Use of gene expression microarrays for evaluating environmental stress tolerance at the cellular level in cattle

Selecting domestic animals for tolerance to thermal stress (TS) has been counterproductive, because acclimation involves reducing or diverting metabolizable energy from production to balance heat gain and loss. Ideally, simultaneous selection for increased production and improved thermotolerance is desirable, but to accomplish this at the genomic level the genes associated with acclimation, adaptation, and thermo-tolerance need to be identified. We evaluated the effects of TS on mammary development and gene expression in vitro using a bovine mammary epithelial cell collagen gel culture system. Acute TS was characterized by inhibition and regression of the ductal branches. Gene expression profiling revealed an overall upregulation of genes associated with the stress response and protein repair. In contrast, genes associated with cellular and mammary epithelial cell-specific biosynthesis, metabolism, and morphogenesis were generally downregulated by TS. Future studies will examine the impact of acclimation and adaptation on gene expression to identify those genes associated with acquisition of thermal tolerance.