Development and application of a cGPS 20K liquid-phase SNP microarray in Jiaji ducks.

In order to provide a low-cost, high efficient, and highly accurate tool for molecular breeding of Jiaji ducks, we constructed a cGPS(Genotyping by Pinpoint Sequencing of captured targets) 20 K liquid-phase microarray using resequencing data from this valuable poultry breed for the first time. The microarray contains 20,327 high-quality snp loci, mainly from the 30 Jiaji duck resequencing samples collected in this study, and some loci were supplemented from the 135 duck resequencing data from KUNMING INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY.CAS.

Rapid high-throughput isolation and purification of chicken myoblasts based on deterministic lateral displacement microfluidic chips.

Myoblasts are defined as stem cells containing skeletal muscle cell precursors. However, there are some challenges associated with the purification of myoblast samples, including long culture times and ease of bacterial contamination. In this study, we propose a microfluidic myoblast cell enrichment and purification platform based on the principle of deterministic lateral displacement (DLD).

Polystyrene Microplastics Causes Diarrhea and Impairs Intestinal Angiogenesis through the ROS/METTL3 Pathway.

Due to the immature intestinal digestion, immunity, and barrier functions, weaned infants are more susceptible to pathogens and develop diarrhea. Microplastics (MPs), pervasive contaminants in food, water, and air, have unknown effects on the intestinal development of weaned infants. This study explored the impact of polystyrene MPs on intestinal development using a weaned piglet model.

Molecular genetic identification of Wuzhishan ant chicken, a newly discovered resource in China.

Introduction: The Wuzhishan ant (MY) chicken exhibits significant differences from other chicken breeds. However, the molecular genetic relationship between the MY breed and other chicken breeds has not been assessed.

Methods: Whole-genome resequencing was used to compare genetic diversity, nucleotide diversity, the fixation index, the linkage disequilibrium coefficient, and phylogenetic tree relationships between the MY breed and the Wenchang (WC), Danzhou (DZ), Bawangling (BW), and Longsheng Feng (LF) breeds.

Polystyrene microplastics exposure reduces meat quality and disturbs skeletal muscle angiogenesis via thrombospondin 1.

Microplastics (MPs) pose a significant threat to livestock health. Yet, the roles of polystyrene MPs (PS-MPs) on meat quality and skeletal muscle development in pigs have not been fully determined. To investigate the effect of PS-MPs on skeletal muscle, piglets were given diets supplementation with 0 mg/kg (CON group), 75 mg/kg (75 mg/kg PS-MPs group), and 150 mg/kg PS-MPs (150 mg/kg PS-MPs group), respectively.

Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics study of embryonic breast muscle of Jiaji ducks.

Because number of matured muscle fibers in poultry does not increase after birth, the meat yield is mainly determined during embryogenesis. We previously indicated breast muscle grew rapidly from 18th day after hatching (E18) to E27, and almost stopped from E27 to E34 of Jiaji ducks, while the mechanism is unclear. This study utilized RNA-seq to explore the related genes of muscle development and their relationship with small molecule metabolites at E18, E27 and E34 of Jiaji ducks.

Supplementation of dietary areca nut extract modulates the growth performance, cecal microbiota composition, and immune function in Wenchang chickens.

Introduction: The study was aimed at evaluating the effects of areca nut extract (ANE) on the growth performance, cecal microbiota, and immunity of Wenchang chickens.

Methods: For this study, 42-day-old healthy Wenchang chickens ( = 450) with similar body weight were chosen. The animals were randomly divided into five groups, with six replicates per group and 15 chickens per replicate.

Putrescine promotes MMP9-induced angiogenesis in skeletal muscle through hydrogen peroxide/METTL3 pathway.

Blood vessels play a crucial role in the development of skeletal muscle, ensuring the supply of nutrients and oxygen. Putrescine, an essential polyamine for eukaryotic cells, has an unclear impact on skeletal muscle angiogenesis. In this study, we observed lower vessel density and reduced putrescine level in the muscle of low-birth-weight piglet models, and identified a positive correlation between putrescine content and muscle vessel density.

DUOX2-Induced Oxidative Stress Inhibits Intestinal Angiogenesis through MMP3 in a Low-Birth-Weight Piglet Model.

Intestinal vessels play a critical role in nutrient absorption, whereas the effect and mechanism of low birth weight (LBW) on its formation remain unclear. Here, twenty newborn piglets were assigned to the control (CON) group (1162 ± 98 g) and LBW group (724 ± 31 g) according to their birth weight. Results showed that the villus height and the activity of maltase in the jejunum were lower in the LBW group than in the CON group.

Structural variation and introgression from wild populations in East Asian cattle genomes confer adaptation to local environment.

Background: Structural variations (SVs) in individual genomes are major determinants of complex traits, including adaptability to environmental variables. The Mongolian and Hainan cattle breeds in East Asia are of taurine and indicine origins that have evolved to adapt to cold and hot environments, respectively. However, few studies have investigated SVs in East Asian cattle genomes and their roles in environmental adaptation, and little is known about adaptively introgressed SVs in East Asian cattle.

m6A and miRNA jointly regulate the development of breast muscles in duck embryonic stages.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is an abundant internal mRNA modification and plays a crucial regulatory role in animal growth and development. In recent years, m6A modification has been found to play a key role in skeletal muscles. However, whether m6A modification contributes to embryonic breast muscle development of Pekin ducks has not been explored.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of the Muscovy duck provides insight into fatty liver susceptibility.

The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is an economically important poultry species, which is susceptible to fatty liver. Thus, the Muscovy duck may serve as an excellent candidate animal model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. However, the mechanisms underlying fatty liver development in this species are poorly understood.

Integrated analysis of lncRNA and gene expression in longissimus dorsi muscle at two developmental stages of Hainan black goats.

It is deemed that meat quality of kids' is better than that of adults' for Hainan black goat. Generally, meat quality is affected by many indicators, such as intramuscular fat (IMF) content, muscle fiber diameter and shear force. It is indicated that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play essential roles in meat quality of goats.

Transcriptome-wide study revealed m6A and miRNA regulation of embryonic breast muscle development in Wenchang chickens.

-Methyladenosine (m6A) modification has been shown to play important role in skeletal muscle development. Wenchang chickens are commonly used as a high-quality animal model in researching meat quality. However, there have been no previous reports regarding the profile of m6A and its function in the embryonic breast muscle development of Wenchang chickens.

Effect of Lycopene on the Growth Performance, Antioxidant Enzyme Activity, and Expression of Gene in the Signaling Pathway of Arbor Acres Broilers.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary lycopene supplementation on the growth performance, antioxidant enzyme activity of serum and liver, and gene expressions associated with Kelch-like ech-associated protein-1 ()/Nuclear Factor E2-related factor 2 () pathway in liver of Arbor Acres broilers. A total of 288 1-day-old male broilers were randomly divided into 4 treatments with 6 replicates and 12 chickens for each replicate. The control group was fed with the basal diet, while the treated groups were fed with the basal diet with 10, 20, and 30 mg/kg lycopene in powder.

Transcriptome-wide study revealed m6A regulation of embryonic muscle development in Dingan goose (Anser cygnoides orientalis).

Background: The number of myofiber is determined during the embryonic stage and does not increase during the postnatal period for birds, including goose. Thus, muscle production of adult goose is pre-determined during embryogenesis. Previous studies show N-methyladenosine (m6A) is an important regulator for skeletal muscle development of birds and miRNAs play as a co-regulator for the skeletal muscle development in birds.

Effects of cassava foliage on feed digestion, meat quality, and antioxidative status of geese.

As the by-product of cassava, cassava foliage (CF) has been widely used in livestock feed. However, little information is available on its utilization for geese. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of CF on the feed digestion, meat quality, and antioxidative status of geese.

Genetic characteristics of Jiaji Duck by whole genome re-sequencing.

Jiaji Duck (JJ) is a Muscovy duck species that possesses many superior characteristics, and it has become an important genetic resource in China. However, to date, its genetic characteristics and genetic relationship with other duck breeds have not been explored yet, which greatly limits the utilization of JJ. In the present study, we investigated the genome sequences of 15 individual ducks representing five different duck populations, including JJ, French Muscovy duck (FF), mallard (YD), hong duck (HD) and Beijing duck (BD).

Correction: Analysis of Anasplatyrhynchos genome resequencing data reveals genetic signatures of artificial selection.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

Analysis of Anasplatyrhynchos genome resequencing data reveals genetic signatures of artificial selection.

Three artificially selected duck populations (AS), higher lean meat ratios (LTPD), higher fat ratios (FTPD) and higher quality meat (CMD), have been developed in China, providing excellent populations for investigation of artificial selection effects. However, the genetic signatures of artificial selection are unclear. In this study, we sequenced the genome sequences of these three artificially selected populations and their ancestral population (mallard, M).