Table 3 Volcano plot univariate analysis of four comparison groups from the discovery dataset.

From: Predictive blood biomarkers of sheep pregnancy and litter size

Volcano plot

 

Day − 7

Day 0

Day 35

Day 50

Day 70

CNT vs PRG

Citric acid

SM C20:2, trans-hydroxyProline, kynurenine, total dimethylarginine

Acetone, total dimethylarginine, sarcosine, isobutyric acid, taurine, C3 (propionylcarnitine), methanol, putrescine

Acetic acid, SM (OH) C24:1, lysoPC a C26:0, lysoPC a C26:1, tryptophan, C3 (propionylcarnitine), putrescine, trimethylamine N-oxide, l-arginine, lysoPC a C16:1

Urea, glycine, l-arginine, dimethylamine, formate, dimethyl sulfone, choline, acetic acid, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, acetoacetate, sarcosine, l-lysine, acetone, dimethylglycine

CNT vs MLP

Citric acid^

l-Ornithine, kynurenine, trans-hydroxyProline, SM C20:2, total dimethylarginine

Acetone, l-ornithine, total dimethylarginine, isobutyric acid, taurine, trans-hydroxyProline, methanol, aspartic acid, C3 (propionylcarnitine), acetic acid, sarcosine, 3-hydroxyisovaleric acid

Acetic acid, SM (OH) C24:1, lysoPC a C26:0, l-arginine, C3 (propionylcarnitine), tryptophan, lysoPC a C26:1, carnosine, putrescine, lysoPC a C18:2, lysoPC a C16:1, lysoPC a C14:0, methionine-sulfoxide, spermidine, trimethylamine N-oxide

Urea, l-arginine, choline, glycine, acetic acid, dimethylamine, formate, 3-hydroxybutyric acid, dimethyl sulfone, acetoacetate, sarcosine

SNG vs TRP

Isobutyric acid

NS

l-Acetylcarnitine

Acetyl-ornithine, kynurenine, methionine

Choline, l-ornithine, ethanol

TWN vs TRP

Ethanol

C3 (propionylcarnitine), serotonin

Trans-hyrdoxyproline, kynurenine, hypoxanthine, acetone, formate, SM C20:2, lysoPC a C26:1

SM C20:2, valine, l-lactic acid, isobutyric acid

l-Ornithine, 3-methyl-2-oxovaleric acid, ethanol

  1. Statistical analysis using volcano plot revealed significant (p-value < 0.05) serum metabolites of each comparison at five timepoints during the discovery phase. Metabolite noted with ^ has a tendency (p-value < 0.10). NS Not significant, CNT control open ewes, PRG pregnant ewes, SNG pregnant ewes that delivered one lamb, TWN pregnant ewes that delivered two lambs, TRP pregnant ewes that delivered more than two lambs. Day − 7 refers to 7 days prior to initiation of gestation and day 0 is the start of pregnancy.