Indicine

Anim Genet. 2012 Dec;43(6):785-9.

Variation in the XKR4 gene was significantly associated with subcutaneous rump fat thickness in indicine and composite cattle.[Pubmed: 22497494]

Variation in the XK, Kell blood group complex subunit-related family, member 4 (XKR4) gene on BTA14 was associated with rump fat thickness in a recent genome-wide association study. This region is also of interest because it is known to show evidence of a signature of population genetic selection.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In this study, additional variation in this gene was genotyped in a sample of a total of 1283 animals of the Belmont Red (BEL) and Santa Gertrudis (SGT) breeds. The SNP rs41724387 was significantly (P < 0.001) associated with rump fat thickness and explained 5.9% of the genetic variance for the trait in this sample. Using the 4466 genotypes for the SNP rs42646708 from several data sets to estimate effects in seven breeds, this relatively large quantitative trait locus effect appears to be a result of the variation in Indicine and taurine-Indicine composite cattle. However, the only DNA variant found in Brahman cattle that altered the predicted amino acid sequence of XKR4 was not associated with rump fat thickness.
CONCLUSIONS:
This suggests that causative mutations lie outside the coding sequence of this gene.

Res Commun Chem Pathol Pharmacol. 1979 Jun;24(3):559-69.

Relationship of the reductive metabolism of indicine N-oxide to its antitumor activity.[Pubmed: 451340]

Several pyrrolizidine alkaloids have been demonstrated to have antitumor activity in experimental tumor systems.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In general the free base form of the alkaloid exhibits greater biological activity than the corresponding N-oxide and the N-oxide must be metabolized to the base for the subsequent formation of alkylating intermediates. Indicine N-oxide is an exception in that it is a more active antitumor agent than its free base Indicine.
CONCLUSIONS:
Studies of the antitumor activity and metabolism of Indicine N-oxide, and the closely related compound, heliotrine N-oxide, given orally and intraperitoneally to mice bearing P-388 leukemia, suggest that conversion of Indicine N-oxide to Indicine is not essential for its antitumor activity.

Theriogenology. 2015 Sep 1;84(4):624-33.

Comparative proteomic analysis of Taurine, Indicine, and crossbred (Bos taurus × Bos indicus) bull spermatozoa for identification of proteins related to sperm malfunctions and subfertility in crossbred bulls.[Pubmed: 26033646]

Subfertility is one of the most common problems observed among Taurine × Indicine crossbred bulls in tropical countries; however, the etiology remain unknown in most of the cases.
METHODS AND RESULTS:
In present study, we compared the proteomic profile of spermatozoa from crossbred bulls (Bos taurus × Bos indicus) against their purebred parent lines (Holstein Friesian [Taurine] and Tharparkar [Indicine]) to find out alteration in expressions of proteins, if any. The proteomic profiles of freshly ejaculated spermatozoa from these breeds were compared by two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis, and differentially expressed proteins were identified through mass spectrometry. It was observed that compared to Holstein Friesian, nine proteins were underexpressed and eight proteins were overexpressed (P < 0.05) in the spermatozoa of crossbred bulls. Similarly, four proteins were overexpressed and four proteins were underexpressed (P < 0.05) in the spermatozoa of crossbred bulls compared to Tharparkar bulls. In concurrent three breed comparison, 14 proteins were found to be differentially expressed (P < 0.05) between these breeds.
CONCLUSIONS:
From the findings of the study, it is apparent that the expression levels of several functionally significant proteins are either upregulated or downregulated in spermatozoa of crossbred bulls, which might be related to high incidence of subfertility in these bulls.