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Zhu M, Li P, Wu W, Zheng W, Huang J, Tulafu H, Lin C, Tao W, Aladaer Q. The genetic characterization of germplasm and identification of the litter size trait associated candidate genes in Dexin mutton and fine-wool sheep. Front Genet 2024; 15:1457634. [PMID: 39211736 PMCID: PMC11359847 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2024.1457634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Xinjiang is a major province of sheep breeding in China, which plays an important role in meeting people's needs for meat products, increasing farmers' income and sustainable development of animal husbandry. However, the genetic differentiation relationship between breeds was not clear, and most sheep had low fecundity, which seriously restricted the efficient development of sheep industry. Therefore, this study used the whole genome resequencing to detect the genetic variation of Dexin mutton and fine-wool sheep, explored the selected regions and important genes of the litter size traits, analyzed the genetic mechanism of reproductive traits, and provided new insights for the high fecundity breeding of sheep. A total of 5,236.338 G genome data and 35,884,037 SNPs were obtained. Furthermore, we identified 39 selection signals spanning candidate genes, 99 genes were significantly associated related to growth, reproduction and immunity, among which, BRIP1, BMPR1B, BMP4, NGF, etc. genes, and MAKP signaling pathway, Fanconi anemia pathway and Thyroid hormone signaling pathway and other signaling pathways were significantly correlated with litter size trait. Among them, we identified NGF, TrKA and BRIP1 genes was the important genes for sheep litter size traits and the mutation frequencies of 9 SNPs in BRIP1 gene were significantly different in domestic sheep in the world. The research provided new insights for the breeding of self-cultivated meat fine-wool sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Zhu
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
| | - Pengfei Li
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Weiwei Wu
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Wenxin Zheng
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Juncheng Huang
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Hanikzi Tulafu
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Changchun Lin
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Weikun Tao
- Institute of Animal Science, Xinjiang Academy of Animal Sciences, Urumqi, China
| | - Qi Aladaer
- College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China
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Zacharjasz J, Sztachera M, Smuszkiewicz M, Piwecka M. Micromanaging the neuroendocrine system - A review on miR-7 and the other physiologically relevant miRNAs in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. FEBS Lett 2024; 598:1557-1575. [PMID: 38858179 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
The hypothalamic-pituitary axis is central to the functioning of the neuroendocrine system and essential for regulating physiological and behavioral homeostasis and coordinating fundamental body functions. The expanding line of evidence shows the indispensable role of the microRNA pathway in regulating the gene expression profile in the developing and adult hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Experiments provoking a depletion of miRNA maturation in the context of the hypothalamic-pituitary axis brought into focus a prominent involvement of miRNAs in neuroendocrine functions. There are also a few individual miRNAs and miRNA families that have been studied in depth revealing their crucial role in mediating the regulation of fundamental processes such as temporal precision of puberty timing, hormone production, fertility and reproduction capacity, and energy balance. Among these miRNAs, miR-7 was shown to be hypothalamus-enriched and the top one highly expressed in the pituitary gland, where it has a profound impact on gene expression regulation. Here, we review miRNA profiles, knockout phenotypes, and miRNA interaction (targets) in the hypothalamic-pituitary axis that advance our understanding of the roles of miRNAs in mammalian neurosecretion and related physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Zacharjasz
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marta Sztachera
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał Smuszkiewicz
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
| | - Monika Piwecka
- Department of Non-coding RNAs, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Poznań, Poland
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Wang W, Du X, Chu M, He X. Photoperiod Induces the Epigenetic Change of the GNAQ Gene in OVX+E 2 Ewes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16442. [PMID: 38003630 PMCID: PMC10671395 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
GNAQ, a member of the alpha subunit encoding the q-like G protein, is a critical gene in cell signaling, and multiple studies have shown that upregulation of GNAQ gene expression ultimately inhibits the proliferation of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons and GnRH secretion, and ultimately affects mammalian reproduction. Photoperiod is a key inducer which plays an important role in gene expression regulation by affecting epigenetic modification. However, fewer studies have confirmed how photoperiod induces epigenetic modifications of the GNAQ gene. In this study, we examined the expression and epigenetic changes of GNAQ in the hypothalamus in ovariectomized and estradiol-treated (OVX+E2) sheep under three photoperiod treatments (short photoperiod treatment for 42 days, SP42; long photoperiod treatment for 42 days, LP42; 42 days of short photoperiod followed by 42 days of long photoperiod, SP-LP42). The results showed that the expression of GNAQ was significantly higher in SP-LP42 than in SP42 and LP42 (p < 0.05). Whole genome methylation sequencing (WGBS) results showed that there are multiple differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and loci between different groups of GNAQ. Among them, the DNA methylation level of DMRs at the CpG1 locus in SP42 was significantly higher than that of SP-LP42 (p < 0.01). Subsequently, we confirmed that the core promoter region of the GNAQ gene was located with 1100 to 1500 bp upstream, and the DNA methylation level of all eight CpG sites in SP42 was significantly higher than those in LP42 (p < 0.01), and significantly higher than those in SP-LP42 (p < 0.01), except site 2 and site 4 in the first sequencing fragment (p < 0.05) in the core promoter region. The expression of acetylated GNAQ histone H3 was significantly higher than that of the control group under three different photoperiods (p < 0.01); the acetylation level of sheep hypothalamic GNAQ genomic protein H3 was significantly lower under SP42 than under SP-LP42 (p < 0.05). This suggests that acetylated histone H3 binds to the core promoter region of the GNAQ gene, implying that GNAQ is epigenetically regulated by photoperiod through histone acetylation. In summary, the results suggest that photoperiod can induce DNA methylation in the core promoter region and histone acetylation in the promoter region of the GNAQ gene, and hypothesize that the two may be key factors in regulating the differential expression of GNAQ under different photoperiods, thus regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPGA) through the seasonal estrus in sheep. The results of this study will provide some new information to understand the function of epigenetic modifications in reproduction in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mingxing Chu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.W.); (X.D.)
| | - Xiaoyun He
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing 100193, China; (W.W.); (X.D.)
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Song P, Chen X, Zhang P, Zhou Y, Zhou R. miR-200b/MYBL2/CDK1 suppresses proliferation and induces senescence through cell cycle arrest in ovine granulosa cells. Theriogenology 2023; 207:19-30. [PMID: 37257219 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Normal growth of granulosa cells (GCs) is essential for follicular development. miR-200b plays a vital role in litter size, estrous cycle, ovulation, and follicular development in sheep. However, it is unclear that the specific effect and regulatory mechanism of miR-200b on ovine GCs. miR-200b mimic inhibited GCs proliferation and induced cellular senescence through downregulating mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), concentration of ATP and mitochondrial respiratory chain complex Ⅰ, and upregulating SA-β-gal positive rate and ROS production. A total of 597 differentially expressed genes were identified by RNA-Seq in GCs transfected with miR-200b mimic and mimic NC, and they were involved in cell cycle and cellular senescence. miR-200b directly targeted and downregulated MYBL2 and CDK1. Overexpression of MYBL2 promoted GCs proliferation and genes expression (CDK1, CDC20, MAD2L1 and FOXM1), which were suppressed by miR-200b mimic. Furthermore, MYBL2 negatively regulated miR-200b-induced GC senescence. In conclusion, miR-200b/MYBL2/CDK1 regulated proliferation and senescence through cell cycle pathway in ovine granulosa cells. Our study provides a novel insight that miR-200b regulates ovine follicular development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengyan Song
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei Province, 071001, China
| | - Xiaoyong Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei Province, 071001, China
| | - Peiying Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei Province, 071001, China
| | - Ying Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei Province, 071001, China
| | - Rongyan Zhou
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, Hebei Province, 071001, China.
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Zhu M, Zhang H, Yang H, Zhao Z, Blair HT, Liang H, Wu P, Yu Q. Targeting GNAQ in hypothalamic nerve cells to regulate seasonal estrus in sheep. Theriogenology 2022; 181:79-88. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 12/25/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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Evaluation of microRNA expression in a sheep model for lung fibrosis. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:827. [PMID: 34789159 PMCID: PMC8596952 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08073-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic progressive fibroproliferative disorder that has one of the poorest prognoses amongst interstitial lung diseases. Recently, the finding of aberrant expression levels of miRNAs in IPF patients has drawn significant attention to the involvement of these molecules in the pathogenesis of this disease. Clarification of the differential expression of miRNAs in health and disease may identify novel therapeutic strategies that can be employed in the future to combat IPF. This study evaluates the miRNA expression profiles in a sheep model for lung fibrosis and compares them to the miRNA profiles of both IPF patients and the mouse bleomycin model for pulmonary fibrosis. Pathway enrichment analyses were performed on differentially expressed miRNAs to illustrate which biological mechanisms were associated with lung fibrosis. RESULTS We discovered 49 differentially expressed miRNAs in the sheep fibrosis model, in which 32 miRNAs were significantly down regulated, while 17 miRNAs were significantly upregulated due to bleomycin-induced lung injury. Moreover, the miRNA families miR-29, miR-26, miR-30, let-7, miR-21, miR-19, miR-17 and miR-199 were aberrantly expressed in both sheep and mouse models, with similar differential miRNAs expression observed in IPF cases. Importantly, 18 miRNAs were aberrantly expressed in both the sheep model and IPF patients, but not in mice. CONCLUSION Together with pathway enrichment analyses, these results show that the sheep model can potentially be used to characterize previously unrecognized biological pathways associated with lung fibrosis.
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Yang H, Fu L, Luo Q, Li L, Zheng F, Liu X, Zhao Z, Wang Z, Xu H. Comparative Analysis and Identification of Differentially Expressed microRNAs in the Hypothalamus of Kazakh Sheep Exposed to Different Photoperiod Conditions. BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2021; 86:1315-1325. [PMID: 34903161 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921100126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNA) plays an important role in several mammalian biological regulatory processes by post-transcriptionally regulating gene expression. However, there is little information on the miRNAs involved in the photoperiodism pathway that controls seasonal activity. To enhance our knowledge on the effect of different photoperiod conditions on miRNA, we divided Kazakh sheep into two groups: one exposed to a long photoperiod (LP, 16L:8D) and another with exposed to a short photoperiod (SP, 8L:16D) under supplemental feeding conditions. Further we compared the related miRNAs and target genes between the two groups. Fifteen differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, which were associated with 310 regulatory pathways covering photoperiodism, reproductive hormones, and nutrition. The miR-136-GNAQ pair was selected and validated as a differentially expressed, and a dual-luciferase reporter assay showed that the negative feedback loop existed between them. Examination of the expression profile revealed that the GNAQ expression was low in the estrous females both under LP and SP conditions, but high expression of GNAQ was observed in the anestrous females under LP conditions. Moreover, functional analysis revealed that KISS1 and GnRH expression was upregulated when GNAQ expression was downregulated in the hypothalamic cells, whereas DIO2 and TSHB expression was downregulated. Thus, miR-136-GNAQ might act as a switch in the regulation of seasonal estrus under different photoperiod conditions. These findings further enrich our understanding of the relationship between miRNAs and seasonal regulation of reproductive activity. Furthermore, our study provides novel insights into the miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms for overcoming photoinhibition in the seasonally breeding mammals, such as Kazakh sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heng Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China. .,Immunology Research Center, Medical Research Institute, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China
| | - Lin Fu
- Research Institute of Herbivorous Livestock, Chongqing Academy of Animal Sciences, Chongqing, 404100, China
| | - Qifeng Luo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China
| | - Licai Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China
| | - Fangling Zheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China
| | - Xianxia Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Xinjiang, 830000, China
| | - Zongsheng Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Xinjiang, 830000, China
| | - Zhiying Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China
| | - Huihao Xu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Southwest University, Chongqing, 404100, China.
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Potential Novel Biomarkers for Mastitis Diagnosis in Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102783. [PMID: 34679803 PMCID: PMC8532728 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Inflammation of the mammary gland (mastitis) is an important disease of dairy sheep. Mastitis management depends mainly on the diagnosis. Conventional diagnostic methods including somatic cell count, California Mastitis Test, and microbial culture have limitations. Therefore researchers are looking for new diagnostic biomarkers of mastitis including specific proteins produced by the liver in case of disease (acute phase proteins), unique genetic sequences (miRNAs), or antimicrobial peptides produced by immune cells during inflammation (cathelicidines). Abstract This review aims to characterize promising novel markers of ovine mastitis. Mastitis is considered as one of the primary factors for premature culling in dairy sheep and has noticeable financial, productional, and animal welfare-related implications. Furthermore, clinical, and subclinical mammary infections negatively affect milk yield and alter the milk composition, thereby leading to lowered quality of dairy products. It is, therefore, crucial to control and prevent mastitis through proper diagnosis, treatment or culling, and appropriate udder health management particularly at the end of the lactation period. The clinical form of mastitis is characterized by abnormalities in milk and mammary gland tissue alteration or systemic symptoms consequently causing minor diagnostic difficulties. However, to identify ewes with subclinical mastitis, laboratory diagnostics is crucial. Mastitis control is primarily dependent on determining somatic cell count (SCC) and the California Mastitis Test (CMT), which aim to detect the quantity of cells in the milk sample. The other useful diagnostic tool is microbial culture, which complements SCC and CMT. However, all mentioned diagnostic methods have their limitations and therefore novel biomarkers of ovine subclinical mastitis are highly desired. These sensitive indicators include acute-phase proteins, miRNA, and cathelicidins measurements, which could be determined in ovine serum and/or milk and in the future may become useful in early mastitis diagnostics as well as a preventive tool. This may contribute to increased detection of ovine mammary gland inflammation in sheep, especially in subclinical form, and consequently improves milk quality and quantity.
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Di R, Liu QY, Song SH, Tian DM, He JN, Ge Y, Wang XY, Hu WP, Mwacharo JM, Pan ZY, Wang JD, Ma Q, Cao GL, Jin HH, Liang XJ, Chu MX. Expression characteristics of pineal miRNAs at ovine different reproductive stages and the identification of miRNAs targeting the AANAT gene. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:217. [PMID: 33765915 PMCID: PMC7992348 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07536-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Many recent studies have shown that miRNAs play important roles in the regulation of animal reproduction, including seasonal reproduction. The pineal gland is a crucial hub in the regulation of seasonal reproduction. However, little is known about the expression characteristics of pineal miRNAs in different reproductive seasons (anestrus and breeding season). Therefore, the expression profiles and regulatory roles of ovine pineal miRNAs were investigated during different reproductive stages using Solexa sequencing technology and dual luciferase reporter assays. Results A total of 427 miRNAs were identified in the sheep pineal gland. Significant differences in miRNA expression were demonstrated between anestrus and the breeding season in terms of the frequency distributions of miRNA lengths, number of expressed miRNAs, and specifically and highly expressed miRNAs in each reproductive stage. KEGG analysis of the differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs between anestrus and the breeding season indicated that they are significantly enriched in pathways related to protein synthesis, secretion and uptake. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis revealed that many target genes of DE miRNAs in the ribosome pathway showed relatively low expression in the breeding season. On the other hand, analyses combining miRNA-gene expression data with target relationship validation in vitro implied that miR-89 may participate in the negative regulation of aralkylamine N-acetyltransferase (AANAT) mRNA expression by targeting its 3’UTR at a unique binding site. Conclusions Our results provide new insights into the expression characteristics of sheep pineal miRNAs at different reproductive stages and into the negative regulatory effects of pineal miRNAs on AANAT mRNA expression. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-07536-y.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ran Di
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Qiu-Yue Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Shu-Hui Song
- National Genomics Data Center & CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Dong-Mei Tian
- National Genomics Data Center & CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-Ning He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ying Ge
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiang-Yu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Wen-Ping Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Joram-Mwashigadi Mwacharo
- Small Ruminant Genomics, International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Zhang-Yuan Pan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jian-Dong Wang
- Research Center of Grass and Livestock, NingXia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, No. 590, East Yellow River Road, Yinchuan, 750002, China
| | - Qing Ma
- Research Center of Grass and Livestock, NingXia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, No. 590, East Yellow River Road, Yinchuan, 750002, China
| | - Gui-Ling Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Hui-Hui Jin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiao-Jun Liang
- Research Center of Grass and Livestock, NingXia Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences, No. 590, East Yellow River Road, Yinchuan, 750002, China.
| | - Ming-Xing Chu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, No. 2, Yuanmingyuan West Rd, Beijing, 100193, China.
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Miretti S, Lecchi C, Ceciliani F, Baratta M. MicroRNAs as Biomarkers for Animal Health and Welfare in Livestock. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:578193. [PMID: 33392281 PMCID: PMC7775535 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.578193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small and highly conserved non-coding RNA molecules that orchestrate a wide range of biological processes through the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. An intriguing aspect in identifying these molecules as biomarkers is derived from their role in cell-to-cell communication, their active secretion from cells into the extracellular environment, their high stability in body fluids, and their ease of collection. All these features confer on miRNAs the potential to become a non-invasive tool to score animal welfare. There is growing interest in the importance of miRNAs as biomarkers for assessing the welfare of livestock during metabolic, environmental, and management stress, particularly in ruminants, pigs, and poultry. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the potential use of tissue and/or circulating miRNAs as biomarkers for the assessment of the health and welfare status in these livestock species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Miretti
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Cristina Lecchi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Ceciliani
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Baratta
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
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Effect of Concentrate Supplementation on the Expression Profile of miRNA in the Ovaries of Yak during Non-Breeding Season. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10091640. [PMID: 32933085 PMCID: PMC7552198 DOI: 10.3390/ani10091640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Yak (Bos grunniens) is an important and remarkable livestock species that survives in the challenging environment of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. However, its growth rate is slower and reproductive ability is generally lower than cattle. This may be due to the yak living in high altitudes all year round where in the whole year, grasses are only available in July, August, and September (warm season), and from November to the next year of May (cold season), there is a scarcity of pastures. So, the reproductive efficiency of yak is very low. Meanwhile, it has been reported that enhanced nutrition improves the reproductive efficiency of animals. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effects of supplemental nutrition on the growth traits and reproductive performance of yaks in the cold season. In addition, miRNAs related to yak reproductive traits were screened by miRNA sequencing technology. This research might be helpful for improving the reproductive potential of yak during the non-breeding season. Abstract Yak (Bos grunniens) is an important and remarkable livestock species that survives in the challenging environment of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau. However, its growth rate is slower and reproductive potential is generally lower than cattle. Meanwhile, it has been reported that enhanced nutrition improves the reproductive efficiency of animals. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of concentrate supplementation on the miRNA expression profile in the ovaries of yak during the non-breeding season. The study displayed that non-breeding season supplementation significantly improved growth performance, serum biochemical indicators, and reproductive hormone concentrations in yaks. In this study, we also examined the differential expression analysis of miRNA in the ovaries of yak during non-breeding seasons using Illumina Hiseq sequencing technology. As a result, 51 differentially expressed miRNAs were found in the experimental group (CS) and control group (CON). Gene Ontology (go) and Kyoto Genome Encyclopedia (KEGG) analysis of target genes showed that beta-alanine metabolism; tryptophan metabolism; sphingolipid metabolism; alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism; and the inositol phosphate metabolism pathway attracted our attention. Based on qRT-PCR, seven miRNAs were assessed to verify the accuracy of the library database. We predicted and identified potential miRNA target genes, including LEP, KLF7, VEGFA, GNAQ, GTAT6, and CCND2. miRNA and corresponding target genes may regulate yaks’ seasonal reproduction through their nutritional status. This study will provide an experimental basis for improving the reproductive efficiency of yaks by supplementation in the non-breeding season.
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Zhai M, Zhao Z, Yang M, Liang Y, Liang H, Xie Y, Han J. The effect of GNAQ methylation on GnRH secretion in sheep hypothalamic neurons. J Cell Biochem 2019; 120:19396-19405. [PMID: 31452255 DOI: 10.1002/jcb.29021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Kazakh sheep are seasonal estrous animals, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is the key to fertility regulation. The nutritional level has a certain regulatory effect on estrous, and vitamin B folate plays a role in DNA methylation, directly participating in the process. The goal of this study was to determine whether folate is involved in GnAQ methylation and its effect on GnRH secretion. The hypothalamic neurons of Kazakh fetal sheep were treated with folate at concentrations of 0 mg/mL, 4 mg/mL, 40 mg/mL, and 80 mg/mL. GnAQ promoter methylation, DNMT1, GnAQ expression, and GnRH secretion following treatment with different concentrations of folate were analyzed. One CpG site was methylated in the GNAQ promoter with 40 mg/mL folic acid, and no CpG methylation was found in the other groups. GnAQ expression was related to folate concentration and showed a trend of increasing first and then decreasing. The GnRH expression level in the 40 mg/mL folate group was significantly higher than in the other three groups ( P < .05). These results demonstrate that the appropriate folate concentration promoted GANQ promoter methylation, which in turn affected GnRH secretion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjun Zhai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Zongsheng Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Min Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Yanping Liang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Huihui Liang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Yifan Xie
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
| | - Jilong Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shihezi University, Shihezi, China
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