Patent Application
20240068036
The present application relates to the technical field of detecting age in days of animals, in particular to biomarkers for predicting age in days of pigs, a reagent and a kit for predicting age in days of pigs, and a method for predicting age in days of pigs.
The development of precise markers for estimating biological age of humans and animals and assessing the impact of different interventions on lifespan has been a hotspot in development and aging research field. In previous studies, various biomarkers are used to predict age, including telomere length, mutation accumulation, level of gene expression, or T cell specific DNA rearrangement. However, these methods are relatively limited in their ability and accuracy in assessing the aging process due to large differences in the detected ages. Studies on DNA methylation provide new ideas for accurately estimating the age of an organism. In mammals, methylation of numerous CpG sites has been found to be highly correlated with age. These association sites can be used to construct models (called epigenetic clocks), and may be used as biomarkers to quantitatively predict age, thereby addressing some of the key scientific questions in development, aging research, and related fields.
DNA methylation is by far the most accurate biomarker known to predict age. Methylation sites in human saliva samples are firstly used by researchers for age prediction, and methylation markers based on different tissues and blood are developed later. Recently, age prediction models based on DNA methylation levels of a small number of CpG sites have been successively established in mice, wolves, dogs, whales and other species, but age prediction models based on DNA methylation levels in pigs have not yet been reported.
In a first aspect of the present application, provided are biomarkers for predicting age in days of pigs, which includes one or more CpG sites with different methylation levels, and the different methylation levels of the CpG sites correspond to different ages of pigs.
Further, on the basis of the technical solution provided in this application, the position information of the CpG site(s) includes any one, preferably more, most preferably 75 of the followings: chr1:265469121, chr1:6993958, chr1:77278255, chr1:77278255, chr1:90279146, chr1:10222822, chr1:200765194, chr1:252703561, chr1:127811329, chr1:218682018, chr1:272166208, chr2:112726051, chr2:131821312, chr3:79519033, chr3:71354421, chr3:96708114, chr3:4786944, chr4:110707399, chr4:51236025, chr4:61693637, chr4:35277986, chr4:71941843, chr4:38392750, chr5:46167692, chr5:3442060, chr5:83823568, chr5:86678792, chr6:63915584, chr6:98241827, chr6:7667231, chr6:59654560, chr6:148902979, chr6:131779338, chr6:131779339, chr6:63915581, chr6:151183086, chr6:107410789, chr6:134649996, chr7:15916877, chr7:1722548, chr7:89164845, chr7:14846023, chr7:70113867, chr7:89164756, chr7:86102364, chr7:89164755, chr8:46226086, chr8:71696260, chr8:138571452, chr8:78759323, chr8:116621205, chr8:41380820, chr9:116669694, chr9:68467395, chr9:96069192, chr9:36094595, chr9:73739560, chr9:114311129, chr10:14130890, chr10:14130912, chr10:27158773, chr11:43923343, chr11:13802486, chr12:52792396, chr13:158289588, chr13:32034512, chr13:77838609, chr13:30455076, chr13:85584193, chr13:1535436, chr13:111038503, chr14:31839031, chr14:71122259, chr16:57712066, chr17:43961681, chr18:17893916.
Further, the biomarkers also include the weights of the CpG sites.
Skeletal muscle accounts for 45%-60% of the body weight of an animal, and consists of skeletal muscle fibers. It is the most abundant tissue in animals and one of the most important production traits for the growth and development of livestock and poultry. The level of meat production performance and meat quality of pig animals depends on the growth and development of individual skeletal muscles of animals.
Muscle development in pigs is a very complex process, including the proliferation of the number of muscle fibers before birth, the increase in the volume of muscle fibers and the transformation of muscle fiber types after birth. This process is regulated by the expression of many genes and transcription factors, and DNA methylation and post-transcriptional regulatory modifications also play an important role. An in-depth understanding of the developmental mechanism of pig skeletal muscle is of great significance for improving the breeding efficiency of pig meat production traits and cultivating high-yield and high-quality new breeds (lines) of pigs. It has important strategic significance and market prospects for ensuring China's food security, realizing the sustainable development of the pig breeding industry, and enhancing international competitiveness.
With respect to the above-mentioned biomarkers provided in this application, the methylation of CpG sites is closely related to the growth and development of mammals, and may be used to predict the growth age in days of pigs, which provides a new idea for the study of the mechanism of meat production traits in pigs, thereby facilitating the molecular design breeding for pigs.
In a second aspect of the present application, provided is a reagent or a kit for predicting age in days of pigs, including a reagent capable of detecting the biomarkers mentioned above, and optional instructions.
In addition, the reagent and kit may also optionally include a reagent for detecting age in days of pigs. For example, a reagent for extracting pig genomic DNA, a reagent for gene sequencing, a reagent for detecting gene methylation levels, and other reagents, consumables or instructions that can be thought of by those skilled in the art.
In a third aspect of the present application, provided is a method for predicting age in days of pigs, including measuring the methylation levels of the biomarker CpG sites in genomic DNA of the pig, and optionally further including utilizing a statistical prediction algorithm to determine the age in days of the pig. Exemplarily, said algorithm includes: (a) obtaining a linear combination of methylation levels of the biomarker CpG sites, and (b) applying a transformation to the linear combination to determine the age in days of the pig.
Further, on the basis of the technical solutions provided in this application, wherein the biomarker CpG site(s) is one or more of the above mentioned 75 biomarker CpG sites.
Further, the biomarker CpG sites include but are not limited to: at least 10, or at least 20, or at least 30, or at least 40, or at least 50, or at least 60, or at least 70, or at least 75 methylation biomarkers.
Further, on the basis of the technical solutions provided in this application, the methylation levels of the CpG sites and the corresponding weights of each CpG site are used to construct an Elastic Net linear regression model for predicting age in days of pigs to be tested.
Further, the required CpG sites for the model are the above 75 CpG sites, and/or the version of pigs reference genome in use is Sscrofa11.1 version.
In the present application, by utilizing the DNA methylation data of the whole genome of pig muscles at different development stages, provided is a method for accurately predicting the growth age in days of pigs based on the methylation levels of one or more of the 75 CpG sites, preferably the 75 CpG sites.
The above-mentioned method for predicting the growth age in days of pigs based on CpG methylation not only provides a new idea for the study of the mechanism of pig meat production traits, but also is beneficial to the molecular design breeding of pigs. Since pigs are closely related to humans, this method provides an ideal model for studying important scientific issues such as development and aging of humans and animals.
Further, on the basis of the technical solutions provided by this application, the CpG sites and the corresponding weight information are shown in the table below:
Further, on the basis of the technical solutions provided in this application, in the model: age in days=w1·β1+w2·β2+ . . . wi·βi+w75·β75+383.90, wherein wi is the weight of CpG site i, βi is the methylation level of site i.
Further, the methylation levels of the biomarker CpG sites are measured by measuring the methylation levels of CpG sites in the genome of a biological sample.
Further, wherein the biological sample is muscle, blood, saliva, epidermis, brain, kidney or liver sample of pigs, preferably pig muscle.
In one embodiment of the present application, the method for predicting age in days of pigs includes the following steps:
The applicant obtains a method for predicting age in days of pigs based on DNA methylation levels through research. In this method, 75 CpG sites on pigs genome are screened and identified, and a corresponding weight value for each CpG site is calculated. A linear regression model for predicting age in days of pigs is constructed according to the methylation levels of these 75 CpG sites and the corresponding weights.
The above-mentioned technical solutions according to the application have the following beneficial effects:
Unless otherwise defined, all scientific and technical terms used in this application have the same meaning as commonly understood by an ordinary skilled person in the art of this application.
The technical solutions of the examples according to the present application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings in the examples of the present application. Obviously, the described examples are only a part of the examples of the present application, but not all of the examples. Based on the examples in the present application, all other examples obtained by the ordinary skilled person in the art without creative efforts shall fall within the protection scope of the present application.
Unless otherwise specified, the materials, reagents, etc. used in the following examples are commercially available.
The present application will be described in detail below with reference to specific examples, which are used to understand rather than limit the present application.
As used herein, the term “biomarker” refers to a CpG site that may be methylated. Methylation typically occurs in a CpG-containing nucleic acid. A CpG-containing nucleic acid may be present, for example, in a CpG island, a CpG dinucleotide, a promoter, an intron, or an exon of a gene.
As used herein, the term “DNA methylation” refers to the addition of a methyl group to the 5′-carbon of a cytosine residue between CpG dinucleotides (i.e., 5-methylcytosine). DNA methylation can occur at cytosines in other contexts, such as CHG and CHH, wherein H is adenine, cytosine, or thymine. Cytosine methylation can also be in the form of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. DNA methylation can include non-cytosine methylation, such as N6-methyladenine.
As used herein, the term “genome” or “genomic” refers to all genetic material in the chromosomes of an organism. DNA derived from the genetic material in the chromosomes of a particular organism is genomic DNA.
As used herein, the term “gene” refers to a region of genomic DNA associated with a specified gene. For example, such a region can be defined by a specific gene (such as an exon, an intron, and a control sequence for associated expression) and its flanking sequences. However, it has been recognized in the art that methylation in a specific region is often indicative of methylation status at a proximal genomic locus.
A method for constructing a model for predicting age in days of pigs, including the following steps:
The muscle tissues of the experimental pigs are sampled and lysed with 0.5 mL of lysis buffer (0.5 mol/L EDTA, 1 mol/L NaCl, 10% SDS, RNase stock), digesting with 10 μl of proteinase K (5 mg/ml), and extracting DNA by phenol imitation method. The specific steps are as follows:
The whole-genome methylation sequencing results are compared to calculate the methylation levels of CpG sites. The specific methods are as follows:
Age in days=w1·β1+w2·β2+ . . . wi·βi+w75·β75+383.90, wherein wi is the weight of CpG site i, βi is the methylation level at site i.
See Table 1 for the CpG sites and weight information.
The skeletal muscle tissues of the experimental pigs at 27 time points are sampled, with 3 replicates for each time point, for a total of 81 samples, wherein 80% of the samples (n=64) are randomly selected as training samples, and the remaining 20% of the samples (n=17) as test verification samples. 0.5 mL lysis buffer (0.5 mol/EDTA, 1 mol/L NaCl, 10% SDS, RNase stock) is used for lysis, digesting with 10 μL of proteinase K (5 mg/mL), and extracting DNA by phenol imitation method. The specific steps are as follows:
The above descriptions are only preferred examples of the present application, and are not intended to limit the present application. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, etc. made within the spirit and principles of the present application shall be encompassed in the protection scope of the present application.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 202010760582.9 | Jul 2020 | CN | national |
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/053,035, filed on Nov. 7, 2022, which is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2020/110263, filed on Aug. 20, 2020, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 202010760582.9, filed on Jul. 31, 2020. The disclosures of the aforementioned applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18053035 | Nov 2022 | US |
| Child | 18502378 | US | |
| Parent | PCT/CN2020/110263 | Aug 2020 | US |
| Child | 18053035 | US |
