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Yang R, Zhou D, Tan X, Zhao Z, Lv Y, Tian X, Ren L, Wang Y, Li J, Zhao Y, Zhang J. Genome-Wide Association Study of Body Conformation Traits in Tashi Goats ( Capra hircus). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1145. [PMID: 38672293 PMCID: PMC11047570 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Identifying genetic markers of economically valuable traits has practical benefits for the meat goat industry. To better understand the genomic variations influencing body conformation traits, a genome-wide association study was performed on Tashi goats, an indigenous Chinese goat breed. A total of 155 Tashi goats were phenotyped for eight body conformation traits: body height, body length, chest depth, chest width, chest girth, rump width, rump height, and cannon bone circumference. Then, 100 Tashi goats were randomly selected for whole-genome sequencing and genotyped. We obtained 1676.4 Gb of raw data with an average sequencing depth of 6.2X. Clean reads were aligned to the ARS1.2 reference genome, and 11,257,923 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. The structure analysis showed that these Tashi goats were almost not genetically related. The 109, 20, 52, 14, 62, 51, 70, and 7 SNPs were significantly associated with body height, body length, chest depth, chest width, chest girth, rump width, rump height, and cannon bone circumference. Within the ±500 kb region of significant SNPs, 183 genes were annotated. The most significantly enriched KEGG pathway was "olfactory transduction", and the most significantly enriched gene ontology (GO) terms were "cellular process", "cellular anatomical entity", and "molecular transducer activity". Interestingly, we found several SNPs on chromosomes 10 and 11 that have been identified multiple times for all eight body conformation traits located in two fragments (114 kb and 1.03 Mb). In chr.10:25988403-26102739, the six SNPs were tightly linked, the TACTAG genotype was the highest at 91.8%, and the FNTB (Farnesyltransferase, CAAX Box Beta) and CHURC1 (Churchill Domain Containing 1) genes were located. In chr.11:88216493-89250659, ten SNPs were identified with several dependent linkage disequilibrium (LD) blocks, and seven related genes were annotated, but no significant SNP was located in them. Our results provide valuable biological information for improving growth performance with practical applications for genomic selection in goats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong Yang
- Guizhou Provincial Breeding Livestock and Poultry Germplasm Determination Center, Guiyang 550018, China; (R.Y.); (Y.L.)
| | - Di Zhou
- Guizhou Provincial Breeding Livestock and Poultry Germplasm Determination Center, Guiyang 550018, China; (R.Y.); (Y.L.)
| | - Xiaoshan Tan
- Guizhou Provincial Breeding Livestock and Poultry Germplasm Determination Center, Guiyang 550018, China; (R.Y.); (Y.L.)
| | - Zhonghai Zhao
- Zunyi Animal Husbandry and Fishery Station, Zunyi 563000, China
| | - Yanli Lv
- Guizhou Provincial Breeding Livestock and Poultry Germplasm Determination Center, Guiyang 550018, China; (R.Y.); (Y.L.)
| | - Xingzhou Tian
- College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China
| | - Liqun Ren
- Guizhou Provincial Breeding Livestock and Poultry Germplasm Determination Center, Guiyang 550018, China; (R.Y.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yan Wang
- Guizhou Provincial Breeding Livestock and Poultry Germplasm Determination Center, Guiyang 550018, China; (R.Y.); (Y.L.)
| | - Jun Li
- Guizhou Provincial Breeding Livestock and Poultry Germplasm Determination Center, Guiyang 550018, China; (R.Y.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yongju Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China;
| | - Jipan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China;
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Kumar H, Panigrahi M, G Strillacci M, Sonejita Nayak S, Rajawat D, Ghildiyal K, Bhushan B, Dutt T. Detection of genome-wide copy number variation in Murrah buffaloes. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:3783-3795. [PMID: 37381739 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2227670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Riverine Buffaloes, especially the Murrah breed because of their adaptability to harsh climatic conditions, is farmed in many countries to convert low-quality feed into valuable dairy products and meat. Here, we investigated the copy number variations (CNVs) in 296 Murrah buffalo using the Axiom® Buffalo Genotyping Array 90K (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, CA, USA). The CNVs were detected on the autosomes, using the Copy Number Analysis Module (CNAM) using the univariate analysis. 7937 CNVs were detected in 279 Buffaloes, the average length of the CNVs was 119,048.87 bp that ranged between 7800 and 4,561,030 bp. These CNVs were accounting for 10.33% of the buffalo genome, which was comparable to cattle, sheep, and goat CNV analyses. Further, CNVs were merged and 1541 CNVRs were detected using the Bedtools-mergeBed command. 485 genes were annotated within 196 CNVRs that were identified in at least 10 animals of Murrah population. Out of these, 40 CNVRs contained 59 different genes that were associated with 69 different traits. Overall, the study identified a significant number of CNVs and CNVRs in the Murrah breed of buffalo, with a wide range of lengths and frequencies across the autosomes. The identified CNVRs contained genes associated with important traits related to production and reproduction, making them potentially important targets for future breeding and genetic improvement efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harshit Kumar
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
| | - Manjit Panigrahi
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
| | - Maria G Strillacci
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, University of Milan, Lodi, Italy
| | | | - Divya Rajawat
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
| | - Kanika Ghildiyal
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
| | - Bharat Bhushan
- Division of Animal Genetics, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
| | - Triveni Dutt
- Livestock Production and Management Section, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, India
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Zhang L, Zhang S, Yuan M, Zhan F, Song M, Shang P, Yang F, Li X, Qiao R, Han X, Li X, Fang M, Wang K. Genome-Wide Association Studies and Runs of Homozygosity to Identify Reproduction-Related Genes in Yorkshire Pig Population. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2133. [PMID: 38136955 PMCID: PMC10742578 DOI: 10.3390/genes14122133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive traits hold considerable economic importance in pig breeding and production. However, candidate genes underpinning the reproductive traits are still poorly identified. In the present study, we executed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and runs of homozygosity (ROH) analysis using the PorcineSNP50 BeadChip array for 585 Yorkshire pigs. Results from the GWAS identified two genome-wide significant and eighteen suggestive significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with seven reproductive traits. Furthermore, we identified candidate genes, including ELMO1, AOAH, INSIG2, NUP205, LYPLAL1, RPL34, LIPH, RNF7, GRK7, ETV5, FYN, and SLC30A5, which were chosen due to adjoining significant SNPs and their functions in immunity, fertilization, embryonic development, and sperm quality. Several genes were found in ROH islands associated with spermatozoa, development of the fetus, mature eggs, and litter size, including INSL6, TAF4B, E2F7, RTL1, CDKN1C, and GDF9. This study will provide insight into the genetic basis for pig reproductive traits, facilitating reproduction improvement using the marker-based selection methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lige Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Songyuan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Meng Yuan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Fengting Zhan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Mingkun Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Peng Shang
- Animal Science College, Tibet Agriculture and Animal Husbandry University, Linzhi 860000, China;
| | - Feng Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Xiuling Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Ruimin Qiao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Xuelei Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Xinjian Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
| | - Meiying Fang
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, MOA Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Kejun Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China; (L.Z.); (S.Z.); (M.Y.); (F.Z.); (M.S.); (F.Y.); (X.L.); (R.Q.); (X.H.); (X.L.)
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Calderón-Chagoya R, Vega-Murillo VE, García-Ruiz A, Ríos-Utrera Á, Martínez-Velázquez G, Montaño-Bermúdez M. Discovering Genomic Regions Associated with Reproductive Traits and Frame Score in Mexican Simmental and Simbrah Cattle Using Individual SNP and Haplotype Markers. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:2004. [PMID: 38002947 PMCID: PMC10671695 DOI: 10.3390/genes14112004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproductive efficiency stands as a critical determinant of profitability within beef production systems. The incorporation of molecular markers can expedite advancements in reproductive performance. While the use of SNPs in association analysis is prevalent, approaches centered on haplotypes can offer a more comprehensive insight. The study used registered Simmental and Simbrah cattle genotyped with the GGP Bovine 150 k panel. Phenotypes included scrotal circumference (SC), heifer fertility (HF), stayability (STAY), and frame score (FS). After quality control, 105,129 autosomal SNPs from 967 animals were used. Haplotype blocks were defined based on linkage disequilibrium. Comparison between haplotypes and SNPs for reproductive traits and FS was conducted using Bayesian and frequentist models. 23, 13, 7, and 2 SNPs exhibited associations with FS, SC, HF, and STAY, respectively. In addition, seven, eight, seven, and one haplotypes displayed associations with FS, SC, HF, and STAY, respectively. Within these delineated genomic segments, potential candidate genes were associated.
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Affiliation(s)
- René Calderón-Chagoya
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Ciudad de México 04510, Mexico;
- National Center for Disciplinary Research in Physiology and Animal Improvement, National Institute for Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research, Querétaro 76280, Mexico;
| | - Vicente Eliezer Vega-Murillo
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Veracruzana University, Veracruz 91710, Mexico; (V.E.V.-M.); (Á.R.-U.)
| | - Adriana García-Ruiz
- National Center for Disciplinary Research in Physiology and Animal Improvement, National Institute for Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research, Querétaro 76280, Mexico;
| | - Ángel Ríos-Utrera
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Veracruzana University, Veracruz 91710, Mexico; (V.E.V.-M.); (Á.R.-U.)
| | - Guillermo Martínez-Velázquez
- Experimental Field Santiago Ixcuintla, National Institute for Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research, Nayarit 63570, Mexico;
| | - Moisés Montaño-Bermúdez
- National Center for Disciplinary Research in Physiology and Animal Improvement, National Institute for Forestry, Agricultural and Livestock Research, Querétaro 76280, Mexico;
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Alam MZ, Haque MA, Iqbal A, Lee YM, Ha JJ, Jin S, Park B, Kim NY, Won JI, Kim JJ. Genome-Wide Association Study to Identify QTL for Carcass Traits in Korean Hanwoo Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2737. [PMID: 37685003 PMCID: PMC10486602 DOI: 10.3390/ani13172737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to identify genetic associations with carcass traits in Hanwoo cattle using a genome-wide association study. A total of 9302 phenotypes were analyzed, and all animals were genotyped using the Illumina Bovine 50K v.3 SNP chip. Heritabilities for carcass weight (CWT), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF), and marbling score (MS) were estimated as 0.42, 0.36, 0.36, and 0.47, respectively, using the GBLUP model, and 0.47, 0.37, 0.36, and 0.42, respectively, using the Bayes B model. We identified 129 common SNPs using DGEBV and 118 common SNPs using GEBV on BTA6, BTA13, and BTA14, suggesting their potential association with the traits of interest. No common SNPs were found between the GBLUP and Bayes B methods when using residuals as a response variable in GWAS. The most promising candidate genes for CWT included SLIT2, PACRGL, KCNIP4, RP1, XKR4, LYN, RPS20, MOS, FAM110B, UBXN2B, CYP7A1, SDCBP, NSMAF, TOX, CA8, LAP3, FAM184B, and NCAPG. For EMA, the genes IBSP, LAP3, FAM184B, LCORL, NCAPG, SLC30A9, and BEND4 demonstrated significance. Similarly, CYP7B1, ARMC1, PDE7A, and CRH were associated with BF, while CTSZ, GNAS, VAPB, and RAB22A were associated with MS. This finding offers valuable insights into genomic regions and molecular mechanisms influencing Hanwoo carcass traits, aiding efficient breeding strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zahangir Alam
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea; (M.Z.A.); (M.A.H.); (A.I.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Md Azizul Haque
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea; (M.Z.A.); (M.A.H.); (A.I.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Asif Iqbal
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea; (M.Z.A.); (M.A.H.); (A.I.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Yun-Mi Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea; (M.Z.A.); (M.A.H.); (A.I.); (Y.-M.L.)
| | - Jae-Jung Ha
- Gyeongbuk Livestock Research Institute, Yeongju 36052, Republic of Korea;
| | - Shil Jin
- Hanwoo Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, Pyeongchang 25340, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (B.P.); (N.-Y.K.)
| | - Byoungho Park
- Hanwoo Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, Pyeongchang 25340, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (B.P.); (N.-Y.K.)
| | - Nam-Young Kim
- Hanwoo Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, Pyeongchang 25340, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (B.P.); (N.-Y.K.)
| | - Jeong Il Won
- Hanwoo Research Institute, National Institute of Animal Science, Pyeongchang 25340, Republic of Korea; (S.J.); (B.P.); (N.-Y.K.)
| | - Jong-Joo Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea; (M.Z.A.); (M.A.H.); (A.I.); (Y.-M.L.)
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Reding JJ, van der Westhuizen RR, Berry DP, van Marle-Köster E. Understanding the underlying genetic mechanisms for age at first calving, inter-calving period and scrotal circumference in Bonsmara cattle. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:480. [PMID: 37620802 PMCID: PMC10464233 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09518-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reproduction is a key feature of the sustainability of a species and thus represents an important component in livestock genetic improvement programs. Most reproductive traits are lowly heritable. In order to gain a better understanding of the underlying genetic basis of these traits, a genome-wide association was conducted for age at first calving (AFC), first inter-calving period (ICP) and scrotal circumference (SC) within the South African Bonsmara breed. Phenotypes and genotypes (120,692 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) post editing) were available on 7,128 South African Bonsmara cattle; the association analyses were undertaken using linear mixed models. RESULTS Genomic restricted maximum likelihood analysis of the 7,128 SA Bonsmara cattle yielded genomic heritability's of 0.183 (SE = 0.021) for AFC, 0.207 (SE = 0.022) for ICP and 0.209 (SE = 0.019) for SC. A total of 16, 23 and 51 suggestive (P ≤ 4 × 10-6) SNPs were associated with AFC, ICP and SC, while 11, 11 and 44 significant (P ≤ 4 × 10-7) SNPs were associated with AFC, ICP and SC respectively. A total of 11 quantitative trait loci (QTL) and 11 candidate genes were co-located with these associated SNPs for AFC, with 10 QTL harbouring 11 candidate genes for ICP and 41 QTL containing 40 candidate genes for SC. The QTL identified were close to genes previously associated with carcass, fertility, growth and milk-related traits. The biological pathways influenced by these genes include carbohydrate catabolic processes, cellular development, iron homeostasis, lipid metabolism and storage, immune response, ovarian follicle development and the regulation of DNA transcription and RNA translation. CONCLUSIONS This was the first attempt to study the underlying polymorphisms associated with reproduction in South African beef cattle. Genes previously reported in cattle breeds for numerous traits bar AFC, ICP or SC were detected in this study. Over 20 different genes have not been previously reported in beef cattle populations and may have been associated due to the unique genetic composite background of the SA Bonsmara breed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jason J Reding
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa.
| | | | - Donagh P Berry
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
- Teagasc - The Irish Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Moorepark, Fermoy, Cork, Ireland
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Falchi L, Cesarani A, Mastrangelo S, Senczuk G, Portolano B, Pilla F, Macciotta NPP. Analysis of runs of homozygosity of cattle living in different climate zones. J Anim Sci 2023; 101:skad061. [PMID: 36802370 PMCID: PMC10066727 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim of this study was to analyze the distribution and characteristics of runs of homozygosity in Bos taurus taurus and Bos taurus indicus breeds, as well as their crosses, farmed all around the world. With this aim in view, we used single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) genotypes for 3,263 cattle belonging to 204 different breeds. After quality control, 23,311 SNPs were retained for the analysis. Animals were divided into seven different groups: 1) continental taurus, 2) temperate taurus, 3) temperate indicus, 4) temperate composite, 5) tropical taurus, 6) tropical indicus, and 7) tropical composite. The climatic zones were created according to the latitude of the breeds' country of origin: i) continental, latitude ≥ 45°; ii) temperate, 45°< Latitude >23.26°; iii) tropics, latitude ≤ 23.26°. Runs of homozygosity were computed as 15 SNPs spanning in at least 2 Mb; number of ROH per animal (nROH), average ROH length (meanMb), and ROH-based inbreeding coefficients (FROH) were also computed. Temperate indicus showed the largest nROH, whereas Temperate taurus the lowest value. Moreover, the largest meanMb was observed for Temperate taurus, whereas the lowest value for Tropics indicus. Temperate indicus breeds showed the largest FROH values. Genes mapped in the identified ROH were reported to be associated with the environmental adaptation, disease resistance, coat color determinism, and production traits. Results of the present study confirmed that runs of homozygosity could be used to identify genomic signatures due to both artificial and natural selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Falchi
- Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
| | - Alberto Cesarani
- Dipartimento di Agraria, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, 30602 Athens, USA
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Gabriele Senczuk
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
| | - Baldassare Portolano
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Fabio Pilla
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy
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Seven Shades of Grey: A Follow-Up Study on the Molecular Basis of Coat Colour in Indicine Grey Cattle Using Genome-Wide SNP Data. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13091601. [PMID: 36140768 PMCID: PMC9498432 DOI: 10.3390/genes13091601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Shades of grey and brown are a dominant component in mammal coat colours, representing a fundamental trait involved in a great number of processes including cryptism, sexual selection and signalling. The genetic mechanisms of the grey colouration in mammals are very complex and controlled by hundreds of genes whose effects and interactions are still largely unclear. In this study, we adopted a robust multi-cohort Fst outlier approach based on pairwise contrasts between seven grey indicine cattle breeds and both taurine and indicine non-grey cattle breeds in order to find genomic regions potentially related to the grey colouration. On the basis of three main drawn settings, built in order to control both the effect of the sample size and the genetic structure, we have identified some signals common to those obtained in a previous work employing only taurine cattle. In particular, using the top 1% Fst approach, we detected a candidate region (22.6–23.8 megabases) on chromosome 14 in which genes related to pigmentation have been already documented. In addition, when we constructed a phylogenetic tree using the significant markers identified in this study and including also the genotyping data at these loci of both the grey taurine and the extinct wild auroch, we found a topological repartition consistent with breed colour pattern rather than with the known bovine evolutionary history. Thus, on the basis of this evidence, together with the geographical distribution of the current taurine grey cattle, an ancestral indicine origin for the grey phenotype would seem to be a conceivable interpretation. In this context, a higher thermo-tolerance and less UV-induced damage of the grey phenotype might have favoured the retention of advantageous genes into the taurine genome during the post-Neolithic human-mediated cattle expansions.
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Integrating genome-wide association study and pathway analysis reveals physiological aspects affecting heifer early calving defined at different ages in Nelore cattle. Genomics 2022; 114:110395. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2022.110395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Wyss P, Song C, Bina M. Along the Bos taurus genome, uncover candidate imprinting control regions. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:478. [PMID: 35764919 PMCID: PMC9241299 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08694-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In mammals, Imprinting Control Regions (ICRs) regulate a subset of genes in a parent-of-origin-specific manner. In both human and mouse, previous studies identified a set of CpG-rich motifs occurring as clusters in ICRs and germline Differentially Methylated Regions (gDMRs). These motifs consist of the ZFP57 binding site (ZFBS) overlapping a subset of MLL binding units known as MLL morphemes. MLL or MLL1 (Mixed Lineage Leukemia 1) is a relatively large multidomain protein that plays a central role in the regulation of transcription. The structures of both MLL1 and MLL2 include a domain (MT) that binds CpG-rich DNA and a conserved domain (SET) that methylates lysine 4 in histone H3 producing H3K4me3 marks in chromatin. Results Since genomic imprinting impacts many developmental and key physiological processes, we followed a previous bioinformatics strategy to pinpoint ICR positions in the Bos taurus genome. Initial genome-wide analyses involved finding the positions of ZFP57 binding sites, and the CpG-rich motifs (ZFBS-morph overlaps) along cattle chromosomal DNA. By creating plots displaying the density of ZFBS-morph overlaps, we removed background noise and thus improved signal detection. With the density-plots, we could view the positions of peaks locating known and candidate ICRs in cattle DNA. Our evaluations revealed the correspondence of peaks in plots to reported known and inferred ICRs/DMRs in cattle. Beside peaks pinpointing such ICRs, the density-plots also revealed additional peaks. Since evaluations validated the robustness of our approach, we inferred that the additional peaks may correspond to candidate ICRs for imprinted gene expression. Conclusion Our bioinformatics strategy offers the first genome-wide approach for systematically localizing candidate ICRs. Furthermore, we have tailored our datasets for upload onto the UCSC genome browser so that researchers could find known and candidate ICRs with respect to a wide variety of annotations at all scales: from the positions of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs), to positions of genes, transcripts, and repeated DNA elements. Furthermore, the UCSC genome browser offers tools to produce enlarged views: to uncover the genes in the vicinity of candidate ICRs and thus discover potential imprinted genes for experimental validations. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08694-3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Wyss
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Carol Song
- Information Technology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA
| | - Minou Bina
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 47907, USA.
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11
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Mota LFM, Santos SWB, Júnior GAF, Bresolin T, Mercadante MEZ, Silva JAV, Cyrillo JNSG, Monteiro FM, Carvalheiro R, Albuquerque LG. Meta-analysis across Nellore cattle populations identifies common metabolic mechanisms that regulate feed efficiency-related traits. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:424. [PMID: 35672696 PMCID: PMC9172108 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08671-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Feed efficiency (FE) related traits play a key role in the economy and sustainability of beef cattle production systems. The accurate knowledge of the physiologic background for FE-related traits can help the development of more efficient selection strategies for them. Hence, multi-trait weighted GWAS (MTwGWAS) and meta-analyze were used to find genomic regions associated with average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), feed efficiency (FE), and residual feed intake (RFI). The FE-related traits and genomic information belong to two breeding programs that perform the FE test at different ages: post-weaning (1,024 animals IZ population) and post-yearling (918 animals for the QLT population). Results The meta-analyze MTwGWAS identified 14 genomic regions (-log10(p -value) > 5) regions mapped on BTA 1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 14, 15, 18, 21, and 29. These regions explained a large proportion of the total genetic variance for FE-related traits across-population ranging from 20% (FCR) to 36% (DMI) in the IZ population and from 22% (RFI) to 28% (ADG) in the QLT population. Relevant candidate genes within these regions (LIPE, LPL, IGF1R, IGF1, IGFBP5, IGF2, INS, INSR, LEPR, LEPROT, POMC, NPY, AGRP, TGFB1, GHSR, JAK1, LYN, MOS, PLAG1, CHCD7, LCAT, and PLA2G15) highlighted that the physiological mechanisms related to neuropeptides and the metabolic signals controlling the body's energy balance are responsible for leading to greater feed efficiency. Integrated meta-analysis results and functional pathway enrichment analysis highlighted the major effect of biological functions linked to energy, lipid metabolism, and hormone signaling that mediates the effects of peptide signals in the hypothalamus and whole-body energy homeostasis affecting the genetic control of FE-related traits in Nellore cattle. Conclusions Genes and pathways associated with common signals for feed efficiency-related traits provide better knowledge about regions with biological relevance in physiological mechanisms associated with differences in energy metabolism and hypothalamus signaling. These pleiotropic regions would support the selection for feed efficiency-related traits, incorporating and pondering causal variations assigning prior weights in genomic selection approaches. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08671-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucio F M Mota
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal - SP, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil.
| | - Samuel W B Santos
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal - SP, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Gerardo A Fernandes Júnior
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal - SP, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Tiago Bresolin
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal - SP, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil
| | - Maria E Z Mercadante
- Institute of Animal Science, Beef Cattle Research Center, Sertãozinho - SP, São Paulo, 14174-000, Brazil.,National Council for Science and Technological Development, Brasilia - DF, 71605-001, Brazil
| | - Josineudson A V Silva
- National Council for Science and Technological Development, Brasilia - DF, 71605-001, Brazil.,School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu - SP, 18618-681, Brazil
| | - Joslaine N S G Cyrillo
- Institute of Animal Science, Beef Cattle Research Center, Sertãozinho - SP, São Paulo, 14174-000, Brazil
| | - Fábio M Monteiro
- Institute of Animal Science, Beef Cattle Research Center, Sertãozinho - SP, São Paulo, 14174-000, Brazil
| | - Roberto Carvalheiro
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal - SP, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil.,National Council for Science and Technological Development, Brasilia - DF, 71605-001, Brazil
| | - Lucia G Albuquerque
- School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Jaboticabal - SP, São Paulo, 14884-900, Brazil. .,National Council for Science and Technological Development, Brasilia - DF, 71605-001, Brazil.
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12
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Ashton MK, Rueda AVL, Ho AM, Noor Aizin NABM, Sharma H, Dodd PR, Stadlin A, Camarini R. Sex differences in GABA A receptor subunit transcript expression are mediated by genotype in subjects with alcohol-related cirrhosis of the liver. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2022; 21:e12785. [PMID: 35301805 PMCID: PMC9744570 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Male and female human subjects show contrasting propensities to misuse drugs of addiction, including alcohol. These differences lead to different psychological and neurological consequences, such as the likelihood of developing dependence. The pattern and extent of brain damage in alcohol-use disorder cases also varies with comorbid disease. To explore mechanisms that might underlie these outcomes, we used autopsy tissue to determine mRNA transcript expression in relation to genotype for two GABAA receptor subunit genes. We used quantitative Real-Time PCR to measure GABRA6 and GABRA2 mRNA concentrations in dorsolateral prefrontal and primary motor cortices of alcohol-use disorder subjects and controls of both sexes with and without liver disease who had been genotyped for these GABAA receptor subunit genes. Cirrhotic alcohol-use disorder cases had significantly higher expression of GABRA6 and GABRA2 transcripts than either controls or non-cirrhotic alcohol-use disorder cases. Differences were observed between sexes, genotypes and brain regions. We show that sex differences in subjects with GABRA6 and GABRA2 variants may contribute to differences in susceptibility to alcohol-use disorder and alcohol-induced cirrhosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madeline K. Ashton
- School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - André V. L. Rueda
- School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICBUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
| | - Ada M.‐C. Ho
- School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Department of Psychiatry and PsychologyMayo ClinicRochesterMinnesotaUSA
| | - Noradibah Arina Binte M. Noor Aizin
- School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
- Vela Research Singapore Pte LtdThe KendallSingapore
| | - Hansa Sharma
- School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | - Peter R. Dodd
- School of Chemistry and Molecular BiosciencesThe University of QueenslandBrisbaneQueenslandAustralia
| | | | - Rosana Camarini
- Departamento de Farmacologia, ICBUniversidade de São PauloSão PauloBrazil
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13
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Liu SH, Ma XY, Hassan FU, Gao TY, Deng TX. Genome-wide analysis of runs of homozygosity in Italian Mediterranean buffalo. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:4324-4334. [PMID: 35307184 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-21543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Runs of homozygosity (ROH) are a powerful tool to explore patterns of genomic inbreeding in animal populations and detect signatures of selection. The present study used ROH analysis to evaluate the genome-wide patterns of homozygosity, inbreeding levels, and distribution of ROH islands using the SNP data sets from 899 Mediterranean buffaloes. A total of 42,433 ROH segments were identified, with an average of 47.20 segments per individual. The ROH comprising mostly shorter segments (1-4 Mb) accounted for approximately 72.29% of all ROH. In contrast, the larger ROH (>8 Mb) class accounted for only 7.97% of all ROH segments. Estimated inbreeding coefficients from ROH (FROH) ranged from 0.0201 to 0.0371. Pearson correlations between FROH and genomic relationship matrix increased with the increase of ROH length. We identified ROH hotspots in 12 genomic regions, located on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 17, and 19, harboring a total of 122 genes. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis revealed the clustering of these genes into 7 PPI networks. Many genes located in these regions were associated with different production traits. In addition, 5 ROH islands overlapped with cattle quantitative trait loci that were mainly associated with milk traits. These findings revealed the genome-wide autozygosity patterns and inbreeding levels in Mediterranean buffalo. Our study identified many candidate genes related to production traits that could be used to assist in selective breeding for genetic improvement of buffalo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shen-He Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China.
| | - Xiao-Ya Ma
- Guangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530001, China
| | - Faiz-Ul Hassan
- Institute of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan
| | - Teng-Yun Gao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450046, China
| | - Ting-Xian Deng
- Guangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Buffalo Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Technology, Buffalo Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning 530001, China.
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14
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Muniz MMM, Simielli Fonseca LF, Scalez DCB, Vega AS, dos Santos Silva DB, Ferro JA, Chardulo AL, Baldi F, Cánovas A, de Albuquerque LG. Characterization of novel
lncRNA
muscle expression profiles associated with meat quality in beef cattle. Evol Appl 2022; 15:706-718. [PMID: 35505883 PMCID: PMC9046762 DOI: 10.1111/eva.13365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify novel lncRNA differentially expressed (DE) between divergent animals for beef tenderness and marbling traits in Nellore cattle. Longissimus thoracis muscle samples from the 20 most extreme bulls (of 80 bulls set) for tenderness, tender (n = 10) and tough (n = 10) groups, and marbling trait, high (n = 10) and low (n = 10) groups were used to perform transcriptomic analysis using RNA‐Sequencing. For tenderness, 29 lncRNA were DE (p‐value ≤ 0.01) in tough beef animals in relation to tender beef animals. We observed that genic lncRNAs, for example, lncRNA_595.1, were overlapping exonic part of the PICK gene, while lncRNA_3097.2 and lncRNA_3129.5 overlapped intronic part of the genes GADL1 and PSMD6. The lncRNA associated with PICK1, GADL1, and PMD6 genes were enriched in the pathways associated with the ionotropic glutamate receptor, gamma‐aminobutyric acid synthesis, and the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. For marbling, 50 lncRNA were DE (p‐value ≤ 0.01) in high marbling group compared with low marbling animals. The genic lncRNAs, such as lncRNA_3191.1, were overlapped exonic part of the ITGAL gene, and the lncRNA_512.1, lncRNA_3721.1, and lncRNA_41.4 overlapped intronic parts of the KRAS and MASP1 genes. The KRAS and ITGAL genes were enriched in pathways associated with integrin signaling, which is involved in intracellular signals in response to the extracellular matrix, including cell form, mobility, and mediates progression through the cell cycle. In addition, the lincRNAs identified to marbling trait were associated with several genes related to calcium binding, muscle hypertrophy, skeletal muscle, lipase, and oxidative stress response pathways that seem to play a role important in the physiological processes related to meat quality. These findings bring new insights to better understand the biology mechanisms involved in the gene regulation of these traits, which will be valuable for a further investigation of the interactions between lncRNA and mRNAs, and of how these interactions may affect meat quality traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Malane Magalhães Muniz
- São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock Department of Animal Biosciences University of Guelph Guelph Canada
| | | | | | - Aroa Suarez Vega
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock Department of Animal Biosciences University of Guelph Guelph Canada
| | | | - Jesus Aparecido Ferro
- São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) Brazil
| | - Artur Loyola Chardulo
- São Paulo State University (Unesp) College of Veterinary and Animal Science Botucatu SP Brazil
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) Brazil
| | - Fernando Baldi
- São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) Brazil
| | - Angela Cánovas
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock Department of Animal Biosciences University of Guelph Guelph Canada
| | - Lucia Galvão de Albuquerque
- São Paulo State University (Unesp) School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences Jaboticabal SP Brazil
- National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) Brazil
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15
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Butler ML, Hartman AR, Bormann JM, Weaber RL, Grieger DM, Rolf MM. Genome-wide association study of beef bull semen attributes. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:74. [PMID: 35065600 PMCID: PMC8784002 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08256-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
Cattle production is dependent upon fertility because it results in producing offspring to offset production costs. A number of semen attributes are believed to affect fertility and are frequently measured as part of routine breeding soundness exams or semen collection procedures. The objective of this study was to perform a single-step genome-wide association study (ssGWAS) for beef bull semen attributes. Beef bull fertility phenotypes including volume (VOL), concentration (CONC), number of spermatozoa (NSP), initial motility (IMot), post-thaw motility (PTMot), three-hour post-thaw motility (3HRPTMot), percentage of normal spermatozoa (%NORM), primary abnormalities (PRIM), and secondary abnormalities (SEC) were obtained from two artificial insemination (AI) centers. A total of 1819 Angus bulls with 50,624 collection records were used for ssGWAS. A five-generation pedigree was obtained from the American Angus Association and consisted of 6521 sires and 17,136 dams. Genotypes on 1163 bulls were also obtained from the American Angus Association and utilized in ssGWAS.
Results
A multi-trait animal model was used for the estimation of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) effects. Significant SNP were those with a -log10P-value threshold greater than 4.0. Volume, CONC, NSP, IMot, PTMot, 3HRPTMot, %NORM, PRIM, and SEC have five, three, six, seven, two, six, six, and two genome-wide significant SNP, respectively.
Conclusions
Several significant SNP were determined to be near or within quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with beef bull semen attributes. In addition, genes associated with fertility were found to contain or be near the significant SNP found in the study. The results indicate there are regions of the genome that impact fertility, proving inclusion of genomic information into genetic evaluation should be advantageous for genetic improvement of male fertility traits.
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16
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Sustainable Intensification of Beef Production in the Tropics: The Role of Genetically Improving Sexual Precocity of Heifers. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12020174. [PMID: 35049797 PMCID: PMC8772995 DOI: 10.3390/ani12020174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Tropical pasture-based beef production systems play a vital role in global food security. The importance of promoting sustainable intensification of such systems has been debated worldwide. Demand for beef is growing together with concerns over the impact of its production on the environment. Implementing sustainable livestock intensification programs relies on animal genetic improvement. In tropical areas, the lack of sexual precocity is a bottleneck for cattle efficiency, directly impacting the sustainability of production systems. In the present review we present and discuss the state of the art of genetic evaluation for sexual precocity in Bos indicus beef cattle, covering the definition of measurable traits, genetic parameter estimates, genomic analyses, and a case study of selection for sexual precocity in Nellore breeding programs. Abstract Increasing productivity through continued animal genetic improvement is a crucial part of implementing sustainable livestock intensification programs. In Zebu cattle, the lack of sexual precocity is one of the main obstacles to improving beef production efficiency. Puberty-related traits are complex, but large-scale data sets from different “omics” have provided information on specific genes and biological processes with major effects on the expression of such traits, which can greatly increase animal genetic evaluation. In addition, genetic parameter estimates and genomic predictions involving sexual precocity indicator traits and productive, reproductive, and feed-efficiency related traits highlighted the feasibility and importance of direct selection for anticipating heifer reproductive life. Indeed, the case study of selection for sexual precocity in Nellore breeding programs presented here show that, in 12 years of selection for female early precocity and improved management practices, the phenotypic means of age at first calving showed a strong decreasing trend, changing from nearly 34 to less than 28 months, with a genetic trend of almost −2 days/year. In this period, the percentage of early pregnancy in the herds changed from around 10% to more than 60%, showing that the genetic improvement of heifer’s sexual precocity allows optimizing the productive cycle by reducing the number of unproductive animals in the herd. It has a direct impact on sustainability by better use of resources. Genomic selection breeding programs accounting for genotype by environment interaction represent promising tools for accelerating genetic progress for sexual precocity in tropical beef cattle.
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17
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Tahir MS, Porto-Neto LR, Gondro C, Shittu OB, Wockner K, Tan AWL, Smith HR, Gouveia GC, Kour J, Fortes MRS. Meta-Analysis of Heifer Traits Identified Reproductive Pathways in Bos indicus Cattle. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:768. [PMID: 34069992 PMCID: PMC8157873 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility traits measured early in life define the reproductive potential of heifers. Knowledge of genetics and biology can help devise genomic selection methods to improve heifer fertility. In this study, we used ~2400 Brahman cattle to perform GWAS and multi-trait meta-analysis to determine genomic regions associated with heifer fertility. Heifer traits measured were pregnancy at first mating opportunity (PREG1, a binary trait), first conception score (FCS, score 1 to 3) and rebreeding score (REB, score 1 to 3.5). The heritability estimates were 0.17 (0.03) for PREG1, 0.11 (0.05) for FCS and 0.28 (0.05) for REB. The three traits were highly genetically correlated (0.75-0.83) as expected. Meta-analysis was performed using SNP effects estimated for each of the three traits, adjusted for standard error. We identified 1359 significant SNPs (p-value < 9.9 × 10-6 at FDR < 0.0001) in the multi-trait meta-analysis. Genomic regions of 0.5 Mb around each significant SNP from the meta-analysis were annotated to create a list of 2560 positional candidate genes. The most significant SNP was in the vicinity of a genomic region on chromosome 8, encompassing the genes SLC44A1, FSD1L, FKTN, TAL2 and TMEM38B. The genomic region in humans that contains homologs of these genes is associated with age at puberty in girls. Top significant SNPs pointed to additional fertility-related genes, again within a 0.5 Mb region, including ESR2, ITPR1, GNG2, RGS9BP, ANKRD27, TDRD12, GRM1, MTHFD1, PTGDR and NTNG1. Functional pathway enrichment analysis resulted in many positional candidate genes relating to known fertility pathways, including GnRH signaling, estrogen signaling, progesterone mediated oocyte maturation, cAMP signaling, calcium signaling, glutamatergic signaling, focal adhesion, PI3K-AKT signaling and ovarian steroidogenesis pathway. The comparison of results from this study with previous transcriptomics and proteomics studies on puberty of the same cattle breed (Brahman) but in a different population identified 392 genes in common from which some genes-BRAF, GABRA2, GABR1B, GAD1, FSHR, CNGA3, PDE10A, SNAP25, ESR2, GRIA2, ORAI1, EGFR, CHRNA5, VDAC2, ACVR2B, ORAI3, CYP11A1, GRIN2A, ATP2B3, CAMK2A, PLA2G, CAMK2D and MAPK3-are also part of the above-mentioned pathways. The biological functions of the positional candidate genes and their annotation to known pathways allowed integrating the results into a bigger picture of molecular mechanisms related to puberty in the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovarian axis. A reasonable number of genes, common between previous puberty studies and this study on early reproductive traits, corroborates the proposed molecular mechanisms. This study identified the polymorphism associated with early reproductive traits, and candidate genes that provided a visualization of the proposed mechanisms, coordinating the hypothalamic, pituitary, and ovarian functions for reproductive performance in Brahman cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad S. Tahir
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Australia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.T.); (O.B.S.); (K.W.); (A.W.L.T.); (H.R.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Laercio R. Porto-Neto
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Cedric Gondro
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;
| | - Olasege B. Shittu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Australia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.T.); (O.B.S.); (K.W.); (A.W.L.T.); (H.R.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Kimberley Wockner
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Australia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.T.); (O.B.S.); (K.W.); (A.W.L.T.); (H.R.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Andre W. L. Tan
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Australia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.T.); (O.B.S.); (K.W.); (A.W.L.T.); (H.R.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Hugo R. Smith
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Australia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.T.); (O.B.S.); (K.W.); (A.W.L.T.); (H.R.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Gabriela C. Gouveia
- Animal Science Department, Veterinary School, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil;
| | - Jagish Kour
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Australia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.T.); (O.B.S.); (K.W.); (A.W.L.T.); (H.R.S.); (J.K.)
| | - Marina R. S. Fortes
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland Australia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia; (M.S.T.); (O.B.S.); (K.W.); (A.W.L.T.); (H.R.S.); (J.K.)
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18
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Senczuk G, Guerra L, Mastrangelo S, Campobasso C, Zoubeyda K, Imane M, Marletta D, Kusza S, Karsli T, Gaouar SBS, Pilla F, Ciani E. Fifteen Shades of Grey: Combined Analysis of Genome-Wide SNP Data in Steppe and Mediterranean Grey Cattle Sheds New Light on the Molecular Basis of Coat Color. Genes (Basel) 2020; 11:genes11080932. [PMID: 32823527 PMCID: PMC7464420 DOI: 10.3390/genes11080932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Coat color is among the most distinctive phenotypes in cattle. Worldwide, several breeds share peculiar coat color features such as the presence of a fawn pigmentation of the calf at birth, turning over time to grey, and sexual dichromatism. The aim of this study was to search for polymorphisms under differential selection by contrasting grey cattle breeds displaying the above phenotype with non-grey cattle breeds, and to identify the underlying genes. Using medium-density SNP array genotype data, a multi-cohort FST-outlier approach was adopted for a total of 60 pair-wise comparisons of the 15 grey with 4 non-grey cattle breeds (Angus, Limousin, Charolais, and Holstein), with the latter selected as representative of solid and piebald phenotypes, respectively. Overall, more than 50 candidate genes were detected; almost all were either directly or indirectly involved in pigmentation, and some of them were already known for their role in phenotypes related with hair graying in mammals. Notably, 17 relevant genes, including SDR16C5, MOS, SDCBP, and NSMAF, were located in a signal on BTA14 convergently observed in all the four considered scenarios. Overall, the key stages of pigmentation (melanocyte development, melanogenesis, and pigment trafficking/transfer) were all represented among the pleiotropic functions of the candidate genes, suggesting the complex nature of the grey phenotype in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Senczuk
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (G.S.); (F.P.)
| | - Lorenzo Guerra
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (L.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, 90128 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Claudia Campobasso
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (L.G.); (C.C.)
| | - Kaouadji Zoubeyda
- Department of Biology, University Abou Bekr Bélkaid, Tlemcen 13000, Algeria; (K.Z.); (M.I.); (S.B.S.G.)
| | - Meghelli Imane
- Department of Biology, University Abou Bekr Bélkaid, Tlemcen 13000, Algeria; (K.Z.); (M.I.); (S.B.S.G.)
| | - Donata Marletta
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, Università di Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy;
| | - Szilvia Kusza
- Animal Genetics Laboratory, University of Debrecen, 4032 Debrecen, Hungary;
| | - Taki Karsli
- Department of Animal Science, Akdeniz University, 07070 Antalya, Turkey;
| | | | - Fabio Pilla
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Ambiente e Alimenti, University of Molise, 86100 Campobasso, Italy; (G.S.); (F.P.)
| | - Elena Ciani
- Dipartimento di Bioscienze, Biotecnologie e Biofarmaceutica, University of Bari, 70125 Bari, Italy; (L.G.); (C.C.)
- Correspondence:
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19
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Genome-wide scan highlights the role of candidate genes on phenotypic plasticity for age at first calving in Nellore heifers. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6481. [PMID: 32296097 PMCID: PMC7160148 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63516-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2019] [Accepted: 04/01/2020] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Age at first calving (AFC) plays an important role in the economic efficiency of beef cattle production. This trait can be affected by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, leading to physiological changes in response to heifers’ adaptation to a wide range of environments. Genome-wide association studies through the reaction norm model were carried out to identify genomic regions associated with AFC in Nellore heifers, raised under different environmental conditions (EC). The SNP effects for AFC were estimated in three EC levels (Low, Medium, and High, corresponding to average contemporary group effects on yearling body weight equal to 159.40, 228.6 and 297.6 kg, respectively), which unraveled shared and unique genomic regions for AFC in Low, Medium, and High EC levels, that varied according to the genetic correlation between AFC in different EC levels. The significant genomic regions harbored key genes that might play an important biological role in controlling hormone signaling and metabolism. Shared genomic regions among EC levels were identified on BTA 2 and 14, harboring candidate genes associated with energy metabolism (IGFBP2, IGFBP5, SHOX, SMARCAL1, LYN, RPS20, MOS, PLAG1, CHCD7, and SDR16C6). Gene set enrichment analyses identified important biological functions related to growth, hormone levels affecting female fertility, physiological processes involved in female pregnancy, gamete generation, ovulation cycle, and age at puberty. The genomic regions highlighted differences in the physiological processes linked to AFC in different EC levels and metabolic processes that support complex interactions between the gonadotropic axes and sexual precocity in Nellore heifers.
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Asadollahpour Nanaei H, Ayatollahi Mehrgardi A, Esmailizadeh A. Whole-genome sequence analysis reveals candidate genomic footprints and genes associated with reproductive traits in Thoroughbred horse. Reprod Domest Anim 2020; 55:200-208. [PMID: 31858623 DOI: 10.1111/rda.13608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The primary objective of most horse breeding operations was to maximize reproductive efficiency and minimize the cost of producing live foals. Here, we compared individual horses from the Thoroughbred population (n = 17), known as a horse breed with poor reproductive performance, with other six horse populations (n = 28), to detect genomic signatures of positive selection underlying of reproductive traits. A number of protein-coding genes with significant (p-value <.01) higher FST values (616 genes) and a lower value for nucleotide diversity (π) (310 genes) were identified. The results of our study revealed some candidate genes such as IGFBP2, IGFBP5, GDF9, BRINP3 and GRID1 are possibly associated with functions influencing reproductive traits. These genes may have been under selection due to their essential roles in reproduction performance in horses. The candidate selected genes identified in this work should be of great interest for future research into genetic architecture of traits relevant to horse breeding programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ali Esmailizadeh
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
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21
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Melo TP, Fortes MRS, Fernandes Junior GA, Albuquerque LG, Carvalheiro R. RAPID COMMUNICATION: Multi-breed validation study unraveled genomic regions associated with puberty traits segregating across tropically adapted breeds1. J Anim Sci 2019; 97:3027-3033. [PMID: 30997484 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skz121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
An efficient strategy to improve QTL detection power is performing across-breed validation studies. Variants segregating across breeds are expected to be in high linkage disequilibrium (LD) with causal mutations affecting economically important traits. The aim of this study was to validate, in a Tropical Composite cattle (TC) population, QTL associations identified for sexual precocity traits in a Nellore and Brahman meta-analysis genome-wide association study. In total, 2,816 TC, 8,001 Nellore, and 2,210 Brahman animals were available for the analysis. For that, genomic regions significantly associated with puberty traits in the meta-analysis study were validated for the following sexual precocity traits in TC: age at first corpus luteum (AGECL), first postpartum anestrus interval (PPAI), and scrotal circumference at 18 months of age (SC). We considered validated QTL those underpinned by significant markers from the Nellore and Brahman meta-analysis (P ≤ 10-4) that were also significant for a TC trait, i.e., presenting a P-value of ≤10-3 for AGECL, PPAI, or SC. We also considered as validated QTL those regions where significant markers in the reference population were at ±250 kb from significant markers in the validation population. Using this criteria, 49 SNP were validated for AGECL, 4 for PPAI, and 14 for SC, from which 5 were in common with AGECL, totaling 62 validated SNP for these traits and 30 candidate genes surrounding them. Considering just candidate genes closest to the top SNP of each chromosome, for AGECL 8 candidate genes were identified: COL8A1, PENK, ENSBTAG00000047425, BPNT1, ADAMTS17, CCHCR1, SUFU, and ENSBTAG00000046374. For PPAI, 3 genes emerged as candidates (PCBP3, KCNK10, and MRPS5), and for SC 8 candidate genes were identified (SNORA70, TRAC, ASS1, BPNT1, LRRK1, PKHD1, PTPRM, and ENSBTAG00000045690). Several candidate regions presented here were previously associated with puberty traits in cattle. The majority of emerging candidate genes are related to biological processes involved in reproductive events, such as maintenance of gestation, and some are known to be expressed in reproductive tissues. Our results suggested that some QTL controlling early puberty seem to be segregating across cattle breeds adapted to tropical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaise P Melo
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, FCAV/UNESP - Sao Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marina R S Fortes
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia.,The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gerardo A Fernandes Junior
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, FCAV/UNESP - Sao Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucia G Albuquerque
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, FCAV/UNESP - Sao Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
| | - Roberto Carvalheiro
- Department of Animal Science, School of Agricultural and Veterinarian Sciences, FCAV/UNESP - Sao Paulo State University, Jaboticabal, Sao Paulo, Brazil.,National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq), Brasília, Distrito Federal, Brazil
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