Microarray analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue from mature cows with divergent body weight gain after feed restriction and realimentation

Authors: CUNNINGHAM, H - University Of Wyoming; CAMMACK, K - South Dakota State University; Hales Paxton, Kristin; Freetly, Harvey; Lindholm-Perry, Amanda

Submitted to: Data in Brief
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/5/2017
Publication Date: 2/1/2018
Citation: Cunningham, H.C., Cammack, K.M., Hales, K.E., Freetly, H.C., Lindholm-Perry, A.K. 2018. Microarray analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue from mature cows with divergent body weight gain after feed restriction and realimentation. Data in Brief. 16:303-311. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2017.10.016.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2017.10.016

Interpretive Summary: During the grazing beef cow production cycle, animals can encounter low quality or limited availability of feed followed by increases in nutrient abundance during the growing seasons. Producers can use the nutrient abundance after feed restriction to improve body weight gain; thus, it is critical to understand the biological responses that correspond to nutrient restriction and refeeding, specifically in an economically important tissue like muscle. The objective of this study was to determine whether cows that differ in their ability to gain weight during abundance of feed after feed restriction also differ in the relative abundance of gene transcripts in muscle tissue. Mature cows were placed on a feed restriction diet followed by a period of feed offered ad libitum. Genes and pathways involved in the variation in body weight gain of mature cows at both low and high levels of nutrient abundance were identified. Genes involved in the metabolism of proteins were up-regulated during realimentation regardless of whether they were greater or lesser gain animals. Unique to the cows with greater gains were the up-regulation of genes involved in RNA metabolism and immune function. These genes may be contributing to an improvement in compensatory gain in mature cows.

Technical Abstract: Body weight response to periods of feed restriction and realimentation is critical and relevant to the agricultural industry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differentially expressed genes identified in subcutaneous adipose tissue collected from cows divergent in body weight (BW) gain after feed restriction and realimentation. We compared adipose samples from cows with greater gain based on average daily gain (ADG) during realimentation with samples from cows with lesser gain. Specifically, there were four comparisons including two comparing the high and low gain animals across each feeding period (feed restriction and realimentation) and two that compared differences in feed restriction and realimentation across high or low gain classifications. Using microarray analysis, we provide a set of differentially expressed genes identified between the high and low gain at both periods of nutrient restriction and realimentation. These data identify multiple differentially expressed genes between these two phenotypes across both nutritional environments.