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ARS Home » Midwest Area » Ames, Iowa » National Animal Disease Center » Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #401495
Research Project: Intervention Strategies to Prevent and Control Viral Respiratory Pathogens of Ruminants

Location: Ruminant Diseases and Immunology Research

Title: Genetic variants and their putative effects on microRNAseed sites: Characterization of 3’ untranslated region of genes associated with temperament

Author
item RUIZ DE LA CRUZ, GILBERTO - Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro De Desarrollo De Productos Bioticos (CEPROBI)
item SIFUENTEZ-RUNCON, ANA - Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro De Desarrollo De Productos Bioticos (CEPROBI)
item Casas, Eduardo
item SANCHEZ, FRANCISCO - University Of Tamaulipas
item PARRA-BRACAMONTES, G. MANUEL - Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro De Desarrollo De Productos Bioticos (CEPROBI)
item RILEY, DAVID - Texas A&M University
item PERRY, GEORGE - Texas A&M Agrilife
item WELSH, THOMAS - Texas A&M University
item RANDEL, RONALD - Texas A&M Agrilife

Submitted to: Genes
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/21/2023
Publication Date: 4/28/2023
Citation: Ruiz De La Cruz, G., Sifuentez-Runcon, A.M., Casas, E., Sanchez, F.A., Parra-Bracamontes, G., Riley, D., Perry, G., Welsh, T., Randel, R. 2023. Genetic variants and their putative effects on microRNAseed sites: Characterization of 3’ untranslated region of genes associated with temperament. Genes. 14(5). Article 1004. https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14051004.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14051004

Interpretive Summary: Studies have proposed microRNAs (miRNAs) as biomarkers and as indicators of exposure to pathogens. MiRNAs are small RNAs that alter the expression of a gene, once it is being produced. In a previous study, four genes (CACNG4, EXOC4, NRXN3, and SLC9A4) were identified as being involved in cattle temperament. Cattle temperament is estimated using Exit Velocity (EV), or a Temperament Score (TS). In this study, it was identified that a single allele substitution in the CACNG4 gene, in a specific location, interrupts the seed site for a miRNA (bta-miR-191) and influences EV and TS temperament traits.

Technical Abstract: The 3’ untranslated region has an important role in gene regulation through microRNAs, and it has been estimated that microRNAs regulate up to 50% of coding genes in mammals. With the aim of allelic variant identification on 3’ untranslated region microRNA-seed sites, the 3’ untranslated region was searched for seed sites of four temperament-associated genes (CACNG4, EXOC4, NRXN3 and SLC9A4). The microRNA seed sites were predicted in the four genes, and the CACNG4 gene had the greatest number with 12 predictions. To search for variants affecting the predicted microRNA-seed sites, the four 3’ untranslated region were re-sequenced in a Brahman cattle population. Eleven single nucleotide polymorphisms were identified in the CACNG4, and 11 in the SLC9A4 genes. Rs522648682:T>G of the CACNG4 gene was located at the predicted seed site for bta-miR-191. Rs522648682:T>G evidenced an association with both Exit Velocity (P=0.0054) and Temperament Score (P=0.0097). The genotype TT had a lower mean Exit Velocity (2.93±0.4 m/s) compared TG and GG genotypes (3.91±0.46 m/s and 3.67±0.46 m/s, respectively). The allele associated with temperamental phenotype antagonizes the seed site disrupting the bta-miR-191 recognition. The G allele of CACNG4-rs522648682 has the potential to influence bovine temperament through a mechanism associated with unspecific recognition of bta-miR-191.