Analysis of differential expression of hair follicle tissue transcriptome in Hetian sheep undergoing different periodic changes.

Background: This study provides new information on long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression profiles in the hair follicles of Hetian sheep the sequencing and analysis of the transcriptome of skin hair follicles during three periods of periodicity change. This is important for improving the quality of carpet wool, providing a preliminary basis for further research on the targeting relationship of these mRNAs and their target genes, and providing a scientific basis for marker-assisted selection of Hetian sheep.

Methods: The periodic variation of anagen (P I, May,  = 3), catagen (p II, October,  = 3), and telogen (p III, January,  = 3) of the skin hair follicle tissue of three Hetian sheep ewes were selected.

Identification of novel genes associated with litter size of indigenous sheep population in Xinjiang, China using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing technology.

Background: There are abundant sheep breed resources in the Xinjiang region of China attributing to its diverse ecological system, which include several high-litter size sheep populations. Previous studies have confirmed that the major high prolificacy gene cannot be used to detect high litter size. Our research team found a resource group in Pishan County, southern Xinjiang.

Smad4 Feedback Enhances BMPR1B Transcription in Ovine Granulosa Cells.

BMPR1B is a type 1B receptor of the canonical bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)/Sma- and mad-related protein (Smad) signaling pathway and is well known as the first major gene associated with sheep prolificacy. However, little is known about the transcriptional regulation of the ovine gene. In this study, we identified the ovine gene promoter and demonstrated that its transcription was regulated by Smad4.

Association analysis of polymorphisms in six keratin genes with wool traits in sheep.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic effects of six keratin () genes on the wool traits of 418 Chinese Merino (Xinjiang type) (CMXT) individuals.

Methods: To explore the effects and association of six genes on sheep wool traits, The polymerase chain reaction-based single-strand conformation polymorphism (PCR-SSCP), DNA sequencing, and the gene pyramiding effect methods were used.

Results: We report 20 mutation sites (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) within the six genes, in which twelve induced silent mutations; five induced missense mutations and resulted in Ile→Thr, Glu→Asp, Gly→Ala, Ala→Ser, Se→His; two were nonsense mutations and one was a same-sense mutation.

A PCR amplification method without DNA extraction.

To develop a simple and inexpensive method for direct PCR amplification of animal DNA from tissues, we optimized different components and their concentration in lysis buffer systems. Finally, we acquired the optimized buffer system composed of 10 mmol tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris)-Cl (pH 8.0), 2 mmol ethylene diamine tetraacetic (EDTA) (pH 8.