Genetics of Wool and Cashmere Fibre: Progress, Challenges, and Future Research.

Wool (sheep) and cashmere (goat) fibres have unique biological, physical, and chemical properties and these fibres are becoming more important as the demand for natural products increases. However, these complex protein fibres are at times compromised by natural variability in their properties, and this can impact their use and value. Genetic improvement via selection and breeding can partly overcome this problem, enabling the farming of sheep and goats that produce more desirable fibre.

Characterisation of Three Ovine Family Genes and Their Association with Wool Traits in Chinese Tan Sheep.

Understanding the genetic basis of wool traits is crucial for improving wool production. In this study, we investigated the ovine KAP13 gene family, which in humans contains multiple members, while only one member has been identified to date in sheep. Three ovine genes, likely representing , , and , were identified through sequence analysis and phylogenetic comparisons.

Characterisation of Ovine and Its Impact on Wool Traits in Chinese Tan Sheep.

Wool, a natural fibre derived from sheep, can present a challenge to wool processing and manufacturing industries because of the variation in fibre traits. Genetic improvement offers one solution to this challenge, and having a better understanding of the genes that affect wool fibre traits is therefore important. Here, we describe ovine , a new member of the KAP19 gene family.

Effects of Gene Variation on Wool Traits in Chinese Tan Sheep.

Chinese Tan sheep lambs are recognised for having tight 'spring-like' curly wool when young, but this phenotype disappears with age. This wool consists of shorter, fine wool fibres (which are usually unmedullated) and heterotypic hair fibres (which are frequently medullated), which are referred to as 'halo hair'. Both the wool and hair fibres consist of α-keratin proteins embedded in a keratin-associated protein (KAP) matrix.

Variation in the Exon 3-4 Region of Ovine and Its Effect on Wool Traits.

α-keratins are structural proteins in the cortex of wool fibres and assemble in an organized fashion into keratin intermediate filaments. Variation in these keratin proteins affects the structure and characteristics of wool fibre, making keratin genes ideal candidates for the development of gene markers that describe variations in wool traits. A region of spanning exon 3-4 (including the entire exon 3, intron 3, exon 4 and part of intron 4) was investigated.

Exploring Variation in Ovine and Its Effect on Fine Wool Fibre Curvature in Chinese Tan Sheep.

Sheep's wool is known to have unique biological, physical and chemical properties. The fibre primarily consists of proteins, but these have amino acid sequence variation, and at the phenotypic level wool fibre varies considerably. This can affect its utility and value.

Ovine Variants and Their Influence on Selected Wool Traits of Commercial Value.

Keratins are the main structural protein components of wool fibres, and variation in them and their genes () is thought to influence wool structure and characteristics. The PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism technique has been used previously to investigate genetic variation in selected coding and intron regions of the type II sheep keratin gene , but no variation was identified. In this study, we used the same technique to explore the 5' untranslated region of and detected three sequence variants (, and ) that contain four single nucleotide polymorphisms.

Screening and identification of lncRNAs in preadipocyte differentiation in sheep.

Studies of preadipocyte differentiation and fat deposition in sheep have mainly focused on functional genes, and with no emphasis placed on the role that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may have on the activity of those genes. Here, the expression profile of lncRNAs in ovine preadipocyte differentiation was investigated and the differentially expressed lncRNAs were screened on day 0 (D0), day 2(D2) and day 8(D8) of ovine preadipocyte differentiation, with their target genes being predicted. The competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network was constructed by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis for functional annotation, and some differentially expressed lncRNAs were randomly selected to verify the RNA-Seq results by RT-qPCR.

Spatiotemporal Expression and Haplotypes Identification of Gene and Their Association with Wool Traits in Gansu Alpine Fine-Wool Sheep.

Keratin (K) is a major protein component of hair and is involved in hair growth and development. In this study, we analysed the expression, localization, and polymorphism of the K84 gene () in Gansu Alpine Fine-wool sheep using immunofluorescence, RT-qPCR, and PARMS (penta-primer amplification refractory mutation system). Haplotypes of were also constructed and their relationship with wool traits analysed.

Key Grazing Behaviours of Beef Cattle Identify Specific Genotypes of the Glutamate Metabotropic Receptor 5 Gene (GRM5).

Genotype-phenotype associations between the bovine genome and grazing behaviours measured over time and across contexts have been reported in the past decade, with these suggesting the potential for genetic control over grazing personalities in beef cattle. From the large array of metrics used to describe grazing personality behaviours (GP-behaviours), it is still unclear which ones are linked to specific genes. Our prior observational study has reported associations and trends towards associations between genotypes of the glutamate metabotropic receptor 5 gene (GRM5) and four GP-behaviours, yet the unbalanced representation of GRM5 genotypes occurring in observational studies may have limited the ability to detect associations.

Ovine : A New Keratin-Associated Protein Gene Related to Variation in Wool Yield.

Keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) are structural components of wool fibres. High-glycine/tyrosine (HGT)-KAPs are a subset of the KAP family, and their abundance in fibres varies. In this study, we report the discovery of an ovine HGT-KAP gene to which we assigned the name .

Supplementing Diets with Reduced Blood Lipids, Enhanced Immunity and Anti-Inflammatory Capacities, and Mediated Lipid Metabolism in Tan Lambs.

Agriophyllum squarrosum (sand rice), a widespread desert plant, possesses anti-hyperglycemic and anti-inflammatory properties, and has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for many years. However, its effects on ruminants are unknown. To fill this gap, we examined the effects of A.

Variation in Ovine and Its Association with Carcass Muscle Traits in Southdown Sheep.

Diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) is a microsomal enzyme that plays a key role in the synthesis of triglycerides. Its gene () is regarded as a candidate gene for variation in milk and meat traits in cattle. The objective of this study was to use a PCR single-strand conformation polymorphism approach to explore sequence variation in two regions of ovine and to assess its effect on meat traits in New Zealand Southdown sheep.

The glutamate metabotropic receptor 5 (GRM5) gene is associated with beef cattle home range and movement tortuosity.

Background: The grazing behaviour of herbivores and their grazing personalities might in part be determined genetically, but there are few studies in beef cattle illustrating this. In this study, we investigated for first time the genetic variation within a candidate 'grazing gene', the glutamate metabotropic receptor 5 gene (GRM5), and tested associations between variation in that gene and variation in grazing personality behaviours (GP-behaviours) displayed by free-ranging cows during winter grazing in the steep and rugged rangelands of New Zealand. Mature beef cows (n = 303, from 3 to 10 years of age) were tracked with global positioning system (GPS) and, with 5-minutes (min) relocation frequency, various GP-behaviours were calculated.

Sequence Variation in Caprine Affects Cashmere Fiber Diameter.

Keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) are a structural component of cashmere fibers and in part determine fiber attributes. The gene encoding the high-glycine/tyrosine KAP6-2 (called KRTAP6-2) has been described in sheep, but it has not been identified goats. In this study, a 252-bp open reading frame with similarity to ovine KRTAP6-2 was found on goat chromosome 1, with its upstream and downstream flanking sequences are closely related with ovine KRTAP6-2 but are clearly distinct from other ovine KRTAP6-n sequences.

A Preliminary Investigation of Myostatin Gene () Variation in Red Deer () and Its Implications for Venison Production in New Zealand.

Myostatin (MSTN), also known as growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8), is a negative regulator of lean muscle tissue growth. Variation in the gene has been studied in many domesticated species, because of its potential to dramatically increase muscle mass. It has, however, not been investigated in red deer ().

Identification of differentially expressed genes at different post-natal development stages of longissimus dorsi muscle in Tianzhu white yak.

The regulatory mechanisms controlling post-natal muscle development in the yak (Bos grunniens) are still largely unknown, yet the growth and development of muscle is a complex process that plays a crucial role in determining the yield and quality of an animal's meat. In this study, we performed a transcriptome analysis based on the RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of yak longissimus dorsi muscle tissue obtained from calves (6 months of age; 6 M), young adults (30 months of age; 30 M) and adult (54 months of age; 54 M) to identify which genes are differentially expressed and to investigate their temporal expression profiles. In total, 1788 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (|log2FC| ≥ 1, P-adjusted < 0.

Variation in caprine KRTAP1-3 and its association with cashmere fibre diameter.

Keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) are components of cashmere fibres. The gene encoding the KAP1-3 protein (KRTAP1-3) has been described in goats, but little is known about sequence variation in this gene and if it affects cashmere fibre traits. In this study, we used a polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) technique to screen for nucleotide sequence variation in caprine KRTAP1-3 in 327 Longdong cashmere goats, then analysed association between the genetic variation that was revealed and some cashmere fibre traits.

Ovine Toll-like Receptor 9 () Gene Variation and Its Association with Flystrike Susceptibility.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of proteins that play a role in innate immune responses by recognising pathogen-associated molecular patterns derived from various microbes. Of these receptors, TLR9 recognises bacterial and viral DNA containing unmethylated cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) motifs, and variation in has been associated with resistance to various infectious diseases. Flystrike is a problem affecting the sheep industry globally and the immune response of the sheep has been suggested as one factor that influences the response to the disease.

The Complexity of the Ovine and Caprine Keratin-Associated Protein Genes.

Sheep () and goats () have, for more than a millennia, been a source of fibres for human use, be it for use in clothing and furnishings, for insulation, for decorative and ceremonial purposes, or for combinations thereof. While use of these natural fibres has in some respects been superseded by the use of synthetic and plant-based fibres, increased accounting for the carbon and water footprint of these fibres is creating a re-emergence of interest in fibres derived from sheep and goats. The keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) are structural components of wool and hair fibres, where they form a matrix that cross-links with the keratin intermediate filaments (KIFs), the other main structural component of the fibres.

Sequence Variation in the Bovine Lipin-1 Gene () and Its Association with Milk Fat and Protein Contents in New Zealand Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (HF × J)-cross Dairy Cows.

Lipin-1 is known to play a regulatory role in tissues that function in lipid metabolism. In dairy cows, the lipin-1 gene () is highly expressed in the mammary gland, but its function in milk production is less understood. In this study, we used PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism analysis to investigate sequence variation in three regions of bovine in New Zealand Holstein-Friesian × Jersey (HF × J)-cross dairy cows, including part of the 5' non-coding region, the region containing the -spliced exon, and the sixth coding exon that encodes the putative transcriptional activating domain of the protein.

Variation in ovine affects mean staple length and opacity of wool fiber.

In this study, keratin-associated proteins gene () from five different sheep breeds and breed-crosses ( = 310) was genotyped using a Polymerase Chain Reaction-Single Strand confirmation Polymorphism (PCR-SSCP). Six unique genotypes were observed: and , with being the most common in the different breeds and crosses. Twelve wool characteristics: yield, mean staple length (MSL), bulk, mean fiber diameter (MFD), fiber diameter standard deviation (FDSD), coefficient of variation of fiber diameter (CVFD), medullation, standard deviation of medullation (MeSD), coefficient of variation of medullation (CVMed), opacity, standard deviation of opacity (OpSD), and coefficient of variation of opacity (CVOp) were measured on wool derived from the sheep.

MicroRNA-432 inhibits milk fat synthesis by targeting and in ovine mammary epithelial cells.

The microRNA (miR)-432 is differentially expressed in the mammary gland of two breeds of lactating sheep with different milk production traits, and between the non-lactating and peak-lactation periods, but there have been no reports describing the molecular mechanisms involved. In this study, the effect of miR-432 on the proliferation of ovine mammary epithelial cells (OMECs) and the target genes of miR-432 were investigated. The effects of miR-432 on the expression of the target genes and the content of triglycerides in the OMECs were also analyzed.

Variation in the Ovine Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Beta-Interaction Protein Gene () Affects Carcass and Growth Traits in Romney Sheep.

The glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β)-interacting protein (encoded by the gene ) is a small A-kinase anchoring protein, which complexes with GSK3βand protein kinase A (PKA) and acts synergistically with cAMP/PKA signaling to inhibit GSK3β activity. The protein plays a role in regulating glycogen metabolism, protein synthesis, the cell cycle, and in regulating gene expression. In this study, PCR-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analyses were used to screen for variation in exon 1 and exon 2 of in 840 New Zealand (NZ) Romney sheep.

Identification of sequence variation in the oocyte-derived bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) gene (BMP15) associated with litter size in New Zealand sheep (Ovis aries) breeds.

Advances in the study of reproductive traits indicate that functional variation in fertility genes may be useful for improving sheep fertility. The aim of this study was to search for variation in the bone morphogenetic protein 15 gene (BMP15) and ascertain any association with litter size in purebred Finnish Landrace sheep (n = 148), Finnish Landrace × Texel-cross sheep (n = 45), and composite sheep (of varying breed background; n = 58) from New Zealand (NZ). A 482 bp and 312 bp fragment of exon 1 and 2, respectively, of BMP15 were analysed using polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP).