Climate Resilience in Farm Animals: Transcriptomics-Based Alterations in Differentially Expressed Genes and Stress Pathways
Chikamagalore Gopalakrishna Shashank,
Veerasamy Sejian,
Mullakkalparambil Velayudhan Silpa,
Chinnasamy Devaraj,
Aradotlu Parameshwarappa Madhusoodan,
Ebenezer Binuni Rebez,
Gajendirane Kalaignazhal,
Artabandhu Sahoo,
Frank Rowland Dunshea
Affiliations
Chikamagalore Gopalakrishna Shashank
Centre for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore 560030, India
Veerasamy Sejian
Centre for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore 560030, India
Mullakkalparambil Velayudhan Silpa
Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Veterinary Education and Research, Kurumbapet 605009, India
Chinnasamy Devaraj
Centre for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore 560030, India
Aradotlu Parameshwarappa Madhusoodan
Temperate Animal Husbandry Division, ICAR-Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Mukteswar Campus, Nainital 263138, India
Ebenezer Binuni Rebez
Centre for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore 560030, India
Gajendirane Kalaignazhal
Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Odisha University of Agriculture and Technology, Bhubaneshwar 751003, India
Artabandhu Sahoo
Centre for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, ICAR-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Adugodi, Bangalore 560030, India
Frank Rowland Dunshea
School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia
The livestock sector, essential for maintaining food supply and security, encounters numerous obstacles as a result of climate change. Rising global populations exacerbate competition for natural resources, affecting feed quality and availability, heightening livestock disease risks, increasing heat stress, and contributing to biodiversity loss. Although various management and dietary interventions exist to alleviate these impacts, they often offer only short-lived solutions. We must take a more comprehensive approach to understanding how animals adapt to and endure their environments. One such approach is quantifying transcriptomes under different environments, which can uncover underlying pathways essential for livestock adaptation. This review explores the progress and techniques in studies that apply gene expression analysis to livestock production systems, focusing on their adaptation to climate change. We also attempt to identify various biomarkers and transcriptomic differences between species and pure/crossbred animals. Looking ahead, integrating emerging technologies such as spatialomics could further accelerate genetic improvements, enabling more thermoresilient and productive livestock in response to future climate fluctuations. Ultimately, insights from these studies will help optimize livestock production systems by identifying thermoresilient/desired animals for use in precise breeding programs to counter climate change.
