Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 11, 2026
10:36
Measurements of Physiological Stress Responses in C. Elegans
Published on: May 21, 2020
15.1K
Liver transcriptome response to hyperthermic stress in three distinct chicken lines
Xi Lan1,2, John C F Hsieh2, Carl J Schmidt3
1Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu Campus, Sichuan Province, China.
BMC Genomics
|November 24, 2016
Summary
Poultry heat stress impacts broiler chickens more than heat-resistant breeds. Gene expression analysis identified ANGPTL4 as a key gene for improving chicken heat tolerance.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Animal Science
- Environmental Physiology
Background:
- High ambient temperatures induce physiological stress in poultry, particularly in broiler chickens selected for rapid growth.
- The liver, a metabolically active tissue, is crucial for understanding poultry responses to environmental stressors like heat.
- RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) offers a powerful tool to analyze gene expression changes in response to heat stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of acute and chronic heat stress on the liver transcriptome of different chicken genetic lines.
- To compare the transcriptomic responses to heat stress between heat-susceptible broilers, heat-resistant Fayoumi chickens, and their advanced intercross line (AIL).
- To identify candidate genes associated with heat tolerance in chickens.
Main Methods:
- Transcriptome sequencing of liver tissue from 48 male chickens using Illumina HiSeq 2500.
- Exposure to acute (3 hours at 35°C) and chronic (7 days with 7 hours/day at 35°C) heat stress conditions.
- Differential gene expression analysis (FDR < 0.05) and principal component analysis (PCA) of gene expression data.
Main Results:
- Broiler chickens exhibited significantly more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under acute heat stress compared to Fayoumi chickens (627 vs. 78).
- The advanced intercross line (AIL) showed a transcriptomic response to acute heat stress more similar to the heat-resistant Fayoumi line.
- Acute heat stress had a more pronounced impact on the broiler liver transcriptome than chronic heat stress, with ANGPTL4 identified as a consistently differentially expressed gene.
Conclusions:
- This study enhances understanding of liver transcriptome responses to heat stress across diverse chicken genetic backgrounds.
- The findings provide crucial data for breeding programs aimed at improving heat resilience in poultry.
- The angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) gene is a strong candidate for genetic selection to improve heat tolerance in chickens.
Related Concept Videos
02:45Responses to Heat and Cold Stress
15.5K
Every organism has an optimum temperature range within which healthy growth and physiological functioning can occur. At the ends of this range, there will be a minimum and maximum temperature that interrupt biological processes.
15.5K
01:58Cell Specific Gene Expression
16.8K
Multicellular organisms contain a variety of structurally and functionally distinct cell types, but the DNA in all the cells originated from the same parent cells. The differences in the cells can be attributed to the differential gene expression. Liver cells, whose functions include detoxification of blood, production of bile to metabolize fats, and synthesis of proteins essential for metabolism, must express a specific set of genes to perform their functions. Gene expression also varies with...
16.8K
01:31Regulation of the Unfolded Protein Response
3.1K
Inositol-requiring kinase one or IRE1 is the most conserved eukaryotic unfolded protein response (UPR) receptor. It is a type I transmembrane protein kinase receptor with a distinctive site-specific RNase activity. As the binding mechanics of the misfolded proteins with the N-terminal domain of IRE-1 are unclear, three binding models — direct, indirect, and allosteric -- are proposed for receptor activation. Nevertheless, it is known that once a misfolded protein associates with IRE1, it...
3.1K
01:23Stringent Response in E. coli
434
Bacterial growth is closely tied to nutrient availability, with cells proliferating exponentially under favorable conditions and entering a stationary phase when resources become scarce. This transition is mediated by a regulatory mechanism known as the stringent response, which allows bacteria to adapt to nutrient deprivation by modulating gene expression and metabolic activity.During nutrient scarcity, intracellular amino acid levels decline. It results in the accumulation of uncharged tRNAs...
434
01:30Other Stress Responses in Bacteria
490
Bacteria have global regulatory systems that control several types of stress mechanisms. These include Pho regulon and the heat shock response, which are essential systems for environmental adaptation, such as nutrient limitation and proteotoxic stress. The Pho regulon and the heat shock response exemplify bacterial resilience, enabling rapid adaptation to fluctuating environmental conditions.Pho RegulonBacteria require phosphorus for essential cellular processes, including nucleic acid...
490
02:02Responses to Salt Stress
14.8K
Salt stress—which can be triggered by high salt concentrations in a plant’s environment—can significantly affect plant growth and crop production by influencing photosynthesis and the absorption of water and nutrients.
14.8K