1
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Canine atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease with clinical similarities to human atopic dermatitis. Several dog breeds are at increased risk for developing this disease but previous genetic associations are poorly defined. To identify additional genetic risk factors for canine atopic dermatitis, we here apply a Bayesian mixture model adapted for mapping complex traits and a cross-population extended haplotype test to search for disease-associated loci and selective sweeps in four dog breeds at risk for atopic dermatitis. We define 15 associated loci and eight candidate regions under selection by comparing cases with controls. One associated locus is syntenic to the major genetic risk locus (Filaggrin locus) in human atopic dermatitis. One selection signal in common type Labrador retriever cases positions across the TBC1D1 gene (body weight) and one signal of selection in working type German shepherd controls overlaps the LRP1B gene (brain), near the KYNU gene (psoriasis). In conclusion, we identify candidate genes, including genes belonging to the same biological pathways across multiple loci, with potential relevance to the pathogenesis of canine atopic dermatitis. The results show genetic similarities between dog and human atopic dermatitis, and future across-species genetic comparisons are hereby further motivated.
8.
Abreha, Kibrom Berhe, et al.
(författare)
Understanding the Sorghum–Colletotrichum sublineola interactions for enhanced host resistance
2021
Ingår i: Frontiers in Plant Science. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-462X. ; 12
Forskningsöversikt (refereegranskat) abstract
Improving sorghum resistance is a sustainable method to reduce yield losses due to anthracnose, a devastating disease caused by Colletotrichum sublineola. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms of sorghum–C. sublineola interactions would help identify biomarkers for rapid and efficient identification of novel sources for host-plant resistance improvement, understanding the pathogen virulence, and facilitating resistance breeding. Despite concerted efforts to identify resistance sources, the knowledge about sorghum–anthracnose interactions remains scanty. Hence, in this review, we presented an overview of the current knowledge on the mechanisms of sorghum-C. sublineola molecular interactions, sources of resistance for sorghum breeding, quantitative trait loci (QTL), and major (R-) resistance gene sequences as well as defense-related genes associated with anthracnose resistance. We summarized current knowledge about C. sublineola populations and its virulence. Illustration of the sorghum-C. sublineola interaction model based on the current understanding is also provided. We highlighted the importance of genomic resources of both organisms for integrated omics research to unravel the key molecular components underpinning compatible and incompatible sorghum–anthracnose interactions. Furthermore, sorghum-breeding strategy employing rapid sorghum germplasm screening, systems biology, and molecular tools is presented.
9.
Brhanie Mesfin, Haftom, et al.
(författare)
Novel GBS-Based SNP Markers for Finger Millet and Their Use in Genetic Diversity Analyses
2022
Ingår i: Frontiers in Genetics. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 1664-8021. ; 13
Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat) abstract
Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn., commonly known as finger millet, is a multipurpose crop used for food and feed. Genomic tools are required for the characterization of crop gene pools and their genomics-led breeding. High-throughput sequencing-based characterization of finger millet germplasm representing diverse agro-ecologies was considered an effective method for determining its genetic diversity, thereby suggesting potential candidates for breeding. In this study, the genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) method was used to simultaneously identify novel single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and genotype 288 finger millet accessions collected from Ethiopia and Zimbabwe. The accessions were characterized at individual and group levels using 5,226 bi-allelic SNPs, with a minimum allele frequency (MAF) of above 0.05, distributed across 2,500 scaffolds of the finger millet reference genome. The polymorphism information content (PIC) of the SNPs was 0.23 on average, and a quarter of them have PIC values over 0.32, making them highly informative. The grouping of the 288 accessions into seven populations based on geographic proximity and the potential for germplasm exchange revealed a narrow range of observed heterozygosity (Ho; 0.09-0.11) and expected heterozygosity (He) that ranged over twofold, from 0.11 to 0.26. Alleles unique to the different groups were also identified, which merit further investigation for their potential association with desirable traits. The analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed a highly significant genetic differentiation among groups of accessions classified based on the geographic region, country of origin, days to flowering, panicle type, and Al tolerance (p < 0.01). The high genetic differentiation between Ethiopian and Zimbabwean accessions was evident in the AMOVA, cluster, principal coordinate, and population structure analyses. The level of genetic diversity of finger millet accessions varies moderately among locations within Ethiopia, with accessions from the northern region having the lowest level. In the neighbor-joining cluster analysis, most of the improved cultivars included in this study were closely clustered, probably because they were developed using genetically less diverse germplasm and/or selected for similar traits, such as grain yield. The recombination of alleles via crossbreeding genetically distinct accessions from different regions of the two countries can potentially lead to the development of superior cultivars.
10.
