Project description:Analysis of key genes and gene networks determining milk productivity of the dairy HF cows Transcriptomes were compared of in the mammary glands of the healthy lactating Holstein Friesian cows of the high- (average 11097 kg milk/lactation) and low- (average 6956 kg milk/lactation) milk yield.
Project description:The aim of this study was to determine the effects of unprotected dietary unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) from different plant oils on gene expression in the mammary gland of grazing dairy cows. Milk composition and gene expression in the mammary gland tissue were evaluated in grazing dairy cows supplemented with different unsaturated fatty acids (UFA). The UFA supplementation improves the health and nutrition quality aspects of dairy milk, but also affects the gene networks expression signature associated with cellular growth and proliferation, cell-death, signalling, nutrient metabolism, and immune response, and in turn, the mammary gland integrity and health. A total of 28 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in mid-lactation were blocked according to parity (2.4 ± 0.63 years), days in milk (DIM; 153 ± 32.8 days), milk yield (25.7 ± 3.08 kg/d) and fat content (4.3 ± 0.12%). Cows were then randomly assigned to four UFA-sources based on rapeseed, soybean, linseed or a mixture of the three oils for 23 days (Period I) after which, all 28 cows were switched to a control diet for an additional 28 days (Period II). On the last day of both periods, mammary gland biopsies were taken to study genome-wide differences in lipid metabolism gene expression.
Project description:Milk protein is one of the most important economic traits in the dairy industry. Yet, the miRNA gene regulatory network for the synthesis of milk protein in mammary is poorly understood. In this study, the hypothesis was that miRNAs have potential roles in bovine milk protein production. Using miRNA-seq and RNA-seq, we investigated the miRNAs profiles of mammary glands from 12 Chinese Holstein cows with six cows at peak of lactation and six in non-lactating period, from which three cows were in high and three in low milk protein percentage.
Project description:Transcriptional profiling in vivo in bovine secretory tissue from healthy (H) mammary gland and during infections with coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS) and coagulase-positive Staphylococci (CoPS). The aim of this study was to examinate the global gene expression profiles of mammary gland tissues of infected and healthy (control) cows. Transcriptomes were compared of in the mammary glands of Holstein Friesian cows in two experiments, (H) vs (CoNS) cows and (H) vs (CoPS).
Project description:The aim of the present study was to correlate lipid metabolism genes in the mammary gland tissue affected by stage of lactation and nutrition to the resulting milk fatty acids composition in grazing dairy cows, and to classify milk fatty acid (FA) groups based on variations in lipid metabolism gene expression patterns. Identifying the relationship between lipid metabolism genes in the mammary gland tissue and the resulting milk fatty acid composition is expected to greatly contribute to our understanding of milk fatty acid metabolism and to enhance opportunities to improve milk fat composition through nutrition. In fact, SNCA, SCD5, and PNPLA2 lipid metabolism-related genes affected by unsaturated fatty acids supplementation, were found to strongly correlated to different milk FA groups, but also contributed most to the classification of these FA groups, suggesting a significant role in mediating the lipid metabolism in the mammary gland tissue and determining the milk fatty acids composition. A total of 28 Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in mid-lactation were blocked according to parity (2.4 ± 0.63 years), days in milk (DIM; 153 ± 32.8 days), milk yield (25.7 ± 3.08 kg/d) and fat content (4.3 ± 0.12%). Cows were then randomly assigned to four UFA-sources based on rapeseed, soybean, linseed or a mixture of the three oils for 23 days (Period I) after which, all 28 cows were switched to a control diet for an additional 28 days (Period II). On the last day of both periods, mammary gland biopsies were taken to study genome-wide differences in lipid metabolism gene expression.
Project description:Effect of breed in mid lactation Holstein (H) and Montbéliarde (M) cows on mammary glande miRNA profile. Genetic polymorphisms are known to influence milk production and composition. However, genomic mechanisms involved in the genetic regulation of milk component synthesis are not completely understood. MicroRNAs (miRNA) regulate gene expression. The objective of the present study was to compare mammary gland miRNomes of two dairy cow breeds, Holstein and Montbéliarde, with different dairy performances. Milk, fat, protein, and lactose yields were lower in Montbéliarde than in Holstein cows. MiRNomes obtained using RNA-Seq technology from the mammary glands of Holstein (n = 5) and Montbéliarde (n = 6) lactating cows revealed 623 distinct expressed miRNAs, among which 596 were known and 27 were predicted miRNAs. The comparison of their abundance in the mammary gland of Holstein versus Montbéliarde cows showed 22 differentially expressed miRNAs (Padj ≤ 0.05). Among them, 11 presented a fold change ≥2, with 2 highly expressed miRNAs (miR-100 and miR-146b). Without taking into account the fold change, the differential miRNA with the highest abundance was miR-186, which is known to inhibit cell proliferation and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Data mining showed that the 17 differentially expressed miRNAs with more than 20 reads on average, regulate mammary gland plasticity and may be related to the observed differences in milk production between Holstein and Montbéliarde, which are two breeds with different mammogenic potential. Some of the 17 miRNAs could potentially target mRNAs involved in signaling pathways (such as mTOR) and in lipid metabolism, thereby suggesting that they could influence milk composition. In conclusion, we showed differences in mammary gland miRNomes of two dairy bovine breeds. These differences suggest a potential role of miRNAs in mammary gland plasticity and in milk component synthesis related to milk production and composition.
Project description:The experiment is part of a study aimed at identifying and studying genes that contribute to differences in oestrous behaviour expression and fertility levels of dairy cows. Samples from 4 brain areas (dorsal hypothalamus, ventral hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus) and the anterior pituitary were collected from 28 primiparous Holstein Friesian cows, 14 of which were sacrificed at start of oestrus and 14 at mid of oestrous cycle. Differential gene expression between the 2 phases of oestrous cycle as well as the association of gene expression patterns with the level of oestrous behaviour expression are studied.
Project description:Liver plays a profound role in the acute phase response (APR) observed in the early phase of acute bovine mastitis caused by Escherichia coli (E. coli). To gain an insight into the genes and pathways involved in hepatic APR of dairy cows we performed a global gene expression analysis of liver tissue sampled at different time points before and after intra-mammary (IM) exposure to E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment. Experiment Overall Design: Eight healthy, high yielding Holstein-Friesian dairy cows in their first lactation (9 to 12 weeks after calving) were chosen for this study. At time 0 the right front quarter was infused with 200 μg E. coli LPS dissolved in 10 ml 0.9% NaCl solution, the left front quarter serving as control was infused with 10 ml 0.9% NaCl solution. Liver biopsies were taken at â22, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 48 hours relative to LPS infusion in 4 cows, and also at â22, 9 and 48 hours in the remaining 4 cows. RNA from liver biopsies was isolated and biotin labeled cRNA was loaded onto the Affymetric GeneChip Bovine Genome Array. A control study using cows infused with 0.9% NaCl showed that there was no effect of taking the biopsy, neither in the clinical measurement nor in the expression of a selected subset of genes. Therefore, only samples taken from the LPS treated cows were measured for the gene expression using microarrays.