contribution of imPrIntome to PiglET birTh wEight - a targeted integrative -omics strategy – PIPETTE

Birth weight (BW) is a complex trait associated with important economic and welfare issues in pig production. We propose to dissect the molecular architecture of BW by focusing on imprinted genes given their crucial role in pre- and post-natal growth and development.
Genomic imprinting is an attractive mechanism of epigenetic regulation leading to the parental origin-specific expression of genes. The role of genomic imprinting in the variability of complex traits has never been extensively assessed in farm animals although two mutations in imprinted genes associated with agronomic traits have already been identified. To tackle this challenging question, we will (i) design a dedicated experimental protocol harnessing extreme BW phenotypes, (ii) develop -omics molecular tools targeting the whole imprintome and (iii) perform multiple association analyses to integrate genetic, epigenetic and transcriptomic data for a better understanding of the molecular architecture of piglet BW.
This project will have scientific, applied and transversal impacts by highlighting the significant contribution of imprinted genes to the determinism of BW in piglets.