Project description:In this new study, we analyzed the blood transcriptome of horses housed individually that were first examined for their behavior, health and microbiota. We performed differential and regression analyzes of gene expression to unveil the molecular pathways related to the behavioural changes associated with housing horses in individual boxes. This study shows that aggressiveness towards humans and stereotypies are behavioural indicators that covary with physiological alterations.
Project description:Over the past two decades, improving horse welfare through better housing conditions has emerged as a major concern. Different studies suggest that group living on pasture supports a higher welfare state compared with individual stabling. However, it remains unclear whether short-term access to pasture confers similar benefits for horses that are normally housed alone. To address this question, we monitored a population of horses accustomed to year-round individual stabling before and after a 1.5-month period on pasture, and compared them with a control group of individually housed horses that remained in their boxes. Blood transcriptome analyses were conducted to complete the behavioural assessments. Our results showed that acces to pasture didn’t have the same effet on the different behavioural indicators and that aggressiveness toward humans was the behavioural trait most strongly correlated with alterations in blood gene expression. The associated molecular pathways were predominantly linked to systemic inflammatory processes.
Project description:Social experience influences multiple behaviors of many animal species, including aggression. Social isolation often increases aggressiveness. To investigater the molecular basis of social influences on aggressiveness, we performed comparative gene expression profiling on heads from 6-day-old, single-housed, more aggressive and group-housed, less aggressive male flies. Keywords: social experience
Project description:The purpose of this experiment was to further our understanding of gene expression in the central nervous system (thalamus and cerebrum) after exposure to West Nile virus. To that end, three different analyses were performed. The first examined differences in gene expression between horses not vaccinated and exposed to WNV and normal control horses (exposure). The second examined differences in gene expression between horses not vaccinated and exposed to WNV and horses vaccinated and exposed to WNV (survival). And the third examined differences between the nonvaccinated cerebrum and nonvaccinated thalamus of horses exposed to WNV (location). Six conditions- Gene expression in the thalamus and cerebrum of three different groups of horses (Non-vaccinated horses exposed to West Nile virus, Vaccinated horses exposed to West Nile virus, normal horses not exposed to West Nile virus). Biological replicates- 6 normal cerebrums, 6 normal thalamus, 6 vaccinated and exposed cerebrums, 6 vaccinated and exposed thalamus, 6 non-vaccinated and exposed cerebrum, 6 non-vaccinated and exposed thalamus.
Project description:The purpose of this experiment was to further our understanding of gene expression in the central nervous system (thalamus and cerebrum) after exposure to West Nile virus. To that end, three different analyses were performed. The first examined differences in gene expression between horses not vaccinated and exposed to WNV and normal control horses (exposure). The second examined differences in gene expression between horses not vaccinated and exposed to WNV and horses vaccinated and exposed to WNV (survival). And the third examined differences between the nonvaccinated cerebrum and nonvaccinated thalamus of horses exposed to WNV (location).