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Evolutionary Biology – Concepts, Molecular and Morphological Evolution pp 115–132Cite as

Comparative Genomics and Transcriptomics of Lactation

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Abstract

Lactation is an important characteristic of mammalian reproduction sometimes referred to as the quintessence of mammals. Comparative genomics and transcriptomics experiments are allowing a more in-depth molecular analysis of the evolution of lactation throughout the mammalian kingdom and these recent results are reviewed here. Milk cell and mammary gland gene expression analysis with sequencing methodology have started to reveal conserved or specific milk protein and components of the lactation system of monotreme, marsupial and eutherian lineages. These experiments have confirmed the ancient origin of the complex lactation system and provided useful insight into the function of specific milk proteins in the control of the lactation programme or the role of milk in the regulation of growth and development of the young beyond simple nutritive aspects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Technology Research and Innovation, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Geelong, VIC, 3217, Australia

    Christophe M. Lefèvre, Karensa Menzies, Julie A. Sharp & Kevin R. Nicholas

  2. CRC for Innovative Dairy Products, Department of Zoology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC, 3010, Australia

    Christophe M. Lefèvre, Karensa Menzies, Julie A. Sharp & Kevin R. Nicholas

  3. Victorian Bioinformatics Consortium, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC, 3080, Australia

    Christophe M. Lefèvre

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  1. Christophe M. Lefèvre
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  2. Karensa Menzies
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  3. Julie A. Sharp
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  4. Kevin R. Nicholas
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Correspondence to Christophe M. Lefèvre .

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  1. CNRS UMR 6632, Labo. Evolution Biologique et, Université d'Aix-Marseille, place Victor Hugo 3, Marseille CX 03, 13331, France

    Pierre Pontarotti

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Lefèvre, C.M., Menzies, K., Sharp, J.A., Nicholas, K.R. (2010). Comparative Genomics and Transcriptomics of Lactation. In: Pontarotti, P. (eds) Evolutionary Biology – Concepts, Molecular and Morphological Evolution. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-12340-5_7

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