Discovery of Potential Candidate Genes for Coat Colour in Wuzhishan Pigs by Integrating SNPs and mRNA Expression Analysis.

Despite identifying genes regulating the coat colour in Western pig breeds, the genetic basis of the coat colour in Chinese indigenous pigs is still not understood due to the diversity of indigenous breeds and their genetic differences from exotic pigs. In this study, 215 Wuzhishan pigs with three coat colour patterns (white, black, and black-back/white-belly) were used to conduct a genome-wide association analysis. We found that genes responsible for the coat colour in the Wuzhishan breed are located on chromosome 8.

N-Methyladenosine RNA Modification Regulates the Differential Muscle Development in Large White and Ningxiang Pigs.

N6-methyladenosine (mA) is the most common modification in eukaryotic RNAs. Growing research indicates that mA methylation is crucial for a multitude of biological processes. However, research on the mA modifications in the regulation of porcine muscle growth is lacking.

Liposome-lentivirus for miRNA therapy with molecular mechanism study.

Background: Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play a vital role in the occurrence, maintenance, and recurrence of solid tumors. Although, miR-145-5p can inhibit CSCs survival, poor understanding of the underlying mechanisms hamperes further therapeutic optimization for patients. Lentivirus with remarkable transduction efficiency is the most commonly used RNA carrier in research, but has shown limited tumor-targeting capability.

3-Methyl-4-nitrophenol Exposure Deteriorates Oocyte Maturation by Inducing Spindle Instability and Mitochondrial Dysfunction.

3-methyl-4-nitrophenol (PNMC), a well-known constituent of diesel exhaust particles and degradation products of insecticide fenitrothion, is a widely distributed environmental contaminant. PNMC is toxic to the female reproductive system; however, how it affects meiosis progression in oocytes is unknown. In this study, in vitro maturation of mouse oocytes was applied to investigate the deleterious effects of PNMC.

Integrated Analysis of Transcriptome Expression Profiles Reveals miRNA-326-NKX3.2-Regulated Porcine Chondrocyte Differentiation.

The porcine body length trait is an essential factor affecting meat production and reproductive performance. It is evident that the development/lengthening of individual vertebrae is one of the main reasons for increases in body length; however, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, RNA-seq analysis was used to profile the transcriptome (lncRNA, mRNA, and miRNA) of the thoracic intervertebral cartilage (TIC) at two time points (1 and 4 months) during vertebral column development in Yorkshire (Y) and Wuzhishan pigs (W).

Identification of candidate genes that specifically regulate subcutaneous and intramuscular fat deposition using transcriptomic and proteomic profiles in Dingyuan pigs.

Subcutaneous fat and intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition are closely related to meat production and pork quality. Dingyuan pig, as a native pig breed in China, low selection leads to obvious genetic and phenotypic differences in the population. Individuals with extreme fat content in the population are ideal models for studying the mechanism of fat deposition.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Coding Genes and Non-Coding RNAs Reveals Complex Regulatory Networks Underlying the Black Back and White Belly Coat Phenotype in Chinese Wuzhishan Pigs.

Coat color is one of the most important characteristics for distinguishing Chinese indigenous pig breeds. In Wuzhishan pigs, the animals have black on the back and white on the abdomen. However, the molecular genetic basis of this phenotype is unclear.

iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis reveals key proteins affecting muscle growth and lipid deposition in pigs.

Growth rate and meat quality, two economically important traits in pigs, are controlled by multiple genes and biological pathways. In the present study, we performed a proteomic analysis of longissimus dorsi muscle from six-month-old pigs from two Chinese native mini-type breeds (TP and DSP) and two introduced western breeds (YY and LL) using isobaric tag for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ). In total, 4,815 peptides corresponding to 969 proteins were detected.

PCK1 expression is correlated with the plasma glucose level in the duck.

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (soluble) (PCK1) is a key gene in gluconeogenesis and glyceroneogenesis. Although its functions have been extensively studied in mice, bats and humans, little is known in ducks. Here, PCK1 functions were studied using a duck domestication model and a 48-h fasting experiment.

Pig BVDV-2 non-structural protein (N) links to cellular antiviral response in vitro.

In this study, we constructed for the first time a full-length cDNA clone of pig-original bovine viral diarrhea virus 2 (BVDV-2) strain SH-28, modified the cDNA clone (pASH28) for mutant pASHΔN and derived virus strain vASHΔN by deleting the genomic region encoding the N polypeptide, and examined significance of protein N for antiviral responses in vitro. Data showed that N-deletion mutant virus vASHΔN led to significant overexpression of oligo adenylate synthetase (OAS), myxovirus-resistant protein 1 (Mx1), and ubiquitin-like protein 15 (ISG15). Data also revealed that overexpression of N, but not NS2 and NS3 proteins, resulted in significant down-regulation of OAS, Mx1, and ISG15 production (p ≤ 0.

Discovery of porcine miRNA-196a/b may influence porcine adipogenesis in longissimus dorsi muscle by miRNA sequencing.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is one of the fat traits that has economic importance in the pork industry. Longissimus dorsi muscle contains IMF and is suitable for studying adipogenesis. To discover further potential regulatory miRNAs that may influence adipogenesis, we analyzed miRNA in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Yorkshire (YY, lean-type) and Chinese Wannanhua (WH, fatty) pigs using miRNA sequencing (miRNA-seq).

Laminin-111 Inhibits Bovine Fertilization but Improves Embryonic Development in vitro, and Receptor Integrin-β1 is Involved in Sperm-Oocyte Binding.

This study detected the distribution of laminin during embryonic formation by immunofluorescence. To determine the possible function of laminin on developmental ability of in vitro fertilized embryos, the presumptive zygotes were divided and transferred to CR1aa medium supplemented with different concentrations (0 μg/ml, 5 μg/ml, 10 μg/ml and 20 μg/ml) of laminin. To explore the association with sperm-oocyte fusion, oocytes and/or sperm were pre-incubated with laminin or anti-β1 antibody before insemination.

Characterization of the Methylation Status of Pax7 and Myogenic Regulator Factors in Cell Myogenic Differentiation.

Epigenetic processes in the development of skeletal muscle have been appreciated for over a decade. DNA methylation is a major epigenetic modification important for regulating gene expression and suppressing spurious transcription. Up to now, the importance of epigenetic marks in the regulation of Pax7 and myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs) expression is far less explored.

Short Communication: Molecular cloning and expression pattern of the porcine 5-aminolevulinate synthase 1 (ALAS1) gene and its association with reproductive traits.

5-Aminolevulinate synthase 1 (ALAS1) is the first enzyme in the heme biosynthetic pathway and is upregulated in follicular tissue during the early stages of ovulation. In this study, we isolated the complete coding sequence of the porcine ALAS1 gene and its 2-9 intron sequence, identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP; T/C) in intron 9, and developed a PCR-MspI-restriction fragment length polymorphism genotyping assay. Association of the SNP with litter size was assessed in two populations [purebred Large White and the experimental synthetic (DIV) line].

Morphological characterization of adult mouse Leydig cells in culture.

The morphology and function of Leydig cells are changed during the development, mature and senility of Leydig cells along the life span of males. This study was to observe the growth morphology of adult mouse Leydig cells in culture, aiming to provide a reference for furthermore understanding of the biological function of Leydig cells by in vitro model. Testes of two-month-old mice were decapsulated and then the Leydig cells were isolated by collagenase digestion and were cultured in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% FBS.

Key Signaling Events for Committing Mouse Pluripotent Stem Cells to the Germline Fate.

The process of germline development carries genetic information and preparatory totipotency across generations. The last decade has witnessed remarkable successes in the generation of germline cells from mouse pluripotent stem cells, especially induced germline cells with the capacity for producing viable offspring, suggesting clinical applications of induced germline cells in humans. However, to date, the culture systems for germline induction with accurate sex-specific meiosis and epigenetic reprogramming have not been well-established.

Identification of Genes Related to Growth and Lipid Deposition from Transcriptome Profiles of Pig Muscle Tissue.

Transcriptome profiles established using high-throughput sequencing can be effectively used for screening genome-wide differentially expressed genes (DEGs). RNA sequences (from RNA-seq) and microRNA sequences (from miRNA-seq) from the tissues of longissimus dorsi muscle of two indigenous Chinese pig breeds (Diannan Small-ear pig [DSP] and Tibetan pig [TP]) and two introduced pig breeds (Landrace [LL] and Yorkshire [YY]) were examined using HiSeq 2000 to identify and compare the differential expression of functional genes related to muscle growth and lipid deposition. We obtained 27.

Transcriptome analysis of adiposity in domestic ducks by transcriptomic comparison with their wild counterparts.

Excessive adiposity is a major problem in the duck industry, but its molecular mechanisms remain unknown. Genetic comparisons between domestic and wild animals have contributed to the exploration of genetic mechanisms responsible for many phenotypic traits. Significant differences in body fat mass have been detected between domestic and wild ducks.

Single nucleotide polymorphism scanning and expression of the FRZB gene in pig populations.

Secreted frizzled-related protein 3 (sFRP3), encoded by the gene FRZB, is a member of the sFRP family with important roles in inhibition of the Wnt signalling pathway through competitive binding of the Wnt receptor. Here, we investigated pig FRZB as a candidate gene for growth traits and identified three polymorphic sites, an insertion (A-532B) and two SNPs (G636A and C650T) in its 5'-UTR. The genotype distributions of G636A and C650T were significantly different among mini-type indigenous (Diannan Small-ear and Tibetan), normal indigenous (Laiwu and Huai), and introduced (Large Yorkshire and Landrace) breeds.

Development of an epitope-based competitive ELISA for the detection of antibodies against Tibetan peste des petits ruminants virus.

Aims: To develop an effective diagnostic kit, based on a competitive ELISA-based system (cELISA), for detecting serum antibody against peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV).

Methods: Epitope peptides of the nucleocapsid (N) protein of Tibetan PPRV were synthesized chemically and injected into rabbits to prepare hyperimmune antisera. Test sera were incubated simultaneously with hyperimmune antisera and added to the wells of ELISA plates coated previously with recombinant N protein.

Distribution and linkage disequilibrium analysis of polymorphisms of MC4R, LEP, H-FABP genes in the different populations of pigs, associated with economic traits in DIV2 line.

PCR-RFLP was used to analyze the polymorphisms of MC4R, LEP, H-FABP genes in a swine breed composite (DIV2) and 4 swine breeds (Yorkshire, Landrace, Meishan, Bamei). The association study of these polymorphisms with several economic traits was carried out on a DIV2 population. The results obtained showed that MC4R/TaqI genotype had an effect for average backfat thickness (P < 0.

[Progress in exploring genes for high fertility in ewes].

Fecundity trait in sheep is regulated by some major genes. Among them, BMPR-IB, BMP-15, and GDF-9 are most distinguishing. The mutant FecB of BMPR-IB has multiplicative effects on ovulation.

Immunomodulatory activity in vitro and in vivo of polysaccharide from Potentilla anserina.

The polysaccharide (PAP) from Potentilla anserina was evaluated for modulating effects by using mouse peritoneal macrophage and the immunosuppressed-model cyclophosphamide-induced. Phagocytotic and mononuclear phagocytic system function assays showed that PAP stimulated the phagocytosis of phagocyte. Splenocyte proliferation assay showed that PAP acted the effect combining Con A or LPS in splenocyte proliferation.