W823
Genomics Meets Metabolomics: Developing a Systems Biology Approach to Understand the Genetic Mechanisms Affecting Complex Traits in Pigs

Date: Saturday, January 10, 2015
Time: 1:30 PM
Room: Royal Palm Salon 1-2
Luca Fontanesi , Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Samuele Bovo , Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Gianluca Mazzoni , Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Giuseppina Schiavo , Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Antonia Bianca Samorè , Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Flaminia Fanelli , Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Endocrynology Unit, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Francesca Bertolini , Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Emilio Scotti , Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Giuliano Galimberti , Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Daniela Giovanna Calò , Department of Statistical Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Marco Mezzullo , Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Endocrynology Unit, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Pier Luigi Martelli , Biocomputing Group, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Rita Casadio , Biocomputing Group, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Stefania Dall'Olio , Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Uberto Pagotto , Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, Endocrynology Unit, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
Integration of omics information has the potential to produce holistic visions of complex biological processes underlying many production traits in livestock. In this study we combined genomics and metabolomics in addition to a deep phenotyping approach in pigs. About 900 performance tested Italian Large White pigs were genotyped with the Illumina PorcineSNP60 BeadChip and, for a few of them, the whole genome was resequenced. About 180 metabotypes were measured on plasma of all 900 pigs that were also measured for about 40 performance, carcass and haematological traits. Heritability was estimated for all traits. Metabotypes were used to generate i) a Graphical Gaussian Model (GGM), that represented the biological relationships among metabolites, and ii) predictors for production traits. Genome wide association studies carried out on metabotypes and all measured traits identified genetic variations in genes directly involved in the biochemical pathways of several metabolites, opening interesting applications in pig breeding. This study demonstrated the powerful potential derived by the dissection of complex traits in molecular phenotypes. This reductionist approach opens new perspectives for a systems biology-based view of economic important traits in pigs.
Back to: Swine
Previous Abstract | Next Abstract >>