Proteomics in Animal Health and Production

Proteomics is a powerful tool for the identification of proteins and study their localisation, functions, modifications and possible interactions or complexes they can form. This review presents an overview of proteome studies of various tissues and biological fluids in different farm animals. Proteomics is the key tool to understand the molecular mechanisms behind meat quality in different genetic back grounds or processing technologies. Several studies carried out on the liver proteome of many species either to mapping the proteins or for comparing them in various conditions. The difference in the proteome of tears in various animal species could explain their adaptation to their climatic conditions. Saliva with its hundreds of proteins, peptides, hormones, electrolytes and other chemical compounds might be a good source of biomarkers which helps in assessing stress factors such as malnutrition as well as diseases or ongoing viral infections in farm animals. Saliva proteome of ruminants could be differentiated from nonruminants. Proteins are key molecules of the milk functional component repertoire and their investigation reveals differential expression in various animals. The study of proteome can provide a deeper understanding of the biochemical, physiological aspects of farm animal biology and it’s relation to productive aspects and disease conditions.