Fresh from the Field-July 27, 2017

How, now, brown HIV vaccine breakthrough?

Cows are leaving the pasture and entering the field of HIV vaccine research. Devin Sok of the Scripps Institute and Waithaka Mwangi of Texas A&M University discovered how to produce powerful, HIV-blocking antibodies in cows in a matter of weeks – a process that usually takes years in humans. These unexpected findings illuminate new pathways for HIV vaccine research.

"One approach to a preventive HIV vaccine involves trying to elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies in healthy people, but so far the experiments have been unsuccessful, in both human and animal studies," said Sok, the study's first author. "This experiment demonstrates that not only is it possible to produce these antibodies in animals, but we can do so reliably, quickly, and using a relatively simple immunization strategy when given in the right setting."

The cows’ ability to quickly produce antibodies against a complicated pathogen like HIV highlights even broader significance, particularly for emerging pathogens.

The research was funded by NIFA's Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

Read about cattle antibodies and HIV research. Image provided by Peggy Greb, USDA.

Stomp out salmonella

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 1 million foodborne illnesses and 380 deaths in the United States each year can be linked to nontyphoidal salmonella. University of Georgia food microbiologist Xiangyu Deng was awarded the 2017 Creative Research Medal for creating a cloud-based software that quickly classifies strains of salmonella. The SeqSero system uses whole genome sequencing to identify particular strains of salmonella, from infected humans, animals, foods and the environment. This system allows for quick and accurate label of any salmonella strain and replaces a complicated, time-consuming laboratory protocol that took place before the invention.

“This is a highly desirable bioinformatics system and allows for push-button, fast, straightforward and accurate identification of salmonella serotypes from raw data that comes directly off sequencers,” Deng said. “There are more than 2,500 serotypes described for salmonella, and SeqSero focuses primarily on more common serotypes while also being able to ID many rare serotypes.”

The software is being used by the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, USDA, multiple state health departments, and more than 20 regulatory agencies in European, Asian, and North American countries. 

The research was funded by NIFA’s Hatch funding.

Read more about Deng’s invention. Image provided by NIAID.

Calories and cattle

Scientists have long been interested in finding the genetic basis for feed efficiency, with the aim of breeding more efficient animals. But the first step – accurately measuring how much cattle eat across different life stages and diet types – has been a missing piece. That may be changing due to research funded by NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative.

“Grain intake in the feedlot is relatively easy to measure and the industry now has a substantial number of feed intake records. But forage intake while a cow is grazing is extremely difficult to measure. We need to get a handle on that to really capture feed efficiency for the entire beef production system,” says Dan Shike, associate professor of beef cattle nutrition in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois.  

The concern is that intake regulation varies, depending on diet type. In other words, a cow can fill up on forages before meeting her basic nutritional requirements. The same cow being fed grain in a controlled setting like a feedlot will likely meet those requirements on less feed. However, feed intake evaluations are typically done in the feedlot, potentially misrepresenting the efficiency of the animal over her lifespan.

Read more about cattle and diets . Image provided by University of Illinois.

A lean, mean kidney bean

Kidney beans are a nutritious powerhouse. They are filled with complex carbohydrates, protein, iron, and folate. They are also a good source of soluble fiber, which has several health benefits such as lowering cholesterol.

Two new varieties of kidney beans – Talon and Rosie – have  been released by a team of researchers led by Juan Osorno at North Dakota State University. Both  varieties “possess improved resistance to root pathogens and bacterial diseases,” says Osorno. “They also show higher seed yields and superior performance compared to older varieties.”

Improved resistance to root rot, which is caused by fungal pathogens, is especially important for kidney beans. “Their root systems are often weaker than other beans,” says Osorno. “They are more susceptible to root diseases. So anything we can do to improve these root systems is very helpful for farmers.”

The research was supported by NIFA's Multistate Research Fund.

Read more at the American Society of Agronomy.

Sunshine power for farmers

Agricultural food production accounts for a large portion of water use in the United States. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is helping local farmers in Randolph County save water resources using the power of the sun. Farmers are using solar-powered surge valves that improve irrigation, water conversation, fuel and energy. The technology allows water to alternate flow to different segments of the field throughout the day using a type of rudder. University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension agent Mike Andrew notes the technique is currently being used on a variety of crops including peanuts, soybeans and corn. “The water will run out of the field on each row at about the same time and we don’t have the short rows running out for 12 hours and wasting that water,” Andrews said.

Watch the WDAM news story. Image provided by USDA.