Genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis and function may not show synchronised responses to mitochondria in shell gland of laying chickens under infectious bronchitis virus challenge

Abstract

Abstract Background Egg formation takes place in the oviduct of laying hens over a 24 h period. Infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) causes pathological lesions in the chicken oviduct. In the current study, mitochondrial counts were determined in three different segments of the oviduct during egg formation in laying chickens challenged with IBV T strain. Nuclear DNA encoded genes that are involved in mitochondrial biogenesis, fission and function were studied in the shell gland of the oviduct undergoing virus multiplication. Results In the shell gland, the mitochondrial count was significantly lower (P 0.05). Differential expression of the genes was observed at different time-points of egg-shell formation. The expression levels of citrate synthase (CS), cytochrome C, somatic (CYC, S) and sodium-potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na + -K + ATPase) genes were significantly higher, while those of SDHA and dynamin related protein 1 (Drp1) genes were significantly lower, at 15 h compared with 5 h following oviposition of the previous egg. The expression level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) did not show significant change at different time-points. Conclusions It was concluded that IBV T strain infection in laying hens reduced mitochondrial counts only in the shell gland region of the oviduct. The genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis or function may not show synchronised responses to that of mitochondria in the shell gland of chickens under T strain of IBV challenge.

Keywords

• Laying chicken
• Mitochondrial function
• Infectious bronchitis
• Nuclear DNA encoded genes
• Chicken oviduct