Research Activity of IGAB

The principle fields of the Institute's research activity are: molecular genetics, cytogenetics, experimental embryology, biochemistry,

animal behavior, physiology of animal stress and ethology, and introduction of the results of these investigations into animal

breeding programs, and the quality of animal products

The basic studies are focused on discovering the mechanisms – molecular, biochemical and physiological - underlying animals’ phenotype, animals’

productivity, reproduction, health and behavior. We hope, that in the future results of these studies will be helpful in

improving animal breeding methods, and some of them could be also used in human medicine, to improve human health and welfare.

Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland

The investigations are carried out at the Insitute within five topics groups:

ü  Functional genomics – studies of effects of gene polymorphisms on production traits of farm animals – milk and meat production, and also health and reproduction traits.

ü  Biodiversity – studies of genetic markers applied to protection of genetic resources in domestic and wild animals

ü  Biotechnology of reproduction – experimental embryology

ü  Population genetics - breeding methods applied to improvement of animal productivity, animal health and the quality of animal products.

ü  Genetic backgrounds of animal behavior – ethology, neurophysiology

In the studies carried out at the Institute many modern and

advanced experimental methods are used:

ü Methods used for studying gene expression, gene regulation, gene polymorphism - genome sequencing (NGS), transcriptomics, proteomics, epigenomics, expression and SNP microarrays, next generation sequencing, bioiformatics

ü Methods used in embryology and animal reproduction - animal cloning, embryo transfer, micromanipulation (reconstruction of embryos, microinjection and transfer of embryos), cryo-conservation of embryos and oocytes.

ü Methods used to analyze composition of foods, feeds and animal products – HPLC, spectrometry etc.

ü  In population genetic studies many advanced statistical programs are used

In the experiments carried out at the Institute different species of animals are used – farm and experimental:

ü  Mice ü  Rabbis ü  Quails ü  Cattle ü  Pigs

ü  Sheep ü  Horses, ü  Ostriches ü  Goats ü  Chickens

The studies are conducted at the Institute within six research departments

Studies are also conducted by individual scientists or within independent research teams, often formed ad hoc to solve specific scientific problems.

Most studies are carried out in cooperation between different IGAB departments, and in cooperation with other reseach centers in Poland and abroad.

Department of Animal Breeding

Head – Prof. Jarosław O. Horbańczuk

Principal fields of research ü  Animal breeding and genetics studies of different farm animal species: cattle, horses,

goats, chickens, ostriches. ü  Search for genetic markers of animal production traits, animal health traits (mastitis),

and quality of animal products. ü  Optimization of maintenance conditions of farm animals. ü  Organic farming as an alternative for industrial agriculture and biodiversity

preservation.

Department of Molecular Cytogenetics

Head - Prof. Mariusz Pierzchała

Principal fields of research ü Search for the occurrence of chromosome aberrations in farm animals ü Biodiversity of farm and wild animal species (e.g. black grouse). ü  Nutrigenomics of bioactive components, based on pig as animal model. ü  Search for molecular biomarkers for meat quality traits in pigs.

Department of Animal Immunogenetics

Head – Prof. Agnieszka Korwin-Kossakowska

Principal fields of research ü Search for effects of gene polymorphisms and expression on the meat production and

functional traits in pigs, e.g. on health and reproduction. ü Studies of the safety of „transgenic” feed, with the use of Japanese quail as a model. ü Polymorphism of microsatellite markers in parentage control of Arabian Horses and

Thoroughbreds ü Biodiversity of domestic and wild animals, e.g. primitive horses, deer, turtles, snakes.

Department of Experimental Embryology

Head – Prof. Jacek Modliński

Principal fields of research: ü  Nucleo-cytoplasmic interactions in early mammalian development ü  Constructing of embryonic/somatic chimaeras as a model in studies on re-

differentiation of somatic cells. ü  Somatic cloning (including interspecies cloning) as a tool in animal

biotechnology and in protection of endangered animal species

Department of Animal Behaviour

Head – Prof. Tadeusz Jezierski

Principal fields of research ü Studies of genetic and physiological basis for stress reactivity in animals ü A role of genetic background for animal welfare and behavior ü Training of dogs for detection of scent markers of cancer diseases in humans.

Department of Molecular Biology

Head - Prof. Lech Zwierzchowski

Principal fields of research ü Functional genomics of cattle in search for molecular markers of production

traits in farm animals. ü Expression profiles and epigenetic regulation of genes in mouse brain in

relation to stress mechanisms and neurogenesis. ü  Iron metabolism in mouse and in farm animals – iron supplementation of

piglets.

Ins-IGF1 locus in cattle IRP1 gene express-ion in mice

The most important recent research achievements of IGAB

scientists which may have an impact on animal production, veterinary and

human medicine

The most important recent research achievements of IGAB

scientists which may have an impact on animal production, veterinary and

human medicine

Identification of transcriptomic and proteomic biomarkers in pig muscle and

liver as potential predictors of pork quality The research was conducted by prof. Mariusz Pierzchała (IGAB), dr Marinus te Pas (Wageningen UR Livestock Research) and coworkers to find associations between muscle transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of pig breeds differing in meat productivity and quality. Biomarkers were identified of several meat quality traits:

ü Drip loss: Isocitrate dehydrogenase, HSP27, myosin and Superoxide dismutase.

ü pH at 24 hours: Haptoglobin, RTN4-C, SERPIN3, Isocitrate dehydrogenase, Galectin-1, Parvalbumin, MYLK2 and KBTBD.

Bioinformatic analysis of the identified proteins and genes allowed identification of the biological mechanisms involved in the regulation of the traits. Published in: Meat Sci. 2013 and J. Anim. Breed. Genet.

Networks of associations of genes (upper panel) and proteins (lower panel) encoded by genes: HSPB1, TNNI1, TNNC1,TNNT1,TIMP-1, CSRP3, VABP, CARP

Kategorie funkcji biologicznych i molekularnych genów o zróżnicowanej ekspresji w wątrobie bydła h.f. i hereford

Funkcjonalna sieć genów związanych ze wzrostem i rozwojem - (Ingenuity® PathwayAnalysis)

Mapa genowa szlaku przekazywania sygnałów -baza danych KEGG.

Comparing gene expression profiles in adult and fetal muscles of cattle differing in production capacities of meat and milk in

search for molecular markers of cattle productivity.

Paweł Lisowski, Lech Zwierzchowski and coworkers; in co-operation with Department of Veterinary, Agricultural University, Warsaw

Transcriptomic profiles were studied of muscle and liver of cattle significantly differing in

production type – HF, Hereford, Limousin, Polish Red. Differentially expressed genes were identified which may determine cattle production capacity of meat.

Hypothetical models were constructed involving genes of different signaling pathways in regulation of increased muscle growth in beef cattle – somatotropic axis.

Published in: Animal Genetics 2013, J. Physiol. Pharmacol. 2009; J. Appl. Genet. 2008

Estimating expression profiles of immune system genes in patophysiology of the cow’s mammary gland

Prof. Emilia Bagnicka and co-workers

ü  In the microarray analysis several groups of genes were identified differentially expressed in cow’s mammary gland after infection with Staphylococcus bacteria.

ü  Some of these genes were selected as possible indicators of the cows’ resistance or susceptibility to mastitis.

Published in: BMC Vereinary Research - In press

   Based on microarray analysis genes were classified which are over expressed in mammary glands of cows infected with different strains of bacteria.

Atp7ams/-

Atp7a+/-

Regulation of iron metabolism in different stages of mammals’ development

Prof. Paweł Lipiński and co-workers

The expression of Cu transporter ATP7a was for the first time proved in the liver of newborn mice at the protein level, There was identified a G to C nucleotide exchange in exon 15 of the Atp7a gene, which resulted in an arginine to proline substitution in the highly conserved 6th transmembrane domain of the ATP7A protein.

ü In the studies carried out on mice it was shown that the G/C mutation in Atp7a gene resulted in Cu deficiency in brain, liver and heart.

ü The mice carrying such mutation represent an interesting animal model for Menkes disease i humans.

Published in: Gene Expr Patterns. 2011

ü  In the study of iron metabolism in pigs it was shown that iron absorbtion in newborn pigs differs significantly from that in adults.

ü Based on these research, the new method of iron supplementation in newborn pigs was proposed and tested; the new method efficiently corrected the low iron level and prevented anemia in piglets.

ü The new supplementation method is now being patented

Published in: PLoS One. 2013 and Am. J. Pathol. 2010

Analysing safety of genetically modified feeds in animal feeding – on the model of Japanese quail.

Prof. Agnieszka Korwin-Kossakowska and co-workers

Japanese quails were fed the formula containing genetically modified grains - soya (Roundup Ready) and maize (MON810). ü During 8 generations no effects were found of GMO feed on development, reproduction, egg laying and meat productivity. Moreover, no traces of modified DNA was detected in different tissues of animals and in their eggs. ü This suggests that the transgenic plants used to fed quails are safe both for the birds and for consumers of quails’ eggs or meat. ü The experiment will be continued for next several generations.

Recognizing diapause as a conservative phenomena in different species of mammals

Prof. Jacek Modliński and co-workers in cooperation with Teramo University, Italy

ü It was shown that embryonal diapause (a delay of embryo development) could be experimentally induced in species generally recognized as non-diapausing, e.g. in sheep blastocystys transferred to ovariecomized mice. ü This suggests that diapause may be evolutionally conserved. ü There results can appear very important not only for animal but also for human reproduction.

Experimentally induced diapause in ovine blastocysts transferred to ovariectomized mice.

In the other studies, carried out on mice, it was shown that advanced paternal age resulteded in the autism-like symptoms in offspring (social deficits, communication impairments and stereotypic behaviors). These results could be important for human reproduction and human medicine.

Published in: PLoS One. 2012 and Transl. Psychiatry 2014

Training of dogs to detect odors of volatile compounds in the breath air of patients suffering from melenoma or breath cancer

Prof. Tadeusz Jezierski and co-workers

Training and detecting area for dogs.

A method of canine training for detection of odor markers of cancer diseases in breath samples has been elaborated.

ü Dogs were trained to distinguish breath samples of humans suffering from lung and breast cancer from those of healthy volunteers.

ü The efficiency of correct indications exceeded 80%.

ü These results may be used in the future for cheap and accurate s c r e e n i n g o f l a r g e h u m a n populations for early detection of cancers.

Published in: Integr Cancer Ther. 2006; Analyt. Bioanal. Chem., 2012

Plans for the future ü Animal breeding - studies of the quality of animal products, of the

effects of nutrition and feed composition on the quality of milk and meat.

ü Experimental embryology - increasing the efficiency of somatic cloning and improvement of the methods of embro and oocyte cro-conservation.

ü Animal behaviour - identification of molecular genetic markers for selected behavioural traits in laboratory and farm animals.

ü Molecular genetics – functional genomics of farm animals - studying of gene expression and polymorphism and their effects on utility traits of farm animals with the use of modern experimental methods and techniques: transcriptomics, proteomics, microarrays, NGS.

Prof. Keith Campbell, co-creator of Dolly sheep, visiting IGAB PAS in May 2012

Prof. Piotr Chomczyński, the owner and president of Molecular Research Center w Cincinnati USA, visiting

his „old place” in November 2010

Thank You for Your attention