Genetic potential for residual feed intake and diet fed during early- to mid-gestation influences post-natal DNA methylation of imprinted genes in muscle and liver tissues in beef cattle

Discovery of epigenetic modifications associated with feed efficiency or other economically important traits would increase our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying these traits. In combination with known genetic markers, this would provide opportunity to improve genomic selection accuracy in cattle breeding programs. It would also allow cattle to be managed to improve favorable gene expression. The objective of this study was to identify variation in DNA methylation between beef cattle of differential pre-natal nutrition and divergent genetic potential for residual feed intake (RFI). Purebred Angus offspring with the genetic potential for either high (HRFI) or low (LRFI) RFI were prenatally exposed to either a restricted maternal diet of 0.5 kg/d average daily gain (ADG) or a moderate maternal diet of 0.7 kg/d ADG from 30 to 150 d of gestation. We performed DNA methylation analysis of differentially methylated regions (DMR) of imprinted genes (Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) DMR2, IGF2/H19 imprinting control region (ICR) and IGF2 receptor (IGF2R) DMR2) using post-natal samples of longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle taken from male and female calves at birth and weaning, and of LD muscle, semimembranosus (SM) muscle, and liver samples collected from steers at slaughter (17 months of age). Interestingly, for all three DMR investigated in liver, LRFI steers had higher levels of methylation than HRFI steers. In LD muscle, IGF2/H19 ICR methylation differences for heifers at birth were due to pre-natal diet, while for steers at birth they were mostly the result of genetic potential for RFI with LRFI steers again having higher levels of methylation than HRFI steers. While results from repeated measures analysis of DNA methylation in steers grouped by RFI revealed few differences, in steers grouped by diet, we found higher methylation levels of IGF2 DMR2 and IGF2R DMR2 in LD muscle of restricted diet steers at weaning and slaughter than at birth, as well as increased methylation in LD muscle of restricted diet steers compared with moderate diet steers at weaning and/or slaughter. Our results suggest that differential pre-natal nutrition, and divergent genetic potential for RFI, induces tissue- and sex-specific alterations in post-natal IGF2 and IGF2R methylation patterns and that these patterns can vary with age in Angus beef cattle.     

Attribute selection and model evaluation for the maternal and paternal imprinted genes in bovine (Bos Taurus) using supervised machine learning algorithms

Imprinted genes display biased expression of paternal and maternal alleles in mammals. They are marked through epigenetic process during gametogenesis. Characterization of imprinted genes has expanded our understanding of the regulation and function of genes. In the current study, 22 experimentally validated imprinted genes in bovine (Bos Taurus) were analysed. Several supervised machine learning algorithms and attribute weighting methods were used to find characteristics of different types of imprinted genes and suggest a classification method for finding maternally and paternally expressed genes in bovine. For assessing the best model and comparing attributes in other organisms, we have also conducted a comparative analysis for human and sheep imprinted genes. According to the results of the present study, GC contents 10 and 100 kb upstream, Gly and Gln amino acids, Ile/ATC codon usage, LINE and SINE in 100kbup and length of first intron were significantly different between the maternal and paternal genes in cattle. Considering all species together, we found that GC content 100 kb up, LINE 100 kb up and the frequency of amino acids like Gly, Gln and Met were the most important attributes for identifying the paternal and maternal imprinted genes. These findings could imply conservation pattern in the attributes among these species.     

Parent‐of‐origin effects on carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle

Variances caused by the differential expression of paternally and maternally imprinted genes controlling carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle were estimated in this study. Data on marbling score (BMS), carcass weight, rib thickness, rib‐eye area (REA) and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) were collected from a total of 13,115 feedlot steers and heifers in a commercial population. A sire–maternal grandsire model was used to analyse the data, and then, imprinting parameters were derived by replacing the genetic effect of the dam with the effect of the maternal grandsire in the imprinting model to calculate the genetic parameter estimates. The proportions of the total genetic variance attributable to imprinted genes ranged from 8.7% (SFT) to 35.2% (BMS). The remarkably large imprinting variance of BMS was mainly contributed by maternally expressed inheritance because the maternal contribution of the trait was much larger than that of the paternal trait. The parent‐of‐origin effect originating from maternal gene expression was also observed for REA. The results suggested the existence of genomic imprinting effects on the traits of the Japanese Black cattle. Hence, the parent‐of‐origin effect should be considered for the genetic evaluation of Japanese Black cattle in breeding programmes.     

LINC24065在体细胞核移植牛中的异常表达

旨在揭示DLK1-DIO3印记域上一个新的长链非编码RNA(long noncoding RNA,lncRNA)LINC24065在自然繁殖牛(natural reproduction,NR)与体细胞核移植牛(somatic cell nuclear transfer,SCNT)中的组织表达与印记状态,对进一步了解DLK1-DIO3印记域在供体核重编程中的作用提供一定的理论基础。本研究以自然繁殖牛的大脑组织为试验材料,利用RACE和RT-PCR技术,在牛的DLK1-DIO3印记域内鉴定了一个新的印记的lncRNA基因,命名为LINC24065。用基于SNP(single nucleotide polymopisms)的RT-PCR产物直接测序方法分析LINC24065在自然繁殖牛和体细胞核移植牛组织中的表达及印记状态。序列分析发现,LINC24065编码6个可变剪接体,并在自然繁殖牛被检测的7个组织中都表达,而在体细胞核移植牛组织中没有检测到可变剪接体LINC24065-V3,且其它5个剪接体呈现组织特异性表达。印记状态分析发现,LINC24065在自然繁殖牛和体细胞核移植牛的7个组织中均为单等位基因表达,但在体细胞核移植牛的大脑组织中出现了与其他组织亲本来源不同的单等位基因表达。研究结果说明,LINC24065基因在体细胞核移植牛的大脑中出现了印记紊乱,并且剪接体在组织中的表达也发生了改变。以上研究结果说明LINC24065基因与体细胞核移植牛的发育异常有关。     

分子标记聚合物在生物传感器中的应用

介绍了分子标记聚合物（MIPs）具有与天然抗体同样的识别性能和与高分子同样的抗腐蚀性能的双重优点，广泛地被应用于生物工程、医药、环境监测、食品工业等众多领域，作者阐述了基质形状对分子标记或识别的影响，展望了其应用前景。     

牛印记基因的研究进展

基因组印记是一种表观调控机制,在哺乳动物的发育中具有重要作用。印记基因是仅一方亲本来源的同源基因表达,而来自另一亲本不表达的一种基因。近年来,印记基因被广泛研究。印记基因分为父系印记基因和母系印记基因,其表达具有组织特异性,而且在胚胎不同发育阶段的表达也具有一定差异,胚胎期的营养水平也影响印记基因的表达。DNA甲基化在调控印记基因的表达中起重要作用,影响细胞核移植过程细胞的表观重编程,并影响胎盘及内脏器官的正常发育;基因印记模式的改变也可以引起甲基化的改变进而导致基因印记的丢失等。本文综述了近年来关于牛的印记基因的研究进展情况,为印记基因的后续相关研究工作提供借鉴。     

分子印迹固相萃取和丝网印刷电极联用技术检测猪尿中盐酸克伦特罗

实验采用本体热聚合的方式合成盐酸克伦特罗的分子印迹物(molecularly imprintedpolymers,MIPs),通过扫描电镜、吸附实验和分子印迹固相萃取研究该印迹材料的性能。用盐酸克伦特罗分子印迹材料作为固相萃取剂,优化固相萃取条件,采用差分脉冲伏安法(DPV)对洗脱液进行电化学性能测试。结果表明,此印迹物的平衡吸附常数(b)为5.14mL/mol,电化学传感器的电流值与盐酸克伦特罗的浓度在0.056～2.78mg/L浓度范围内呈现良好的线性关系,检测下限为0.005mg/L,盐酸克伦特罗在猪尿样品中的回收率为89.3%～99.6%。此萃取方法也呈现出良好的选择性和稳定性。     

氯霉素分子印迹膜的制备及其吸附特性的电化学研究

试验采用分子印迹技术和电化学聚合物法,在弱酸条件下,以琥珀酸氯霉素为模板分子,邻苯二胺为功能单体,用循环伏安法合成了稳定的琥珀酸氯霉素分子印迹膜,并用差式脉冲法对此印迹膜进行了表征。结果表明,该膜响应快速、灵敏度高、选择性好、具有良好再生性能,在检测氯霉素电化学传感器的研制中具有良好的应用前景。     

硅胶表面霉酚酸分子印迹聚合物的合成及应用

【目的】合成一种对霉酚酸具有特异性识别的分子印迹聚合物吸附材料,用于青贮饲料中霉酚酸的净化、富集和分析检测。【方法】以γ-甲基丙烯酰氧基丙基三甲氧基硅烷(γ-MPS)改性的硅胶为载体、霉酚酸酯为虚拟模板,合成硅胶表面接枝分子印迹聚合物,采用扫描电镜对制备材料进行表征,通过平衡吸附试验评价材料吸附特性。建立基于合成的分子印迹聚合物固相萃取-高效液相色谱(High performance liquid chromatography,HPLC)法检测青贮饲料中霉酚酸。【结果】改性硅胶表面成功包裹一层印迹聚合物。静态吸附试验表明,印迹材料饱和吸附量为4.5 mg/g;动态吸附试验表明,该材料吸附速率快,60 min内即达到吸附平衡。基于该印迹材料作为固相萃取吸附剂建立了HPLC法,霉酚酸的回收率为76.0%～81.2%,相对标准偏差小于7%,检测限达60μg/kg。【结论】制备的硅胶表面霉酚酸分子印迹聚合物可特异性吸附霉酚酸,建立的分子印迹聚合物固相萃取–HPLC法可用于日常青贮饲料中霉酚酸的分析测定,了解青贮饲料被霉菌毒素污染的状况。研究结果可为青贮饲料的质量安全控制提供指导。     

铅离子印迹磁性材料的制备及其对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附去除研究

[目的]制备铅离子印迹和非印迹磁性材料,研究两种材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附去除行为,考察两种材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附选择性,探索其脱附和循环利用性.[方法]采用透射电镜、红外光谱、X射线衍射光谱和能量色散谱等方法对两种材料的形貌和结构进行表征;采用静态吸附法,以原子吸收为检测手段,探讨了pH值、反应时间及Pb(Ⅱ)初始浓度等因素对Pb(Ⅱ)吸附能力的影响;采用Langmuir等温吸附模型和Ho准二级动力学方程对其进行热力学和动力学模拟研究;以Cd(Ⅱ)为竞争离子,研究两种材料对Pb(Ⅱ)吸附选择性;以硝酸为脱附试剂,考察其脱附和循环利用性.[结果]1)与Fe3O4 10 nm的粒径相比,铅离子印迹磁性材料粒径增至80～90 nm;两种材料红外光谱图中557 cm-1处出现强吸收峰,证实Fe-O键存在,2 940 cm-1和1 084 cm-1处的吸收峰证实C-H和Si-O键存在;X射线衍射光谱图显示,它们都具有Fe3O4晶型及SiO2壳层;能量色散谱结果显示,它们主要构成元素为C、O、Si、S和Fe,说明Fe3O4磁核已被SiO2包覆,且巯基已成功键合至两种材料的表面.2)在低酸度时Pb(Ⅱ)基本不被两种材料吸附;当pH值从3增至7时,吸附率不断增大并达到最大,且非印迹材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附率低于印迹材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附率.3)铅印迹磁性材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附量随时间的增加而升高,最后达到平衡吸附.4)随着溶液中Pb(Ⅱ)初始浓度的增加,铅印迹磁性材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附量先是急剧上升,然后达到饱和吸附.5)铅印迹磁性材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附动力学和热力学分别符合准二级吸附模型和Langmuir等温吸附模型.6)铅印迹磁性材料对Pb(Ⅱ)/Cd(Ⅱ)选择吸附系数K为29.75,对Pb(Ⅱ)/Cd(Ⅱ)的相对选择系数是非印迹磁性材料的5.86倍,说明该材料对Pb(Ⅱ)具有良好的吸附选择性.7)研究了HNO3对保留在铅印迹磁性材料上Pb(Ⅱ)的脱附影响,结果显示0.5 mol·L-1 HNO3可定量脱附Pb(Ⅱ),且材料可重复使用5次而脱附率无变化.[结论]在pH 7、反应时间为60 min及Pb(Ⅱ)初始质量浓度为10 mg·L-1时铅印迹磁性材料对Pb(Ⅱ)的最大吸附容量可达38 mg·g-1,可有效去除水中Pb(Ⅱ);该材料对Pb(Ⅱ)具有一定的选择性且具有很好的再生性.