Animals with reduced body fat and increased bone density

Abstract

Methods for identifying animals as having reduced body fat and increased bone density are provided herein. Also provided herein are methods for generating animals having reduced body fat and increased bone density. The methods provided herein are based on the effect of TLR4, MD-2, and CD14 activity on body fat and bone density.

1 . A method for animal breeding, comprising:
 a) identifying a first animal as having a variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide;   b) identifying a second animal as having a variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide; and   c) breeding the first animal with the second animal to generate progeny.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second animal is identified as having the same variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide as the first animal. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second animal is identified as having a variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide that differs from the variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide of the first animal. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the animal is bovine, ovine, porcine, or fowl. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising breeding the progeny generated in step (c) to obtain animals that are homozygous for the variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising measuring the level of body fat in the homozygous animals. 
     
     
         7 . A method for animal breeding, comprising:
 a) identifying a first animal as having a variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide;   b) identifying a second animal as having a variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide;   c) providing biological samples from the first animal and the second animal;|   d) measuring the level of TLR4 activity in the biological samples;   e) comparing the level of TLR4 activity in the biological samples from the first and second animals to a control level of TLR4 activity; and   f) if the level of TLR4 activity is determined to be reduced in both the first animal and the second animal as compared to the control level of TLR4 activity, breeding the first animal with the second animal to generate progeny.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second animals are treated with a TLR4 agonist prior to providing the biological samples. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the control level of TLR4 activity is the level of TLR4 activity in a corresponding control animal. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second animal is identified as having the same variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide as the first animal. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the second animal is identified as having a variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide that differs from the variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide of the first animal. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the animal is bovine, ovine, porcine, or fowl. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising breeding the progeny generated in step (f) to obtain animals that are homozygous for the variant TLR4 nucleic acid or polypeptide. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising measuring the level of body fat in the homozygous animals. 
     
     
         15 . A method for animal breeding, comprising:
 a) identifying a first animal as having a reduced level of TLR4 activity as compared to a corresponding control animal;   b) identifying a second animal as having a reduced level of TLR4 activity as compared to the corresponding control animal; and   c) breeding the first animal with the second animal to generate progeny.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said animal is bovine, ovine, porcine, or fowl. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the level of TLR4 activity in the first or second animal is determined by measuring the expression of a nucleic acid. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the nucleic acid encodes a cytokine or a chemokine 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the cytokine is an interleukin or TNF-α. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the chemokine is IP10. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said level of TLR4 activity in the first or second animal is determined by measuring the level of a TLR4 polypeptide. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the TLR4 polypeptide is measured in serum or in tissue. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the identifying steps comprise providing biological samples from the first animal and the second animal, measuring the level of TLR4 activity in the biological samples, and comparing the level of TLR4 activity in the first and second animals to a control level of TLR4 activity. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the first and second animals are treated with a TLR4 agonist prior to providing the biological samples. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein the control level of TLR4 activity is the level of TLR4 activity in a corresponding control animal.