Genetic Diversity and Conservation of Local Poultry Breeds

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2025 | Viewed by 224

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
Interests: poultry genetics and breeding; genomics; bioinformation

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
Interests: poultry genetics and breeding; genomics; molecular genetics

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Animal Science and Technology, Zhejiang Agriculture and Forestry University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Interests: genetic breeding and reproduction of poultry; local germplasm resources; genetic diversity

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Animal genetic resources are crucial for ensuring global food security and ecological balance, and their conservation and effective use are vital for sustainable agricultural development. As an important component of animal husbandry, the poultry industry provides an abundant source of meat and eggs that carry significant economic value and ecological significance. However, due to environmental changes and genetic erosion, some valuable genetic resources have become extinct or are on the brink of extinction. Today, advances in biotechnological tools, such as whole-genome resequencing, DNA microarray, primordial germ cell in vitro culture technology, and gene banks have greatly accelerated our understanding of the genetic diversity and molecular evolution of local poultry breeds and have contributed to the accurate identification and conservation of these breeds.

We warmly invite you to contribute any novel findings or insights related to the genetic diversity and conservation of local poultry breeds.

Dr. Bolin Cai
Prof. Dr. Xiquan Zhang
Dr. Zhijun Wang
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • poultry genetic resources
  • genetic diversity
  • molecular evolution
  • high-quality genome
  • primordial germ cell
  • conservation and utilization
  • multi omics

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

14 pages, 1672 KiB  
Article
Correlation Analysis of Sperm Cryopreservation Quality with Serum Testosterone and Sperm gDNA Methylation Levels in Xiaoshan Chickens
by Xue Du, Duoxi Li, Luya Jia, Xiaopeng Tong, Zhiyuan Huang, Yali Liu, Panlin Wang and Ayong Zhao
Animals 2025, 15(12), 1745; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15121745 - 13 Jun 2025
Abstract
Chicken semen cryopreservation is crucial for utilizing high-quality cockerel genetics, but semen is highly sensitive to cryoinjury, leading to poor preservation outcomes. This study aimed to establish a theoretical foundation for selecting cockerels for semen cryopreservation through serum testing and to improve semen [...] Read more.
Chicken semen cryopreservation is crucial for utilizing high-quality cockerel genetics, but semen is highly sensitive to cryoinjury, leading to poor preservation outcomes. This study aimed to establish a theoretical foundation for selecting cockerels for semen cryopreservation through serum testing and to improve semen quality via DNA methylation editing. Semen and serum samples were collected from 102 Xiaoshan cockerels, with semen cryopreserved and thawed following standardized protocols. Post-thaw semen quality and serum testosterone (T) levels were assessed. Eight cockerels were selected based on motile sperm quality, and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was used to analyze sperm DNA methylation. The results showed a significant positive correlation between serum T levels and sperm motility. There were notable differences in sperm motility and serum T levels between high-quality and low-quality semen groups but no differences in estradiol (E2), superoxide dismutase (SOD), or glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) levels. A total of 217 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and 116 differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were identified. Key genes such as PRKACB (protein kinase, cAMP-dependent, catalytic, beta) and ACSL1 (long-chain-fatty-acid--CoA ligase 1) were associated with sperm motility. These findings provide important insights for improving semen cryopreservation and contribute to breeding practices and the development of cryoprotectants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Diversity and Conservation of Local Poultry Breeds)
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop