We are focusing on the identification of causative variants and genes influencing economically important traits in livestock using forward and reverse genetic approaches. We are developing and offering diagnostic tests for genetic defects and embryonic lethals that are widely used by breeders.
We are exploiting the unique features of livestock populations to study recombination, gene conversion, transposon mobilisation, and de novo mutations in the bovine germ line.
Key publications
GWAS reveals determinants of mobilization rate and dynamics of an active endogenous retrovirus in cattle. Tang L, Swedlund B, Dupont S, Harland C, Costa Monteiro Moreira G, Durkin K, Artesi M, Mullaart E, Sartelet A, Karim L, Coppieters W, Georges M, Charlier C. Nat Commun 15: 2154 (2024) .
The rate of de novo structural variation is increased in in vitro-produced offspring and preferentially affects the paternal genome. Lee YL, Bouwman AC, Harland C, Bosse M, Costa Monteiro Moreira G, Veerkamp RF, Mullaart E, Cambisano N, Groenen MAM, Karim L, Coppieters W, Georges M, Charlier C. Genome Res. 33:1455-1464 (2023) .
An organism-wide ATAC-seq peak catalog for the bovine and its use to identify regulatory variants. Yuan C, Tang L, Lopdell T, Petrov VA, Oget-Ebrad C, Moreira GCM, Gualdrón Duarte JL, Sartelet A, Cheng Z, Salavati M, Wathes DC, Crowe MA; GplusE Consortium; Coppieters W, Littlejohn M, Charlier C, Druet T, Georges M, Takeda H. Genome Res. 33:1848-1864 (2023).
ABO genotype alters the gut microbiota by regulating GalNAc levels in pigs. Yang H, Wu J, Huang X, Zhou Y, Zhang Y, Liu M, Liu Q, Ke S, He M, Fu H, Fang S, Xiong X, Jiang H, Chen Z, Wu Z, Gong H, Tong X, Huang Y, Ma J, Gao J, Charlier C, Coppieters W, Shagam L, Zhang Z, Ai H, Yang B, Georges M*, Chen C*, Huang L*. Nature 606:358-367 (2022). * Co-senior and co-cerrespponding authors.
SNP-based quantitative deconvolution of biological mixtures: application to the detection of cows with subclinical mastitis by whole-genome sequencing of tank milk. Coppieters W, Karim L, Georges M. Genome Res. 30:1201-1207 (2020).
Harnessing genomic information for livestock improvement. Georges M, Charlier C, Hayes B. Nat Rev Genet, 20:135-156 (2019)
