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Yao H, Dou Z, Zhao Z, Liang X, Yue H, Ma W, Su Z, Wang Y, Hao Z, Yan H, Wu Z, Wang L, Chen G, Yang J. Transcriptome analysis of the Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) reveals candidate genes affecting milk production traits. BMC Genomics 2023; 24:660. [PMID: 37919661 PMCID: PMC10621195 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-023-09703-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Milk production traits are complex traits with vital economic importance in the camel industry. However, the genetic mechanisms regulating milk production traits in camels remain poorly understood. Therefore, we aimed to identify candidate genes and metabolic pathways that affect milk production traits in Bactrian camels. METHODS We classified camels (fourth parity) as low- or high-yield, examined pregnant camels using B-mode ultrasonography, observed the microscopic changes in the mammary gland using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and used RNA sequencing to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathways. RESULTS The average standard milk yield over the 300 days during parity was recorded as 470.18 ± 9.75 and 978.34 ± 3.80 kg in low- and high-performance camels, respectively. Nine female Junggar Bactrian camels were subjected to transcriptome sequencing, and 609 and 393 DEGs were identified in the low-yield vs. high-yield (WDL vs. WGH) and pregnancy versus colostrum period (RSQ vs. CRQ) comparison groups, respectively. The DEGs were compared with genes associated with milk production traits in the Animal Quantitative Trait Loci database and in Alashan Bactrian camels, and 65 and 46 overlapping candidate genes were obtained, respectively. Functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction network analyses of the DEGs and candidate genes were conducted. After comparing our results with those of other livestock studies, we identified 16 signaling pathways and 27 core candidate genes associated with maternal parturition, estrogen regulation, initiation of lactation, and milk production traits. The pathways suggest that emerged milk production involves the regulation of multiple complex metabolic and cellular developmental processes in camels. Finally, the RNA sequencing results were validated using quantitative real-time PCR; the 15 selected genes exhibited consistent expression changes. CONCLUSIONS This study identified DEGs and metabolic pathways affecting maternal parturition and milk production traits. The results provides a theoretical foundation for further research on the molecular mechanism of genes related to milk production traits in camels. Furthermore, these findings will help improve breeding strategies to achieve the desired milk yield in camels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaibing Yao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
| | - Zhihua Dou
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
| | - Zhongkai Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
| | - Xiaorui Liang
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
| | - Haitao Yue
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
| | - Wanpeng Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Zhanqiang Su
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, 830052, China
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- Xinjiang Altai Regional Animal Husbandry Veterinary Station, Altay, 836500, Xinjiang, China
| | - Zelin Hao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
| | - Hui Yan
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
| | - Zhuangyuan Wu
- Xinjiang Altai Regional Animal Husbandry Veterinary Station, Altay, 836500, Xinjiang, China
| | - Liang Wang
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
- Bactrian Camel Academy of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Wangyuan Camel Milk Limited Company, Altay, 836500, Xinjiang, China
| | - Gangliang Chen
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China
- Bactrian Camel Academy of Xinjiang, Xinjiang Wangyuan Camel Milk Limited Company, Altay, 836500, Xinjiang, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, 777 Huarui Street, Urumqi, 830017, Xinjiang, PR China.
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Urumqi, 830017, China.
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Yao H, Liang X, Dou Z, Zhao Z, Ma W, Hao Z, Yan H, Wang Y, Wu Z, Chen G, Yang J. Transcriptome analysis to identify candidate genes related to mammary gland development of Bactrian camel ( Camelus bactrianus). Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1196950. [PMID: 37342620 PMCID: PMC10277799 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1196950] [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: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction The demand for camel milk, which has unique therapeutic properties, is increasing. The mammary gland is the organ in mammals responsible for the production and quality of milk. However, few studies have investigated the genes or pathways related to mammary gland growth and development in Bactrian camels. This study aimed to compare the morphological changes in mammary gland tissue and transcriptome expression profiles between young and adult female Bactrian camels and to explore the potential candidate genes and signaling pathways related to mammary gland development. Methods Three 2 years-old female camels and three 5 years-old adult female camels were maintained in the same environment. The parenchyma of the mammary gland tissue was sampled from the camels using percutaneous needle biopsy. Morphological changes were observed using hematoxylin-eosin staining. High-throughput RNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina HiSeq platform to analyze changes in the transcriptome between young and adult camels. Functional enrichment, pathway enrichment, and protein-protein interaction networks were also analyzed. Gene expression was verified using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results Histomorphological analysis showed that the mammary ducts and mammary epithelial cells in adult female camels were greatly developed and differentiated from those in young camels. Transcriptome analysis showed that 2,851 differentially expressed genes were obtained in the adult camel group compared to the young camel group, of which 1,420 were upregulated, 1,431 were downregulated, and 2,419 encoded proteins. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the upregulated genes were significantly enriched for 24 pathways, including the Hedgehog signaling pathway which is closely related to mammary gland development. The downregulated genes were significantly enriched for seven pathways, among these the Wnt signaling pathway was significantly related to mammary gland development. The protein-protein interaction network sorted the nodes according to the degree of gene interaction and identified nine candidate genes: PRKAB2, PRKAG3, PLCB4, BTRC, GLI1, WIF1, DKK2, FZD3, and WNT4. The expression of fifteen genes randomly detected by qRT-PCR showed results consistent with those of the transcriptome analysis. Discussion Preliminary findings indicate that the Hedgehog, Wnt, oxytocin, insulin, and steroid biosynthesis signaling pathways have important effects on mammary gland development in dairy camels. Given the importance of these pathways and the interconnections of the involved genes, the genes in these pathways should be considered potential candidate genes. This study provides a theoretical basis for elucidating the molecular mechanisms associated with mammary gland development and milk production in Bactrian camels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huaibing Yao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
| | - Xiaorui Liang
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
| | - Zhihua Dou
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
| | - Zhongkai Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
| | - Wanpeng Ma
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Ürümqi, China
| | - Zelin Hao
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
| | - Hui Yan
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
| | - Yuzhuo Wang
- Xinjiang Altai Regional Animal Husbandry Veterinary Station, Altay, China
| | - Zhuangyuan Wu
- Xinjiang Altai Regional Animal Husbandry Veterinary Station, Altay, China
| | - Gangliang Chen
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
- Bactrian Camel Academy of Xinjiang, Wangyuan Camel Milk Limited Company, Altay, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Key Laboratory of Biological Resources and Genetic Engineering, College of Life Science and Technology, Xinjiang University, Ürümqi, China
- Xinjiang Camel Industry Engineering Technology Research Center, Ürümqi, China
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Yao H, Yu S, Luo Y, Wang M, Wang X, Xu S, Chen Y, Xie Z. Effects of plasma-derived exosomes from the normal and thin Bactrian camels on hepatocellular carcinoma and their differences at transcriptome and proteomics levels. Front Oncol 2023; 13:994340. [PMID: 36816960 PMCID: PMC9933125 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.994340] [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: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant primary tumor. Bactrian camels have high economic and social values, but their potential medical value has not been studied. This study aimed to investigate the effects of Bactrian camel plasma-derived exosomes on HCC. Methods Plasma was obtained from thin and normal Bactrian camels, and used to isolate exosomes by ultracentrifugation. The exosomes were then characterized by transmission electron microscopy and Nano particle tracking analyzer. In vivo imaging of nude mice and hematoxylin eosin (HE) staining of liver tissues were used to explore the effects of the exosomes on tumor growth. Finally, the differences of the two exosomes were further analyzed using small RNA sequencing and proteomics. Results In vivo imaging and HE staining showed that no significant differences were found in fluorescence value and liver tissue morphology between the control mice and the mice treated with the exosomes from thin Bactrian camels; while the fluorescence value and the live histology changes were alleviated in the mice with the exosomes from normal Bactrian camels. After sequencing and proteomic analysis, 40 differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs, 15 down-regulated and 25 up-regulated) and 172 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs, 77 up-regulated and 95 down-regulated) were identified in the plasma-derived exosomes from normal Bactrian camels. These identified DE-miRNAs and DEPs were significantly enriched in many signaling pathways. Conclusions Normal Bactrian camel plasma-derived exosomes may inhibit the growth of HCC cells through regulating pathways of Ras, Ras-Association Proximate 1 (Rap1), phosphoinositide 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and canonical Wnt signaling pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqiang Yao
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Animal Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Siriguleng Yu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Animal Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China,*Correspondence: Siriguleng Yu,
| | - Yuchen Luo
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Animal Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Animal Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Xiuying Wang
- Department of Public Health, Inner Mongolia Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Siriguleng Xu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Animal Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Yufei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Animal Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Zhifeng Xie
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Technology for Animal Diseases, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
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Abstract
Camels are domesticated animals that are highly adapted to the extreme desert ecosystem with relatively higher resistance to a wide range of pathogens compared to many other species from the same geographical region. Recently, there has been increased interest in the field of camel immunology. As the progress in the analysis of camel immunoglobulins has previously been covered in many recent reviews, this review intends to summarize published findings related to camel cellular immunology with a focus on the phenotype and functionality of camel leukocyte subpopulations. The review also describes the impact of different physiological (age and pregnancy) and pathological (e.g. infection) conditions on camel immune cells. Despite the progress achieved in the field of camel immunology, there are gaps in our complete understanding of the camel immune system. Questions remain regarding innate recognition mechanisms, the functional characterization of antigen-presenting cells, and the characterization of camel NK and cytotoxic T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jamal Hussen
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hans-Joachim Schuberth
- Institute of Immunology, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Hannover, Germany
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