Embryo-uterine interaction during embryo implantation depends on the coordinated expression of numerous genes in the receptive endometrium. While DNA methylation is known to play a significant role in controlling gene expression, specific molecular mechanisms underlying this regulatory event remain elusive in early porcine pregnancy. Here, we investigated the genome-wide DNA methylation landscape in the Yorkshire and Meishan pig's endometrium.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe role that genetic diversity in animal genetic resources (AnGR) plays in mitigating the effects of climate change on the global protein supply is of the utmost significance. East Africa historically played a pivotal role in the dispersal of domesticated livestock species across the African continent. At present, it maintains a substantial contribution to worldwide biodiversity as a result of its reservoir of a diverse array of AnGR, characterized by genetic and species diversity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAfrica is home to a wide diversity of locally adapted pig breeds whose genetic architecture offers important insights into livestock adaptation to climate change. However, the majority of these inherent traits have not been fully highlighted. This review presents an overview of the current state of African pig genetic resources, providing highlights on their population and production statistics, production system, population diversity indices, and genomic evidence underlying their evolutionary potential.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe focus of this review is to offer an overview of food and nutritional security, to identify associated constraints, and propose possible alternative solutions for improving the East African poultry sub-sector in the pursuit of food security, focusing on chicken breeding. To better understand the prospects of the poultry industry, we highlighted and combined confirming evidence of the phenotypic variability and genetic diversity of East African chicken genetic resources using both morphological and molecular tools, as well as performance traits. Furthermore, this work gives a detailed indication of what would be lost if indigenous chicken populations are left to suffer the ongoing massive genetic erosions due to various factors, not limited to indiscriminate crossbreeding.
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