Metabolic signature of cervical mucus in ewe breeds with divergent cervical sperm transport: a focus on metabolites involved in amino acid metabolism.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Cervical artificial insemination (AI) with frozen-thawed semen in sheep has yielded unacceptably low pregnancy rates. The exception is in Norway where vaginal AI yields non-return rates in excess of 60%, which has been attributed to the ewe breed used.

Objectives and methods

This study aimed to characterise, for the first time, the ovine follicular phase cervical mucus metabolome, with a focus on the amino acid profile. Cervical mucus was collected from four European ewe breeds with known differences in pregnancy rates following cervical AI with frozen-thawed semen. These were Suffolk (low fertility), Belclare (medium fertility), Norwegian White Sheep (NWS) and Fur (both high fertility).

Results

A total of 689 metabolites were identified in the cervical m

SUBMITTER: Abril-Parreno L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10281906 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature