Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Nutrition, Growth and Physiology » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #302891
Title: Microarray studies in high and low RFI cattle reveal a potential role for gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in regulating feed efficiency

Author
item PERKINS, S - Auburn University
item FORADORI, C - Auburn University
item McNeel, Anthony
item KRIESE-ANDERSON, L - Auburn University
item BRANDEBOURG, T - Auburn University

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/12/2014
Publication Date: 7/1/2014
Citation: Perkins, S.D., Foradori, C.D., McNeel, A.K., Kriese-Anderson, L.A., Brandebourg, T.D. 2014. Microarray studies in high and low RFI cattle reveal a potential role for gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) in regulating feed efficiency [abstract]. Journal of Animal Science. 92(E-Supplement 2):587-588.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Residual feed intake (RFI) is a heritable feed efficiency measure. Mechanisms underlying variation in feed efficiency are currently poorly understood. To address this issue, two divergent cohorts consisting of High (H) and Low (L) RFI individuals were created by assessing RFI in forty-eight Angus-sired steers during a 7-d feeding trial to identify steers with divergent RFI. Microarray studies using the Affymetrix Bovine Genome Array were then conducted on hypothalamic tissue (HT) RNA samples harvested from H and L RFI steers. The test diet was 50% sorghum-sudan silage, 50% grain (2.9 Mcal ME/kg DM). While on test, feed intake was recorded daily with BW and hip heights recorded at 14-d intervals. Ultrasound measurements of ribeye area (REA) and backfat (BF) were recorded initially and prior to harvest. Carcass and growth data were analyzed using a mixed model with RFI level (L, H) as the independent variable. The lsmeans for RFI were -1.25 and 1.51 for the L and H cohorts (P < 0.0001). Dry matter intake was higher for the H individuals versus the L steers (P < 0.0001) while on test BW gain was not different between the two groups (P < 0.73). Of the 24,000+ probes included on the Affymetrix Bovine Genome Array, 891 were found to be significantly different (P < 0.05) with 149 of these being highly different (P < 0.01) between high and low RFI. Pathway analysis of the data set using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software revealed that the pathways most heavily represented in the differentially expressed genes were consistent with the known functions of the central nervous system; specifically, increased cellular movement (important for synapse formation and neuronal communication), cell-to-cell communication and cellular development (P = 1.34 x 10 to the -24, 9.54 x 10 to the -20, 3.14 x 10 to the -17, respectively). In terms of canonical pathways, dendritic cell maturation and interleukin signaling (P = 3.56 x 10 to the -6 and 5.24 x 10 to the -6, respectively) were identified as differentially activated by RFI status of particular interest and warrant further investigation. Furthermore, GnRH signaling (including GnRH agonist and GnRH signaling) was predicted to be to be greater in H steers. These findings are consistent with targeted gene expression assays using real-time PCR where GnRH mRNA abundance was lower in the arcuate nucleus of L steers. These data support the hypothesis that differences in hypothalamic neuropeptide gene expression underlie variation in feed efficiency in steers while the gonadotropin axis may also influence feed efficiency.