Unveiling the Genetic Secrets of Chinese Indigenous Pigs from Guizhou Province: Diversity, Evolution and Candidate Genes Affecting Pig Coat Color.

The local pig breeds in Guizhou possess exceptional meat quality, robust adaptability, and resilience to harsh feeding conditions, making them ideal for producing high-quality pork. With over 10 local pig breeds in the region, we focused on 7 specific breeds: Baixi pigs (BX), Congjiang Xiang pigs (CJX), Guanling pigs (GL), Jianhe White Xiang pigs (JHBX), Jiangkou Luobo pigs (JKLB), Kele pigs (KL), and Qiandong Hua pigs (QDH). Unfortunately, these breeds face threats such as introduced species and inbreeding, resulting in a decline in population size and numbers.

Population genetic analysis based on the polymorphisms mediated by transposons in the genomes of pig.

Transposable elements (TEs) mobility is capable of generating a large number of structural variants (SVs), which can have considerable potential as molecular markers for genetic analysis and molecular breeding in livestock. Our results showed that the pig genome contains mainly TE-SVs generated by short interspersed nuclear elements (51,873/76.49%), followed by long interspersed nuclear elements (11,131/16.

Characteristics of Transcriptome and Metabolome Concerning Intramuscular Fat Content in Beijing Black Pigs.

To study the characteristics of genes and metabolites related to intramuscular fat (IMF) content with less influence by breed background and individual differences, the skeletal muscle samples from 40 Beijing black pigs with either high or low IMF content were used to perform transcriptome and metabolome analyses. About 99 genes (twofold-change) were differentially expressed. Up-regulated genes in the high IMF pigs were mainly related to fat metabolism.

Associations of genome-wide structural variations with phenotypic differences in cross-bred Eurasian pigs.

Background: During approximately 10,000 years of domestication and selection, a large number of structural variations (SVs) have emerged in the genome of pig breeds, profoundly influencing their phenotypes and the ability to adapt to the local environment. SVs (≥ 50 bp) are widely distributed in the genome, mainly in the form of insertion (INS), mobile element insertion (MEI), deletion (DEL), duplication (DUP), inversion (INV), and translocation (TRA). While studies have investigated the SVs in pig genomes, genome-wide association studies (GWAS)-based on SVs have been rarely conducted.

Revisiting the Transposon Evolution Revealing Extensive Involvement in the Shaping of Mammal Genomes.

The data of this study revealed that was found in a wide variety of animal genomes, including 180 species from 36 orders of invertebrates and 145 species from 29 orders of vertebrates. An extensive invasion of was observed in mammals, with a high copy number. Almost 61% of those species contain more than 50 copies of ; however, 46% harbor intact elements, although the number of these intact elements is very low.

Genetic Evaluation and Population Structure of Jiangsu Native Pigs in China Revealed by SINE Insertion Polymorphisms.

Short interspersed nuclear elements (SINEs), one type of retrotransposon, are considered to be ideal molecular markers due to their wide distribution in the genome, high copy number, and high polymorphism. Preliminary studies have identified more than 35,000 SINE-retrotransposon insertion polymorphisms (RIPs) in the pig genome. In this study, 18 SINE-RIPs were used to evaluate the genetic variation and population structure of seven native pig populations and two crossbreeds in the Jiangsu Province of China.

Dose-Dependent Effects of Royal Jelly on Estrogen- and Progesterone-Induced Mammary Gland Hyperplasia in Rats.

Scope: Royal jelly (RJ) has a wide range of biological functions, its effect on hyperplasia of the mammary gland (HMG) in mammals is unclear. This study aims to investigate the effect of RJ on HMG and the dose-response relationship of RJ in the treatment of HMG.

Methods And Results: HMG rats are induced by intramuscular injection of estrogen (E2) and progesterone, and are treated with different doses of RJ (100, 200, 400, and 800 mg kg d ).

Diversity and Evolution of and Transposons in the Apoidea Genomes.

Bees (Apoidea), the largest and most crucial radiation of pollinators, play a vital role in the ecosystem balance. Transposons are widely distributed in nature and are important drivers of species diversity. However, transposons are rarely reported in important pollinators such as bees.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structures in Chinese Miniature Pigs Revealed by SINE Retrotransposon Insertion Polymorphisms, a New Type of Genetic Markers.

RIPs have been developed as effective genetic markers and popularly applied for genetic analysis in plants, but few reports are available for domestic animals. Here, we established 30 new molecular markers based on the SINE RIPs, and applied them for population genetic analysis in seven Chinese miniature pigs. The data revealed that the closed herd (BM-clo), inbreeding herd (BM-inb) of Bama miniature pigs were distinctly different from the BM-cov herds in the conservation farm, and other miniature pigs (Wuzhishan, Congjiang Xiang, Tibetan, and Mingguang small ear).

Evolution of , a separate superfamily of transposons, revealing recurrent domestication events in vertebrates.

Background: and , as two superfamilies of - () group, have been well-defined. However, the molecular evolution and domestication of transposons, once designated as an important family of the superfamily, are still poorly understood.

Results: Here, phylogenetic analysis show that transposases, together with , DD34E/, and transposases form four distinct monophyletic clades with high bootstrap supports (> = 74%), suggesting that they are separate superfamilies of group.

Evolution and domestication of transposons in the genome of African coelacanth ().

Here, we comprehensively analysed the abundance, diversity, and activity of transposons in African coelacanth (). Fifteen autonomous transposons were identified and grouped into six clades: DD34E/, DD34D/, DD35D, DD31D/, DD30-31D/-like, and DD32-36D/, belonging to three known families: DD34E/, DD34D/, and DD×D/ (DD35D/, DD31D/, DD30-31D/-like, and DD32-36D/). Thirty-one miniature inverted-repeat transposable element (MITE) transposons of were also identified, and 20 of them display similarity to the identified autonomous transposons.

, a DD36E family of transposons newly discovered in animals.

Background: The superfamily might represent the most diverse and widely distributed group of DNA transposons. Several families have been identified; however, exploring the diversity of this superfamily and updating its classification is still ongoing in the life sciences.

Results: Here we identified a new family of transposons, named (), which is close to, but distinct from the known family DD34E.