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Genes Oct 2021The pig (Sus scrofa) is the most popular large farm animal in the world [...].
The pig (Sus scrofa) is the most popular large farm animal in the world [...].
Topics: Animals; Genetic Association Studies; Genetics, Population; Genomics; Sequence Analysis, RNA; Sus scrofa
PubMed: 34828298
DOI: 10.3390/genes12111692 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Sep 2017Xenotransplantation is a promising strategy to alleviate the shortage of organs for human transplantation. In addition to the concerns about pig-to-human immunological...
Xenotransplantation is a promising strategy to alleviate the shortage of organs for human transplantation. In addition to the concerns about pig-to-human immunological compatibility, the risk of cross-species transmission of porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) has impeded the clinical application of this approach. We previously demonstrated the feasibility of inactivating PERV activity in an immortalized pig cell line. We now confirm that PERVs infect human cells, and we observe the horizontal transfer of PERVs among human cells. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we inactivated all of the PERVs in a porcine primary cell line and generated PERV-inactivated pigs via somatic cell nuclear transfer. Our study highlights the value of PERV inactivation to prevent cross-species viral transmission and demonstrates the successful production of PERV-inactivated animals to address the safety concern in clinical xenotransplantation.
Topics: Animals; CRISPR-Cas Systems; Disease Transmission, Infectious; Endogenous Retroviruses; Gene Editing; HEK293 Cells; Humans; Retroviridae Infections; Sus scrofa; Transplantation, Heterologous
PubMed: 28798043
DOI: 10.1126/science.aan4187 -
Epigenetics & Chromatin Apr 2022Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number in oocytes correlates with oocyte quality and fertilisation outcome. The introduction of additional copies of mtDNA through...
BACKGROUND
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number in oocytes correlates with oocyte quality and fertilisation outcome. The introduction of additional copies of mtDNA through mitochondrial supplementation of mtDNA-deficient Sus scrofa oocytes resulted in: (1) improved rates of fertilisation; (2) increased mtDNA copy number in the 2-cell stage embryo; and (3) improved development of the embryo to the blastocyst stage. Furthermore, a subset of genes showed changes in gene expression. However, it is still unknown if mitochondrial supplementation alters global and local DNA methylation patterns during early development.
RESULTS
We generated a series of embryos in a model animal, Sus scrofa, by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and mitochondrial supplementation in combination with ICSI (mICSI). The DNA methylation status of ICSI- and mICSI-derived blastocysts was analysed by whole genome bisulfite sequencing. At a global level, the additional copies of mtDNA did not affect nuclear DNA methylation profiles of blastocysts, though over 2000 local genomic regions exhibited differential levels of DNA methylation. In terms of the imprinted genes, DNA methylation patterns were conserved in putative imprint control regions; and the gene expression profile of these genes and genes involved in embryonic genome activation were not affected by mitochondrial supplementation. However, 52 genes showed significant differences in expression as demonstrated by RNAseq analysis. The affected gene networks involved haematological system development and function, tissue morphology and cell cycle. Furthermore, seven mtDNA-encoded t-RNAs were downregulated in mICSI-derived blastocysts suggesting that extra copies of mtDNA affected tRNA processing and/or turnover, hence protein synthesis in blastocysts. We also showed a potential association between differentially methylated regions and changes in expression for 55 genes due to mitochondrial supplementation.
CONCLUSIONS
The addition of just an extra ~ 800 copies of mtDNA into oocytes can have a significant impact on both gene expression and DNA methylation profiles in Sus scrofa blastocysts by altering the epigenetic programming established during oogenesis. Some of these changes may affect specific tissue-types later in life. Consequently, it is important to determine the longitudinal effect of these molecular changes on growth and development before considering human clinical practice.
Topics: Animals; Blastocyst; DNA Methylation; DNA, Mitochondrial; Dietary Supplements; Embryonic Development; Metaphase; Oocytes; Sus scrofa; Swine; Transcriptome
PubMed: 35428319
DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00442-x -
Scientific Reports Jan 2021Contrary to spontaneous yawning-an ancient phenomenon common to vertebrates-contagious yawning (elicited by others' yawns) has been found only in highly social species...
Contrary to spontaneous yawning-an ancient phenomenon common to vertebrates-contagious yawning (elicited by others' yawns) has been found only in highly social species and may reflect an emotional inter-individual connection. We investigated yawn contagion in the domestic pig, Sus scrofa. Owing to the complex socio-emotional and cognitive abilities of Sus scrofa, we posited that yawn contagion could be present in this species (Prediction 1) and influenced by individual/social factors (Prediction 2). In June-November 2018, on 104 semi-free ranging adolescent/adult pigs, 224 videos were recorded for video analysis on yawning. Kinship information was refined via genetic analyses. Statistical elaboration was conducted via GLMMs and non-parametric/randomization/cross-tabulation tests. We found yawn contagion in Sus scrofa, as it was more likely that pigs yawned when perceiving rather than not perceiving (yawning/control condition) others' yawns (response peak in the first out of three minutes). Yawn contagion was more likely: (1) in response to males' yawns; (2) as the age increased; (3) within short distance (1 m); (4) between full siblings, with no significant association between kinship and distance. The influence of kinship suggests that-as also hypothesized for Homo sapiens-yawn contagion might be linked with emotional communication and possibly contagion.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Domestic; Imitative Behavior; Male; Sus scrofa; Yawning
PubMed: 33473157
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80545-1 -
International Journal of Molecular... Feb 2023Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deficiency correlates with poor oocyte quality and fertilisation failure. However, the supplementation of mtDNA deficient oocytes with extra...
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) deficiency correlates with poor oocyte quality and fertilisation failure. However, the supplementation of mtDNA deficient oocytes with extra copies of mtDNA improves fertilisation rates and embryo development. The molecular mechanisms associated with oocyte developmental incompetence, and the effects of mtDNA supplementation on embryo development are largely unknown. We investigated the association between the developmental competence of oocytes, assessed with Brilliant Cresyl Blue, and transcriptome profiles. We also analysed the effects of mtDNA supplementation on the developmental transition from the oocyte to the blastocyst by longitudinal transcriptome analysis. mtDNA deficient oocytes revealed downregulation of genes associated with RNA metabolism and oxidative phosphorylation, including 56 small nucleolar RNA genes and 13 mtDNA protein coding genes. We also identified the downregulation of a large subset of genes for meiotic and mitotic cell cycle process, suggesting that developmental competence affects the completion of meiosis II and first embryonic cell division. The supplementation of oocytes with mtDNA in combination with fertilisation improves the maintenance of the expression of several key developmental genes and the patterns of parental allele-specific imprinting gene expression in blastocysts. These results suggest associations between mtDNA deficiency and meiotic cell cycle and the developmental effects of mtDNA supplementation on blastocysts.
Topics: Animals; Swine; DNA, Mitochondrial; Transcriptome; Oocytes; Embryonic Development; Blastocyst; Meiosis; Dietary Supplements; Sus scrofa
PubMed: 36835193
DOI: 10.3390/ijms24043783 -
Heredity Apr 2022Owing to the intensified domestication process with artificial trait selection, introgressive hybridisation between domestic and wild species poses a management problem....
Owing to the intensified domestication process with artificial trait selection, introgressive hybridisation between domestic and wild species poses a management problem. Traditional free-range livestock husbandry, as practiced in Corsica and Sardinia, is known to facilitate hybridisation between wild boars and domestic pigs (Sus scrofa). Here, we assessed the genetic distinctness and genome-wide domestic pig ancestry levels of the Corsican wild boar subspecies S. s. meridionalis, with reference to its Sardinian conspecifics, employing a genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assay and mitochondrial control region (mtCR) haplotypes. We also assessed the reliance of morphological criteria and the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) coat colour gene to identify individuals with domestic introgression. While Corsican wild boars showed closest affinity to Sardinian and Italian wild boars compared to other European populations based on principal component analysis, the observation of previously undescribed mtCR haplotypes and high levels of nuclear divergence (Weir's θ > 0.14) highlighted the genetic distinctness of Corsican S. s. meridionalis. Across three complementary analyses of mixed ancestry (i.e., STRUCTURE, PCADMIX, and ELAI), proportions of domestic pig ancestry were estimated at 9.5% in Corsican wild boars, which was significantly higher than in wild boars in Sardinia, where free-range pig keeping was banned in 2012. Comparison of morphologically pure- and hybrid-looking Corsican wild boars suggested a weak correlation between morphological criteria and genome-wide domestic pig ancestry. The study highlights the usefulness of molecular markers to assess the direct impacts of management practices on gene flow between domestic and wild species.
Topics: Animals; Gene Flow; Genetic Introgression; Haplotypes; Humans; Hybridization, Genetic; Sus scrofa; Swine
PubMed: 35273382
DOI: 10.1038/s41437-022-00517-1 -
Free Radical Biology & Medicine Nov 2018Much less research on regulation and function of selenoproteins has been conducted in domestic pigs than in rodents or humans, although pigs are an excellent model of... (Review)
Review
Much less research on regulation and function of selenoproteins has been conducted in domestic pigs than in rodents or humans, although pigs are an excellent model of human nutrition and medicine and pork is a widely consumed meat in the world. Phylogenetically, the 25 identified porcine selenoproteins fell into two primitive groups, and might be further divided into three parallel branches. Despite a high similarity to that of humans and rodents, the porcine selenoproteome exhibited the closest evolutionary relationship with that of sheep and cattle among eight domestic species. Expression (mRNA, protein, and/or enzyme activity) of 2/3 of the 25 porcine selenoproteins in various tissues of pigs was affected by dietary Se intakes, and 14 of them showed responses to a high fat diet. When dietary Se deficiency mainly down-regulated the expression of selected selenoproteins, dietary Se excess exerted rather diverse effects on their expression. Overdosing pigs with dietary Se induced hyperinsulinemia, along with lipid accumulation and protein increase, in the liver and muscle by affecting key genes and(or) proteins involved in the metabolisms of glucose, lipid, and protein. In conclusion, expression of porcine selenoproteins was highly responsive to dietary Se and fat intakes, and was involved in body glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism as those of rodents and humans.
Topics: Animals; Cattle; Genome; Humans; Phylogeny; Selenoproteins; Sheep; Sus scrofa
PubMed: 29698745
DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2018.04.560 -
Scientific Reports May 2021The wild boar Sus scrofa is one of the widely spread ungulate species in Europe, yet the origin and genetic structure of the population inhabiting Central and Eastern...
The wild boar Sus scrofa is one of the widely spread ungulate species in Europe, yet the origin and genetic structure of the population inhabiting Central and Eastern Europe are not well recognized. We analysed 101 newly obtained sequences of complete mtDNA genomes and 548 D-loop sequences of the species and combined them with previously published data. We identified five phylogenetic clades in Europe with clear phylogeographic pattern. Two of them occurred mainly in western and central part of the continent, while the range of the third clade covered North-Eastern, Central and South-Eastern Europe. The two other clades had rather restricted distribution. In Central Europe, we identified a contact zone of three mtDNA clades. Population genetic structure reflected clear phylogeographic pattern of wild boar in this part of Europe. The contribution of lineages originating from the southern (Dinaric-Balkan) and eastern (northern cost of the Black Sea) areas to the observed phylogeographic pattern of the species in Central and Eastern Europe was larger than those from the regions located in southern France, Iberian, and Italian Peninsulas. The present work was the first mitogenomic analysis conducted in Central and Eastern Europe to study genetic diversity and structure of wild boar population.
Topics: Animals; Demography; Europe; Genetic Variation; Genome, Mitochondrial; Phylogeography; Sus scrofa
PubMed: 33958636
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-88991-1 -
Journal of Veterinary Science Sep 2016Animal models, particularly pigs, have come to play an important role in translational biomedical research. There have been many pig models with genetically... (Review)
Review
Animal models, particularly pigs, have come to play an important role in translational biomedical research. There have been many pig models with genetically modifications via somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). However, because most transgenic pigs have been produced by random integration to date, the necessity for more exact gene-mutated models using recombinase based conditional gene expression like mice has been raised. Currently, advanced genome-editing technologies enable us to generate specific gene-deleted and -inserted pig models. In the future, the development of pig models with gene editing technologies could be a valuable resource for biomedical research.
Topics: Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified; Gene Transfer Techniques; Models, Animal; Sus scrofa
PubMed: 27030199
DOI: 10.4142/jvs.2016.17.3.261 -
Animal : An International Journal of... May 2017Liquid feeding has the potential to provide pigs with sufficient water to remain hydrated and prevent prolonged thirst. However, lack of permanent access to fresh water... (Review)
Review
Liquid feeding has the potential to provide pigs with sufficient water to remain hydrated and prevent prolonged thirst. However, lack of permanent access to fresh water prevents animals from drinking when they are thirsty. Moreover, individual differences between pigs in a pen may result in uneven distribution of the water provided by the liquid feed, leading to some pigs being unable to meet their water requirements. In this review, we look at the need for and provision of water for liquid-fed pigs in terms of their production performance, behaviour, health and welfare. We highlight factors which may lead to water ingestion above or below requirements. Increases in the need for water may be caused by numerous factors such as morbidity, ambient temperature or competition within the social group, emphasising the necessity of permanent access to water as also prescribed in EU legislation. The drinkers can be the target of redirected behaviour in response to feed restriction or in the absence of rooting materials, thereby generating water losses. The method of water provision and drinker design is critical to ensure easy access to water regardless of the pig's physiological state, and to limit the amount of water used, which does not benefit the pig.
Topics: Animal Husbandry; Animals; Drinking Water; Sus scrofa
PubMed: 27819212
DOI: 10.1017/S1751731116002202