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Ashokan M, Jayanthi KV, Elango K, Sneha K, Ramesha KP, Reshma RS, Saravanan KA, Naveen KGS. Biological methylation: redefining the link between genotype and phenotype. Anim Biotechnol 2023; 34:3174-3186. [PMID: 35468300 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2022.2065999] [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] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
The central dogma of molecular biology is responsible for the crucial flow of genetic information from DNA to protein through the transcription and translation process. Although the sequence of DNA is constant in all organs, the difference in protein and variation in the phenotype is mainly due to the quality and quantity of tissue-specific gene expression and methylation pattern. The term methylation has been defined and redefined by various scientists in the last fifty years. There is always huge excitement around this field because the inheritance of something is beyond its DNA sequence. Advanced gene methylation studies have redefined molecular genetics and these tools are considered de novo in alleviating challenges of animal disease and production. Recent emerging evidence has shown that the impact of DNA, RNA, and protein methylation is crucial for embryonic development, cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and phenotype production. Currently, many researchers are focusing their work on methylation to understand its significant role in expression, disease-resistant traits, productivity, and longevity. The main aim of the present review is to provide an overview of DNA, RNA, and protein methylation, current research output from different sources, methodologies, factors responsible for methylation of genes, and future prospects in animal genetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ashokan
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, Veterinary College, Hassan, KVAFSU, Karnataka, India
| | - K V Jayanthi
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, Veterinary College, Hassan, KVAFSU, Karnataka, India
| | - K Elango
- Southern Regional Station, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Kadimetla Sneha
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, Veterinary College, Hassan, KVAFSU, Karnataka, India
| | - K P Ramesha
- Southern Regional Station, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Raj S Reshma
- Southern Regional Station, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - K A Saravanan
- Division of Animal Genetics, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Bareilly, India
| | - Kumar G S Naveen
- Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, Veterinary College, Hassan, KVAFSU, Karnataka, India
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2
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Foury A, Mach N, Ruet A, Lansade L, Moisan MP. Transcriptomic signature related to poor welfare of sport horses. COMPREHENSIVE PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY 2023; 16:100201. [PMID: 37655309 PMCID: PMC10465861 DOI: 10.1016/j.cpnec.2023.100201] [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: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The improvement of horse welfare through housing conditions has become a real issue in recent years and have highlighted the detrimental effect of individual housing of horses on their health and behaviour. In this new study, we analysed the blood transcriptome of 45 sport horses housed individually that were previously examined for their behaviour and gut microbiota. We performed differential and regression analyses of gene expression, followed by downstream bioinformatic analyses, to unveil the molecular pathways related to the behavioural changes associated with welfare impairment in these sport horses. We found that aggressiveness towards humans was the behavioural indicator the most correlated to blood gene expression and that the pathways involved belonged mainly to systemic inflammation. In contrast, the correlations between genes, alert postures and unresponsiveness towards the environment were weak. When blood gene expression profiling was combined with faecal microbiota of a sub-population of horses, stereotypies came out as the most correlated to blood gene expression. This study shows that aggressiveness towards humans and stereotypies are behavioural indicators that covary with physiological alterations. Further studies are needed regarding the biological correlates of unresponsiveness to the environment and alert postures.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. Foury
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, INP, UMR 1286 Nutrineuro, Team Nutripsy, 33076, Bordeaux, France
| | - N. Mach
- IHAP, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, Toulouse, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - A. Ruet
- INRAE, UMR 85 PRC, CNRS, UMR 7247, IFCE, University of Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - L. Lansade
- INRAE, UMR 85 PRC, CNRS, UMR 7247, IFCE, University of Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - M.-P. Moisan
- Univ. Bordeaux, INRAE, INP, UMR 1286 Nutrineuro, Team Nutripsy, 33076, Bordeaux, France
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3
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Zannas AS, Linnstaedt SD, An X, Stevens JS, Harnett NG, Roeckner AR, Oliver KI, Rubinow DR, Binder EB, Koenen KC, Ressler KJ, McLean SA. Epigenetic aging and PTSD outcomes in the immediate aftermath of trauma. Psychol Med 2023; 53:7170-7179. [PMID: 36951141 DOI: 10.1017/s0033291723000636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Psychological trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been associated with advanced epigenetic age. However, whether epigenetic aging measured at the time of trauma predicts the subsequent development of PTSD outcomes is unknown. Moreover, the neural substrates underlying posttraumatic outcomes associated with epigenetic aging are unclear. METHODS We examined a multi-ancestry cohort of women and men (n = 289) who presented to the emergency department (ED) after trauma. Blood DNA was collected at ED presentation, and EPIC DNA methylation arrays were used to assess four widely used metrics of epigenetic aging (HorvathAge, HannumAge, PhenoAge, and GrimAge). PTSD symptoms were evaluated longitudinally at the time of ED presentation and over the ensuing 6 months. Structural and functional neuroimaging was performed 2 weeks after trauma. RESULTS After covariate adjustment and correction for multiple comparisons, advanced ED GrimAge predicted increased risk for 6-month probable PTSD diagnosis. Secondary analyses suggested that the prediction of PTSD by GrimAge was driven by worse trajectories for intrusive memories and nightmares. Advanced ED GrimAge was also associated with reduced volume of the whole amygdala and specific amygdala subregions, including the cortico-amygdaloid transition and the cortical and accessory basal nuclei. CONCLUSIONS Our findings shed new light on the relation between biological aging and trauma-related phenotypes, suggesting that GrimAge measured at the time of trauma predicts PTSD trajectories and is associated with relevant brain alterations. Furthering these findings has the potential to enhance early prevention and treatment of posttraumatic psychiatric sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony S Zannas
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Carolina Stress Initiative, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sarah D Linnstaedt
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Xinming An
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer S Stevens
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Nathaniel G Harnett
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alyssa R Roeckner
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Katelyn I Oliver
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - David R Rubinow
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Karestan C Koenen
- Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kerry J Ressler
- Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Samuel A McLean
- Department of Psychiatry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Institute for Trauma Recovery, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
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4
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Erasmus LM, van Marle-Köster E, Masenge A, Ganswindt A. Exploring the effect of auditory stimuli on activity levels, milk yield and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in Holstein cows. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2023; 82:106767. [PMID: 36244193 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2022.106767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Health and welfare are inextricably linked within efficient and sustainable dairy production, and several potential risk factors may affect the well-being of dairy cows, including chronic stress. Although auditory stimuli could be used as a tool to decrease the potential stress that cows might experience, it is seldom applied to livestock production systems due to the perception that enrichment is an unnecessary expense. This study aimed to explore the effect of auditory stimuli as a form of enrichment in a Holstein herd by monitoring fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations (a non-invasive, stress-associated biomarker). Cow activity level and milk yield were also measured. Nine cows in their second and third lactation were divided into 3 groups, using a Latin Square experimental design, exposing each cow group to each of the 3 treatments, namely constant exposure (CE), limited exposure (LE), and no exposure (NE) to classical music. FGCMs were quantified using a group-specific enzyme immunoassay detecting 11,17-dioxoandrostanes. Compared to LE and NE animals, cows exposed to constant music had significantly lower fGCM concentrations (P = 0.012), as well as higher milk yields (P < 0.0001) and lowered activity levels during the morning (P = 0.005) and the evening activity period (P = 0.048). These findings indicate that auditory stimuli in the form of classical music may have a positive effect on the welfare of cows as well as milk yield, which hold economic benefits for the producer and potentially reduces the number of cows needed for profitable production.
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Affiliation(s)
- L-M Erasmus
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa.
| | - E van Marle-Köster
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - A Masenge
- Department of Statistics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
| | - A Ganswindt
- Mammal Research Institute (MRI), Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa
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Liu X, Tang Y, Wu J, Liu JX, Sun HZ. Feedomics provides bidirectional omics strategies between genetics and nutrition for improved production in cattle. ANIMAL NUTRITION (ZHONGGUO XU MU SHOU YI XUE HUI) 2022; 9:314-319. [PMID: 35600547 PMCID: PMC9097626 DOI: 10.1016/j.aninu.2022.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Increasing the efficiency and sustainability of cattle production is an effective way to produce valuable animal proteins for a growing human population. Genetics and nutrition are the 2 major research topics in selecting cattle with beneficial phenotypes and developing genetic potentials for improved performance. There is an inextricable link between genetics and nutrition, which urgently requires researchers to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms to optimize cattle production. Feedomics integrates a range of omic techniques to reveal the mechanisms at different molecular levels related to animal production and health, which can provide novel insights into the relationships of genes and nutrition/nutrients. In this review, we summarized the applications of feedomics techniques to reveal the effect of genetic elements on the response to nutrition and investigate how nutrients affect the functional genome of cattle from the perspective of both nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics. We highlighted the roles of rumen microbiome in the interactions between host genes and nutrition. Herein, we discuss the importance of feedomics in cattle nutrition research, with a view to ensure that cattle exhibit the best production traits for human consumption from both genetic and nutritional aspects.
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6
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Alvarenga AB, Oliveira HR, Miller SP, Silva FF, Brito LF. Genetic Modeling and Genomic Analyses of Yearling Temperament in American Angus Cattle and Its Relationship With Productive Efficiency and Resilience Traits. Front Genet 2022; 13:794625. [PMID: 35444687 PMCID: PMC9014094 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.794625] [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: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle temperament has been considered by farmers as a key breeding goal due to its relevance for cattlemen's safety, animal welfare, resilience, and longevity and its association with many economically important traits (e.g., production and meat quality). The definition of proper statistical models, accurate variance component estimates, and knowledge on the genetic background of the indicator trait evaluated are of great importance for accurately predicting the genetic merit of breeding animals. Therefore, 266,029 American Angus cattle with yearling temperament records (1-6 score) were used to evaluate statistical models and estimate variance components; investigate the association of sex and farm management with temperament; assess the weighted correlation of estimated breeding values for temperament and productive, reproductive efficiency and resilience traits; and perform a weighted single-step genome-wide association analysis using 69,559 animals genotyped for 54,609 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Sex and extrinsic factors were significantly associated with temperament, including conception type, age of dam, birth season, and additional animal-human interactions. Similar results were observed among models including only the direct additive genetic effect and when adding other maternal effects. Estimated heritability of temperament was equal to 0.39 on the liability scale. Favorable genetic correlations were observed between temperament and other relevant traits, including growth, feed efficiency, meat quality, and reproductive traits. The highest approximated genetic correlations were observed between temperament and growth traits (weaning weight, 0.28; yearling weight, 0.28). Altogether, we identified 11 genomic regions, located across nine chromosomes including BTAX, explaining 3.33% of the total additive genetic variance. The candidate genes identified were enriched in pathways related to vision, which could be associated with reception of stimulus and/or cognitive abilities. This study encompasses large and diverse phenotypic, genomic, and pedigree datasets of US Angus cattle. Yearling temperament is a highly heritable and polygenic trait that can be improved through genetic selection. Direct selection for temperament is not expected to result in unfavorable responses on other relevant traits due to the favorable or low genetic correlations observed. In summary, this study contributes to a better understanding of the impact of maternal effects, extrinsic factors, and various genomic regions associated with yearling temperament in North American Angus cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda B Alvarenga
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Hinayah R Oliveira
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen P Miller
- American Angus Association, Angus Genetics Inc., St Joseph, MO, United States
| | - Fabyano F Silva
- Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Vicosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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7
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Pacht E, Murdoch B, McKay S. Examining the extent of environmental contributions toward DNA methylation and phenotypic variation. Anim Front 2021; 11:83-89. [PMID: 34934533 PMCID: PMC8683128 DOI: 10.1093/af/vfab056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Emory Pacht
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
| | - Brenda Murdoch
- Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Stephanie McKay
- Department of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, USA
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8
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Zhang J, Han B, Zheng W, Lin S, Li H, Gao Y, Sun D. Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Profile in Jejunum Reveals the Potential Genes Associated With Paratuberculosis in Dairy Cattle. Front Genet 2021; 12:735147. [PMID: 34721525 PMCID: PMC8554095 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.735147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Paratuberculosis in cattle causes substantial economic losses to the dairy industry. Exploring functional genes and corresponding regulatory pathways related to resistance or susceptibility to paratuberculosis is essential to the breeding of disease resistance in cattle. Co-analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation and transcriptome profiles is a critically important approach to understand potential regulatory mechanism underlying the development of diseases. In this study, we characterized the profiles of DNA methylation of jejunum from nine Holstein cows in clinical, subclinical, and healthy groups using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). The average methylation level in functional regions was 29.95% in the promoter, 29.65% in the 5’ untranslated region (UTR), 68.24% in exons, 71.55% in introns, and 72.81% in the 3’ UTR. A total of 3,911, 4,336, and 4,094 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were detected in clinical vs. subclinical, clinical vs. healthy, and subclinical vs. healthy comparative group, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) and analysis based on the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) showed that these DMGs were significantly enriched in specific biological processes related to immune response, such as Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, wnt, TNF, MAPK, ECM-receptor interaction, cellular senescence, calcium, and chemokine signaling pathways (q value <0.05). The integration of information about DMGs, differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and biological functions suggested nine genes CALCRL, TNC, GATA4, CD44, TGM3, CXCL9, CXCL10, PPARG, and NFATC1 as promising candidates related to resistance/susceptibility to Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP). This study reports on the high-resolution DNA methylation landscapes of the jejunum methylome across three conditions (clinical, subclinical, and healthy) in dairy cows. Our investigations integrated different sources of information about DMGs, DEGs, and pathways, enabling us to find nine functional genes that might have potential application in resisting paratuberculosis in dairy cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junnan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Han
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Weijie Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Lin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Houcheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yahui Gao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Dongxiao Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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9
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Del Corvo M, Lazzari B, Capra E, Zavarez L, Milanesi M, Utsunomiya YT, Utsunomiya ATH, Stella A, de Paula Nogueira G, Garcia JF, Ajmone-Marsan P. Methylome Patterns of Cattle Adaptation to Heat Stress. Front Genet 2021; 12:633132. [PMID: 34122501 PMCID: PMC8194315 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.633132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat stress has a detrimental impact on cattle health, welfare and productivity by affecting gene expression, metabolism and immune response, but little is known on the epigenetic mechanisms mediating the effect of temperature at the cellular and organism level. In this study, we investigated genome-wide DNA methylation in blood samples collected from 5 bulls of the heat stress resilient Nellore breed and 5 bulls of the Angus that are more heat stress susceptible, exposed to the sun and high temperature-high humidity during the summer season of the Brazilian South-East region. The methylomes were analyzed during and after the exposure by Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing, which provided genome-wide single-base resolution methylation profiles. Significant methylation changes between stressful and recovery periods were observed in 819 genes. Among these, 351 were only seen in Angus, 366 were specific to Nellore, and 102 showed significant changes in methylation patterns in both breeds. KEGG and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that responses were breed-specific. Interestingly, in Nellore significant genes and pathways were mainly involved in stress responses and cellular defense and were under methylated during heat stress, whereas in Angus the response was less focused. These preliminary results suggest that heat challenge induces changes in methylation patterns in specific loci, which should be further scrutinized to assess their role in heat tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Del Corvo
- Department of Animal Science Food and Nutrition - DIANA, Nutrigenomics and Proteomics Research Centre - PRONUTRIGEN, and Biodiversity and Ancient DNA Research Centre, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy.,Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Lazzari
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuele Capra
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Ludmilla Zavarez
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Marco Milanesi
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Yuri Tani Utsunomiya
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Adam Taiti Harth Utsunomiya
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Stella
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Guilherme de Paula Nogueira
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Josè Fernando Garcia
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Paolo Ajmone-Marsan
- Department of Animal Science Food and Nutrition - DIANA, Nutrigenomics and Proteomics Research Centre - PRONUTRIGEN, and Biodiversity and Ancient DNA Research Centre, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
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10
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Wang M, Ibeagha-Awemu EM. Impacts of Epigenetic Processes on the Health and Productivity of Livestock. Front Genet 2021; 11:613636. [PMID: 33708235 PMCID: PMC7942785 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.613636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The dynamic changes in the epigenome resulting from the intricate interactions of genetic and environmental factors play crucial roles in individual growth and development. Numerous studies in plants, rodents, and humans have provided evidence of the regulatory roles of epigenetic processes in health and disease. There is increasing pressure to increase livestock production in light of increasing food needs of an expanding human population and environment challenges, but there is limited related epigenetic data on livestock to complement genomic information and support advances in improvement breeding and health management. This review examines the recent discoveries on epigenetic processes due to DNA methylation, histone modification, and chromatin remodeling and their impacts on health and production traits in farm animals, including bovine, swine, sheep, goat, and poultry species. Most of the reports focused on epigenome profiling at the genome-wide or specific genic regions in response to developmental processes, environmental stressors, nutrition, and disease pathogens. The bulk of available data mainly characterized the epigenetic markers in tissues/organs or in relation to traits and detection of epigenetic regulatory mechanisms underlying livestock phenotype diversity. However, available data is inadequate to support gainful exploitation of epigenetic processes for improved animal health and productivity management. Increased research effort, which is vital to elucidate how epigenetic mechanisms affect the health and productivity of livestock, is currently limited due to several factors including lack of adequate analytical tools. In this review, we (1) summarize available evidence of the impacts of epigenetic processes on livestock production and health traits, (2) discuss the application of epigenetics data in livestock production, and (3) present gaps in livestock epigenetics research. Knowledge of the epigenetic factors influencing livestock health and productivity is vital for the management and improvement of livestock productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Wang
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Department of Animal Science, Laval University, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Eveline M. Ibeagha-Awemu
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Sherbrooke Research and Development Centre, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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