Impact of fetal exposure to mycotoxins on longissimus muscle fiber hypertrophy and miRNA transcriptome

Longissimus muscle samples were collected from lambs exposed in utero to mycotoxins (E-, endophyte-free tall fescue seed without ergot alkaloids or E+, endophyte-infected tall fescue seed containing ergot alkaloids) during mid-gestation (MID; E+/E-; N) or late-gestation (LATE; E-/E+; T) harvested at two developmental stages (FETAL, gestational d133) or (MKT, near maturity, 250 d of age). Muscle samples were examined to determine the impact of in utero mycotoxin exposure on skeletal muscle fiber hypertrophy and the miRNA transcriptome at FETAL and MKT. Overall design: This study is comprised of 12 samples. There are 4 groups with 3 replicates each. There are two stages of development: fetal and wether. For each life stage, there is a group exposed in utero to mycotoxins (endophyte-infected tall fescue seed containing ergot alkaloids) during mid-gestation (MID; N) or late-gestation (LATE; T).