1
|
Wang Z, Guo Z, Mou Q, Liu H, Liu D, Tang H, Hou S, Schroyen M, Zhou Z. Unique feather color characteristics and transcriptome analysis of hair follicles in Liancheng White ducks. Poult Sci 2024; 103:103794. [PMID: 38718539 PMCID: PMC11097064 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2024.103794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Avian feather color is a fascinating trait, and the genetic mechanism of duck plumage formation is still in the preliminary stage. In this study, feather color of Liancheng White ducks was analyzed by determination of melanin content and RNA-seq analysis. In this research, 9 ducks from Mallards (n = 3), Liancheng White (n = 3) and Pekin ducks (n = 3) were used by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Masson-Fontana staining to reveal the difference of feather melanin content. RNA-seq from 11 hair follicle tissues (1- and 8-wk-old) of Liancheng White ducks (n = 5) and Pekin ducks (n = 7) was used to analyze the candidate genes for the feather melanin synthesis, and Immunofluorescence experiment was used to show the protein expression in 6 black- and white-feathered ducks. Pectorale, skin, liver, fat, brain, heart, kidney, lung, spleen of an 8-wk-old black-feathered Mallard were collected for candidate gene expression. The results showed that the contents of feathers, beak, web melanin in Liancheng White ducks were higher than in Pekin ducks (p < 0.05). Melanin within hair follicles was located in the barb ridge and hair matrix of black feather duck, also we found that TYRP1, TYR, SOX10 genes were differentially expressed between Liancheng White and Pekin ducks (p < 0.05), and these genes were mainly expressed showed in duck skin tissues. This study revealed the unique feather color phenotype of Liancheng White duck shedding light on the transcriptome that underlies it.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China; Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, Gembloux 5030, Belgium
| | - Zhanbao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Qiming Mou
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Hongfei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Dapeng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Hehe Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Shuisheng Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China
| | - Martine Schroyen
- Precision Livestock and Nutrition Unit, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, TERRA Teaching and Research Centre, University of Liège, Gembloux 5030, Belgium
| | - Zhengkui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Animal Biotech Breeding, Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Chan YF, Lu CW, Kuo HC, Hung CM. A chromosome-level genome assembly of the Asian house martin implies potential genes associated with the feathered-foot trait. G3 (BETHESDA, MD.) 2024; 14:jkae077. [PMID: 38607414 DOI: 10.1093/g3journal/jkae077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024]
Abstract
The presence of feathers is a vital characteristic among birds, yet most modern birds had no feather on their feet. The discoveries of feathers on the hind limbs of basal birds and dinosaurs have sparked an interest in the evolutionary origin and genetic mechanism of feathered feet. However, the majority of studies investigating the genes associated with this trait focused on domestic populations. Understanding the genetic mechanism underpinned feathered-foot development in wild birds is still in its infancy. Here, we assembled a chromosome-level genome of the Asian house martin (Delichon dasypus) using the long-read High Fidelity sequencing approach to initiate the search for genes associated with its feathered feet. We employed the whole-genome alignment of D. dasypus with other swallow species to identify high-SNP regions and chromosomal inversions in the D. dasypus genome. After filtering out variations unrelated to D. dasypus evolution, we found six genes related to feather development near the high-SNP regions. We also detected three feather development genes in chromosomal inversions between the Asian house martin and the barn swallow genomes. We discussed their association with the wingless/integrated (WNT), bone morphogenetic protein, and fibroblast growth factor pathways and their potential roles in feathered-foot development. Future studies are encouraged to utilize the D. dasypus genome to explore the evolutionary process of the feathered-foot trait in avian species. This endeavor will shed light on the evolutionary path of feathers in birds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuan-Fu Chan
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Wei Lu
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Chih Kuo
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Ming Hung
- Biodiversity Research Center, Academia Sinica, Taipei 11529, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pan R, Qi L, Xu Z, Zhang D, Nie Q, Zhang X, Luo W. Weighted single-step GWAS identified candidate genes associated with carcass traits in a Chinese yellow-feathered chicken population. Poult Sci 2024; 103:103341. [PMID: 38134459 PMCID: PMC10776626 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Carcass traits in broiler chickens are complex traits that are influenced by multiple genes. To gain deeper insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying carcass traits, here we conducted a weighted single-step genome-wide association study (wssGWAS) in a population of Chinese yellow-feathered chicken. The objective was to identify genomic regions and candidate genes associated with carcass weight (CW), eviscerated weight with giblets (EWG), eviscerated weight (EW), breast muscle weight (BMW), drumstick weight (DW), abdominal fat weight (AFW), abdominal fat percentage (AFP), gizzard weight (GW), and intestine length (IL). A total of 1,338 broiler chickens with phenotypic and pedigree information were included in this study. Of these, 435 chickens were genotyped using a 600K single nucleotide polymorphism chip for association analysis. The results indicate that the most significant regions for 9 traits explained 2.38% to 5.09% of the phenotypic variation, from which the region of 194.53 to 194.63Mb on chromosome 1 with the gene RELT and FAM168A identified on it was significantly associated with CW, EWG, EW, BMW, and DW. Meanwhile, the 5 traits have a strong genetic correlation, indicating that the region and the genes can be used for further research. In addition, some candidate genes associated with skeletal muscle development, fat deposition regulation, intestinal repair, and protection were identified. Gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses suggested that the genes are involved in processes such as vascular development (CD34, FGF7, FGFR3, ITGB1BP1, SEMA5A, LOXL2), bone formation (FGFR3, MATN1, MEF2D, DHRS3, SKI, STC1, HOXB1, HOXB3, TIPARP), and anatomical size regulation (ADD2, AKT1, CFTR, EDN3, FLII, HCLS1, ITGB1BP1, SEMA5A, SHC1, ULK1, DSTN, GSK3B, BORCS8, GRIP2). In conclusion, the integration of phenotype, genotype, and pedigree information without creating pseudo-phenotype will facilitate the genetic improvement of carcass traits in chickens, providing valuable insights into the genetic architecture and potential candidate genes underlying carcass traits, enriching our understanding and contributing to the breeding of high-quality broiler chickens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rongyang Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, & Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Xugang Yellow Poultry Seed Industry Group Co., Ltd, Jiangmen City, Guangdong Province, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Lin Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, & Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhenqiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, & Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Dexiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, & Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Qinghua Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, & Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Xiquan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, & Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Wen Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Livestock and Poultry Breeding, & Lingnan Guangdong Laboratory of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, and Key Lab of Chicken Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affair, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; Department of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China.
| |
Collapse
|