Identifications of immune-responsive genes for adaptative traits by comparative transcriptome analysis of spleen tissue from Kazakh and Suffolk sheep

Abstract

Aridity and heat are significant environmental stressors that affect sheep adaptation and adaptability, thus influencing immunity, growth, reproduction, production performance, and profitability. The aim of this study was to profile mRNA expression levels in the spleen of indigenous Kazakh sheep breed for comparative analysis with the exotic Suffolk breed. Spleen histomorphology was observed in indigenous Kazakh sheep and exotic Suffolk sheep raised in Xinjiang China. Transcriptome sequencing of spleen tissue from the two breeds were performed via Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology and validated by RT-qPCR. Blood cytokine and IgG levels differed between the two breeds and IgG and IL-1β were significantly higher in Kazakh sheep than in Suffolk sheep (p < 0.05), though spleen tissue morphology was the same. A total of 52.04 Gb clean reads were obtained and the clean reads were assembled into 67,271 unigenes using bioinformatics analysis. Profiling analysis of differential gene expression showed that 1158 differentially expressed genes were found when comparing Suffolk with Kazakh sheep, including 246 up-regulated genes and 912 down-regulated genes. Utilizing gene ontology annotation and pathway analysis, 21 immune- responsive genes were identified as spleen-specific genes associated with adaptive traits and were significantly enriched in hematopoietic cell lineage, natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, complement and coagulation cascades, and in the intestinal immune network for IgA production. Four pathways and up-regulated genes associated with immune responses in indigenous sheep played indispensable and promoting roles in arid and hot environments. Overall, this study provides valuable transcriptome data on the immunological mechanisms related to adaptive traits in indigenous and exotic sheep and offers a foundation for research into adaptive evolution.

Effect of rearing systems on immune status, stress parameters, intestinal morphology, and mortality in conventional and local chicken breeds

“… Yang et al (2021) demonstrated the levels of IgG and IL-1β were significantly higher in indigenous Kazakh sheep compared to Suffolk sheep, which grow quickly, but do not adapt to harsh environments and have lower levels of IgG and cytokines. Hence, they concluded that indigenous breeds may have a higher immunity and adapt more easily to stringent environmental conditions compared to Suffolk sheep ( Yang et al, 2021 ). Previous studies have demonstrated a higher expression of TLR-4, TLR-5 , and TLR-7 in the indigenous chickens of India compared to the White Leghorn ( Ramasamy et al, 2010 ; Haunshi et al, 2017 ).…”

“…The multivariate analysis also demonstrated that slow-growing birds in the free-range system had positive scores (i.e., high IL-6, IL-2 , and iNOS expression and low H/L ratio), whereas the fast-growing birds had negative scores (i.e., low IL-6, IL-2 , and iNOS expression and high H/L ratio), which confirmed that local breeds are characterized by a certain degree of adaptability toward the environmental conditions. Several authors have conducted a comparative analysis between indigenous and exotic ovine ( Yang et al, 2021 ) and chickens breeds ( Haunshi et al, 2017 ) in order to investigate their adaptability to environmental stressors by means of cytokine expressions. Yang et al (2021) demonstrated the levels of IgG and IL-1β were significantly higher in indigenous Kazakh sheep compared to Suffolk sheep, which grow quickly, but do not adapt to harsh environments and have lower levels of IgG and cytokines.…”

“…Several authors have conducted a comparative analysis between indigenous and exotic ovine ( Yang et al, 2021 ) and chickens breeds ( Haunshi et al, 2017 ) in order to investigate their adaptability to environmental stressors by means of cytokine expressions. Yang et al (2021) demonstrated the levels of IgG and IL-1β were significantly higher in indigenous Kazakh sheep compared to Suffolk sheep, which grow quickly, but do not adapt to harsh environments and have lower levels of IgG and cytokines. Hence, they concluded that indigenous breeds may have a higher immunity and adapt more easily to stringent environmental conditions compared to Suffolk sheep ( Yang et al, 2021 ).…”

Bioclimatic Zoning for Sheep Farming through Geostatistical Modeling in the State of Pernambuco, Brazil

“…The most popular breeds used for meat production include the Morada Nova, Santa Inês, Dorper, Suffolk, Poll Dorset, Texel, Ilê de France, and Hampshire breeds [ 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 ]. As mentioned, the Morada Nova, Santa Inês, and Dorper varieties can be raised in any mesoregion of the state, based on the THI maps ( Figure 3 ).…”

DIA-Based Proteomic Analysis Reveals MYOZ2 as a Key Protein Affecting Muscle Growth and Development in Hybrid Sheep

“…The Hu sheep breed is highly regarded in China for its advantageous features of non-seasonal estrus, multiple births, tolerance to roughage, and suitability for domestic breeding [ 13 , 14 ]. Southdown sheep and Suffolk sheep have the characteristics of early development and easy fattening, and their rams are suitable for hybridization to obtain good growth and carcass characteristics [ 15 , 16 , 17 ]. Proteomics can be used to systematically characterize large-scale dynamic changes in protein expression [ 18 ], contributing to genomics and transcriptomics by deepening our understanding of complex biochemical processes at the molecular level [ 19 ].…”