Chicken is important livestock that serves as a vital food source which remain largely affected by heat stress. Therefore, we performed the transcriptome analysis to help understand the mechanisms of heat stress response in chickens. In the animal experiments, we grouped them into a normal and severe at 21 and 33 °C, with identified physiologic parameters for 2-weeks. Subsequently, RNA-seq analysis was performed to identify DEGs with a false discovery rate < 0.05 and a fold change ≥ 1.5. In the physiological parameters, we observed average daily gain was declined, rectal temperature and respiration rate was increased in severe group. Among total 245 DEGs, 230 and 15 genes were upregulated and downregulated, respectively. In upregulated DEGs, HSPs, MYLK2, and BDKRB1 genes were identified as key genes in heat stress. The KEGG pathway analysis showed involvement in the ATP metabolic process, MAPK signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway with related protein processing and synthesis. In conclusion, with induced heat stress, such changes in physiologic parameters alter the neuroendocrine system, and we observed that the heat stress environment regulates such Heat shock protein genes to protect the cells and proteins from an altered metabolism. These findings provide a more comprehensive understanding of the heat stress response in poultry.

中文翻译：

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鸡热应激下的转录组反应揭示了基因调控和代谢改变以维持体内平衡

鸡是重要的牲畜，是重要的食物来源，在很大程度上仍受热应激的影响。因此，我们进行了转录组分析以帮助了解鸡的热应激反应机制。在动物实验中，我们将它们在 21°C 和 33°C 下分为正常和严重，并确定了 2 周的生理参数。随后，进行 RNA-seq 分析以识别错误发现率 < 0.05 和倍数变化 ≥ 1.5 的 DEG。在生理参数方面，我们观察到重症组的平均日增重下降，直肠温度和呼吸频率增加。在总共 245 个 DEG 中，分别有 230 个和 15 个基因上调和下调。在上调的 DEG、HSP、MYLK2和BDKRB1 中基因被确定为热应激的关键基因。KEGG通路分析显示其参与了ATP代谢过程、MAPK信号通路和钙信号通路，以及相关的蛋白质加工和合成。总之，通过诱导热应激，生理参数的这种变化会改变神经内分泌系统，我们观察到热应激环境调节此类热休克蛋白基因以保护细胞和蛋白质免受代谢改变的影响。这些发现提供了对家禽热应激反应的更全面的了解。