GENE EXPRESSION OF SOME ECONOMIC TRAITS RELATED TO HEAT STRESS IN CAMEL

Abstract

This study was carried out in the college of Biotechnology at Misr University for Science and Technology (MUST) and Ain Shams Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Branch of Faculty of Agriculture (ACGEBFAG). - Camels have a number of adaptations to help them to survive the most successfully in such dry and arid climates. - Camels have an exceptional ability to adapt to desert lifestyle with remarkable physiological characteristics such as fluctuating body temperature from 34°C to 41.7°C throughout the day, tolerating water loss greater than 30%, and capability of drinking 100 liters of water in as little as ten minutes. - Camelidae provide human with a range of products and services, from fine wool to meat, milk and draught power. - Egypt like most of the developed countries has an increased population and is in a great need to increase food production. Shortage in animal protein is one of the big problems in Egypt. So, this study aimed to study Epigenetic and the expression of some genes affecting economically important traits such as milk production in association with heat stress in camels Forty blood samples were collected; 20 samples were collected during winter season (20 females from Maghrabi breed) and 20 blood samples were collected during summer season from the same animals. Samples collected from the Camel Research Center, Marsa Matrouh during the period of February to June, 2015. Total proteins were studied on these samples (Biochemical analysis). Real-time PCR and Methylation quantification (Molecular analysis) were also done for all these samples to compare the levels of Leptin and IGF gene expression in two seasons (winter and summer). Epigenetic and Biochemical analysis for forty bi-matched samples of females was performed. Also, studying the correlation between gene expression, epigenetics and the economical traits such as milk production has been studied. The results of these experiments were as follows:

1. Biochemical analysis The native-protein banding pattern revealed the presence of up to six different band zones. These zones are Immunoglobulin (γ-globulin), Post-Transferrin, Transferrin (β-globulin), α-globulin (slow and fast), Albumin and Pre- Albumin The plasma protein profiles indicated the presence of differences in the region of Immunoglobulin (γ-globulin), Post-Transferrin, Transferrin (β-globulin), α-globulin (slow and fast) patterns. Where, the immunoglobulin with a molecular weight of 210 KDa revealed low variation between samples collected in winter and summer. Also, there was a high variation between the samples collected in winter and summer at the post-transferrin zone with molecular weight of 174 KDa. Meanwhile the variation in transferrin zone was seen in two bands (124 and 97 KDa) which were present in all samples collected in winter while absent in samples collected in summer. There is also a high variation of samples collected in winter and summer at the α-globulin (slow and fast) zone where it consisted of three bands with the molecular weights of 80, 70 and 60 KDa. Where all samples in summer showed absence of band with molecular weight of 80 KDa while present in all samples collected in winter. On the contrary, a presence of bands with molecular weights of 70 and 60 KDa in all samples in summer and their absence in most samples collected in winter. Therefore, such bands may be considered as biochemical markers for temperature differences in camels.

2. Molecular analysis