Publications by authors named "Zongwu Ma"

Article Synopsis
  • The study highlights the need for a comprehensive functional annotation of the sheep genome to better understand agronomic traits, particularly regarding tail fat weight.
  • Researchers created an extensive dataset combining transcriptomic, epigenomic, whole-genome, and phenotypic data across multiple sheep breeds, identifying over 750,000 functional elements, with 60% being novel.
  • Key findings include tissue-specific regulatory elements related to sensory and immune functions and a specific genetic variant linked to tail fat deposition, paving the way for future complex trait studies in sheep.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the relationship between fat deposition, carcass quality, and feed efficiency in sheep by focusing on a specific gene associated with fat traits.
  • Using techniques like Sanger sequencing and qRT-PCR, researchers identified a significant SNP (g. 3378953 A>T) linked to various fat weights in sheep.
  • Findings suggest that the gene is expressed in different adipose tissues, with the AA genotype showing lower expression levels, indicating its potential for improving fat deposition control in breeding Hu sheep.
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Article Synopsis
  • The study examines the genetic differences of Hu sheep, a unique Chinese breed, by comparing their genomes to that of their wild ancestors, the Asiatic mouflon.
  • Through whole-genome sequencing of 207 Hu sheep, researchers identified specific genetic regions linked to key traits like reproduction, vision, and immune response.
  • Findings highlight significant mutations in genes related to immune function and growth traits, providing valuable information for improving Hu sheep through genetic strategies.
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Fecal scores are crucial for assessing the digestive and gastrointestinal status of animals. The Bristol fecal scoring system is a commonly used method for the subjective evaluation of host feces, there is limited research on fecal scoring standards for fattening Hu sheep. In this study, Hu sheep were collected for rumen, rectum, and colon contents for 16S rDNA sequencing.

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Phosphodiesterase 9A (PDE9A) plays a crucial role in activating the cGMP-dependent signaling pathway and may have important effects on the growth and development of the gastrointestinal tract in Hu sheep. In this study, we analyzed the single nucleotide polymorphisms of PDE9A in 988 Hu sheep and their correlation with growth performance, feed efficiency, and gastrointestinal development. Additionally, we examined the expression level of different PDE9A genotypes in the gastrointestinal tract of Hu sheep by using fluorescence quantitative PCR.

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Scrotal circumference is an important reproductive index of breeding rams, which has a high genetic correlation with ejaculation volume and semen quality. In this study, the scrotal circumference of 1353 male Hu sheep at different stages of development was measured and descriptive statistical analysis was performed. The results showed that the coefficient of variation of scrotal circumference at each stage was greater than 10%, and its heritability were moderately to high, ranging from 0.

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The body size traits are major traits in livestock, which intuitively displays the development of the animal's bones and muscles. This study used PCR amplification, Sanger sequencing, KASPar genotyping, and quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) to analyze the Single-nucleotide polymorphism and expression characteristics of Argonaute RISC catalytic component 2 () and Plectin () genes in Hu sheep. Two intron mutations were found in Hu sheep, which were g.

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Feed cost accounts for a high proportion of sheep production, and improving sheep's utilization of feed will reduce production costs and improve economic benefits. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression characteristics of PLIN1 and MOGAT1 genes and the relationship between their polymorphisms and feed efficiency traits in Hu sheep, and to find molecular Genetic marker that can be used in breeding. The expression levels of PLIN1 and MOGAT1 genes in various tissues were determined using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).

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Feed efficiency is an important indicator in the sheep production process, which plays an important role in improving economic benefits and strengthening energy conservation and emission reduction. Compared with the rumen, the fermentation of the hindgut microorganisms can also provide part of the energy for the host, and the composition of the hindgut microorganisms will affect the feed efficiency. Therefore, we hope to find new ways to regulate sheep feed efficiency by studying the sheep gut microbes.

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Growth traits are the economically important traits of sheep, and screening for genes related to growth and development is helpful for the genetic improvement of ovine growth traits. The fatty acid desaturase 3 () is one of the important genes affecting the synthesis and accumulation of polyunsaturated fatty acids in animals. In this study, the expression levels of the gene and polymorphism of the gene associated with growth traits in Hu sheep were detected using quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Sanger sequencing, and KAspar assay.

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In the mutton industry, feed efficiency traits have the greatest influence on the economic benefits of sheep raised in housing conditions. In this study, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Sanger sequencing, and KASPar methods were used to detect the expression levels of the B cell scaffold protein with ankyrin repeats 1 () gene and the relationship between its polymorphism and feed efficiency traits in Hu sheep. The qRT-PCR results showed that the gene was extensively expressed in 10 tissues and it was expressed at remarkably higher levels in lymph than in other tissues ( < 0.

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Feeding with a suitable level of milk replacer (MR) can improve the survival rate and stimulate the growth potential of early lambs. However, feeding excessive MR might be detrimental to rumen development and microbial colonization. Herein, we investigated the effects of feeding different levels of MR on rumen digestive function and ruminal microorganisms.

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In animal husbandry, feed efficiency is a crucial economic trait. In this study, the general linear model was used to perform association analysis for various genotypes and feed conversion ratio (FCR)-related traits. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of and mRNA levels in 10 tissues from 6 sheep.

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Feed efficiency makes up a large part of sheep production, which also has a crucial impact on the economic benefits of producers. This study explores the polymorphism of gene associated with feed efficiency and detects the expression characteristics of in ten tissues of Hu sheep. The polymorphism of was recognized by using PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing, KASPar technology was used for genotyping subsequently, and the relationship between SNP and RFI is also studied.

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Growth traits are important economic characteristics of livestock and poultry. In the present study, the expression features of and the relationship between gene polymorphisms and growth traits in Hu sheep were investigated by using real-time quantitative PCR technology (qPCR), Sanger sequencing, and Kaspar genotyping technology. The qPCR results showed that the gene is expressed widely in the tested tissues of Hu sheep, and the expression level of the gene in the heart and the muscle was significantly higher than in other tissues ( < 0.

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The marbling fat regulates the flavor of mutton and measures the fat density in the loin eye and is the most important parameter of carcass grading. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship of rumen microbiota and mutton marbling grade. One hundred and eighty-seven feedlot-finished Hu male lambs (Age: 180 day; Final BW: 46.

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Excessive fat deposition in the tail of sheep will affect its feed efficiency, which will increase the feeding cost. The purpose of this study was to identify the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of and genes by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing, the SNPs were genotyped by KASP genotyping assays to evaluate their association with tail fat deposition traits. The results showed that two intronic mutations of g.

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Animal growth traits are important and complex traits that determine the productivity of animal husbandry. There are many factors that affect growth traits, among which diet digestion is the key factor. In the process of animal digestion and absorption, the role of gastrointestinal microbes is essential.

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Body weight (BW) is a critical economic trait for meat production in sheep, and it is a complex trait affected by numerous elements. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic mechanisms of sheep BW by a label-free proteomics approach. The result showed, a total of 27, 14, 61, and 65 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) were identified in the Hu_HBW vs.

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Rumen microbes play an important role in the growth and development of ruminants. Differences in variety will affect the rumen community structure. The three excellent sheep breeds were selected for this study (Hu sheep, Tan sheep, and Dorper sheep) have different uses and origins.

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Early mammal gut microorganism colonization affects host health, the feed conversion rate, and production performance. Herein, we explored how fecal microbiota develops and the interactions between microorganisms and nutrients. The lambs were separated from ewes at 7 days old, artificial feeding with milk replacer completely replaced lactation, and the starter diet was added.

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Fat deposition is an important economic trait that is closely related to feed efficiency and carcass performance in livestock. In this study, the fat deposition-related traits of 1,293 Hu sheep were measured and descriptive statistical analysis was conducted. The results showed that the coefficient of variation of all fat deposition-related traits was higher than 24%.

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