Project description:Transportation stress causes significant changes in physiological responses in goats; however, studies exploring the transcriptome of stress are very limited. This study was conducted to analyze the transcriptome of stress and meat quality in goats using RNA-seq technology. Fifty-four male Spanish goats (8-mo old; BW = 29.7 ± 2.03 kg) were randomly subjected to one of three treatments (TRT; n = 18 goats / treatment): (i) transported for 180 min, (ii) transported for 30 min, or (iii) held in pens (control). Blood samples were collected before and after treatment for stress hormone, metabolite, and transcriptomic analysis. RNA-Seq technology was used to obtain the transcriptome profiles of blood. Analysis of physiological data using SAS showed that plasma cortisol concentrations were higher (P < 0.01) in 180 min and 30 min groups compared to the control group. A similar effect was noticed in plasma non-esterified fatty acid concentrations. Glucose concentrations were the lowest in the control group, highest in the 180 min group, and intermediate in the 30 min group (P < 0.01, while plasma creatine kinase concentrations were not significantly influenced by TRT. Neutrophil counts were higher (P < 0.01) and lymphocyte counts were lower (P < 0.01) in 180 min group compared to 30 min or control groups. The DESeq2 software identified a total of 430 DEGs for control vs. 30 min comparison, of which 127 genes were upregulated. For 180 min vs. control comparison, 741 DEGs were upregulated. Enrichment analysis of DEGs related to transportation stress through Gene Ontology and KEGG databases revealed that the DEGs related to inflammatory pathways, caspases, and apoptosis such as IL1R2, CASP14, CD14, TLR4, and MAPK14 were highly expressed in the transported group of goats compared to non-transported goats. Stress in goats leads to a sequence of events at cellular and molecular levels that causes inflammation and apoptosis and is also reflected in blood metabolites and leukocyte counts.
Project description:We deep sequenced and analyzed circRNA using deep RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) in pre-ovulatory follicle samples of Macheng black goats and Boer goats. We analyzed the RNA-seq data with 301 million reads and 288 million reads, and reveal the expression profiles of circRNAs and predicted 13,950 circRNAs. 827 circRNA host genes, mostly related to transferase activity and metabolic process. Twenty-four circRNAs were upregulated and 13 were downregulated in the pre-ovulatory follicles of the Boer group compared to their expression in the Macheng group.
Project description:Intestinal failure (IF), following extensive anatomical or functional loss of small intestine (SI), hasdebilitating long-term consequences on children1. Priority of care is to increase the child’s length of functional intestine, jejunum in particular, to promote nutritional independence2. Here we construct autologous jejunal mucosal grafts using primary patient biomaterials. We show that organoids derived from patients can be expanded efficiently in vitro. In parallel, we generate decellularized human intestinal matrix with intact nanotopography, which form optimal biological scaffolds. Remarkably, proteomic and Raman spectroscopy analyses reveal highly analogous biochemical profiles of human SI and colon scaffolds, indicating that both can be used interchangeably as platforms for intestinal engineering. Indeed, seeding jejunal organoids onto either scaffold type reliably reconstructs grafts that exhibit several aspects of physiological jejunal function with potential to survive after transplantation. Our findings provide proof-of-concept data for engineering IF patient-specific jejunal grafts, ultimately aiding in restoration of nutritional autonomy.
Project description:Obesity is associated with an increased risk of mucosal infections; however, the mechanistic basis of this phenomenon remains incompletely defined. Intestinal mucus barrier systems normally prevent infections, but are sensitive to changes in the luminal environment. Here we demonstrate that mice exposed to an obesogenic Western-style diet (WSD) suffer regiospecific failure of the mucus barrier in the small intestinal jejunum caused by diet-induced mucus condensation, which occurs independently of microbiota alterations. Mucus barrier disruption due to either WSD exposure or chromosomal Muc2 deletion results in collapse of the commensal jejunal microbiota, which in turn sensitises mice to atypical jejunal colonization by the enteric pathogen Citrobacter rodentium. We identify the jejunal mucus layer as a microbial habitat, and link the regiospecific mucus dependency of the microbiota to fundamental properties of the jejunal niche. Together, our data identifies a symbiotic mucus-microbiota relationship that normally prevents jejunal pathogen colonization, but is highly sensitive to disruption by exposure to a Western-style diet.
Project description:Robust human-goat chimerism was achieved by transplanting human CD34+Lin- cord blood cells into fetal goats. We observed a broad distribution of GFP-marked human cells in non-hematopoietic organs including kidney, muscle, lung, and heart of transplant goats. Various marker techniques indicated that human genes were expressed in chimeric livers and blood.
Project description:In order to reveal the changes of microRNA spectrum in hypothalamus tissues of goats from birth to sexual maturity, smallRNA sequencing was performed on hypothalamus tissues of Jining grey goats at 4 developmental stages after birth. Twenty libraries from 4 different developmental stages (5 goats per stage) were successfully constructed and the corresponding miRNA expression profiles were obtained.
Project description:The Alpine goat Capra aegagrus hircus is parasitized by the barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus). This relationship results in changes that affect the gene expression of the host, the pest, and the microbiome of both. Hematological parameters indicating genes that are expressed and/or the % Composition of abundant and diverse microbial flora are reflective of infestation. We identified responses to barber pole worms using blood-based analysis of transcripts and the microbiome. Seven (7) days post-inoculation (dpi) we identified 7,627 genes associated with different treatment types.