Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta.
Improvement in litter size has become of great interest in the pig industry because fecundity is directly related to sow reproductive life. Improved reproduction has thus been achieved by elucidating the molecular functions of genes associated with fecundity. In the present study, we identified diff...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2016-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4831801?pdf=render |
| _version_ | 1831759435013292032 |
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| author | Seul Gi Kwon Jung Hye Hwang Da Hye Park Tae Wan Kim Deok Gyeong Kang Kyung Hee Kang Il-Suk Kim Hwa Chun Park Chong-Sam Na Jeongim Ha Chul Wook Kim |
| author_facet | Seul Gi Kwon Jung Hye Hwang Da Hye Park Tae Wan Kim Deok Gyeong Kang Kyung Hee Kang Il-Suk Kim Hwa Chun Park Chong-Sam Na Jeongim Ha Chul Wook Kim |
| author_sort | Seul Gi Kwon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Improvement in litter size has become of great interest in the pig industry because fecundity is directly related to sow reproductive life. Improved reproduction has thus been achieved by elucidating the molecular functions of genes associated with fecundity. In the present study, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) via transcriptomic analysis using RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) in Berkshire pig placentas from larger (LLG, mean litter size >12) and smaller (SLG, mean litter size < 6.5) litter size groups. In total 588 DEGs were identified (p < 0.05, > 1.5-fold change), of which 98 were upregulated, while 490 were downregulated in the LLG compared with the SLG. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment was also performed. We concluded that 129 of the 588 DEGs were closely related to litter size according to reproduction related genes selected based on previous reports, as 110 genes were downregulated and 19 upregulated in the LLG compared with the SLG. RT-qPCR utilizing specific primers targeting the early growth response 2 (EGR2), pheromaxein c subunit (PHEROC) and endothelial lipase (LIPG) genes showed high accordance with RNA-Seq results. Furthermore, we investigated the upstream regulators of these three genes in the placenta. We found that WNT9B, a Wnt signaling pathway molecule, and IL-6, known inducers of EGR2 and LIPG, respectively, were significantly increased in LLG compared with SLG. We believe that the induction of IL-6 and LIPG may play an important role in increasing nutrition supply through the placenta from the sow to the piglet during gestation. These results provide novel molecular insights into pig reproduction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:07:24Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-22T01:07:24Z |
| publishDate | 2016-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
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| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-3fcda56770024dc68b58097b46c8028b2022-12-21T18:44:03ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032016-01-01114e015331110.1371/journal.pone.0153311Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta.Seul Gi KwonJung Hye HwangDa Hye ParkTae Wan KimDeok Gyeong KangKyung Hee KangIl-Suk KimHwa Chun ParkChong-Sam NaJeongim HaChul Wook KimImprovement in litter size has become of great interest in the pig industry because fecundity is directly related to sow reproductive life. Improved reproduction has thus been achieved by elucidating the molecular functions of genes associated with fecundity. In the present study, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) via transcriptomic analysis using RNA-sequencing (RNA-Seq) in Berkshire pig placentas from larger (LLG, mean litter size >12) and smaller (SLG, mean litter size < 6.5) litter size groups. In total 588 DEGs were identified (p < 0.05, > 1.5-fold change), of which 98 were upregulated, while 490 were downregulated in the LLG compared with the SLG. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment was also performed. We concluded that 129 of the 588 DEGs were closely related to litter size according to reproduction related genes selected based on previous reports, as 110 genes were downregulated and 19 upregulated in the LLG compared with the SLG. RT-qPCR utilizing specific primers targeting the early growth response 2 (EGR2), pheromaxein c subunit (PHEROC) and endothelial lipase (LIPG) genes showed high accordance with RNA-Seq results. Furthermore, we investigated the upstream regulators of these three genes in the placenta. We found that WNT9B, a Wnt signaling pathway molecule, and IL-6, known inducers of EGR2 and LIPG, respectively, were significantly increased in LLG compared with SLG. We believe that the induction of IL-6 and LIPG may play an important role in increasing nutrition supply through the placenta from the sow to the piglet during gestation. These results provide novel molecular insights into pig reproduction.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4831801?pdf=render |
| spellingShingle | Seul Gi Kwon Jung Hye Hwang Da Hye Park Tae Wan Kim Deok Gyeong Kang Kyung Hee Kang Il-Suk Kim Hwa Chun Park Chong-Sam Na Jeongim Ha Chul Wook Kim Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta. PLoS ONE |
| title | Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta. |
| title_full | Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta. |
| title_fullStr | Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta. |
| title_short | Identification of Differentially Expressed Genes Associated with Litter Size in Berkshire Pig Placenta. |
| title_sort | identification of differentially expressed genes associated with litter size in berkshire pig placenta |
| url | http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4831801?pdf=render |
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