Epigenetic variation related to the degree of helminthosis in nelore cattle

Author(s)

Isabela de Almeida Cipriano

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Dracena. 2023-05-08.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Tecnológicas. Dracena
• Defense date: 2023-02-02
• Advisor: Ricardo Velludo Gomes de Soutello; Maria Gabriela Fontanetti Rodrigues

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to characterize a herd of 48 Nellore steers, identifying resistant, resilient and susceptible animals to gastrointestinal helminths, relating global DNA methylation with the degree of helminthosis in cattle. Individual count of eggs per gram of feces (OPG), fecal culture for gender identification and blood collection for DNA extraction and subsequent analysis of genomic methylation. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to group animals into resistant, resilient and susceptible by Tukey's test (5%) in the SISVAR program. The mean absolute absorbance values of the groups and the means of the variables were submitted to ANOVA and Tukey analysis (5%). The results were: 56% resistant, 24% resilient and 20% susceptible to gastrointestinal helminth infection, with mean OPG counts of 44, 135 and 345 respectively, showing statistical difference between all groups. The quantification of DNA methylation was 0.164, 0.134 and 0.077 respectively for resistant, resilient and susceptible. Less DNA methylation was observed in the group of susceptible animals, in which they differed statistically from the resistant and resilient animals, which presented a greater amount of methylated DNA. Thus, the methodologies used made it possible to identify the animals regarding the degree of infection by gastrointestinal helminths, making it possible to relate the resistance of cattle to helminths with the amount of global DNA methylation. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 22/00061-9 - Epigenetic variation related to the degree of helmintosis in Nelore cattle
• Grantee: Isabela de Almeida Cipriano
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master