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Post-weaning blood transcriptomic differences between Yorkshire pigs divergently selected for residual feed intake.
Haibo Liu1, Yet T Nguyen2,3, Dan Nettleton4
1Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, 2258 Kildee Hall, Ames, IA, 50011, USA. haibol@iastate.edu.
BMC Genomics
|January 24, 2016
Summary
Researchers identified significant differences in gene expression in young pigs with varying feed efficiency (residual feed intake - RFI). This study provides insights into the molecular basis of RFI and potential biomarkers for early detection in pigs.
Area of Science:
- Animal Genetics
- Molecular Biology
- Genomics
Background:
- Improving pig feed efficiency (FE) is crucial for economic and environmental sustainability.
- Residual feed intake (RFI) is a key measure of FE, but its molecular mechanisms are poorly understood.
- Early predictive biomarkers for RFI are needed due to the cost and time of individual feed intake recording.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate global gene expression differences in peripheral blood of young pigs with extreme RFI values.
- To explore the molecular basis of RFI and identify potential predictive biomarkers.
- To compare gene expression profiles between pigs with low (efficient) and high (inefficient) RFI.
Main Methods:
- RNA sequencing was used to analyze gene expression in peripheral blood of pigs.
- Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and validated using RT-qPCR.
- Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to identify gene modules related to RFI.
Main Results:
- 1972 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between low and high RFI groups.
- Genes related to small molecule biosynthesis, antigen processing, and steroid biosynthesis were upregulated in low RFI pigs.
- Genes involved in signal transduction and bone mineralization were downregulated in low RFI pigs.
- DEGs showed overlap with genes associated with diseases like hyperphagia and mitochondrial disorders.
- WGCNA identified modules related to lipid metabolism, immunity, and response to stimuli, with some associated with RFI phenotype.
Conclusions:
- Significant differences in the post-weaning blood transcriptome exist between low and high RFI pigs.
- Identified DEGs suggest differences in mitochondrial activity, proteasomal function, and metabolic pathways.
- The study provides a preliminary list of DEGs and gene modules for developing predictive biomarkers for RFI in pigs.
- The relationship between early blood gene expression and later RFI phenotype was not strong but showed promise.
