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Determining the Role of Maternally-Expressed Genes in Early Development with Maternal Crispants

Determining the Role of Maternally-Expressed Genes in Early Development with Maternal Crispants

Published on: December 21, 2021

Cattle phenotypes can disguise their maternal ancestry

Kanokwan Srirattana^1,2, Kieren McCosker³, Tim Schatz³

¹Centre for Genetic Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia.

|June 28, 2017

Summary

Cattle breeding programs should consider mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) profiles, as they do not always align with breed phenotype and impact reproductive traits like oocyte quality. This study analyzed Australian cattle mtDNA to assess environmental adaptation and breeding suitability.

Area of Science:

Animal Genetics
Reproductive Biology
Livestock Breeding

Background:

Cattle are selectively bred for traits like parasite resistance and climate adaptation.
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) influence and inheritance are often overlooked in cattle breeding programs.
Analysis of mtDNA profiles in Australian cattle from temperate and tropical regions was conducted.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine if cattle mtDNA profiles correlate with breed and phenotype.
To assess the suitability of cattle mtDNA profiles for their respective environments.
To investigate the impact of mtDNA on reproductive capacity and oocyte quality.

Main Methods:

Phylogenetic analysis of full mtDNA sequences from the NCBI database.
D-loop sequencing to contrast phenotypes and mtDNA profiles in Australian cattle.
Comparison of mtDNA copy number and developmental potential in oocytes and blastocysts.

Main Results:

Cattle mtDNA profiles do not consistently reflect their phenotype (e.g., Bos taurus phenotype with Bos indicus mtDNA).
Significant proportions of cattle in both tropical (NT) and temperate (VIC) Australia showed mismatched mtDNA profiles.
Oocytes with Bos indicus mtDNA had lower copy numbers, impacting developmental potential, though blastocyst development was unaffected.

Conclusions:

Cattle phenotype is not always directly related to their mtDNA profile.
Mitochondrial DNA profiles are crucial for breeding programs due to their influence on phenotypic traits.
Considering mtDNA is essential for optimizing reproductive capacity and oocyte quality in cattle.

Keywords:

Animal breeding Cattle Embryo development Mitochondrial DNA Phylogenetics

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