Plant, Animal & Microbe Genomes X Conference Plant, Animal & Microbe Genomes X ConferenceJanuary 12-16, 2002
Town & Country Convention Center
San Diego, CA
Poster: Genome Sequencing & ESTs
The bovine gastrointestinal tract (GI) consists of a large number of segments and chambers. While the gross functions of most regions of the GI tract are well known, a lack of information concerning the specific processes occurring in each region still exists. In addition, little is known about variation in these tissues from a genetic point of view. We have used gene expression profiling to infer function in the bovine rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, duodenum, jejunum and ileum. cDNA libraries of each of the different regions of the tract were constructed using the lambda-ZAP DNA synthesis kit (Stratagene) and over 1000 clones were sequenced for each region. Sequences were submitted to the MAGPIE program, a system for the automated analysis of biological sequences, and functional assignments were made for the various ESTs. Annotation of the sequences was then done manually within the MAGPIE framework. It was shown that significant differences in gene expression exist as one moves from one compartment to the next. Expression of certain sequences, which could be related to gross function, was found. An example is the abundance of lysozyme transcripts in the abomasum. Other regions of the GI tract, however, did not appear to express any particular sequence preferentially. An overview of the differences found will be presented.