Project description:Feed restriction and L-carnitine infusion are known to affect the liver metabolism of dairy cows. In the present experiment the effects on liver transcriptome of feed restriction and L-carnitine abomasal infusion and the interaction of the two in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows was assessed. Data clearly indicated a lack of transcriptomics effect by L-carnitine but a strong effect due to feed restriction. The functional analysis identified a overall reduction of cholesterol synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation and data suggested an increase flux toward gluconeogenesis and fatty acid oxidation.
Project description:Milk production in dairy cows is affected by numerous factors, including diet. Feed restriction is known to have little impact on milk total protein content but its effect on the fine protein composition is still poorly documented. The objective of this study was to describe the effects of two feed restriction trials of different intensities on the milk protein composition of Holstein cows. One restriction trial was short and of high intensity (SH), the second was long and of moderate intensity (LM). Feed restriction decreased the milk protein yield for caseins under the LM trial and of all six major milk proteins under the SH trial. These decreased yields lead to lower concentrations of αs1-, αs2- and β-caseins during the SH trial. The milk proteome was affected as a function of restriction intensity. Among the 345 proteins identified eight varied under the LM trial and 160 under the SH trial. Ontology analyses revealed their implication in carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolisms as well as in the immune system. These proteins reflected adaptations of the animal and mammary gland physiology to feed restriction and constituted a signature of this change.
Project description:In dairy cows, milk production and composition are affected by numerous factors, including diet. Milk is the body fluid with the highest RNA concentration, including numerous microRNA. These microRNA presence in the different milk compartments is still poorly documented and the effect of feed restriction on milk miRNome has not been described yet. The aim of this study was to describe the effects of feed restrictions of different intensitizes on milk compartment miRNome composition. Two feed restriction trials were performed on lactating dairy cows, one of high intensity and one of moderate intensity. 2 896 mature microRNA were identified in milk, including 1 493 that were already known in bovine specie. Among the 1 095 miRNA that were abundant enough to be informative, 10% were exclusive to one milk compartment and the abundance of 155 varied between compartments, revealing a specific miRNome for each milk fraction. Feed restriction affected differently these miRNome, with microRNA in whole milk and milk extracellular vesicles being the most affected and microRNA in fat globules and exfoliated mammary epithelial cells being relatively or completely unaffected. Target prediction of known microRNA that varied under feed restriction reflected modification of some key pathways for lactation related to milk fat and protein metabolisms, cell cycle and stress responses. These findings open up opportunities for future research on the use of milk miRNA as biomarkers of energy status in dairy cows.
Project description:Feed restriction and L-carnitine infusion are known to affect the liver metabolism of dairy cows. In the present experiment the effects on liver transcriptome of feed restriction and L-carnitine abomasal infusion and the interaction of the two in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows was assessed. Data clearly indicated a lack of transcriptomics effect by L-carnitine but a strong effect due to feed restriction. The functional analysis identified a overall reduction of cholesterol synthesis and oxidative phosphorylation and data suggested an increase flux toward gluconeogenesis and fatty acid oxidation. The liver biopsy was performed after 14 days of treatment in 8 Holstein dairy cows in a 2 x 2 factorial arrangment with 5 days washout between treatments. A dye-swap reference design (reference = mixture of RNA from several bovine tissues) was used.
Project description:Low (U) and normal (N) birth weight female porcine offspring were used to study molecular and physiological changes in the liver before and after postnatal feed restriction (R, 50% of controls) and after subsequent refeeding period in comparison to non-restricted control animals (K). Overall, the following questions were addressed at the transcriptional, epigenomic and metabolic level: 1) Are there differences in the hepatic transcriptional profile between U and normal birth weight 2) Are these effects reflected on the metabolic level? 3) Could the possible birth weight-dependent effects be modified through feed restriction intervention? 4) Are these effects persistent and, moreover, can improvements with regard to lipid homeostasis be observed? Microarrays were used to study the effects of birth weight and/or feed restriction on the transcriptional level.
Project description:This research investigates the influence of nutritional protein restriction (NPR) during prepuberty on FE and the milk transcriptome of dairy Assaf ewes during their first lactation. Additionally, it evaluates the differences in the milk transcriptome between lactating ewes with divergent FE using the feed conversion ratio (FCR) and residual feed intake (RFI) indices and assesses milk gene expression as a predictor of FE.
Project description:The objective of this study was to examine the effect of dietary restriction and subsequent re-alimentation induced compensatory growth on the global gene expression profile of jejunum epithelial Holstein Friesian bulls (n=40) were assigned to one of two groups: restricted feed allowance (RES; n=20) for 125 days (Period 1) followed by ad libitum access to feed for 55 days (Period 2) or (ii) ad libitum access to feed throughout (ADLIB; n=20). All bulls received the same diet of 70% concentrate 30% grass silage through out the experimental trial,with the amount of feed provided different dependent on each treatment group. At the end ofeach period, 10 animals from each treatment group (RES, ADLIB) were slaughtered, and jejunum epithelial collected from all animals. RNA was extracted and jejununal epithelium gene expression was examined using RNAseq technology on all samles collected (end of Period 1: 10 samples each from ADLIB and RES groups; end of Period 2: 10 samples each from ADLIB and RES groups). Dietary restriction and subsequent re-alimentation were associated with altered expression of genes involved in digestion and metabolism, aswell as cellular protection and detoxification in jejunal epithelia. This information may be exploited in genomic breeding programmes to assist selection of cattle with a greater ability to compensate following a period dietary restriction.
Project description:When puberty starts before males reach harvest size, animal welfare and sustainability issues occur in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) aquaculture. Hallmarks of male puberty are an increased proliferation activity in the testis and elevated androgen production. Examining transcriptional changes in salmon testis during the transition from immature to maturing testes may help understanding the regulation of puberty, potentially leading to procedures to modulate its start. Since differences in body weight influence, via unknown mechanisms, the chances for entering puberty, we used two feed rations to create body weight differences. Maturing testes were characterized by an elevated proliferation activity of Sertoli cells and of single undifferentiated spermatogonia. Pituitary gene expression data suggest increased Gnrh receptor and gonadotropin gene expression, potentially responsible for the elevated circulating androgen levels in maturing fish. Transcriptional changes in maturing testes included a broad variety of signaling systems (e.g. Tgfβ, Wnt, insulin/Igf, nuclear receptors), but also, activation of metabolic pathways such as anaerobic metabolism and protection against ROS. Feed restriction lowered the incidence of puberty. In males maturing despite feed restriction, plasma androgen levels were higher than in maturing fish receiving the full ration. A group of 449 genes that was up-regulated in maturing fully fed fish, was up-regulated more prominently in testis from fish maturing under caloric restriction. Moreover, 421 genes were specifically up-regulated in testes from fish maturing under caloric restriction, including carbon metabolism genes, a pathway relevant for nucleotide biosynthesis and for placing epigenetic marks. Undifferentiated spermatogonia and Sertoli cell populations increased at the beginning of puberty, which was associated with the up-regulation of metabolic pathways (e.g. anaerobic and ROS pathways) known from other stem cell systems. The higher androgen levels in males maturing under caloric restriction may be responsible for the stronger up-regulation of a common set of (449) maturation-associated genes, and the specific up-regulation of another set of (421) genes. The latter opened regulatory and/or metabolic options for initiating puberty despite feed restriction. As a means to reduce the incidence of male puberty in salmon, however, caloric restriction seems unsuitable.