Integrated studies on embryonic survival and prenatal development in swine

猪胚胎存活和产前发育的综合研究

• 批准号: 251306-2008
• 负责人: Foxcroft, George
• 金额: $ 5.32万
• 依托单位: University of Alberta
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Group
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2010-01-01 至 2011-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=455770
• 关键词: Integrated; studies; embryonic; survival; prenatal

Prenatal programming of variability in postnatal growth performance in swine as an economically important aspect of "phenotypic plasticity". Lifetime production potential in livestock species is ultimately controlled by the interaction between the highly selected genotype of an animal and its environment. These environmental factors are operative in both the prenatal and postnatal periods. It is becoming clear that lifetime growth potential may be limited by key events occurring early in embryonic and fetal development. Programming of early embryonic development is a complex process that is initially controlled by maternally derived regulators in the cytoplasm of the fertilized oocyte, and is then controlled by the expression of the uniquely reconstituted embryonic genome. However, expression of the embryonic genome is subject to epigenetic (environmental) regulation, mediated by "imprinted" genes that are only expressed from either the maternal or the paternal allele. The mechanism of gene imprinting involves DNA methylation, and there is evidence that this process can be altered by maternal nutrition. An unequivocal role of "imprinted genes" in the regulation of placental development, fetal demand for maternal nutrients and resulting fetal intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR), has not been established in the pig. A primary objective of our NSERC-funded research is to determine the involvement of gene imprinting as a mediator of these epigenetic effects. State-of-the-art applied genomic techniques (gene macro-arrays and candidate gene micro-array analyses) will be used to study effects of different nutritional regimens and lactational catabolism, functional nutrients, and inadvertent intra-uterine crowding on early embryonic survival and pre-natal programming in the broader context of comparative animal developmental biology. In the context of an important meat producing species like the pig, the regulation of muscle differentiation (myogenesis) will be a particular focus, as a factor limiting postnatal growth performance.

猪产后生长性能变异性的产前规划是“表型可塑性”的经济重要方面。 牲畜物种的终生生产潜力最终由动物的高度选择的基因型与其环境之间的相互作用控制。 这些环境因素在产前和产后都起作用。 越来越清楚的是，终生生长潜力可能受到胚胎和胎儿发育早期发生的关键事件的限制。 早期胚胎发育的编程是一个复杂的过程，最初由受精卵母细胞细胞质中母体衍生的调节因子控制，然后由独特重建的胚胎基因组的表达控制。然而，胚胎基因组的表达受到表观遗传（环境）调节，由仅从母本或父本等位基因表达的“印记”基因介导。 基因印记的机制涉及DNA甲基化，有证据表明母体营养可以改变这一过程。 “印记基因”在调节胎盘发育、胎儿对母体营养的需求以及由此产生的胎儿宫内生长迟缓（IUGR）方面的明确作用尚未在猪身上得到证实。 我们由 NSERC 资助的研究的主要目标是确定基因印记作为这些表观遗传效应的中介者的参与程度。最先进的应用基因组技术（基因宏阵列和候选基因微阵列分析）将用于研究不同营养方案和哺乳期分解代谢、功能性营养素以及无意的子宫内拥挤对早期胚胎存活的影响以及比较动物发育生物学更广泛背景下的产前规划。 对于像猪这样的重要产肉物种来说，肌肉分化（肌生成）的调节将成为一个特别关注的焦点，因为它是限制产后生长性能的一个因素。