Cardiac transcriptome study of the effect of heat stress in yellow-feather broilers

• Published in: Italian journal of animal science 2019-01, Vol.18 (1), p.971-975
• Main Authors: Zhang, Quan, Zhang, BoHai, Luo, YiKang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Body weight; Cardiac muscle; Energy metabolism; Feathers; Gene expression; Heart; Heat; Heat stress; High temperature; Metabolism; Muscle contraction; Oxidative phosphorylation; Phosphorylation; Poultry; Ribonucleic acid; RNA; RNA-seq; yellow-feather broiler
• ISSN: 1828-051X; 1594-4077; 1828-051X
• DOI: 10.1080/1828051X.2019.1610338

The yellow-feather broiler is a popular poultry breed in Asia, particularly in China. In this study, we performed RNA-seq analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the heart of yellow-feather broilers that had been subjected to heat stress treatment (38 ± 1 °C for 8 h, over 7 d) and determine the response of the heart to high temperature and its effects on yellow-feather broiler physiology. We found that body weight (BW) of the heat stress treatment group (BW 28  = 354.8 ± 34.8 g) was significantly decreased (p = .033) compared with that of the control group (BW 28  = 384.8 ± 58.9 g). However, there was no significant reduction in the heart relative weight (HRW) (p = .538). A total of 37 DEGs related to energy metabolism responded to heat stress in the heart of yellow-feather broiler. The results of KEGG pathways analysis indicated that these genes are involved in oxidative phosphorylation (KO: 00190), cardiac muscle contraction (KO: 04260) and carbon metabolism (KO: 01200). Analysis of the cardiac transcriptome of yellow-feather broilers subjected to heat stress indicated that the heart of these birds has specific physiological mechanisms for regulating body growth in response to high-temperature environments. Highlights Yellow-feather broilers, a popular poultry breed in Asia, were used to determine how the heart responds to heat stress. A total of 37 genes in the heart of yellow-feather broilers showed differential expression in response to heat stress. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) are associated with oxidative phosphorylation, cardiac muscle contraction and carbon metabolism pathways.