Unit ANIMAL BREEDING AND GENETICS

MOLECULAR GENETICS APPLIED TO DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Code	85104202
CFU	2
Teacher	Katia Cappelli
Teachers	Katia Cappelli
Hours	26 ore - Katia Cappelli
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Discipline della zootecnica, allevamento e nutrizione animale
Academic discipline	AGR/17
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Introduction to genomics and genomes anatomy. Genome sequencing, Next Generation Sequencing, Molecular markers and their applications. Genes controlling hereditary diseases. Gene expression and epigenetic regulation. Gene Editing. Brief overview of Bioinformatics and data management.
Reference texts	Genomi 3 "T.A. Brown" Edises. Introduzione alla Bioinformatica "Arhur M.Lesk" McGraw-Hill. Sides of the lectures
Educational objectives	The course aims to illustrate molecular genetics and main applications in livestocks The student is expected to obtain knowledge and independence in interpreting and planning molecular tests for diseases as well as acquiring information on unknown disease through the employment of data analysis and molecular technologies. The achievement of these objectives is essential for the diagnosis and prevention of genetic diseases as well as for the evaluation of molecular-genetic traits of interest in animal populations and for the reading of results obtained from a possible molecular test performed by another laboratory or competent structure.
Prerequisites	The course include 18 hours of theoretical lectures on all scheduled topics and 8 hours of practical classes imparted as molecular biology laboratory exercises and as computer room exercises. The practical lessons in the laboratory will involve a maximum of 15 students at same time that will participate provided of white coat. The practical classes in a computer room will involve a number of students equal to the stations available and in any case not more than 20.
Extended program	The gene and its organization in complex genomes: DNA manipulation, genome mapping, molecular markers. Methods for sequencing the genome: DNA sequencing, NGS technologies, assembly of contiguous DNA sequences, interpretation of genome sequences. Functional genomics: transcription and gene expression, mobile genetic elements, epigenetic signals. Genes that control hereditary diseases and their possible molecular diagnosis. Bioinformatic elements: nucleic acids and proteins databases, sequence alignments and primer design

VETERINARY GENETICS

Code	85004203
CFU	3
Teacher	Maurizio Silvestrelli
Teachers	Maurizio Silvestrelli
Hours	30 ore - Maurizio Silvestrelli
Learning activities	Affine/integrativa
Area	Attività formative affini o integrative
Academic discipline	AGR/17
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian language
Contents	Mutation. Gene and genotype frequencies. Interspecific hybridization. Abnormal karyotypes. Freemartins. Classification of intersex. Genotype and phenotype. Coat colour, pathology and selection in dog, cat and horse. Inherited defects. The Hardy-Weinberg law. Extentions of the Hardy-Weinberg law. Summary and practical implications.
Reference texts	The suggested book is "Genetica animale applicata" ("Applied animal genetics") by G. Pagnacco
Educational objectives	This teaching is the only test that the student faces about inherited defects within the degree program that is proposed as a main target to provide the basic knowledge of the relation genotype/phenotype for pahtologic and veterinary aspects. D1 - KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING The student must: - know dog, cat and horse breeds and selection, - know the abnormal karyotype in animals, - know the Mendelian genetic diseases in animals. D2 - APPLYING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING At the end of the training the student will be able to: -recognize the of mode of inheritance (dominant/resessive) of Mendelian genetic deseases in animals, -recognize the phenotype linked to pathology, D3 - MAKING JUDGMENT At the end of the training the student will be able to: -use of genotipe in practical animal breeding D4 - COMMUNICATION At the end of the training the student will be able to: - organize, prepare and exhibit, to an audience made up of people of equal level of preparation, a presentation on a Mendelian disease with their own evaluations supported by appropriate arguments, - support an adversarial process with people of equal preparation and experts in different issues, of a regulatory, scientific, procedural and / or technological nature, - demonstrate language properties in both written and oral form, as well as the ability to use terminology that is sufficiently appropriate for a correct approach to the profession, which is also important for job interviews. D5 - LIFELONG LEARNING SKILLS At the end of the training the student will be able to: - consult and understand scientific texts, even innovative ones, bibliographic updates, normative dictations, so as to employ them in contexts not only usual for the profession, including research, but also originals, - manage a sufficiently broad mastery of the subject to guarantee an acceptable basis for continuing professional updating through ongoing lifelong learning.
Prerequisites
Teaching methods	The course is organized as follows: -lectures on all subjects of the course; -exercise at the microscope lab to see chromosome aberrations in cattle. Students will be divided into groups (maximum 20 students per group) and there will be 1 tutorial of 2 hours
Other information
Learning verification modality
Extended program	Introduction. Dog, cat and horse breeds. Single genes in population, genetics and animal breeding. Mutation. Gene and genotype frequencies. Evolution of karyotypes. Interspecific hybridization. Abnormal karyotypes: abnormal autosomal chromosome number (translocation, monosomy and trisomy). Abnormal chromosome structure: deletion, duplication and inversion. Abnormal sex chromosome number. Freemartins. Classification of intersex. Genotype and phenotype. Coat colour and pathology in dog, cat and horse. Inherited defects: autosomal dominant, autosomal recessive, X-linked dominant, X-linked recessive. The Hardy-Weinberg law. Extentions of the Hardy-Weinberg law. Summary and practical implications

GENETIC EVALUATION OF LIVESTOK

Code	85004302
CFU	2
Teacher	Camillo Pieramati
Teachers	Camillo Pieramati
Hours	26 ore - Camillo Pieramati
Learning activities	Caratterizzante
Area	Discipline della zootecnica, allevamento e nutrizione animale
Academic discipline	AGR/17
Type of study-unit	Obbligatorio (Required)
Language of instruction	Italian
Contents	Recall: basic genetics. Recall: basic statistics. Quantitative genetics. Relationship and inbreeding. Selection: theory and practice. Genetic index. Genomics. Genetics diseases of livestock.
Reference texts	R.M. Bourdon: 'Understanding Animal Breeding ', Pearson ed. Lecturer's stuff available from the UniStudium website.
Educational objectives	D1 - The student must acquire a solid knowledge of the theoretical foundations of animal genetic improvement: in particular, he/she will have understood the principles of a plan for the prophylaxis of Mendelian diseases and genetic liability to diseases, the practical importance of the additive infinitesimal model, fundamentals of methods for estimating genetic value and the practical use of molecular information in genetic selection. D2 - The student must be able to apply the acquired knowledge to the solution of small problems: calculate the risks deriving from different types of matings, calculate (additive) relationship and inbreeding coefficients, calculate the main parameters of a single quantitative locus and of a quantitative trait, estimate individual genetic merit, optimize the genetic progress, and critically analyze the available information on breding animals. Lo studente dovrà essere in grado di applicare le conoscenze acquisite alla soluzione di piccoli problemi: calcolare i rischi derivanti da diversi tipi di accoppiamenti, calcolare coefficienti di parentela e di consanguineità, calcolare i principali parametri del modello additivo a livello di singolo locus o di carattere, stimare il merito genetico individuale, ottimizzare il progresso genetico ed analizzare criticamente le informazioni disponibili sui riproduttori. D3 - The student must be able to independently judge the advantages and disadvantages of the various strategies to solve the problems that may arise at the different levels of a livestock genetic selection plan. D4 - The student must be able to communicate efficiently and effectively with the other operators (veterinarians, breeders, zootechnics) of the supply chain, using the technical-scientific vocabulary of the sector in an appropirate manner. D5 - The student must be able to learn the insights that may prove necessary for his/her subsequent professional activity. EAEVE Day One Competences: 2.3 (The structure, function and behaviour of animals and their physiological and welfare needs, including healthy common domestic animals, captive Wildlife and laboratory-housed animals) and 2.4 (A knowledge of the businesses related to animal breeding, production and keeping).
Teaching methods	Lectures will deal with all the main topics of the course. Practical training with own laptop (students divided into 4 rotating groups).
Extended program	LECTURES - Review of basic genetics: DNA, chromosomes, Mendel's laws and their exceptions. Qualitative and quantitative traits; major genes and liability. - Review of basic statistics: probability, binomial distribution, quantitative variables, normal distribution. - Basics of population genetics: gene and genotypic frequencies; Hardy-Weinberg law; forces; genetic distances. - Resemblances between individuals: alike in state or identical by descent; relationships based on genealogical data; inbreeding. Resemblances based on molecular information. - Genetics of quantitative traits: infinitesimal additive model, heritability in broad and narrow sense, repeatability and correlations. - Individual genetic merit: selection index (BLP) and its properties; genetic index (BLUP); genomic index (GEBV: DGV and G-BLUP). - Selection: objective; the key equation: intensity, accuracy, genetic variability and generation interval. Economic indices. Correlated answer. The selection in Italy. - The main hereditary diseases of Italian breeds of cattle. Hereditary diseases of pigs. Genetic prophylaxis of scrapie.