Expression of candidate genes for residual feed intake in tropically adapted Bos taurus and Bos indicus bulls under thermoneutral and heat stress environmental conditions

Bianca Vilela Pires; Nedenia Bonvino Stafuzza; Luara Afonso de Freitas; Maria Eugênia Zerlotti Mercadante; Ester Silveira Ramos; Claudia Cristina Paro Paz

doi:10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.102998

Expression of candidate genes for residual feed intake in tropically adapted Bos taurus and Bos indicus bulls under thermoneutral and heat stress environmental conditions

J Therm Biol. 2021 Jul:99:102998. doi: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.102998. Epub 2021 May 21.

Authors

Bianca Vilela Pires¹, Nedenia Bonvino Stafuzza², Luara Afonso de Freitas³, Maria Eugênia Zerlotti Mercadante², Ester Silveira Ramos³, Claudia Cristina Paro Paz⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil. Electronic address: bianca2510@outlook.com.
² Beef Cattle Research Center, Animal Science Institute, Sertãozinho, São Paulo, 14174-000, Brazil.
³ Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Genetics, Ribeirão Preto Medical School, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, 14049-900, Brazil; Beef Cattle Research Center, Animal Science Institute, Sertãozinho, São Paulo, 14174-000, Brazil.

PMID: 34420630
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2021.102998

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to measure the relative expression of the ATP1A1, NR3C1, POMC, NPY, and LEP genes in Caracu (Bos taurus) and Nelore (Bos indicus) bulls submitted to feed efficiency tests at high environmental temperatures, and to evaluate differences in adaptability to tropical conditions between breeds. Thirty-five Caracu and 30 Nelore bulls were submitted to a feed efficiency test using automated feeding stations. At the end of the test, the animals were subjected to thermoneutral (TN) and heat stress (HS) conditions. Blood samples were collected after the exposure to the TN and HS conditions and the relative expression of genes was measured by qPCR. The bulls exhibited lower expression of ATP1A1 in the HS condition than in the TN condition (1.98 ± 0.27 and 2.86 ± 0.26, P = 0.02), while the relative expression of NR3C1, POMC, and LEP did not differ (P > 0.05) between climatic conditions. The breed and feed intake influenced NPY and LEP expression levels (P < 0.05). Different climate conditions associated with residual feed intake can modify the gene expression patterns of ATP1A1 and NPY. The association observed among all genes studied shows that they are involved in appetite control. Bos taurus and Bos indicus bulls exhibited similar adaptability to tropical climate conditions.

Keywords: Beef cattle; Feed efficiency; Heat stress; qPCR.

MeSH terms

Adaptation, Physiological / genetics*
Animals
Cattle / genetics*
Cattle / physiology*
Eating*
Gene Expression
Heat-Shock Response / genetics*
Male