Project description:The identification of significantly differently expressed miRNAs expanded the repertoire of sheep miRNAs and could contribute to further studies on the molecular mechanism of estrous sheep in the non-breeding season under the different levels of nutrition.
Project description:The sheep (Ovis aries) plays a major socio-economic role in the world. Copy number variations (CNVs) are increasingly recognized as a key and potent source of genetic variation and phenotypic diversity, but little is known about the extent to which CNVs contribute to genetic variation in Chinese sheep breeds. Analyses of CNVs in the genomes of eight sheep breeds were performed using the sheep SNP50 BeadChip genotyping array. A total of 111 CNV regions (CNVRs) were obtained from 160 Chinese sheep breeds. These CNVRs covered 13.75 Mb of the sheep genome sequence. A total of 22 Go terms and 17 candidate genes were obtained from the functional analysis. Ten CNVRs were selected for validation, of which 7 CNVRs were further experimentally confirmed by quantitative PCR. Four candidate genes were selected to confirm the results of the functional analysis. These results provide a resource for furthering understanding of ruminant biology, and for further improving the genetic quality of sheep breeds.
Project description:Our objective was to investigate differences in gene expression between 24 parasite-resistant hair and 24 susceptible wool lambs to determine genetic mechanisms involved in resistance to H. contortus. Half of the animals of each breed were infected and sacrificed at 3 or 27 days post-infection; the remaining animals were uninfected controls. Breed differences in abomasum and abomasal lymph node tissue gene expression were assessed using bovine cDNA microarrays. Over 60 transcripts differed between breeds for each tissue and infection status. Genes differentially expressed between hair and wool sheep 3 days PI were assessed for gene function and mechanisms for greater immune cell infiltration, abomasal tissue repair, Th17 response, and anticoagulation were present in parasite-resistant hair sheep. By 27 days PI, hair sheep had greater expression of genes involved in gut motility, inflammatory cytokines, and cell proliferation and differentiation compared to wool sheep. Changes in these processes indicate Caribbean hair sheep have a stronger inflammatory response when infected with H. contortus which may facilitate the increased parasite resistance observed in these sheep.
Project description:Campylobacter jejuni has become the predominant cause of sheep abortions in the U.S. However, little is know about the genetic diversity among the isolates collected from different time periods. In this study, the genetic diversity of sheep aborion isolates of C. jejuni was investigated by Array-based CGH
Project description:Campylobacter jejuni has become the predominant cause of sheep abortions in the U.S. However, little is know about the genetic diversity among the isolates collected from different time periods. In this study, the genetic diversity of sheep abortion isolates of C. jejuni was investigated by Array-based CGH
Project description:This experiment compared gene expression in the duodenum of [1] weaned genetically resistant sheep and weaned genetically susceptible sheep (84 days old) [2] genetically resistant sheep and genetically susceptible sheep that have been naturally challenged once with nematodes (175 days old) and [3] genetically resistant sheep and genetically susceptible sheep that have been naturally challenged twice with nematodes (276 days old). Keywords: resistant v susceptible
Project description:Tail fat in sheep (Ovis aries), has evolved mainly in response to cold weather for better energy storage. As things stand, too much tail fat in sheep can lead to a reduction in feed utilisation and is also unpopular with consumers due to the excessive fat content in the tail of sheep. Therefore, the need to find the mechanism of tail fat formation is obvious. In this study, we elected to utilise Kazakh sheep, prolific Suffolk sheep, and their hybrid F2 generation as research objects. Sheep transcriptome sequencing technology was employed to screen and explore target candidate genes related to sheep tail fat deposition. Comparison with RNA-seq data from fat-tailed and thin-tailed tissue, the LncRNA-mRNA-miRNA axis was identified as main functional pathway in the formation of fat in tail. Our results offer valuable insights into the fat deposition of sheep and provide a significant genomic resource for future genetic studies and the enhancement of genome-assisted breeding in sheep and other domestic animals.
Project description:Haemonchus contortus is the gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) species that most parasites sheep and goats in tropical and subtropical regions. Due to the high prevalence and pathogenicity by hematophagy, it causes severe anemia, submandibular edema and deaths. Post-genomics tools, such as proteomics, allow the identification of differentially expressed genes and differentially abundant proteins and metabolites between two conditions of a given factor. Thus, the detection of protein profiles that occur in more parasitized animals may be of great interest for the identification of sheep that effectively need anthelmintic treatment. As a result, the parasites are preserved in refugia through Targeted Selective Treatment (TST) strategies for the animals, extension of the period of efficacy of the anthelmintics and, when its use is necessary, parasite control will be more efficient. This project aims to characterize the plasma proteomic profile of sheep breeds susceptible and resistant to GIN infection, aiming at the future development of a diagnostic tool and the understanding of the resistance mechanisms involved in the Santa Inês, White Dorper and Texel sheep breeds. In this way, the development of methodologies, processes and products for the identification of sheep with higher rates of infection by GIN, in addition to the detection of breeds/individuals more resistant to these parasites and the understanding of the resistance mechanisms involved in the different hosts, is presented as a topic of great relevance for sheep farming, which can be extended to goat farming. It also addresses public health issues and the consumer population, which is increasingly demanding in terms of quality, certification and safety.
Project description:11,431 and 4,992 genes were determined in whole blood of healthy human volunteers and normal sheep, respectively following MPLA and LPS exposure Following the exposure 1,029 human and 175 sheep genes were differentially expressed. Of those 175 sheep genes, 54 had a known human ortolog. The major inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1-6-8, TNFa, NFkB, ETS2, PTGS2, PTX3, CXCL18, KYNU, and CLEC4E were similarly (>2-fold) upregulated in both human and sheep blood. Six healthy human volunteers and six normal sheep blood was incubated with LPS or MPLA for 90 minutes, then the blood was transferred to the Paxgene blood RNA tubes and the gene expression microarrays were scanned with G2556 Microaaray Scanner
Project description:11,431 and 4,992 genes were determined in whole blood of healthy human volunteers and normal sheep, respectively following MPLA and LPS exposure Following the exposure 1,029 human and 175 sheep genes were differentially expressed. Of those 175 sheep genes, 54 had a known human ortolog. The major inflammatory mediators, such as IL-1-6-8, TNFa, NFkB, ETS2, PTGS2, PTX3, CXCL18, KYNU, and CLEC4E were similarly (>2-fold) upregulated in both human and sheep blood.