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17 pages, 4935 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Association Study Revealed Putative SNPs and Candidate Genes Associated with Growth and Meat Traits in Japanese Quail

by Natalia A. Volkova, Michael N. Romanov, Alexandra S. Abdelmanova, Polina V. Larionova, Nadezhda Yu. German, Anastasia N. Vetokh, Alexey V. Shakhin, Ludmila A. Volkova, Alexander A. Sermyagin, Dmitry V. Anshakov, Vladimir I. Fisinin, Darren K. Griffin, Johann Sölkner, Gottfried Brem, John C. McEwan, Rudiger Brauning and Natalia A. Zinovieva

Genes 2024, 15(3), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15030294 - 25 Feb 2024

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2000

Abstract

The search for SNPs and candidate genes that determine the manifestation of major selected traits is one crucial objective for genomic selection aimed at increasing poultry production efficiency. Here, we report a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for traits characterizing meat performance in the [...] Read more.

The search for SNPs and candidate genes that determine the manifestation of major selected traits is one crucial objective for genomic selection aimed at increasing poultry production efficiency. Here, we report a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for traits characterizing meat performance in the domestic quail. A total of 146 males from an F₂ reference population resulting from crossing a fast (Japanese) and a slow (Texas White) growing breed were examined. Using the genotyping-by-sequencing technique, genomic data were obtained for 115,743 SNPs (92,618 SNPs after quality control) that were employed in this GWAS. The results identified significant SNPs associated with the following traits at 8 weeks of age: body weight (nine SNPs), daily body weight gain (eight SNPs), dressed weight (33 SNPs), and weights of breast (18 SNPs), thigh (eight SNPs), and drumstick (three SNPs). Also, 12 SNPs and five candidate genes (GNAL, DNAJC6, LEPR, SPAG9, and SLC27A4) shared associations with three or more traits. These findings are consistent with the understanding of the genetic complexity of body weight-related traits in quail. The identified SNPs and genes can be used in effective quail breeding as molecular genetic markers for growth and meat characteristics for the purpose of genetic improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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15 pages, 4097 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Transcriptomic Differences in the Ovaries of High- and Low-Laying Ducks

by Yuguang Chang, Rongbing Guo, Tao Zeng, Hanxue Sun, Yong Tian, Xue Han, Yongqing Cao, Ligen Xu, Mingcai Duan, Lizhi Lu and Li Chen

Genes 2024, 15(2), 181; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes15020181 - 29 Jan 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2167

Abstract

The egg-laying performance of Shan Ma ducks (Anas Platyrhynchos) is a crucial economic trait. Nevertheless, limited research has been conducted on the egg-laying performance of this species. We examined routine blood indicators and observed higher levels of metabolic and immune-related factors in the [...] Read more.

The egg-laying performance of Shan Ma ducks (Anas Platyrhynchos) is a crucial economic trait. Nevertheless, limited research has been conducted on the egg-laying performance of this species. We examined routine blood indicators and observed higher levels of metabolic and immune-related factors in the high-egg-production group compared with the low-egg-production group. Furthermore, we explored the ovarian transcriptome of both high- and low-egg-production groups of Shan Ma ducks using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 sequencing. A total of 1357 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, with 686 down-regulated and 671 up-regulated in the high-egg-production (HEP) ducks and low-egg-production (LEP) ducks. Several genes involved in the regulation of ovarian development, including neuropeptide Y (NPY), cell cycle protein-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), and transcription factor 1 (E2F1), exhibited significant differential expressions at varying stages of egg production. Pathway functional analysis revealed that the DEGs were primarily associated with the steroid biosynthesis pathway, and the neuroactive ligand–receptor interaction pathway exhibited higher activity in the HEP group compared to the LEP group. This study offers valuable information about and novel insights into high egg production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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13 pages, 2735 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Association Study of Egg Production Traits in Shuanglian Chickens Using Whole Genome Sequencing

by Ming Fu, Yan Wu, Jie Shen, Ailuan Pan, Hao Zhang, Jing Sun, Zhenhua Liang, Tao Huang, Jinping Du and Jinsong Pi

Genes 2023, 14(12), 2129; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14122129 - 25 Nov 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2190

Abstract

Egg production is the most important economic trait in laying hens. To identify molecular markers and candidate genes associated with egg production traits, such as age at first egg (AFE), weight at first egg (WFE), egg weight (EW), egg number (EN), and maximum [...] Read more.

Egg production is the most important economic trait in laying hens. To identify molecular markers and candidate genes associated with egg production traits, such as age at first egg (AFE), weight at first egg (WFE), egg weight (EW), egg number (EN), and maximum consecutive egg laying days (MCD), a genome-wide analysis by whole genome sequencing was performed in Shuanglian chickens. Through whole genome sequencing and quality control, a total of 11,006,178 SNPs were obtained for further analysis. Heritability estimates ranged from moderate to high for EW (0.897) and MCD (0.632), and from low to moderate (0.193~0.379) for AFE, WFE, and EN. The GWAS results showed 11 genome-wide significant SNPs and 23 suggestive significant SNPs were identified to be associated with EN, MCD, WFE, and EW. Linkage disequilibrium analysis revealed twenty-seven SNPs associated with EN were located in a 0.57 Mb region on GGA10, and clustered into five blocks. Through functional annotation, three candidate genes NEO1, ADPGK, and CYP11A1, were identified to be associated with EN, while the S1PR4, LDB2, and GRM8 genes was linked to MCD, WFE, and EW, respectively. These findings may help us to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying egg production traits in chickens and contribute to genetic improvement of these traits. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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15 pages, 3096 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Insulin on Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Ferroptosis in Primordial Germ Cells via PI3K-AKT-mTOR Signaling Pathway

by Liu Ye, Xin Liu, Kai Jin, Yingjie Niu, Qisheng Zuo, Jiuzhou Song, Wei Han, Guohong Chen and Bichun Li

Genes 2023, 14(10), 1975; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14101975 - 22 Oct 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2337

Abstract

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are essential for the genetic modification, resource conservation, and recovery of endangered breeds in chickens and need to remain viable and proliferative in vitro. Therefore, there is an urgent need to elucidate the functions of the influencing factors and [...] Read more.

Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are essential for the genetic modification, resource conservation, and recovery of endangered breeds in chickens and need to remain viable and proliferative in vitro. Therefore, there is an urgent need to elucidate the functions of the influencing factors and their regulatory mechanisms. In this study, PGCs collected from Rugao yellow chicken embryonic eggs at Day 5.5 were cultured in media containing 0, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 100 μg/mL insulin. The results showed that insulin regulates cell proliferation in PGCs in a dose-dependent way, with an optimal dose of 10 μg/mL. Insulin mediates the mRNA expression of cell cycle-, apoptosis-, and ferroptosis-related genes. Insulin at 50 μg/mL and 100 μg/mL slowed down the proliferation with elevated ion content and GSH/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) in PGCs compared to 10 μg/mL. In addition, insulin activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway dose dependently. Collectively, this study demonstrates that insulin reduces apoptosis and ferroptosis and enhances cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner via the PI3K-AKT-mTOR signaling pathway in PGCs, providing a new addition to the theory of the regulatory role of the growth and proliferation of PGC in vitro cultures. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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13 pages, 3899 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Exploration of Potential Target Genes of miR-24-3p in Chicken Myoblasts by Transcriptome Sequencing Analysis

by Xuanze Ling, Qifan Wang, Pengfei Wu, Kaizhi Zhou, Jin Zhang and Genxi Zhang

Genes 2023, 14(9), 1764; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14091764 - 5 Sep 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1809

Abstract

Broiler skeletal muscle growth is significantly influenced by miRNAs. Our earlier research demonstrated that miR-24-3p significantly suppressed the proliferation of chicken myoblasts while promoting their differentiation. The purpose of this study is to investigate miR-24-3p potential target genes in chickens. We collected myoblasts [...] Read more.

Broiler skeletal muscle growth is significantly influenced by miRNAs. Our earlier research demonstrated that miR-24-3p significantly suppressed the proliferation of chicken myoblasts while promoting their differentiation. The purpose of this study is to investigate miR-24-3p potential target genes in chickens. We collected myoblasts of Jinghai yellow chicken and transfected four samples with mimics of miR-24-3p and another four samples with mimic NC (negative control) for RNA-seq. We obtained 54.34 Gb of raw data in total and 50.79 Gb of clean data remained after filtering. Moreover, 11,635 genes were found to be co-expressed in these two groups. The mimic vs. NC comparison group contained 189 DEGs in total, 119 of which were significantly up-regulated and 70 of which were significantly down-regulated. Important biological process (BP) terminology such as nuclear chromosomal segregation, reproduction, and nuclear division were discovered by GO enrichment analysis for DEGs in the mimic vs. NC comparison group. KEGG pathway analysis showed that focal adhesion, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, the TGF-β signaling pathway, and the MAPK signaling pathway were enriched in the top 20. Variation site analysis illustrated the SNP (single nucleotide polymorphisms) and INDEL (insertion–deletion) in the tested samples. By comparing the target genes predicted by miRDB (MicroRNA target prediction database) and TargetScan with the 189 DEGs found by the transcriptome sequencing, we discovered two up-regulated DEGs (NEURL1 and IQSEC3) and two down-regulated DEGs (REEP1 and ST6GAL1). Finally, we carried out qPCR experiments on eight DEGs and discovered that the qPCR results matched the sequencing outcomes. These findings will aid in identifying potential miR-24-3p target genes in chicken skeletal muscle and offer some new directions for upcoming research on broiler breeding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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12 pages, 2612 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Combine with RNA-seq Reveals the Effect of Melatonin in the Synthesis of Melanin in Primary Melanocytes of Silky Fowls Black-Bone Chicken

by Ting Yang, Lingling Qiu, Shihao Chen, Zhixiu Wang, Yong Jiang, Hao Bai, Yulin Bi and Guobin Chang

Genes 2023, 14(8), 1648; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14081648 - 18 Aug 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2508

Abstract

(1) Background: It was found that the melanin of black-bone chicken has various effects such as scavenging DPPH free radicals and anti-oxidation, and the synthesis of melanin is affected by various factors including hormones. In addition, several studies have found that melatonin affects [...] Read more.

(1) Background: It was found that the melanin of black-bone chicken has various effects such as scavenging DPPH free radicals and anti-oxidation, and the synthesis of melanin is affected by various factors including hormones. In addition, several studies have found that melatonin affects the melanoma cell synthesis of melanin, which has not been reported in chicken primary melanocytes; so, relevant studies were conducted. (2) Methods: In this study, chicken primary melanocytes were isolated and characterized, and then melanocytes were treated with different concentrations of melatonin to investigate the effects of melatonin on melanin synthesis in chicken melanocytes in terms of melanin synthesis-related genes, melanin content, and tyrosinase activity, and combined with RNA seq to detect the change in gene expression level of chicken melanocytes after melatonin treatment. (3) Results: We isolated and characterized primary melanocytes, and indirect immunofluorescence assay results showed positive melanocyte marker genes. RT-qPCR results showed that melatonin decreased the expression of melanin synthesis-related genes. In addition, melatonin reduced the melanin content and decreased the tyrosinase activity of melanocytes in the treated group. A total of 1703 differentially expressed genes were screened by RNA-seq, and in addition, in the KEGG results, the signaling pathway associated with melanin synthesis, and the mTOR signaling pathway were enriched. (4) Conclusions: Melatonin could decrease the synthesis of melanin in chicken primary melanocytes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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14 pages, 2504 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Characterization of the Effects of Host p53 and Fos on Gallid Alpha Herpesvirus 1 Replication

by Zheyi Liu, Lu Cui, Xuefeng Li, Li Xu, Yu Zhang, Zongxi Han, Shengwang Liu and Hai Li

Genes 2023, 14(8), 1615; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14081615 - 12 Aug 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1673

Abstract

Treatment options for herpesvirus infections that target the interactions between the virus and the host have been identified as promising. Our previous studies have shown that transcription factors p53 and Fos are essential host determinants of gallid alpha herpesvirus 1 (ILTV) infection. The [...] Read more.

Treatment options for herpesvirus infections that target the interactions between the virus and the host have been identified as promising. Our previous studies have shown that transcription factors p53 and Fos are essential host determinants of gallid alpha herpesvirus 1 (ILTV) infection. The impact of p53 and Fos on ILTV replication has ‘not been fully understood yet. Using the sole ILTV-permissive chicken cell line LMH as a model, we examined the effects of hosts p53 and Fos on all phases of ILTV replication, including viral gene transcription, viral genome replication, and infectious virion generation. We achieved this by manipulating the expression of p53 and Fos in LMH cells. Our results demonstrate that the overexpression of either p53 or Fos can promote viral gene transcription at all stages of the temporal cascade of ILTV gene expression, viral genome replication, and infectious virion production, as assessed through absolute quantitative real-time PCR, ILTV-specific RT-qPCR assays, and TCID₅₀ assays. These findings are consistent with our previous analyses of the effects of Fos and p53 knockdowns on virus production and also suggest that both p53 and Fos may be dispensable for ILTV replication. Based on the synergistic effect of regulating ILTV, we further found that there is an interaction between p53 and Fos. Interestingly, we found that p53 also has targeted sites upstream of ICP4, and these sites are very close to the Fos sites. In conclusion, our research offers an in-depth understanding of how hosts p53 and Fos affect ILTV replication. Understanding the processes by which p53 and Fos regulate ILTV infection will be improved by this knowledge, potentially paving the way for the development of novel therapeutics targeting virus–host interactions as a means of treating herpesvirus infections. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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11 pages, 1975 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genetic Diversity Analysis and Breeding of Geese Based on the Mitochondrial ND6 Gene

by Yang Zhang, Shangzong Qi, Linyu Liu, Qiang Bao, Teng Wu, Wei Liu, Yu Zhang, Wenming Zhao, Qi Xu and Guohong Chen

Genes 2023, 14(8), 1605; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14081605 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1758

Abstract

To explore the differences in body-weight traits of five goose breeds and analyze their genetic diversity and historical dynamics, we collected body-weight data statistics and used Sanger sequencing to determine the mitochondrial DNA of 100 samples of five typical goose breeds in China [...] Read more.

To explore the differences in body-weight traits of five goose breeds and analyze their genetic diversity and historical dynamics, we collected body-weight data statistics and used Sanger sequencing to determine the mitochondrial DNA of 100 samples of five typical goose breeds in China and abroad. The results indicated that Lion-Head, Hortobagy, and Yangzhou geese have great breeding potential for body weight. Thirteen polymorphic sites were detected in the corrected 505 bp sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ND6 gene, accounting for approximately 2.57% of the total number of sites. The guanine-cytosine (GC) content (51.7%) of the whole sequence was higher than the adenine-thymine (AT) content (48.3%), showing a certain GC base preference. There were 11 haplotypes among the five breeds, including one shared haplotype. We analyzed the differences in the distribution of base mismatches among the five breeds and conducted Tajima’s D and Fu’s Fs neutral tests on the historical dynamics of the populations. The distribution of the mismatch difference presented an unsmooth single peak and the Tajima’s D value of the neutral test was negative (D < 0) and reached a significant level, which proves that the population of the three species had expanded; the Lion-Head goose population tends to be stable. The genetic diversity of Lion-Head, Zhedong White, Yangzhou, and Taihu geese was equal to the average diversity of Chinese goose breeds. The Hortobagy goose is a foreign breed with differences in mating line breeding and hybrid advantage utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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15 pages, 12632 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Molecular Regulation of Differential Lipid Molecule Accumulation in the Intramuscular Fat and Abdominal Fat of Chickens

by Jingjing Li, Qinke Huang, Chaowu Yang, Chunlin Yu, Zengrong Zhang, Meiying Chen, Peng Ren and Mohan Qiu

Genes 2023, 14(7), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14071457 - 17 Jul 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2154

Abstract

Reducing abdominal fat (AF) accumulation and increasing the level of intramuscular fat (IMF) simultaneously is a major breeding goal in the poultry industry. To explore the different molecular mechanisms underlying AF and IMF, gene expression profiles in the breast muscle (BM) and AF [...] Read more.

Reducing abdominal fat (AF) accumulation and increasing the level of intramuscular fat (IMF) simultaneously is a major breeding goal in the poultry industry. To explore the different molecular mechanisms underlying AF and IMF, gene expression profiles in the breast muscle (BM) and AF from three chicken breeds were analyzed. A total of 4737 shared DEGs were identified between BM and AF, of which 2602 DEGs were upregulated and 2135 DEGs were downregulated in the BM groups compared with the AF groups. DEGs involved in glycerophospholipid metabolism and glycerolipid metabolism were potential regulators, resulting in the difference in lipid metabolite accumulation between IMF and AF. The PPAR signaling pathway was the most important pathway involved in tissue-specific lipid deposition. Correlation analysis showed that most representative DEGs enriched in the PPAR signaling pathway, such as FABP5, PPARG, ACOX1, and GK2, were negatively correlated with PUFA-enriched glycerophospholipid molecules. Most DEGs related to glycerophospholipid metabolism, such as GPD2, GPD1, PEMT, CRLS1, and GBGT1, were positively correlated with glycerophospholipid molecules, especially DHA- and arachidonic acid (ARA)-containing glycerophospholipid molecules. This study elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying tissue-specific lipid deposition and poultry meat quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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14 pages, 2992 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Circ_PIAS1 Promotes the Apoptosis of ALV-J Infected DF1 Cells by Up-Regulating miR-183

by Ting Yang, Lingling Qiu, Shihao Chen, Zhixiu Wang, Yong Jiang, Hao Bai, Yulin Bi, Guohong Chen and Guobin Chang

Genes 2023, 14(6), 1260; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14061260 - 14 Jun 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1819

Abstract

(1) Background: circRNAs are closed circular molecules with covalent bonds generated by reverse shearing, which have high stability and have different manifestations in different tissues, cells, or physiological conditions and play important roles in various disease processes and physiological processes. In addition, circ_PIAS1 [...] Read more.

(1) Background: circRNAs are closed circular molecules with covalent bonds generated by reverse shearing, which have high stability and have different manifestations in different tissues, cells, or physiological conditions and play important roles in various disease processes and physiological processes. In addition, circ_PIAS1 has been screened out and verified, and the bioinformatics analyzed in previous studies. In this study, we investigated the function of circ_PIAS1 and studied its role in ALV-J infection to provide a basis for the role of circRNA in ALV-J infection. (2) Methods: the effect of circ_PIAS1 on apoptosis during ALV-J infection was studied by flow cytometry and detection of apoptotic gene expression, and miR-183 was screened by a biotin-labeled RNA pull-down technique. After overexpression and inhibition of miR-183, the effect of miR-183 on apoptosis in the process of ALV-J infection was studied by flow cytometry and detection of apoptotic gene expression. (3) Results: after overexpression of circ_PIAS1, flow cytometry and apoptotic gene expression showed that circ_PIAS1 promoted apoptosis. The results of RNA pull-down showed that 173 miRNAs could bind to circ_PIAS1, and circ_PIAS1 up-regulated the expression of miR-183. On the other hand, the same results were obtained whether miR-183 was overexpressed or inhibited that miR-183 affected ALV-J infection by promoting cell apoptosis. (4) Conclusions: circ_PIAS1 up-regulated the expression of miR-183 and influenced ALV-J infection by promoting cell apoptosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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11 pages, 2305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals the Genetic Basis of Duck Plumage Colors

by Xinye Zhang, Tao Zhu, Liang Wang, Xueze Lv, Weifang Yang, Changqing Qu, Haiying Li, Huie Wang, Zhonghua Ning and Lujiang Qu

Genes 2023, 14(4), 856; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14040856 - 31 Mar 2023

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5120

Abstract

Plumage color is an artificially and naturally selected trait in domestic ducks. Black, white, and spotty are the main feather colors in domestic ducks. Previous studies have shown that black plumage color is caused by MC1R, and white plumage color is caused [...] Read more.

Plumage color is an artificially and naturally selected trait in domestic ducks. Black, white, and spotty are the main feather colors in domestic ducks. Previous studies have shown that black plumage color is caused by MC1R, and white plumage color is caused by MITF. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify candidate genes associated with white, black, and spotty plumage in ducks. Two non-synonymous SNPs in MC1R (c.52G>A and c.376G>A) were significantly related to duck black plumage, and three SNPs in MITF (chr13:15411658A>G, chr13:15412570T>C and chr13:15412592C>G) were associated with white plumage. Additionally, we also identified the epistatic interactions between causing loci. Some ducks with white plumage carry the c.52G>A and c.376G>A in MC1R, which also compensated for black and spotty plumage color phenotypes, suggesting that MC1R and MITF have an epistatic effect. The MITF locus was supposed to be an upstream gene to MC1R underlying the white, black, and spotty colors. Although the specific mechanism remains to be further clarified, these findings support the importance of epistasis in plumage color variation in ducks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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15 pages, 1844 KiB

Open AccessArticle

RNA-Seq Profiling between Commercial and Indigenous Iranian Chickens Highlights Differences in Innate Immune Gene Expression

by Ayeh Sadat Sadr, Mohammadreza Nassiri, Mostafa Ghaderi-Zefrehei, Maryam Heidari, Jacqueline Smith and Mustafa Muhaghegh Dolatabady

Genes 2023, 14(4), 793; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14040793 - 25 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3457

Abstract

The purpose of the current study was to examine transcriptomic-based profiling of differentially expressed innate immune genes between indigenous and commercial chickens. In order to compare the transcriptome profiles of the different chicken breeds, we extracted RNA from blood samples of the Isfahan [...] Read more.

The purpose of the current study was to examine transcriptomic-based profiling of differentially expressed innate immune genes between indigenous and commercial chickens. In order to compare the transcriptome profiles of the different chicken breeds, we extracted RNA from blood samples of the Isfahan indigenous chicken (as indigenous) and Ross broiler chicken (as commercial) breeds. RNA-Seq yielded totals of 36,763,939 and 31,545,002 reads for the indigenous and commercial breeds, respectively, with clean reads then aligned to the chicken reference genome (Galgal5). Overall, 1327 genes were significantly differentially expressed, of which 1013 genes were upregulated in the commercial versus the indigenous breed, while 314 were more highly expressed in the indigenous birds. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that the SPARC, ATP6V0D2, IL4I1, SMPDL3A, ADAM7, TMCC3, ULK2, MYO6, THG1L and IRG1 genes were the most significantly expressed genes in the commercial birds and the PAPPA, DUSP1, PSMD12, LHX8, IL8, TRPM2, GDAP1L1, FAM161A, ABCC2 and ASAH2 genes were the most significant in the indigenous chickens. Of notable finding in this study was that the high-level gene expressions of heat-shock proteins (HSPs) in the indigenous breeds could serve as a guideline for future genetic improvement. This study identified genes with breed-specific expression, and comparative transcriptome analysis helped understanding of the differences in underlying genetic mechanisms between commercial and local breeds. Therefore, the current results can be used to identify candidate genes for further breed improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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12 pages, 2610 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Expression Patterns of Exogenous Plant miRNAs in Chickens

by Hao Li, Pu Zhang, Diyan Li, Binlong Chen, Jing Li and Tao Wang

Genes 2023, 14(3), 760; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes14030760 - 21 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2255

Abstract

(1) Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in a variety of biological processes, such as cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and organ development. Recent studies have shown that plant miRNAs may enter the diet and play physiological and/or pathophysiological roles in human health and disease; [...] Read more.

(1) Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in a variety of biological processes, such as cell proliferation, cell differentiation, and organ development. Recent studies have shown that plant miRNAs may enter the diet and play physiological and/or pathophysiological roles in human health and disease; however, little is known about plant miRNAs in chickens. (2) Methods: Here, we analyzed miRNA sequencing data, with the use of five Chinese native chicken breeds and six different tissues (heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, and leg muscle), and used Illumina sequencing to detect the expression of plant miRNAs in the pectoralis muscles at fourteen developmental stages of Tibetan chickens. (3) Results: The results showed that plant miRNAs are detectable in multiple tissues and organs in different chicken breeds. Surprisingly, we found that plant miRNAs, such as tae-miR2018, were detectable in free-range Tibetan chicken embryos at different stages. The results of gavage feeding experiments also showed that synthetic tae-miR2018 was detectable in caged Tibetan chickens after ingestion. The analysis of tae-miR2018 showed that its target genes were related to skeletal muscle organ development, regulation of mesodermal cell fate specification, growth factor activity, negative regulation of the cell cycle, and regulation of growth, indicating that exogenous miRNA may regulate the development of chicken embryos. Further cell cultures and exogenous miRNA uptake assay experiments showed that synthetic wheat miR2018 can be absorbed by chicken myoblasts. (4) Conclusions: Our study found that chickens can absorb and deposit plant miRNAs in various tissues and organs. The plant miRNAs detected in embryos may be involved in the development of chicken embryos. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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10 pages, 2082 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Three-Dimensional Organization of Chicken Genome Provides Insights into Genetic Adaptation to Extreme Environments

by Dan Shao, Yu Yang, Shourong Shi and Haibing Tong

Genes 2022, 13(12), 2317; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes13122317 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2457

Abstract

The high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) technique is widely used to study the functional roles of the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of genomes. However, the knowledge of the 3D genome structure and its dynamics during extreme environmental adaptations remains poor. Here, we characterized 3D [...] Read more.

The high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) technique is widely used to study the functional roles of the three-dimensional (3D) architecture of genomes. However, the knowledge of the 3D genome structure and its dynamics during extreme environmental adaptations remains poor. Here, we characterized 3D genome architectures using the Hi-C technique for chicken liver cells. Upon comparing Lindian chicken (LDC) liver cells with Wenchang chicken (WCC) liver cells, we discovered that environmental adaptation contributed to the switching of A/B compartments, the reorganization of topologically associated domains (TADs), and TAD boundaries in both liver cells. In addition, the analysis of the switching of A/B compartments revealed that the switched compartmental genes (SCGs) were strongly associated with extreme environment adaption-related pathways, including tight junction, notch signaling pathway, vascular smooth muscle contraction, and the RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway. The findings of this study advanced our understanding of the evolutionary role of chicken 3D genome architecture and its significance in genome activity and transcriptional regulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Poultry Genetics and Genomics)

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