Multi-omic Fertility Fitness Assessment in Mammals
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods lack a viable approach to determine the fertility status of animals, particularly before pregnancy, leading to significant financial losses due to input costs in raising infertile or subfertile animals to reproductive age.
Innovation Solution
The method involves assessing fertility fitness in female mammals by detecting specific single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), determining the amount of certain transcripts and proteins, and quantifying specific metabolites in samples collected from the animals.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional breeding methods are used without fertility assessment, then animals are raised to reproductive age with standard input costs, but significant financial losses occur due to infertile or subfertile animals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing fertility assessments using multi-omic biomarkers (SNPs, transcripts, proteins, metabolites) before animals reach reproductive age or before pregnancy occurs. This allows identification of infertile or subfertile animals in advance, enabling producers to make informed breeding decisions and avoid the time loss associated with raising non-productive animals to maturity.
2Measurement precision
If comprehensive fertility assessment methods are implemented, then accurate identification of fertile and subfertile animals is achieved, but detection complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the fertility assessment into distinct analytical layers: genomic analysis (SNP detection), transcriptomic analysis (gene expression measurement), proteomic analysis (protein quantification), and metabolomic analysis (metabolite detection). Each layer can be performed using specialized techniques and equipment, allowing the complex multi-omic assessment to be broken into manageable segments that can be executed sequentially or in parallel.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies universality by developing a comprehensive multi-omic platform that can assess fertility across different animal species and breeds using a unified approach. The same general framework of analyzing multiple biomarker types (SNPs, transcripts, proteins, metabolites) can be applied universally to cattle, sheep, goats, and other livestock, making the complex detection method broadly applicable rather than species-specific.
3Loss of information
If multi-omic biomarker analysis is performed, then fertility status is accurately determined prior to pregnancy, but analysis cost and resource requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining multiple omic analyses (genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics) into an integrated fertility assessment platform. Rather than performing separate analyses for each biomarker type, the method merges these techniques into a coordinated workflow that analyzes multiple layers of biological information simultaneously from the same or complementary samples, thereby reducing overall resource consumption and information loss.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the selection and concentration of specific biomarkers within each omic layer. Rather than analyzing all possible genes, proteins, or metabolites, the method focuses on a targeted panel of fertility-related biomarkers (specific SNPs, differentially expressed genes, key proteins, and relevant metabolites). This parameter optimization reduces reagent consumption and analysis complexity while maintaining high accuracy in fertility status determination.
Data Source
AI summary
Described in certain example embodiments herein are compositions and methods to determine fertility fitness in mammals.