Functional genomics of the muscle response to restraint and transport in chickens1

Abstract

In the present study, we used global approaches (proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics) to assess the molecular basis of the muscle response to stress in chickens. A restraint test, combined with transport for 2 h (RT test) was chosen as the potentially stressful situation. Chickens (6 wk old) were either nontreated (control chickens) or submitted to the RT test (treated chickens). The RT test induced a 6-fold increase in corticosterone concentrations, suggesting hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation. The RT test decreased the relative abundance of several hexose phosphates [glucose-1-P (G1P), glucose-6-P (G6P), fructose-6-P (F6P), and mannose-6-P (M6P)] in thigh muscle. In addition, 55 transcripts, among which 39 corresponded to unique annotated genes, were significantly up- (12 genes) or downregulated (27 genes) by treatment. Similarly, 45 proteic spots, among which 29 corresponded to unique annotated proteins, were overexpressed (11 proteins), underexpressed (14 proteins), or only expressed in treated chickens. Integrative analysis of differentially expressed genes and proteins showed that most transcripts and proteins belong to 2 networks whose genes were mainly related with cytoskeleton structure or carbohydrate metabolism. Whereas the decrease in energetic metabolites suggested an activation of glycogenolysis and glycolysis in response to the RT test, the reduced expression of genes and proteins involved in these pathways suggested the opposite. We hypothesized that the prolonged RT test resulted in a repression of glycogenolysis and glycolysis in thigh muscle of chickens. The down-expression of genes and proteins involved in the formation of fiber stress after the RT test suggests a reinforcement of myofibrils in response to stress.

Current advances in proteomic analysis of (fatty) liver

“…The authors reported few overlaps between the proteomic and transcriptomic analyses. Such results were consistent with other studies using both approaches [28,29]. The use of pathway analysis by combining the two levels of gene expression helps to better understand the physiological differences between breeds.…”

Animal board invited review: advances in proteomics for animal and food sciences

“…The derangement of postmortem alteration such as those that drive to pale soft exudative meats can also be analysed by proteomics (Molette et al , 2003 ). Given the background of the growing sensitivity of consumers and of policy makers on animal welfare, future applications of proteomics for the identification of biomarkers of stress and welfare after transport, for example, or preslaughtering procedures, are also envisaged (Hazard et al , 2011 ).…”

A note on protein expression changes in chicken breast muscle in response to time in transit before slaughtering

“…On the other hand, there are few reports in the literature on the effects of transportation on muscle tissue protein expression. Among them, Hazard et al [16] used proteomic, transcriptomic, and metabolomic approaches to assess the molecular basis for muscle response to stress in chickens, reporting expression changes in 45 protein spots, found related mainly to the cytoskeletal structure or carbohydrate metabolism networks.…”