João José de Simoni Gouveia

Actin-Interacting Proteins in flagellated pathogenic Leishmania spp.: a genome-based bioinformatics report on profilins, formins and katanins

In search for genomic and proteomic evidences of flagellar genes/proteins in Leishmania spp., we have used available databases and bioinformatics tools to distinguish Actin-Interacting Proteins (AIPs) that are flagellar and, also, probable virulence factors. Here we present results of sequence and structural analyses of profilins, formins and katanins, whose sequences were in silico selected for predicting viable roles on flagellum assembly, disassembly and dynamics in terms of intraflagellar mechanisms. Taken together, our results provide the first bioinformatics analyses of Leishmania profilin, katanin and formin genes and their gene products to contribute to a more detailed annotation of these important AIPs.

Association of CSSM066 and ILSTS011 microsatellite markers and thyroglobulin gene SNP with backfat in Canchim cattle

Canchim, a synthetic breed of cattle derived from the Charolais and Zebu group has been used in the beef-cattle industry in Brazil as an alternative for intensifying production. One of the main concerns with this breed is its poor fat deposition and consequently, there is an effort to increase the performance for this trait. The thyroglobulin gene is located in a QTL region for fat deposition, and reports describe the influence of a polymorphism in the 5´ leader sequence of that gene on marbling and subcutaneous fat thickness. This study analyzed the association of this polymorphism in the thyroglobulin gene, as well as of two flanking microsatellite markers, CSSM066 and ILSTS011, with backfat thickness in 987 Canchim beef cattle. The CSSM066 and ILSTS011 microsatellite markers have a effect on fat thickness in the studied populations. However, this trait did not have association with the polymorphism of the thyroglobulin gene, which suggests that other genes of bovine chromosome 14 may be responsible for the variation in this trait.