Genomic and Gut Microbiome Evaluations of Growth and Feed Efficiency Traits in Broilers.

In this study, we combined genomic and gut microbiome data to evaluate 13 economically important growth and feed efficiency traits in 407 Dahen broilers, including body weight (BW) at four, six, nine, and ten weeks of age (BW4, BW6, BW9, and BW10), as well as the average daily gain (ADG6, ADG9, and ADG10), feed conversion ratio (FCR6, FCR9, and FCR10), and residual feed intake (RFI6, RFI9, and RFI10) for the three growing ages. The highest ADG and lowest FCR were observed at nine and six weeks of age, respectively. We obtained 47,872 high-quality genomic single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by sequencing the genomes and 702 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) of the gut microbiome by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene, both of which were used for analyses of linear mixed models.

Aerosol dynamics in dental clinics: effects of ventilation mode on the mitigation of airborne diseases transmission.

Dental operations inherently involve a high risk of airborne cross-infection among medical staff and patients due to the exposure of respiratory secretions, which contain pathogenic microorganisms and typically spread in the form of aerosols. In order to contribute to the understanding of aerosol dynamics during dental operation and efficiently mitigate their dispersion and deposition through appropriate ventilation, 3D numerical simulations and full-scale experimental measurements were performed in this study. The indoor airflow distribution and dynamic aerosol behaviors observed under three optimized ventilation schemes (Scenario I-III) were compared with those observed under the current ventilation system.

IGF2BP3 curbed by miR-15c-3p restores disrupted lipid storage and progesterone secretion in chicken granulosa cells under oxidative stress through AKT-Raf1-ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

For commercial laying hens, the continuous high-intensity ovulation process leads to a significant accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the granulosa cells, inducing oxidative stress, which accelerates ovarian aging and shortens the peak laying period. The molecular mechanisms underlying this process remain poorly understood. Therefore, we modeled the processes of oxidative stress and antioxidant in chicken granulosa cells.

Soybean bioactive peptide supplementation improves gut health and metabolism in broiler chickens.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of soybean bioactive peptide (SBP) on the growth performance and intestinal health of yellow-feathered broilers and to further elucidate the regulatory mechanisms of intestinal health using multi-omics analysis. A total of 320 1-day-old yellow-feathered broilers were randomly divided into two groups, with 10 replicates per group and 16 birds per replicate. Broilers in the control group received the basal diet, and those in the experimental group (SBPG) received the basal diet with 0.

Does land use change decline the regional ecosystem health maintenance? Case study in subtropical coastal region, Fuzhou, China.

Regional environmental management aims to maintain or improve regional ecosystem health (REH) and prevent its degradation over time. In the context of rapid urbanization and global sustainability over the last two decades, has land use change resulted in a deterioration of REH? By using the improved REH framework model as Pressure-Vigor-Organization-Resilience-Service (P-VOR-S), this paper proposed Regional Ecosystem Health Maintenance (REHM) as a dynamic quantitative indicator of REH, and detected REHM as well as its response to land use change in the coastal city of Fuzhou, China during 2003-2018. The results showed that: (1) During 2003-2018, the average REH gradually decreased in spite of the 62.

The proteome and metabolome changes distinguish the effect of dietary energy levels on the development of ovary in chicken during sexual maturity.

To deeply understanding the impact of peripheral energy level on the development of ovaries during the sexual maturation of chicken, in this study, the ovaries and serum of sexually mature and immature chickens at the same age from different energy level groups were collected, and the proteome and metabolome were detected. The results of ovarian and serum metabolomics revealed that dietary energy levels affected the energy metabolism and fatty acid oxidation of ovary in chicken, including the up-regulated expression of dihydroacetone phosphate and α-linolenic acid in high energy level groups. The results of proteomics showed that peripheral energy levels affected the catecholamine biosynthesis and metabolism in ovary before sexual maturation.

miR-7 promotes apoptosis and autophagy of granulosa cells by targeting KLF4 via JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway in chickens.

Granulosa cell (GC) death, which leads to follicular atresia, primarily occurs through apoptosis and autophagy. miRNAs are known to be key regulators of autophagy and apoptosis. Although miR-7 acting as a key regulator of follicular atresia, its precise role in granulosa cell autophagy and apoptosis remains to be fully elucidated.

miR-24-3p inhibits lipid synthesis and progesterone secretion in chicken granulosa cells via ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Normal follicular development is the basis for ovulation in poultry. Our previous sequencing analysis revealed a high expression of miR-24-3p in chicken follicles from degenerated ovaries, suggesting that miR-24-3p may modulate follicular development. Hence, this study investigated the specific mechanisms of miR-24-3p in regulating chicken follicular development.

Multiomics analyses reveal high yield-related genes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian/liver axis of chicken.

Egg production, regulated by multiple tissues, is among the most important economic traits in poultry. However, current research only focuses on the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, ignoring the most important organ for substance metabolism in the body, the liver. Eggs are rich in lipids, proteins, and other nutrients, which are biosynthesized in the liver.

USP13 regulates ferroptosis in chicken follicle granulosa cells by deubiquitinating ATG7.

The development and maturation of follicles are intricately linked to egg production and reproductive performance of chickens. Granulosa cells death directly affects the development and maturation of follicles, thereby impacting the reproductive performance of hens. Ferroptosis is a new type of cell death, it is unknown how it affects the growth and development of chicken follicles.

Genome-wide characteristics and potential functions of circular RNAs from the embryo muscle development in Chengkou mountain chicken.

The Chengkou mountain chicken, a native Chinese poultry breed, holds significant importance in the country's poultry sector due to its delectable meat and robust stress tolerance. Muscle growth and development are pivotal characteristics in poultry breeding, with muscle fiber development during the embryonic period crucial for determining inherent muscle growth potential. Extensive evidence indicates that non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play a regulatory role in muscle growth and development.

MiRNA-21-5p induces chicken hepatic lipogenesis by targeting NFIB and KLF3 to suppress the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

The liver plays a critical role in metabolic activity and is the body's first immune barrier, and maintaining liver health is particularly important for poultry production. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in a wide range of biological activities due to their capacity as posttranscriptional regulatory elements. A growing body of research indicates that miR-21-5p plays a vital role as a modulator of liver metabolism in various species.

Transcriptome Sequencing and Mass Spectrometry Reveal Genes Involved in the Non-mendelian Inheritance-Mediated Feather Growth Rate in Chicken.

The feather growth rate in chickens included early and late feathering. We attempted to characterize the genes and pathways associated with the feather growth rate in chickens that are not in agreement with Mendelian inheritance. Gene expression profiles in the hair follicle tissues of late-feathering cocks (LC), early-feathering cocks (EC), late-feathering hens (LH), and early-feathering hens (EH) were acquired using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq), mass spectrometry (MS), and quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT‑PCR).

Thiram exposure induces tibial dyschondroplasia in broilers via the regulation effect of circ_003084/miR-130c-5p/BMPR1A crosstalk on chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation.

Thiram, an agricultural insecticide, has been demonstrated to induce tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in avian species. Circular RNA (circRNAs), a novel class of functional biological macromolecules characterized by their distinct circular structure, play crucial roles in various biological processes and diseases. Nevertheless, the precise regulatory mechanism underlying non-coding RNA involvement in thiram-induced broiler tibial chondrodysplasia remains elusive.

Attenuated AKT signaling by miR-146a-5p interferes with chicken granulosa cell proliferation, lipid deposition and progesterone biosynthesis.

Steroid hormones play a crucial role in the growth and maturation of poultry ovarian follicles, with progesterone secretion by granulosa cells (GC) being essential. According to our previous transcriptome analysis, it apparented that miR-146a-5p expressions were upregulated in the follicles undergoing atresia. In this study, we delved the depth to explore the underlying mechanisms by miR-146a-5p in the regulation of follicle functions in chicken.

Lipid Deposition and Progesterone Synthesis Are Increased by miR-181b-5p through RAP1B/ERK1/2 Pathway in Chicken Granulosa Cells.

Steroid hormones secreted by granulosa cells are essential for maintaining normal development of chicken follicles. Our previous sequencing data indicated that miR-181b-5p and RAS-related protein 1B () appeared to function in chicken granulosa cells, which was further explored in this study. The results suggested that miR-181b-5p facilitated the aggregation of lipid droplets and the synthesis of progesterone.

Molecular Regulation of Differential Lipid Molecule Accumulation in the Intramuscular Fat and Abdominal Fat of Chickens.

Reducing abdominal fat (AF) accumulation and increasing the level of intramuscular fat (IMF) simultaneously is a major breeding goal in the poultry industry. To explore the different molecular mechanisms underlying AF and IMF, gene expression profiles in the breast muscle (BM) and AF from three chicken breeds were analyzed. A total of 4737 shared DEGs were identified between BM and AF, of which 2602 DEGs were upregulated and 2135 DEGs were downregulated in the BM groups compared with the AF groups.

Whole transcriptome analysis reveals the key genes and noncoding RNAs related to follicular atresia in broilers.

Broodiness, a maternal behavior, is accompanied by the atresia of follicles and the serious degradation of poultry reproductive performance. The comparison of follicles between brooding and laying hens is usually an ideal model for exploring the regulation mechanism of follicle atresia. In this study, we selected three brooding hens and three laying hens to collect their follicles for whole transcriptome sequencing.

Characterization of lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA network to reveal potential functional ceRNAs in the skeletal muscle of chicken.

Skeletal muscle, comprising approximately 40% of body mass, is a highly complex and heterogeneous tissue serving a multitude of functions in the organism. Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are known to participate in skeletal muscle development as critical regulators. However, the regulatory mechanisms of ncRNAs on chicken muscle traits are not well understood.

MYH1F promotes the proliferation and differentiation of chicken skeletal muscle satellite cells into myotubes.

In diploid organisms, interactions between alleles determine phenotypic variation. In previous experiments, only MYH1F was found to show both ASE (spatiotemporal allele-specific expression) and TRD (allelic transmission ratio distortion) characteristics in the pectoral muscle by comparing the genome-wide allele lists of hybrid populations (F) of meat- and egg- type chickens. In addition, MYH1F is a member of the MYH gene family, which plays an important role in skeletal muscle and non-muscle cells of animals, but the specific expression and function of this gene in chickens are still unknown.

Development and Validation of an Energy Consumption Model for Animal Houses Achieving Precision Livestock Farming.

Indoor environmental control is usually applied in poultry farming to ensure optimum growth conditions for birds. However, these control methods represent a considerable share of total energy consumption, and the trend of applying new equipment in the future for precision livestock farming would further increase energy demand, resulting in an increase in greenhouse gas emissions and management costs. Therefore, to ensure optimum efficiency of both energy use and livestock productivity, a customized hourly model was developed in the present study to interpret and analyze the electronically collected data.

Galacto-oligosaccharides and xylo-oligosaccharides affect meat flavor by altering the cecal microbiome, metabolome, and transcriptome of chickens.

Studies have shown that prebiotics can affect meat quality; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate whether prebiotics affect the flavor of chicken meat via the gut microbiome and metabolome. The gut content was collected from chickens fed with or without prebiotics (galacto-oligosaccharides or xylo-oligosaccharides) and subjected to microbiome and metabolome analyses, whereas transcriptome sequencing was performed using chicken breast.

RNA sequencing reveals lncRNA-mediated non-mendelian inheritance of feather growth change in chickens.

Background: Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an essential role in biological processes. However, the expression patterns of lncRNAs that regulate the non-Mendelian inheritance feather phenotypes remain unknown.

Objective: This study aimed to compare the expression profiles of lncRNAs in the follicles of the late-feathering cocks (LC) and late-feathering hens (LH) that followed genetic rules and the early-feathering hen (EH) and early-feathering cock (EC) that did not conform to the genetic laws.