Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing of skeletal muscle from piglets exposed to in utero heat stress
In utero heat stress (IUHS) has been associated with long-term changes in offspring growth, physiology, and metabolism, but the epigenetic mechanisms underlying these effects in pigs remain poorly understood. This project investigated genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in the Longissimus dorsi muscle of piglets exposed during early gestation (days 0 to 59 of gestation) to either in IUHS or in utero thermoneutral (IUTN) conditions. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing was performed in 10 IUHS and 10 IUTN piglets to identify differentially methylated loci and genomic regions associated with IUHS.