MARKTHEPIG · Applied phenomics to identify biomarkers in pigs for new concepts in precision livestock farming
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2016-06-01 → 2018-05-31
- EU contribution
- €168,277
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF-EF-CAR
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Applied phenomics to identify biomarkers in pigs for new concepts in precision livestock farming
The comprehensive and systematic collection of measured phenotypes (phenomics) will help to bridge the gap between genetic variability and phenotypes of the animals. Recent advances in “omics” technologies, could aid in the development of a more accurate molecular-profile by which to classify the biological outcomes. The use of high-throughput approaches such as proteomics and metabolomics have great potentiality in filling this gap. Indeed, the development of such strategies to characterise peptides and metabolites would provide valuable leads to better clarify the biological processes underlying many phenotypic and pathological traits. The application and integration of these technologies in animal science will provide great opportunities to tackle biologically important questions (e.g. how to improve animal welfare) at a whole new level. Indeed, this information could be used to develop precision livestock farming (PLF) approaches with the ultimate aim to offer a real-time monitoring and management system, solving in part problems of animal productions in high density populated regions, like EU. The objective of the project was to reveal new insights into the patterns, structure and determinants of phenotypic variation of the pigs at the molecular level using proteomics and metabolomics approaches for their use to describe the underlying molecular process linking genotypes and phenotypes of the animals.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Considerable progress has been made in characterising genomes, allowing comprehensive insights into patterns of genetic diversity in many organisms. However, the question of how genetics and environment interact to influence phenotype still remains challenging. Recent advances in DNA sequencing and phenotyping technologies, in concert with analysis of large datasets have spawned 'phenomics', the use of large scale approaches to study how genetic instructions from a single gene or the whole genome translate into the full set of phenotypic traits of an organism. Phenomics can be used across the full range of biological sciences, from cell culture studies in well-defined laboratory environments to populations of organisms under rapidly changing conditions. Advances in “omics” technologies, are providing the necessary tools to extensively phenotype increasingly large collections of individuals. The application and integration of these technologies in animal science will provide great opportunities to tackle biologically important questions (e.g. how to improve animal welfare, the environmental impact) at a whole new level. Indeed, these information could be used to develop precision livestock farming with the ultimate aim to offer a real-time monitoring and management system, solving in part problems of animal productions in high density populated regions, like Europe.The aim of the current project is to take advantage of the knowledge obtained by the University of Bologna in highly phenotyped pigs to better understand the factors, both genetic and non-genetic, that contribute to its variability. In the project, the use of mass spectrometry-based proteomics and metabolomics, will be the approach employed to provide new insights into the spectrum and structure of phenotypic diversity and the characteristics influencing the ability to accurately predict phenotypes.Indirect benefit for human health will be obtained by strengthening the pig as a biomedical model.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA · BolognaCoordinatorItaly
Links
- View on CORDIS
- DOI: 10.3030/703094
- http://markthepig.eu/
- https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/projects/success-stories/all/using-science-select-prize-pigs
Data: CORDIS, © European Union