title: Differential Expression of Genes and DNA Methylation associated with Prenatal Protein Undernutrition by Albumen Removal in an avian model.
abstract: Previously, long-term effects on body weight and reproductive performance have been demonstrated in the chicken model of prenatal protein undernutrition by albumen removal. Introduction of such persistent alterations in phenotype suggests stable changes in gene expression. Therefore, a genome-wide screening of the hepatic transcriptome by RNA-Seq was performed in adult hens. The albumen-deprived hens were created by partial removal of the albumen from eggs and replacement with saline early during embryonic development. Results were compared to sham-manipulated hens and non-manipulated hens. Grouping of the differentially expressed (DE) genes according to biological functions revealed the involvement of processes such as 'embryonic and organismal development' and 'reproductive system development and function'. Molecular pathways that were altered were 'amino acid metabolism', 'carbohydrate metabolism' and 'protein synthesis'. Three key central genes interacting with many DE genes were identified: UBC, NR3C1, and ELAVL1. The DNA methylation of 9 DE genes and 3 key central genes was examined by MeDIP-qPCR. The DNA methylation of a fragment (UBC_3) of the UBC gene was increased in the albumen-deprived hens compared to the non-manipulated hens. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that prenatal protein undernutrition by albumen removal leads to long-term alterations of the hepatic transcriptome in the chicken.
authors: KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Livestock Physiology, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30 box 2456, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.|Linköping University, IFM Biology, AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, Linköping 581 83, Sweden.
authors: Els
authors: E
authors: Willems
authors: Linköping University, IFM Biology, AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, Linköping 581 83, Sweden.
authors: Carlos
authors: C
authors: Guerrero-Bosagna
authors: KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Livestock Physiology, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30 box 2456, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Eddy
authors: E
authors: Decuypere
authors: KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Research Group Livestock Genetics, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30 box 2456, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Steven
authors: S
authors: Janssens
authors: KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Livestock Physiology, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30 box 2456, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Johan
authors: J
authors: Buyse
authors: KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Research Group Livestock Genetics, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30 box 2456, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Nadine
authors: N
authors: Buys
authors: Linköping University, IFM Biology, AVIAN Behavioural Genomics and Physiology Group, Linköping 581 83, Sweden.
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Jensen
authors: KU Leuven, Department of Biosystems, Laboratory of Livestock Physiology, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30 box 2456, 3001 Leuven, Belgium.|University of Liège, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Passage des Déportés 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium.
authors: Nadia
authors: N
authors: Everaert
mesh_terms: D000418:Albumins / Q000172:deficiency*; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001835:Body Weight; D002645:Chickens; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D044342:Malnutrition; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012098:Reproduction; D044763:Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000418:Albumins; D044763:Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes