Abstract
BACKGROUND: In oviparous species accidental variation of incubation temperatures may occur under natural conditions and mechanisms may have evolved by natural selection that facilitate coping with these stressors. However, under controlled artificial incubation modification of egg incubation temperature has been shown to have a wide-ranging impact on post-hatch development in several poultry species. Because developmental changes initiated in-ovo can affect poultry production, understanding the molecular routes and epigenetic alterations induced by incubation temperature differences may allow targeted modification of phenotypes. RESULTS: In order to identify molecular pathways responsive to variable incubation temperature, broiler eggs were incubated at a lower or higher temperature (36.8 °C, 38.8 °C) relative to control (37.8 °C) over two developmental intervals, embryonic days (E) 7-10 and 10-13. Global gene expression of M. gastrocnemius was assayed at E10, E13, and slaughter age [post-hatch day (D) 35] (6 groups; 3 time points; 8 animals each) by microarray analysis and treated samples were compared to controls within each time point. Transcript abundance differed for between 113 and 738 genes, depending on treatment group, compared to the respective control. In particular, higher incubation temperature during E7-10 immediately affected pathways involved in energy and lipid metabolism, cell signaling, and muscle development more so than did other conditions. But lower incubation temperature during E10-13 affected pathways related to cellular function and growth, and development of organ, tissue, and muscle as well as nutrient metabolism pathways at D35. CONCLUSION: Shifts in incubation temperature provoke specific immediate and long-term transcriptional responses. Further, the transcriptional response to lower incubation temperature, which did not affect the phenotypes, mediates compensatory effects reflecting adaptability. In contrast, higher incubation temperature triggers gene expression and has long-term effects on the phenotype, reflecting considerable phenotypic plasticity.