Yak genome provides new insights into high altitude adaptation

Thursday, July 5, 2012

An international team, led by Lanzhou University, comprising BGI, the world's largest genomics organization, Institute of Kunming Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences as well as the other 12 institutes, has completed the genomic sequence and analyses of a female domestic yak, which provides important insights into understanding mammalian divergence and adaptation at high altitude. This study was recently published online in Nature Genetics. Scienceshot made a timely comment on yak genome themed "What gets yak high ?"

As an iconic symbol of Tibet and of high altitude, the yak (Bos grunniens) is the most important domesticated species for Tibetans living at high altitude in China's Qinghai Province, which could provide meat and other basic resources, such as milk, transportation, dried dung for fuel, and hides for tented accommodation. Yaks have many anatomical and physiological traits that enable them live at high altitude, including high metabolism, acute senses, impressive foraging ability, enlarged hearts and lungs, and a lack of blood vessel constriction in the lungs when faced with relatively low oxygen conditions.

In the study, researchers sequenced the genome of a female domestic yak using high-throughput sequencing technology. The genomic data yielded 2,657Mb draft yak genome assembly that had 65-fold coverage. They also conducted transcriptome sequencing on RNA samples derived from fresh heart, liver, brain, stomach, and lung tissues collected from the same yak. Based on the transcriptome data, researchers estimated that the yak genome contains 22,282 protein-coding genes and 2.2 million heterozygous SNPs.

In order to understand evolutionary adaptation of yak to the high-altitude, the team conducted the comparative genomic analyses between yak and cattle, a closely related animal that typically lives at much lower altitudes. Although the yak and cattle were estimated to have diverged around 4.9 million years ago, many of the yak and cattle genes have remained very similar, with the two animals sharing 45 percent protein identity and 99.5 percent protein similarity. However, they identified distinct gene expansions related to sensory perception and energy metabolism-related in yak.

In addition, researchers also found an enrichment of protein domains related to the extracellular environment and hypoxic stress. Especially, they found the orthologous genes in yak related to hypoxia and nutrition metabolism had undergone positively selected and rapid evolution. For example, they found three genes that may play important roles in regulating body's response to hypoxia, or oxygen deprivation, at high-altitudes, and five genes that were related with the optimization of the energy from the poor foods in the extreme plateau.

Researchers referred that the study on high-altitude adaptation may help to improve current understanding, treatment, and prevention of altitude sickness and other hypoxia-related diseases in humans. Moreover, the yak genome provided a valuable resource for accelerating the genetic improvement of milk and meat production of this important animal.

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BGI Shenzhen: http://www.genomics.org.cn

Thanks to BGI Shenzhen for this article.

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/121490/Yak_genome_provides_new_insights_into_high_altitude_adaptation

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Storms, dangerous heat to continue into July 4 and beyond

Four days after a powerful storm cut a path? from the Midwest to the Mid-Atlantic, nearly 2 million people remain without electricity as triple-digit temperatures continue to scorch the region. NBC's Tom Costello reports.

By msnbc.com staff and NBC News

As nearly 1.5 million people across the country woke up Tuesday to another day with no power -- or air conditioning -- the National Weather Service warned dangerously high temperatures would be persisting through the end of the week in some states.

About a million people had electricity restored on Monday following a strong weekend storm that cut a path from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic, knocking down trees and power lines. But there were still about 1.5 million others waiting in the dark on Tuesday,?according to The Weather Channel.

The NWS issued excessive heat warnings for parts of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Missouri and Kentucky.?It also issued warnings about severe thunderstorms in parts of Michigan and South Dakota early Tuesday.

In Washington D.C., where blackouts are a frequent problem in the summer months, the mayor requested President Obama declare a state of emergency.

"I think people are fed up with power outages, and we need a game-changer," Vincent Gray, Washington's Democratic mayor, said. "We need an approach now that's going to stop how we stop this in the first place."?

In Chicago on Monday, after a fast-moving storm barreled through, Commonwealth Edison introduced its mobile operations center, part of a new response plan to large-scale outages. More than 250,000 Chicago-area customers were knocked offline by Sunday's storms; that number was reduced to 48,000 by Tuesday morning, NBCChicago.com reported.

The NWS warned that ?people without air conditioning in their home should try to spend at least a portion of each day in an air-conditioned environment? as the hot weather continues. Pepco, D.C.'s utility company, estimated it would have 90 percent of its customers back up and running by Friday, NBCWashington.com reported.

Cooling centers for residents who don't have air conditioning have opened up across the country. In Virginia, in response to the number of cooling shelters in the area that don't allow animals,?a gourmet pet bakery opened up a cooling center just for pets, reported public radio station WAMU.org.?

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The Weather Channel?s website, weather.com, said the worst heat on July 4 would be located over the central states, with parts of the Midwest seeing highs about 5 to 15 degrees above average.

?The sultry conditions will also extend eastward into the Mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia, Pa. Be sure to take precautions if you have outdoor plans,? Chris Dolce, of weather.com, said.

Dolce warned that a cold front would bring scattered storms to the Northeast on July 4, saying ?a few of these storms could be severe with damaging winds and hail.?

?Parts of the Southeast may deal with pop-up afternoon and evening thunderstorms, particularly in the southern Appalachians and south Florida,? he added.

In Wheaton, Ill., a suburb of Chicago, July 4 fireworks and a parade were canceled due to damage from Sunday's thunderstorms.

"I don't think there's a block of houses that doesn't have half a dozen trees down, or parts of trees. It's a real mess to get around," resident Donald Sender told NBCChicago.com Monday evening as he refueled his generator.

Temperatures in the Chicago area are expected to reach 95 to 100 degrees, with heat index readings of 100 to 110 degrees, according to NBCChicago.com.

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Spain wins again, beating Italy 4-0 at Euro 2012

Spain's David Silva scores a goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship final between Spain and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Spain's David Silva scores a goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship final between Spain and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Jon Super)

Spain's Jordi Alba celebrates their second goal with teammates during the Euro 2012 soccer championship final against Italy in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

Spain head coach Vicente del Bosque, left, kicks the ball as Italy's Federico Balzaretti tries to take a throw-in during the Euro 2012 soccer championship final between Spain and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Italy's goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon reacts after Spain's David Silva, left, scored the opening goal during the Euro 2012 soccer championship final between Spain and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Ivan Sekretarev)

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon make a save in front of Spain's Cesc Fabregas during the Euro 2012 soccer championship final between Spain and Italy in Kiev, Ukraine, Sunday, July 1, 2012. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)

KIEV, Ukraine (AP) ? The defense was impenetrable. The offense was unstoppable. Simply put, it was another Spanish party on the international stage.

Spain won its third straight major soccer title Sunday, routing Italy 4-0 in the European Championship final and making it look all too easy.

David Silva and Jordi Alba scored first-half goals, and substitutes Fernando Torres and Juan Mata added two more in the final minutes as the Spanish passing game worked its magic against the Italians at the Olympic Stadium.

Silva headed in a high shot in the 14th minute off a pass from Cesc Fabregas. And Alba added another in the 41st, picking up a beautiful through ball from Xavi Hernandez and shooting past Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon.

Torres, who came on for Fabregas in the 75th minute, added the third goal with an easy finish and Mata really put the game away in the 88th, knocking in a pass from Torres.

"They were a great rival, but we took control of the game as time went by," Spain coach Vicente del Bosque said.

Spain won the Euro 2008 title four years ago in Vienna and followed that up with the World Cup title in Johannesburg two years ago.

"They had made history before, and I could now," said Alba, who has played only nine matches for Spain. "I don't believe it but little by little it is sinking in."

Torres also scored the lone goal in the 1-0 win over Germany in 2008, making him the first man to score in two European Championship finals.

Not only has Spain won every knockout game since losing to France in the second round of the 2006 World Cup, but goalkeeper Iker Casillas hasn't allowed a goal in that 10-game span. The last player to beat him is such an important match was Zinedine Zidane, and he retired after that tournament.

Sunday's win was a record 100th for Casillas in international soccer.

Spain was the favorite heading into the match, but also seemed primed for a loss after being held to a 1-1 draw by the Italians in their opening Group C match. Spain, which has been experimenting with a lineup that excludes a recognized striker, needed a penalty shootout to reach the final after a 0-0 tie with Portugal in the semifinals.

The controversial lineup, which Del Bosque again employed on Sunday, is akin to playing in the Super Bowl without a running back. Sure, you can still score touchdowns, but you give up on the chance for a game-breaking play.

Spain did just fine without the strikers, but they did even better when Torres came on. Although he has struggled both for Spain and Chelsea recently ? and was relegated to the bench for four of the six games at Euro 2012 ? Torres came on Sunday and made a difference.

But as good as the play was up front for Spain, it was the steady hands of Casillas at the back that likely preserved the victory.

Casillas made a point-blank save on a shot from Antonio Di Natale at the start of the second half, and twice tipped crosses out of danger just before the Italians could get their heads to the ball.

With every save, and of course with every goal, the huge group of Spain supporters cheered and screamed. The red-shirted fans dominated one corner of the stadium, filling up more than six sections of the Olympic Stadium. On the opposite side, the blue-clad Italians were far outnumbered, with dozens of empty yellow seats poking through the mass of supporters.

The political aspect of the game involved several heads of state. Italian Premier Mario Monti, along with other EU leaders, had said they would not travel to Ukraine for the tournament because of the politically tainted jailing of former Prime Minister Yulia Tymoshenko. But that didn't stop him from attending the final in Kiev.

Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy also attended the match, and got to watch as his players celebrated with confetti and fireworks when they lifted yet another major trophy.

Associated Press

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Syrian opposition makes new push to unite

In this image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News and accessed Monday, July 2, 2012, black smoke leaps the air from shelling near a mosque in Talbiseh, the central province of Homs, Syria. The head of the Arab League urged Syria's exiled opposition to unite Monday, saying they must not squander the opportunity to overcome their differences as Western efforts to force President Bashar Assad from power all but collapse. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video) TV OUT, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT, DATE, LOCATION OR AUTHENTICITY OF THIS MATERIAL

In this image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News and accessed Monday, July 2, 2012, black smoke leaps the air from shelling near a mosque in Talbiseh, the central province of Homs, Syria. The head of the Arab League urged Syria's exiled opposition to unite Monday, saying they must not squander the opportunity to overcome their differences as Western efforts to force President Bashar Assad from power all but collapse. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video) TV OUT, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT, DATE, LOCATION OR AUTHENTICITY OF THIS MATERIAL

This citizen journalism image provided by Kafarsouseh Revolt, taken on Sunday, July 1, 2012 purports to show Syrians chanting slogans during a demonstration in Kafar Souseh, Damascus, Syria. The head of the Arab League called Monday for the fragmented Syrian opposition to unite and said a U.N.-brokered plan for a transitional government in Syria fell short of expectations. (AP Photo/Kafarsouseh Revolt)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO

This citizen journalism image provided by Kafarsouseh Revolt, taken on Sunday, July 1, 2012 purports to show Syrians raising their hands as they chant slogans during a demonstration in Kafar Souseh, Damascus, Syria. The head of the Arab League called Monday for the fragmented Syrian opposition to unite and said a U.N.-brokered plan for a transitional government in Syria fell short of expectations. (AP Photo/Kafarsouseh Revolt)THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IS UNABLE TO INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE AUTHENTICITY, CONTENT, LOCATION OR DATE OF THIS HANDOUT PHOTO

In this image made from amateur video released by the Ugarit News and accessed Monday, July 2, 2012, black smoke leaps the air from shelling near Ali bin Abi Taleb mosque in Talbiseh, the central province of Homs, Syria. The head of the Arab League urged Syria's exiled opposition to unite Monday, saying they must not squander the opportunity to overcome their differences as Western efforts to force President Bashar Assad from power all but collapse. (AP Photo/Ugarit News via AP video) TV OUT, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS CANNOT INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE CONTENT, DATE, LOCATION OR AUTHENTICITY OF THIS MATERIAL

CAIRO (AP) ? The Arab League chief urged exiled Syrian opposition figures to unite at a meeting Monday as a new Western effort to force President Bashar Assad from power faltered. Another 85 soldiers, including a general, fled to Turkey in a growing wave of defections.

Turkey's state-run Andolou news agency said the group of defectors also included 14 other officers, ranging from one colonel to seven captains. It is one of the largest groups of Syrian army defectors to cross into Turkey since the uprising against Assad began.

The stakes are high for calming the crisis in Syria, which NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Monday called "one of the gravest security challenges the world faces today."

But more than one year into the Syrian revolt, the opposition is still hobbled by the infighting and fractiousness that have prevented the movement from gaining the kind of political traction it needs to present a credible alternative to Assad.

"There is an opportunity before the conference of Syrian opposition today that must be seized, and I say and repeat that this opportunity must not be wasted under any circumstance," Arab League chief Nabil Elaraby told nearly 250 members of the Syrian opposition at the opening of the two-day conference in Cairo.

"The sacrifices of the Syrian people are bigger than us and more valuable than any narrow differences or factional disputes," he said.

Nasser Al-Kidwa, deputy to U.N. special envoy Kofi Annan, said that unity of purpose and vision was "not an option, but a necessity if the opposition wants to bolster its popular support and trust and increase international support."

The divisions are tied to issues at the heart of the revolution: Whether to seek dialogue with the regime, whether outside military intervention is needed and what ideology should guide a post-Assad Syria.

Unlike Libya's National Transitional Council, which brought together most factions fighting Moammar Gadhafi's regime and was quickly recognized by much of the international community, Syria's opposition has no leadership on the ground.

Regime opponents inside and outside Syria are a diverse group, representing the country's ideological, sectarian and generational divide. They include dissidents who spent years in prison, tech-savvy activists in their 20s, former Marxists and Islamists.

Communication between those abroad and those in the country is extremely difficult. Political activists in Syria are routinely rounded up and imprisoned. Many are in hiding, communicating only through Skype using fake names, and the country is largely sealed off to exiled dissidents and foreign journalists.

The Cairo conference brought together various opposition groups ? including the Syrian National Council and the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria ? to try to agree on a united front to represent them, as well as to work out a transition plan for how to end to the conflict.

However, the main rebel group fighting Syrian government forces on the ground, the Free Syrian Army, was not represented at the talks. Faiz Amru, a member of the Joint Military Command, which is affiliated with the FSA, said the Cairo meeting was purely political, so rebels were not invited.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed his hope that the Cairo meeting could contribute to the efforts of the U.N. special envoy and international community "to pave the way toward a meaningful transition in Syria."

"It is important that the Syrian opposition increase its cohesion and designate effective representative interlocutors," said a statement released by Ban's spokesperson.

Besides the conference in Cairo, opposition members also plan to meet Russian officials later this month, a Russian news agency reported. But the Moscow talks are significant because the Kremlin is Syria's most important ally, protector and supplier of arms.

Diplomatic hopes have rested on persuading Russia to agree to a plan that would end the Assad family dynasty, which has ruled Syria for more than four decades.

Moscow's determination to preserve its last remaining ally in the Middle East has blocked efforts by the U.S. and other Western powers to force Assad out.

World powers at a conference in Geneva on Saturday accepted a U.N.-brokered plan calling for the creation of a transitional government with full executive powers in Syria. But at Russia's insistence, the compromise left the door open to Assad being part of the interim administration.

Some Syrian opposition groups have rejected the plan, calling it ambiguous and a waste of time and vowing not to negotiate with Assad or members of his "murderous" regime.

However, the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria said Monday that the plan is the best way to ensure a political transition that avoids a full collapse of the Syrian state.

Elaraby, who has held private meetings with Syrian opposition figures at the League's headquarters in the past, said the agreement did not meet Arab expectations because it did not specify a time frame for a "clear transition" as the League had called for.

The U.S. backed away from insisting that the plan should explicitly call for Assad to have no role in a new Syrian government, hoping the concession would encourage Russia to put greater pressure on its longtime ally to end the regime's violent crackdown.

The conflict has killed more than 14,000 people since the revolt began in March 2011, according to opposition estimates. The fighting has grown increasingly militarized in recent months, with rebel forces launching attacks and ambushes on regime targets.

Thousands of soldiers, most of them low-level conscripts, have deserted and joined the rebels. The 85 soldiers who crossed over to Turkey on Monday followed 33 others, including a general and two colonels, who did the same a week earlier, in a sign that high-level defections appear to be increasing.

Although the defections are notable, Assad's regime has remained remarkably airtight, particularly compared with the hemorrhaging of Gadhafi's inner circle in Libya in 2011.

Assad has refused to budge, saying his country is at war with terrorists ? the term he uses for his armed opponents. On Monday, he ratified a new terrorism law that includes a clause specifically aimed at the opposition. Under the law, the penalty for terrorism that aims to change the regime would exceed 20 years at hard labor.

As the conflict drags on, concerns are mounting that the violence will spiral outside the country's borders. Tensions already are running high between Damascus and Ankara after Syria shot down a Turkish military plane on June 22.

Syria said the jet violated its airspace, but Turkey says the aircraft was shot down over international waters.

Turkey responded by setting up anti-aircraft guns along the frontier and said Monday it dispatched fighter jets to its border after Syrian helicopters flew too close to the frontier for a second day on Sunday.

In Brussels on Monday, Fogh Rasmussen said the Syrian regime "has lost all humanity and all legitimacy." But there is little appetite for the type of military intervention that helped topple Libya's Gadhafi, in part because there is no real opposition to get behind.

The international community is also hesitant to get involved in another country in turmoil.

"Every member of the international community should use its influence and spare no effort to bring an end to the bloodshed and move Syria forward," he said. "This conflict has already gone on for too long. It has cost too many lives, and put the stability of the whole region at risk."

___

Kennedy reported from Beirut. Associated Press writer Selcan Hacaoglu in Ankara, Turkey, contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-07-02-Syria/id-62fcf8556eb24b41be341fda82ebef01

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