Research progress in the application of gene editing technology in sheep genetic breeding
SUN Yichong;LIU Guoshi;ZHANG Lu;Gene editing technology is a cornerstone of modern biotechnology and holds tremendous promise for sheep genetic improvement. By precisely modifying the ovine genome with ZFNs, TALENs, CRISPR/Cas systems and base editors(BEs), desirable alleles can be introduced to directionally enhance meat, milk, wool and reproductive performance while boosting disease resistance. This paper summarizes the background and mechanisms of these editing platforms, outlines the two principal routes used to generate gene-edited animals—somatic-cell nuclear transfer(SCNT) and microinjection(MI)with their respective advantages and limitations highlighted,and investigates the research progress of gene editing technology in the genetic breeding of sheep as well as its specific applications in the improvement of various traits, aiming to provide a reference for future studies on gene editing in ovine and caprine breeding.
From “natural” to “designed”: Research progress in creating functional milk through gene editing technology
WU Hao;JI Pengyun;WANG Bingyuan;ZHANG Lu;LIU Guoshi;glutathione concentrations after consumption of milk containing different subtypes of β-casein: results from a randomized, crossover clinical trial[J]. Nutrition Journal, 2016, 15(1): 82.Abstract:With the escalating consumer demand for the health functionalities of dairy products, more and more shortages of traditional bovine milk are being revealed for its fixed composition and singular functionality. Advances in gene editing technologies have ushered in a new era of precision design within bovine milk breeding. This review summarizes recent progress in developing functional bovine milk, emphasizing principal strategies for constructing high-nutrition and medical-functional milk through gene knockout, gene knock-in and precise point mutation methodologies. The comparative advantages and limitations of key gene-editing techniques, notably somatic cell nuclear transfer and embryo microinjection are analyzed. Furthermore, this paper addresses the challenges confronting the industrialization of functional milk, particularly concerning biosafety, ethical considerations and regulatory frameworks. In future, the integration of artificial intelligence and digital breeding technologies would promisingly facilitate the intelligent and systematic development of functional bovine milk, establish an innovative continuum from molecular design to product processing, paving a novel pathways for the high-quality development of the dairy industry and the regulation of human nutritional health.
Research progress on the application of gene editing technology to reduce carbon emission in animal husbandry
ZHAI Yaying;XIAO Xin;GAO Jiarui;LIU Xuening;ZHANG Lu;WANG Bingyuan;LIU Guoshi;Gene editing technologies, particularly the CRISPR/Cas9 system, provide innovative solutions for low-carbon consumption and emission reduction in animal husbandry by enabling precise modification of livestock and poultry genomes. This technology can induce DNA double-strand breaks(DSBs) at specific sites, activate cellular repair mechanisms, and achieve efficient editing of target genes, thereby optimizing livestock production performance and reducing environmental impact. This article focuses on the application of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in reducing carbon emissions in animal husbandry—specifically through editing rumen archaea and forage crops to mitigate methane emissions, improving feed conversion efficiency, enhancing the quality and yield of livestock products, and increasing disease resistance to reduce resource consumption. This paper analyzes recent research advances to offer theoretical support and technical pathways for leveraging gene editing to drive the green transformation and sustainable development of animal husbandry.
The impact of taurine transporter(TauT) knockout on litter size in mice
LIU Xuanjun;LIU Kaiyuan;CHEN Shanshan;LI Yizhao;CHEN Zhuolin;WANG Kejun;LI Xinjian;YANG Feng;The experiment aimed to explore the impact of taurine transporter(TauT) knockout on the litter size and fertility of female mice to reveal the key role of the taurine transport system in the reproductive function of female mammals. The CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology was used to construct a TauT gene knockout(TauT~-/~-) mouse model. By comparing the reproductive performance of wild-type(WT), heterozygous(TauT+/~-), and homozygous(TauT~-/~-) female mice, the effect of TauT gene knockout on litter size was analyzed. The results showed that the litter size of wild-type female mice was(7. 7±1. 8) pups,(5. 8±0. 8) pups for the heterozygous, and(2. 4±0. 9) pups(P<0. 05) for the homozygous which was decreased 68. 8% compared to wild-type mice. The litter size of heterozygous female mice was between that of wild-type and homozygous female mice, indicating a putative gene dosage effect of TauT gene expression on litter size. In conclusion, TauT gene knockout reduces the litter size of female mice by interfering with the normal transport of taurine in the female reproductive physiology, thereby decreasing their fertility. This confirms the key role of the taurine transport system in maintaining normal reproductive function.
Expression of the FGF10 gene in the apical velvet skin tissue of sika deer(Cervus nippon) at different growth stages
GUO Xingjian;GUO Mengya;XING Haihua;ZHANG Yujie;JIANG Qi;LI Heping;to investigate the biological characteristics and expression patterns of the Fibroblast Growth Factor 10(FGF10) gene during the antler growth process of sika deer(Cervus nippon). Using apical velvet tissue from different growth stages(early, middle, and late) of sika deer antlers as experimental material, the cDNA sequence of the FGF10 gene was cloned TA cloning. Bioinformatics methods were subsequently employed to analyze the physicochemical properties and structure of the gene and its encoded protein, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. Concurrently, real-time quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR) was utilized to detect its differential expression across the various growth stages. The results showed that:(1) The complete coding sequence(CDS) of the sika deer FGF10 gene was successfully cloned. It has a full length of 642 bp and encodes a protein of 213 amino acids.(2) Bioinformatics analysis predicted that the FGF10 protein is a stable, hydrophilic protein featuring a transmembrane structure. Its predicted relative molecular mass is 23 767. 08 Da, with a theoretical isoelectric point(pI) of 9. 61. Its secondary structure is dominated by random coils.(3) Homology comparison and phylogenetic analysis revealed that sika deer FGF10 gene shares high identity(up to 99%) with orthologs in species such as red deer and white-tailed deer, indicating it is highly conserved.(4) The qRT-PCR results demonstrated that the transcriptional level of the FGF10 gene exhibited significant dynamic changes during different stages of antler growth. Its expression level decreased to a nadir during the middle stage and subsequently increased sharply to a peak in the late stage. Comparative analysis showed that the differences between all inter-group comparisons were extremely significant(P<0. 01).In conclusion, this study successfully cloned the FGF10 gene from sika deer and revealed its specific expression pattern during antler development. These findings suggest that FGF10 gene may play an important regulatory role in the maturation of velvet tissue and the development of hair follicles during the late stage of antler growth.
Analysis of the differences in intestinal flora of diarrhea and healthy sika deer nursed artificially
ZHANG Wang;GUO Yating;GUO Xingjian;LI Heping;To investigate the differences in intestinal microbiota of diarrheic and healthy sika deer fawns nursed artificially, and to identify potential pathogenic bacterial taxa associated with diarrhea, fecal samples from six diarrheic and six healthy fawns were collected and analyzed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results revealed that the intestinal microbial diversity in the diarrheic group was significantly lower than that in the healthy group. In the diarrheic fawns, the relative abundances of dominant phyla such as Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were reduced, whereas those of opportunistic pathogens belonging to Fusobacteria and Proteobacteria were elevated. At the genus level, increased abundances of Enterobacterium, Fusobacterium, and Klebsiella were observed. These findings suggest that the primary cause of diarrhea in artificially reared sika deer fawns is dysbiosis characterized by a decrease in beneficial commensal bacteria and an overrepresentation of opportunistic pathogenic genera, including Enterobacterium and Fusobacterium.
The changes in the taxonomic status of wapiti and their current resources and management situation in China
SUN Zihui;LI Heping;The wapiti is a variety of key large deer resource that plays a vital role in maintaining ecosystem stability and holds considerable economic, cultural and scientific importance. This study reviews the historical evolution of the taxonomic status of the wapiti, summarizes the current taxonomy of its species and subspecies, and analyzes the scientific rationale and management implications of taxonomic revisions from the perspectives of morphological, biogeographical and molecular phylogenetics. Furthermore, the current status of wapiti resources in China is outlined, highlighting the population size, distribution patterns and utilization of both wild and farmed populations, and the existing resource management frameworks and relevant regulatory systems are evaluated, emphasizing key challenges such as habitat fragmentation and inadequate monitoring. Finally, the targeted strategies were proposed such as improving long-term monitoring, strengthening population conservation, and optimizing management mechanisms, to support the effective conservation and sustainable management of wapiti resources, aiming to provide a reference for the protection and rational use of wapiti populations in China.
Detection and analysis of insertion and deletion variations related to egg production in Zi geese
ZHANG Zhen;ZHANG Menghuan;GE Aiyou;CHEN Baojun;HAN Zhiqiang;TONG Ling;CHEN Guofu;To identify insertion/deletion(InDel) variants associated with egg production traits in Zi geese,a total of 60 Zi geese at 300 d were divided into high and low laying groups(30 birds per group) based on egg production. Whole-genome resequencing was performed, and selective sweep analysis(Fst) and genome-wide association study(GWAS) were applied to identify InDel loci and candidate genes related to egg production traits. The results showed that 3 110 515 and 3 151 037 InDel variants were identified in the high and low laying groups, respectively. A combination of selective sweep analysis and GO enrichment analysis revealed two terms(negative regulation of transcription mediated by RNA polymerase Ⅱ and plasma membrane) with the high-frequency gene SMAD5, while KEGG enrichment analysis identified Wnt signaling pathway, gonadotropin-releasing hormone signaling pathway, Hedgehog signaling pathway, and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, along with the high-frequency genes PRKACB, MAPK10, and CAMK2D, which were highly correlated with egg production performance. Four InDel loci identified through GWAS were significantly associated with laying traits, namely Chr1:156 544 412(located in the intronic region of OXGR1), Chr2:89 516 407 and Chr5:53 656 301(both located in uncharacterized regions), and Chr7:30 180 374(located in the intronic region of RBMS3), showing polymorphisms except for Chr1:156 544 412, respectively. In conclusion, InDel markers and candidate genes associated with egg production performance in Zi geese were identified and screened using Fst and GWAS, providing a scientific reference for the molecular breeding of egg production performance in Zi geese.
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