Project description:10 + 10 Holstein x Charolais F2 cattle were assigned to 2 groups with high and low IMF content, respectively; Musculus longissimus dorsi mRNA expression was determined by microarray analysis
Project description:RNA-seq from backfat tissues were obatained from 22 steers, including Angus (AN; n=8), Charolais (CH; n=6), and Kinsella composite (KC; n=8). In each breed, cattle were classified two groups, i.e. high residual feed intake adjusted for off-test backfat thickness (RFIfat, RFIfat >= 0.5) and low RFIfat (RFIfat <= -0.5). For gene analysis, 46, 39 and 177 differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified in AN, CH and KC, respectively. Among them, 4, 17, 74 genes were up-regulated in high RFIfat as compared to low RFIfat in AN, CH and KC, respectively. All DE genes were used for functional and upstream analysis in Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Some DE genes were involved in reduction of carbohydrate metabolism in AN, and reduction of lipid metabolism in KC.
Project description:Tick infestations by Rhipicephalus microplus, the cattle tick, cause enormous losses to health and animal production. Ticks induce immune response in their hosts; therefore their immunobiological control is feasible. The available anti-tick vaccines display variable efficacy and short-lived, encouraging the search for new protective antigens. The identification of important genes in tick parasitism may indicate protective antigens useful to compose an anti-tick vaccine. We have developed and tested so far four recombinant salivary antigens as a multicomponent anti-tick vaccine in tick-susceptible bovines (Holstein breed). The challenge with R. microplus larvae displayed that tick infestation in vaccinated bovines was significantly reduced. In order to elucidate the molecular mechanisms trigged after immunisation and during infestation, RNA-seq data of peripheral blood from vaccinated and control animals were obtained in different periods of the immunisation trial. A total of 24 mRNA-seq Illumina libraries (single-end, 100 bp) were analysed to identify differential gene expression according to the experimental condition.
Project description:Autosomal recessive spastic ataxia of Charlevoix-Saguenay (ARSACS) is a childhood-onset cerebellar ataxia caused by mutations in SACS, which encodes the protein sacsin. Cellular ARSACS phenotypes include mitochondrial dysfunction, intermediate filament disorganization, and the progressive death of cerebellar Purkinje neurons. It is unclear how the loss of sacsin function causes these deficits, or why they manifest as cerebellar ataxia. To investigate this, we performed multi-omic profiling of sacsin knockout cells and compared them to wild-type controls
Project description:This project aimed to discover the protein-based biomarkers for tick resistance in cattle using cattle serum samples. The cattle were phenotyped into two groups, tick-resistant and susceptible after an artificial tick challenge. Mean tick scores were used to categorise cattle. The SWATH analysis was sued to measure the relative abundance of proteins in skin samples of the two groups at different time points.
Project description:This project aimed to discover the protein-based biomarkers for tick resistance in cattle using cattle skin samples. The cattle were phenotyped into two groups, tick-resistant and susceptible after artificial tick challenge. Mean tick scores were used to categorise cattle. The SWATH analysis was sued to measure the relative abundance of proteins in skin samples of the two groups at different time points.
Project description:Metabolome studies to aid in the diagnosis and molecular elucidation of a child presenting chronic progressive cerebellar ataxia and an undiagnosed condition.
Project description:This project aimed to characterise the immune response of cattle to buffalo fly infestation using cattle serum samples. The cattle were phenotyped into two groups, high buffalo fly burden and low buffalo fly burden cattle, following exposure to buffalo flies. The SWATH analysis was sued to measure the relative abundance of proteins in serum samples of the two groups at different time points.
Project description:Ataxia with oculomotor apraxia type 1 (AOA1) is an early onset progressive spinocerebellar ataxia caused by mutation in aprataxin (APTX). Here we use RNA-seq to identify genes that are affected by APTX-KO, APTX overexpression, and APTX mutant, thus contributes to understadning the mechanisms underlying AOA1 pathlogy. Examination the chages of gene expressions in APTX proficient and APTX deficienc cells.
Project description:Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are clinically and genetically heterogeneous human neurodegenerative diseases. Amongst the identified genetic causes, mutations in genes encoding motor proteins such as kinesins have been involved in various HSP clinical isoforms. Mutations in KIF1C are responsible for autosomal recessive spastic paraplegia type 58 (SPG58) and spastic ataxia 2 (SPAX2). Bovines also develop neurodegenerative diseases, some of them having a genetic aetiology. Bovine progressive ataxia was first described in the Charolais breed in the early 1970s in England and further cases in this breed were subsequently reported worldwide. We can now report that progressive ataxia of Charolais cattle results from a homozygous single nucleotide polymorphism in the coding region of the KIF1C gene. In this study, we show that the mutation at the heterozygous state is associated with a better score for muscular development, explaining its balancing selection for several decades, and the resulting high frequency (13%) of the allele in the French Charolais breed. We demonstrate that the KIF1C bovine mutation leads to a functional knock-out, therefore mimicking mutations in humans affected by SPG58/SPAX2. The functional consequences of KIF1C loss of function in cattle were also histologically reevaluated. We showed by an immunochemistry approach that demyelinating plaques were due to altered oligodendrocyte membrane protrusion, and we highlight an abnormal accumulation of actin in the core of demyelinating plaques, which is normally concentrated at the leading edge of oligodendrocytes during axon wrapping. We also observed that the lesions were associated with abnormal extension of paranodal sections. Moreover, this model highlights the role of KIF1C protein in preserving the structural integrity and function of myelin, since the clinical signs and lesions arise in young-adult Charolais cattle. Finally, this model provides useful information for SPG58/SPAX2 disease and other demyelinating lesions.