Variation in litter size (LS) in sheep is linked to genetic factors, including the Zona pellucida-3 (ZP3) gene, which plays a role in ovine reproductive processes. This study examined the association between ZP3 gene variations and LS in Kari sheep. Two groups of 160 Kari ewes were analysed: one consistently producing singletons and another producing twins, with occasional triplets. Additionally, Madakhlasht sheep, which sometimes produce twins, and Balkhi sheep, which produce only singletons, were used as references. The entire ZP3 gene was amplified using PCR and sequenced at 30× with Next Generation Sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis identified 70 variants across the three breeds, located in upstream regions, introns, and exons. Notably, two point mutations and a six-nucleotide insertion were found upstream of the initiation codon in twin-producing Kari ewes, potentially affecting ZP3 expression and LS. Two missense mutations (I101L in exon 1 and R408H in exon 8) were heterozygous in twin-producing Kari ewes but homozygous in other groups, correlating with LS. Protein modelling suggested that the I101L mutation alters the binding site, potentially impacting protein function. These findings indicate that ZP3 gene variations influence reproductive efficiency and LS in sheep, with specific variants serving as potential markers for selective breeding to enhance LS.

This study aims to explore the effects of Yin and Yang Double Supplement Compound Chinese Medicine Preparations (YYSBFF) on the reproductive performance, antioxidant levels, and immunity of dairy goats. For the experiment, 36 Alps milk goats were selected and randomly divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 18 goats in each group. The ewes in the experimental group were fed with YYSBFF for 14 d prior to breeding and farrowing. The results of the experiment showed that the estrus rate, embryo acceptance rate, and lamb birth weight in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group, and the weak lamb rate was significantly lower. Moreover, the experimental group exhibited higher levels of reproductive hormones (FSH, LH), antioxidant factors (T-SOD, GSH-Px, MDA), and immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG) compared to the control group. There were no significant differences in liver and kidney function indicators (ALT, AST, TP, ALB, CREA, UREA) between the experimental and control groups ( > .05). These findings indicate that YYSBFF can enhance the reproductive performance of dairy goats by regulating the level of sex hormones, while also improving the body's antioxidant and immune abilities.

Copy number variations (CNV) are important genetic variations. The endogenous factors cobalamin receptor () and MIA SH3 domain ER-derived factor 3 () are associated with bone/muscle development and intramuscular fat deposition. There have been no reports on the effects of and CNVs on growth traits of Chinese cattle. This study aimed to determine the correlation between the and CNVs and growth traits in Chinese cattle. qRT-PCR was used to detect the distribution of and CNV and the expression levels of their mRNA, and correlation analysis was conducted between CNV and growth traits. The was differentially expressed in different breeds of cattle, and CNV correlated significantly with body height, hip height, body slanting length, and hip width of Grassland Red cattle (CYH); eye muscle area of Yanbian cattle (YB) and Yan Yellow cattle (YH). showed no CNV in CYH and YB cattle, and only one deletion type occurred in YH cattle. and mRNA have different expression patterns in different cattle breeds and tissues. In conclusion, CNV is correlated significantly with growth traits in Chinese cattle and is a novel molecular marker that could be exploited in cattle breeding.

This study aims to establish an immortalized fibroblast cell line from Mongolian sheep. Primary Mongolian sheep fibroblasts (SSF) were isolated using tissue explant and enzymatic digestion methods, followed by microscopic observation, growth curve plotting, and karyotype analysis. The results confirmed the successful isolation of SSF. Human (hTERT) and sheep (sTERT) telomerase reverse transcriptase vectors were separately introduced into SSF, with cells passaged up to 36 generations following G418 selection. Microscopic examination and qRT-PCR results demonstrated that TERT transfection did not alter the morphology of SSF and led to stable, high levels of TERT expression ( < 0.01). Cell counting and flow cytometry revealed that TERT-transfected cells had higher viability and lower apoptosis rates compared to SSF ( < 0.05). Karyotype and soft agar colony formation assays indicated that hTERT and sTERT-transfected cells maintained normal characteristics without malignant transformation. β-galactosidase staining indicated that TERT transfection significantly reduced cellular senescence ( < 0.001). Additionally, sTERT-transfected cells exhibited higher TERT expression, enhanced viability, proliferation, and anti-senescence effects compared to hTERT-transfected cells ( < 0.05). In summary, the introduction of hTERT and sTERT effectively extends the lifespan of SSF, with sTERT demonstrating a more pronounced effect. This study provides critical evidence for preserving Mongolian sheep genetic resources and developing immortalized cell lines.

The study assessed the inclusion level effects of a phytogenic blend (PB) on performance and critical molecular biomarkers related to detoxification (Aryl hydrocarbon receptor; AhR) and antioxidant (Nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2; Nrf2) responses in layers' ovary and liver. Layers (n = 385; 21-week-old; Hy-Line Brown) were allotted to 5 treatments with 7 replicates of 11 hens each, for a 12-week feeding trial. Treatments were: control (CON) without PB or supplementation with PB at 250 (PB250), 750 (PB750), 1000 (PB1000) and 1500 mg/kg diet (PB1500), respectively. Performance was determined weekly for the 12-week experimental period. At the 6 and 12 experimental week ovarian and liver samples were collected for gene expression analysis. Increasing PB inclusion level, improved linearly and quadratically overall laying rate, egg mass and FCR, with optimal ( ≤ 0.001) performance notable in the PB750 compared to CON. The nutrigenomic analysis revealed that PB inclusion resulted ( ≤ 0.05) in consistent beneficial modulation of the AhR/Nrf2 pathway-related genes assessed at the 6 and 12 experimental week, both in the ovary and the liver of laying hens. In conclusion, PB beneficially modulated the ovarian and hepatic adaptive cytoprotection and supported the laying performance improvements recorded, with PB750 displaying the optimal benefits.

Copy number variations (CNVs) have become widely acknowledged as a significant source of genomic variability and phenotypic variance. To understand the genetic variants in horses, CNVs from six Indian horse breeds, Manipuri, Zanskari, Bhutia, Spiti, Kathiawari and Marwari were discovered using Axiom Equine Genotyping Array. These breeds differed in agro-climatic adaptation with distinct phenotypic characters. A total of 2668 autosomal CNVs and 381 CNV regions (CNVRs) were identified with PennCNV tool. DeepCNV was employed to re-validate to get 883 autosomal CNVs, of which 9.06% were singleton type. A total of 180 CNVRs were identified after DeepCNV filtering with the estimated length of 3.12 Kb-4.90 Mb. The functional analysis showed the majority of the CNVRs genes enriched for sensory perception and olfactory receptor activity. An Equine CNVs database, EqCNVdb (http://backlin.cabgrid.res.in/eqcnvdb/) was developed which catalogues detailed information on the horse CNVs, CNVRs and gene content within CNVRs. Also, three random CNVRs were validated with real-time polymerase chain reaction. These findings will aid in the understanding the horse genome and serve as a preliminary foundation for future CNV association research with commercially significant equine traits. The identification of CNVs and CNVRs would lead to better insights into genetic basis of important traits.

The natural flavonoid quercetin, which exhibits a range of biological activities, has been implicated in liver disease resistance in recent research. study attesting to quercetin's protective effect against metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is inadequate, however. Here, our investigation explored the potential benefits of quercetin in preventing MAFLD in C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD). The results revealed that quercetin ameliorated the aberrant enhancement of body and liver weight. The hepatic histological anomalie induced by MAFLD were also mitigated by quercetin. HFD-induced imbalance in serum LDL, HDL, AST, ALT, TG, and LDH was mitigated by quercetin. Mechanically, we found that quercetin improved lipid metabolism by reducing lipogenesis proteins including ACC, FASN, and SREBP-1c and enhancing β-oxidation proteins including PPARα and CPT1A. study demonstrated that quercetin regulated hepatic lipid metabolism by targeting SREBP-1c and PPARα. Additionally, quercetin enhanced the antioxidant capacity in HFD-treated mice by downregulating Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions and upregulating SOD and GPX1 expressions. The hyper-activation of inflammation was also restored by quercetin via eliminating the phosphorylation of IκBα and NF-κB p65. Collectively, our observations highlight that quercetin exerts hepatoprotective properties in MAFLD mice by regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammatory response.

Myostatin () protein, , and regulate skeletal muscle growth and development. This work aims to compare the expression patterns of and in the gluteus maximus tissue of wild-type (WT) and gene knockout (KO) rabbits. Within the gluteus maximus tissue of three WT and four KO rabbits, we analyzed the expression profiles of and . After identifying the differently expressed RNAs, the biological pathways implicated were ascertained by performing enrichment analysis using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene Ontology (GO). We identified differences in the expression of 251 (79 upregulated and 172 downregulated), 176 (53 upregulated and 123 downregulated), and 1178 mRNAs (408 upregulated and 770 downregulated) between WT and KO rabbits. Target genes were significantly enriched in pathways associated with protein synthesis and catabolism, such as oxidative phosphorylation, ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, the FoxO signaling pathway, and the pentose phosphate pathway, as identified through GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. The constructed network indicates that a class of and is engaged in -mediated regulation of skeletal muscle development. These findings provide valuable insights for innovative therapeutic, diagnostic, and preventive approaches to muscle disorders.

Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 mRNA-binding Protein 1 () is a candidate gene of significant interest for modulating economically important traits in livestock and poultry. The second intron of has been implicated in growth-related traits, though its precise mechanistic role remains elusive. Initial resequencing analyses in our laboratory indicated strong selective pressures on the genomic region, prompting the selection and identification of several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Seven SNPs were mapped to the conserved region of the second intron, necessitating further investigation into their functional relevance and association with growth traits. In this study, 348 Nanjiang Yellow goats were analyzed, and the association analysis via the GLM program in SAS 9.4 identified five SNPs significantly correlated with growth traits. Notably, rs652062749(A > G) emerged as a critical locus influencing later-stage growth traits. Furthermore, strong linkage disequilibrium was observed among three SNPs, with the rs638185407 (T > A) variant markedly enhancing luciferase activity in H293T cells. Combination genotypes TTAACT, TTCCCC, and ATCACT were identified as superior for growth traits, offering theoretical insights for genetic co-breeding. This study underscores the potential utility of as a functional genetic marker in Nanjiang Yellow goat breeding programs.

This study investigates whether TS1 improves growth performance and alleviates inflammatory damage in broilers and explored its feasibility as an antibiotic alternative. We divided 240 one-day-old AA308 white-finned broilers into five groups (con, LPS, TS1L + LPS, TS1M + LPS and TS1H + LPS). The TS1L + LPS, TS1M + LPS and TS1H + LPS groups were fed TS1 for 15 days by gavage. The LPS, TS1L + LPS, TS1M + LPS and TS1H + LPS groups were injected intraperitoneally with 1 mg/kg LPS for three days. We investigated the probiotic and anti-inflammatory activities by measuring body weight, sequencing the intestinal flora and examining the structure of tissues by using pathological stain, real-time PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemical detection. TS1 could improve growth performance and intestinal flora composition, also reduced different organ damage and inflammatory cytokine expression in serum and organs. The mechanism may involve upregulating HSP60 and HSP70 expression, targeting and regulating Nrf2 and P38 MAPK and modulating NF-κB and HO-1 expression at the transcriptional level in different organs. TS1 alleviated Inflammatory injury caused by LPS and attenuated the inflammatory response in broilers, and these effects were achieved through MAPK and Nrf2 regulation of HSPs/HO-1 in different organs. The above results suggested broilers fed with TS1 could release the LPS caused organ damage, and the most suggested dosage was 1.4 × 10 CFU/mL.

Oocytes spontaneously resume meiosis following their liberation from follicles, preventing full competence acquisition. Biphasic IVM (CAPA-IVM) maintains oocytes in meiotic arrest to improve developmental competence, and it specially affects poorly developed oocytes. We assessed the effect of CAPA-IVM on oocytes from small (<3mm) and large (>3mm) follicles of prepubertal goats. Oocytes were cultured for 6h in pre-IVM with C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and estradiol as meiotic inhibitors, and germinal vesicle (GV) rate and chromatin configuration were assessed. Then, oocytes were cultured in conventional IVM (c-IVM) or CAPA-IVM (pre-IVM + c-IVM) and EGF receptor (EGFR) protein expression, intra-oocyte ROS and blastocyst development were assessed. GV rate was higher in CNP groups than control (69% vs 28%, and 67% vs 31%, small and large follicles, respectively), but GV chromatin configuration was similar. In large follicles, EGFR expression was higher in oocytes and cumulus cells after CAPA-IVM, and ROS levels were lower. In small follicles these differences were not observed. c-IVM and CAPA-IVM produced similar blastocyst rates in small (3.7% vs 2.6%, respectively) and large follicles (8.3% vs 2.5%). Overall, CAPA-IVM enhanced EGFR expression for EGF peptide signalling and antioxidant capacity in oocytes from large follicles but oocytes from small follicles were too immature to benefit from it.

Since most yaks have a long postpartum anestrus period, postpartum anestrus is the main factor affecting the reproductive efficiency of yaks. In this study, the third-generation sequencing technology was used to successfully screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) in the ovarian tissues of yaks during estrus and anestrus. The functional references of DEGs and DETs were Gene Ontology, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and Clusters of Orthologous Genes database. A total of 1149 DEGs and 2294 DETs were successfully identified. These DEGs and DETs were mainly related to biological processes such as "reproduction", "reproductive process", "metabolic process" and "rhythmic process". Kisspeptin-G protein-coupled receptor was found to be involved in regulating the reproductive cycle of yaks. DEGs and DETs were also related to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) signaling pathways such as oocyte meiosis, estrogen signaling pathway, and progesterone-mediated induced oocyte maturation. The results showed that , , , , , , , , , , and regulate the postpartum quiescent state and the reproductive cycle of yaks. This study will help to further clarify the reproductive mechanism of yaks at the molecular level and provide certain assistance for the development of animal husbandry.

Proteomic analysis of sperm cells offers significant insights into proteins' structural, functional, and localization aspects within biological systems. Sahiwal, a native Indian cattle breed, is well known for its disease resistance, calving ease, and resilience to drought. This study addressed the gap in Sahiwal's comprehensive sperm proteome profiling data. The research involved the global in-silico quantitative high-resolution mass spectrometry-based protein profiling of Indian Zebu sperm, identifying 4651 sperm proteins. Beyond mere identification, the study characterized these proteins at a sub-organellar level to facilitate a better understanding of their functional attributes. Gene Ontology analysis of sperm proteins facilitated the segregation of proteins based on their function, localization, and mode of action. The study revealed that despite the limited number of organelles, sperm cells encapsulate a wide array of crucial proteins, compensating for the deficiency of organelles through the presence of multifunctional proteins. Most identified sperm proteins actively participate in spermatogenesis, motility, acrosome reaction, capacitation, and seminal plasma binding, directly or indirectly. Notably, the results not only present the highest number of identified bovine sperm proteins but also hold the potential to pave the way for empirical research on sperm functionality, egg-sperm interaction, sperm-sex sorting biomarkers, sperm quality, and bull fertility.

Ginger rich in polyphenols, possesses various biomedical properties. Researchers investigated the effects of dietary ginger supplementation on turkey performance traits, biochemical parameters, haematological parameters and mRNA gene expression. Ginger root powder was administered at different doses (0, 10, 20 and 40 g/kg) to the turkeys. Notably, the 20 g/kg group exhibited improved performance traits and a higher broiler production efficiency factor (BPEF). Importantly, ginger was found to be safe for turkeys based on serum indices. Furthermore, the expression of several growth-related genes, including growth hormone receptor (GHR), insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), adenine nucleotide translocase (ANT), cyclooxygenase 3 (COX-3) and uncoupling protein 3 (UCP-3), was upregulated in the 20 g/kg enhancing their growth performance and economic efficiency in addition to keeping their health status safe. Therefore, Ginger root powder can be supplemented for turkey at a concentration of 2% as the addition of ginger powder is a long-term process.

The () gene plays a pivotal role in ovarian development, ovulation, and reproductive traits. There is a lack of studies on its impact on ovarian traits and reproductive traits in cattle. This study aimed to explore gene polymorphisms associations with reproductive traits and investigate the distribution of gene polymorphisms across diverse bovine breeds worldwide. We identified a novel 17-bp deletion within the gene specifically in Chinese Holstein cows (n = 1033) leading to the observation of two genotypes DD and ID. Subsequent association analysis revealed a significant correlation between the 'ID' genotype at this locus and a larger number of corpus albicans ( = 0.042) in diestrus, as well as a higher number of mature follicles ( = 0.038) in estrus. In addition, we also found that the distribution of this deletion exhibits strong regionality across different cattle breeds globally. These findings indicate that the 17-bp deletion mutation within the gene is significantly associated with an increased corpus luteum diameter and a greater number of mature follicles, suggesting its potential utility as a valuable DNA marker for enhancing cow fertility.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content is an important factor that affects the edible and processing quality of pork. Studying the transcriptional regulation mechanisms of genes affecting intramuscular fat deposition can provide theoretical support for genetic improvement in pigs. Long-chain fatty acyl-CoA synthase 3 (), as a key enzyme in the process of lipid synthesis in mammals. However, no information about the core promoter of the gene and its transcriptional regulation has been reported so far. In this experiment, we successfully cloned 3112 bp of the porcine gene promoter region. In order to find out the core promoter of the gene. The results indicated that the core promoter region of the gene is located from -111 bp to -59 bp upstream of the transcription initiation site (TSS). To identify the interaction between SP1 and the gene promoter, we mutated the predicted binding sites of gene promoter. The results showed that the activity of the promoter was decreased by site-specific mutagenesis of the SP1 transcription factor binding site, while overexpression of SP1 increased the expression of the gene. In summary, our study identified a core promoter region of the porcine gene, and the SP1 binding site is responsible for the promoter activity.

Glycogen synthase 2 () encodes liver glycogen synthase, a rate limiting enzyme in glycogen metabolism. Our preliminary work suggested that was a candidate gene affecting milk production traits by analyzing the liver proteome of dairy cows. Herein, this research identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of , analyzed their genetic effects on traits of dairy cattle, and speculated the pathogenic mechanism through functional prediction of key mutation sites. Seven SNPs were found by resequencing and the association analysis showed that these SNPs were significantly associated with 305-day milk yield, fat yield, protein yield or fat percentage (-value ≤ 0.0488). Six SNPs among them formed two haplotype blocks and they were associated with 305-day milk yield, fat yield, protein yield or fat percentage (-value ≤ 0.0349). Furthermore, 5:g.88602007G > A and 5:g.88602026G > A were predicted to change the transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs), which might regulate the expression of . The missense mutation site, 5:g.88602535G > T, changed the secondary structure of mRNA and the secondary and tertiary structure of protein. In summary, the was proved to have genetic effect on milk production traits, and its valuable seven SNPs, could provide more useful genetic information for molecular breeding of dairy cows.

The present study utilized full-length 16S rRNA gene sequencing to investigate the impact of dietary protein content on the composition and function of gut microbiota, and to analyze the gut microbiota of pigs in the growing (30 kg) and finishing (120 kg) stages under different feeding conditions. The results indicated that the gut microbiota was significantly different between pigs fed high- and low-protein diets. Comparing fecal samples from pigs at 30 and 120 kg, pigs at 30 kg showed a significant increase in the relative abundance of , whereas at 120 kg, the abundance of and decreased. To access the functional profiles and metabolic pathways based on amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), the microbiome of the 120 kg exhibited significant enrichments in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways related to metabolism-related category, including Alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, Tyrosine and Thiamin metabolism, and Inositol phosphate metabolism. Meanwhile, analysis using the MetaCyc database showed that the metabolic pathways of the 30 kg group were significantly distinct when compared to the 120 kg of fecal samples. Overall, the findings indicated that the gut microbiota composition and function in the 30 and 120 kg fecal samples were markedly shaped by different dietary protein levels.

Tianjin-monkey Chicken is a locally bred naked neck poultry with limited population size. Herein, we intended to identify potential breed-related genes based on methylome and transcriptome analyses. Tianjin-monkey Chicken and Hy-line Brown Chicken were crossbred and the individuals were divided into three groups: PN (Purebred naked neck chicken(Tianjin-monkey Chicken)) group (n = 10); CN (Crossbred naked neck chicken) group (n = 10); CF (Crossbred feathered chicken) group (n = 10). These 30 individuals were subjected to whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and transcriptome sequencing. Differential methylated regions were detected by WGBS. No significant difference existed in naked-neck-related traits between PN and CN chicken. CpG methylation level of the promoter region differed in PN, CN vs. CF chicken. By integrating methylome and transcriptome results, four genes were identified between PN and CN groups, and 24 key genes were identified between CN and CF groups, with great potential in breeding. The 24 genes were enriched on 32 GO terms and 3 KEGG pathways, such as ion transport. The promoter region CpG methylation level was distinct between feathered and naked neck groups. We identified 24 potential genes for future breeding, valuable for targeted breeding and genetic enhancement in poultry production.

The leptin receptor overlapping transcript (LepROT) has been suggested to play several roles in immunomodulatory mechanisms; however, the understanding of its role in immunity is still very limited. Here, we performed hematoxylin-eosin staining, quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunofluorescence and western blotting to investigate the roles of LepROT in the immunomodulatory mechanism and the influence of its expression on the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway, such as the activation of IκB kinase and NF-кB, in amphibian resistance to infection with (). After infection, the liver, lung, kidney, skin, muscle, and stomach of showed cell structure disturbance, bleeding, and texture abnormalities. In addition, the relative expression levels of LepROT, NF-кB, IKKα, and IKKβ were all upregulated after infection; however, they showed time-dependent differential expression. The NF-кB signaling pathway exhibited robust expression levels, which might be explained by the positive feedback regulation function of LepROT. Overall, this study provides a basis for further assessment of the biological functions of LepROT and highlights its role in the regulation of immune mechanisms.

Dairy cows with a lower nitrogen excretion intensity (N) excrete less nitrogen, ammonia (NH) and nitrous oxide (NO), a highly potent greenhouse gas (GHG), per kg of milk produced and therefore represent a lower environmental impact while maintaining food security. To date, the genomics background of N is unknown. Here we performed a genetic association study, overlap analysis and functional enrichment analysis for N in 875 genotyped dairy cows with 2,147 lactations from 200 herds. We identified 1456 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that significantly affect N. We found 140 SNPs overlapping with 148 protein-coding genes. The gene is a strong candidate gene for N. Genotype CC of rs42786248, the most significantly associated SNP located in the gene, had higher N than genotypes AA ( < 0.001) and AC ( < 0.001). We identified 33 genes involved in biological processes related to nitrogen metabolism. Our results form the basis for further research on the genomics background of N. The identified SNPs serve as potential targets for selective breeding programs, aimed at reducing N and associated NH and NO emissions in cattle production, thus contributing to more environmentally sustainable milk production.