Analysis of the brain transcriptome in lines of laying hens divergently selected for feather pecking
Analysis of the brain transcriptome in lines of laying hens divergently selected for feather pecking
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DOI：
10.1186/s12864-020-07002-1
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发表时间：
2020-08-27
期刊：
影响因子：
4.4
通讯作者：
Tetens, Jens
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Falker-Gieske, Clemens;Mott, Andrea;Tetens, Jens
产蛋鸡的啄羽行为（FP）降低了动物福利并导致产蛋鸡产业的经济损失。FP被认为是一种遗传性疾病，受神经递质稳态，肠道微生物组和免疫系统失调的影响。为了鉴定FP行为的基因和生物学途径，我们比较了48只不同选择的FP母鸡的大脑转录组。此外，我们测试了高啄羽鸟（HFP）和低啄羽鸟（LFP）对光线的反应是否不同，因为光线已被证明会触发FP行为。结果在大约4800万个读段/样品中，平均98.4%被定位到鸡基因组（GRCg 6a）。我们在分析的大脑中发现了13，070个表达基因，其中423个在HFP和LFP之间表现出差异表达。功能不确定的基因和非编码RNA在这些转录本中占主导地位。功能分析揭示了胆碱能信号，突触后活动，膜通道和免疫系统的参与。光刺激后，发现28个基因差异表达。这些包括生物钟核心组件的相互作用集群。然而，在HFP和LFP之间的光响应的差异是不可检测的。结论发现参与胆碱能信号传导、通道活动、突触传递和免疫反应的基因参与FP行为。我们提出了一个模型，其中肠道微生物群调节免疫系统，这反过来又影响胆碱能信号。这可能影响单胺信号传导，可能涉及GABA或谷氨酸信号传导。
Background Feather pecking (FP) in laying hens reduces animal welfare and leads to economic losses for the layer industry. FP is considered a heritable condition that is influenced by dysregulation of neurotransmitter homeostasis, the gut microbiome, and the immune system. To identify genes and biological pathways responsible for FP behavior we compared the brain transcriptomes of 48 hens divergently selected for FP. In addition, we tested if high feather peckers (HFP) and low feather peckers (LFP) respond differently to light since light has been shown to trigger FP behavior. Results Of approximately 48 million reads/sample an average of 98.4% were mapped to the chicken genome (GRCg6a). We found 13,070 expressed genes in the analyzed brains of which 423 showed differential expression between HFP and LFP. Genes of uncertain function and non-coding RNAs were overrepresented among those transcripts. Functional analyses revealed the involvement of cholinergic signaling, postsynaptic activity, membrane channels, and the immune system. After the light stimulus, 28 genes were found to be differentially expressed. These included an interaction cluster of core components of the circadian clock. However, differences in the response to light between HFP and LFP were not detectable. Conclusions Genes involved in cholinergic signaling, channel activity, synaptic transmission, and immune response were found to be involved in FP behavior. We propose a model in which the gut microbiota modulates the immune system, which in turn affects cholinergic signaling. This might have an influence on monoamine signaling with possible involvement of GABA or glutamate signaling.