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Application of Long-term cultured Interferon-γ Enzyme-linked Immunospot Assay for Assessing Effector and Memory T Cell Responses in Cattle
Published on: July 11, 2015
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Profiling the immune epigenome across global cattle breeds
Jessica Powell1, Andrea Talenti2, Andressa Fisch3
1The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush Campus, Edinburgh, EH25 9RG, UK. jpowell2@ed.ac.uk.
Genome Biology
|May 22, 2023
Summary
Epigenetic differences between cattle breeds, specifically taurine and indicine, impact immune responses and adaptation. This study reveals extensive DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility variations, crucial for breeding climate-resilient cattle.
Area of Science:
- Animal Genetics
- Epigenetics
- Immunology
Background:
- Understanding cattle breed adaptation to local environments and pathogens is key for breeding climate and disease-resistant livestock.
- Genetic differences between cattle breeds are known, but epigenetic and chromatin variations are poorly understood.
- Investigating these variations is crucial for improving cattle resilience.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility dynamics in the bovine immune system.
- To analyze these epigenetic factors across three distinct cattle lineages.
- To characterize epigenetic divergence between taurine and indicine cattle breeds.
Main Methods:
- Generation and sequencing of over 150 libraries at base-pair resolution.
- Analysis of DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility across immune cell types.
- Utilizing digital cytometry for deconvolution of cellular mixtures.
Main Results:
- Extensive epigenetic divergence found between taurine and indicine cattle breeds, correlating with DNA sequence divergence.
- Developed unique cell type profiles for digital cytometry applications.
- Identified distinct CpG island sub-categories based on chromatin and methylation profiles, linked to transcriptional states.
Conclusions:
- Provides a comprehensive resource of DNA methylation, chromatin accessibility, and RNA expression profiles for diverse cattle populations.
- Highlights implications for understanding genetic editing impacts across different regulatory backgrounds.
- Informs the design of cattle epigenome-wide association studies, particularly in non-European breeds.
