The Nelore hologenome: implications in beef quality and feed efficiency

Description:
Hologenome is an evolutionary concept that both the host and its associated microorganisms (microbiota) form a cohesive biological entity known as holobionte, whose interaction affects the development and general fitness of the so-called hologenome, such that it has been considered as an independent level of selection. Particularly in ruminants, in addition to allowing to break down complex polysaccharides found in pastures, microbial fermentation in the rumen produces methane as a byproduct, a greenhouse gas with high environmental impact. As well as the reduction of cost and environmental impact, quality improvement is a fundamental factor for the conquest of new markets for Brazilian beef. In a previous thematic project, we produced structural and functional genomic data in a Nelore reference population, thus revealing the main actors in the regulation of gene expression and biological processes relevant to beef quality and food efficiency traits. In the current proposal, we will expand the data analysis to further integrate the different levels of genomic and phenotypic information, searching for causal mutations that explain the observed differences in gene expression. We will also investigate the metagenomics and metabolomics of the rumen of a new sample of Nelore cattle. The addition of the meta-omic layer to the functional genomic of the host will allow to answer critical questions about the inter-relation of functional diversity of the microbiota and the host environment. In addition, the construction of a relational database should facilitate the exploration of this unique set of multi-omic data from Bos indicus and its future integration into international efforts to understand the bovine functional genome.