title: The hepatic and skeletal muscle ovine metabolomes as affected by weight loss: a study in three sheep breeds using NMR-metabolomics.
abstract: Sheep are a valuable resource for meat and wool production. During the dry summer, pastures are scarce and animals face Seasonal Weight Loss (SWL), which decreases production yields. The study of breeds tolerant to SWL is important to understand the physiological mechanisms of tolerance to nutritional scarcity, and define breeding strategies. Merino, Damara and Dorper sheep breeds have been described as having different levels of tolerance to SWL. In this work, we assess their liver and muscle metabolomes, and compare the responses to feed restriction. Ram lambs from each breed were divided into growth and feed restricted groups, over 42 days. Tissue metabolomes were assessed by1H-NMR. The Dorper restricted group showed few changes in both tissues, suggesting higher tolerance to nutritional scarcity. The Merinos exhibited more differences between treatment groups. Major differences were related to fat and protein mobilization, and antioxidant activity. Between the Damara groups, the main differences were observed in amino acid composition in muscle and in energy-related pathways in the liver. Integration of present results and previous data on the same animals support the hypothesis that, Dorper and Damara breeds are more tolerant to SWL conditions and thus, more suitable breeds for harsh environmental conditions.
authors.affiliation: ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Palma
authors.affiliation: DAFWA - Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Tim
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scanlon
authors.affiliation: DAFWA - Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kilminster
authors.affiliation: UWA - University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Milton
authors.affiliation: DAFWA - Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oldham
authors.affiliation: DAFWA - Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Greeff
authors.affiliation: ITQB NOVA, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Oeiras, Portugal.
authors.forename: Manolis
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matzapetakis
authors.affiliation: IBET - Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal.|RUSVM - Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, St. Kitts and Nevis.
authors.forename: André M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Almeida
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry*; D055432:Metabolomics / Q000379:methods*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D066244:Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy / Q000379:methods; D012621:Seasons; D012756:Sheep; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D015431:Weight Loss