Functional genomics of pre-slaughter stress responses in chicken muscle
Résumé
Preslaughter conditions affect meat quality. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly investigated. In the present study, genomic tools were used to assess in an integrative way the biological response of chicken muscle to a stress situation before slaughter. Thigh muscles (tensor fascia latae and biceps femoris) were sampled immediately after sacrifice in standard broilers which were individually exposed (stressed) or not (control) to a restraint-transport (2h) combination stress. The analysis of transcripts using oligonucleotide microarrays show that the expression of 55 genes was affected by this stress. Proteomic analysis showed differential expression of 35 identified proteins. Integrate analysis of these data using Ingenuity System© proposes a significant network corresponding to small molecule biochemistry and cytoskeletal organisation. In addition, differential expressions of genes and proteins consistently indicate an inhibition of muscle glycolysis in response to stress. The analysis of metabolic profiles using metabolomics technique confirms the results obtained on genes and proteins since stressed animals showed lower relative quantities of the first metabolites of glycolysis.