1
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Zhang C, Zhang H, Di T, Wang G, Gao F, Li Z, Li M, Yang G. The 4 bp deletion mutation in HOXD1 gene determines the polycerate trait in Chinese Sishui fur sheep. Anim Genet 2023; 54:820-822. [PMID: 37846893 DOI: 10.1111/age.13369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Huan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Tenggang Di
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Guan Wang
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Fengyi Gao
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Zhiqiang Li
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
| | - Ming Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Guangli Yang
- College of Biology and Food, Shangqiu Normal University, Shangqiu, China
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2
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Zhang H, Yang P, Liu C, Ma Y, Han Y, Zeng Y, Huang Y, Zhao Y, Zhao Z, He X, E G. Novel Heredity Basis of the Four-Horn Phenotype in Sheep Using Genome-Wide Sequence Data. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3166. [PMID: 37893889 PMCID: PMC10603714 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Horns are an important breeding trait for sheep. However, no widely recognized viewpoint on the regulatory genes and mechanisms of horns is available, and the genetic basis of the four-horn phenotype (FHP) is unclear. This work conducted a genome-wide association study with 100 sheep genomes from multiple breeds to investigate the genetic basis of the FHP. The results revealed three significant associations (corrected as p < 1.64 × 10-8) of the InDels (CHR2: g.133,742,709delA, g.133,743,215insC, and g.133,743,940delT) for FHP in the intergenic sequence (IGS) between the MTX2 and the LOC105609047 of CHR2. Moreover, 14 significant associations (corrected as p < 1.42 × 10-9) of SNPs with the FHP phenotype were identified in CHR2 and CHR16, including five (e.g., CHR16: g.40,351,378G > A and g.40,352,577G > A) located in the intron of the ADAMTS12 gene, eight (e.g., CHR2: g.133,727,513C > T and g.133,732,145T > G) in the IGS between MTX2 and LOC105609047, and only one (CHR2: g.133,930,761A > G) in the IGS between HOXD1 and MTX2. Obvious divergence was also observed in genotype patterns between the FHP and others (two horns and hornless) in the HOXD1 and ADAMTS12 gene regions. An extremely significant linkage also occurred between Loci I and Loci II within 100 individuals (LD = -156.02186, p < 0.00001). In summary, our study indicated that the genomic sequences from CHR2 and CHR16 contributed to the FHP in sheep, specifically the key candidate genes HOXD1 and ADAMTS12. These results improved our understanding of the Mendelian genetic basis of the FHP in sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyuan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Pu Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Chengli Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yuehui Ma
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Yanguo Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yan Zeng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yongfu Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yongju Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Zhongquan Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaohong He
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100097, China
| | - Guangxin E
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
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3
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Jourdain J, Barasc H, Faraut T, Calgaro A, Bonnet N, Marcuzzo C, Suin A, Barbat A, Hozé C, Besnard F, Taussat S, Grohs C, Kuchly C, Iampietro C, Donnadieu C, Pinton A, Boichard D, Capitan A. Large-scale detection and characterization of interchromosomal rearrangements in normozoospermic bulls using massive genotype and phenotype data sets. Genome Res 2023; 33:957-971. [PMID: 37414574 PMCID: PMC10519396 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277787.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we developed a highly sensitive approach to detect interchromosomal rearrangements in cattle by searching for abnormal linkage disequilibrium patterns between markers located on different chromosomes in large paternal half-sib families genotyped as part of routine genomic evaluations. We screened 5571 families of artificial insemination sires from 15 breeds and revealed 13 putative interchromosomal rearrangements, 12 of which were validated by cytogenetic analysis and long-read sequencing. These consisted of one Robertsonian fusion, 10 reciprocal translocations, and the first case of insertional translocation reported in cattle. Taking advantage of the wealth of data available in cattle, we performed a series of complementary analyses to define the exact nature of these rearrangements, investigate their origins, and search for factors that may have favored their occurrence. We also evaluated the risks to the livestock industry and showed significant negative effects on several traits in the sires and in their balanced or aneuploid progeny compared with wild-type controls. Thus, we present the most comprehensive and thorough screen for interchromosomal rearrangements compatible with normal spermatogenesis in livestock species. This approach is readily applicable to any population that benefits from large genotype data sets, and will have direct applications in animal breeding. Finally, it also offers interesting prospects for basic research by allowing the detection of smaller and rarer types of chromosomal rearrangements than GTG banding, which are interesting models for studying gene regulation and the organization of genome structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeanlin Jourdain
- Eliance, 75012 Paris, France;
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Harmonie Barasc
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Thomas Faraut
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Anne Calgaro
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Nathalie Bonnet
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Camille Marcuzzo
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, France Génomique, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Amandine Suin
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, France Génomique, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Anne Barbat
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Chris Hozé
- Eliance, 75012 Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Florian Besnard
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
- Idele, 75012 Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Taussat
- Eliance, 75012 Paris, France
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Cécile Grohs
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Claire Kuchly
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, France Génomique, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Carole Iampietro
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, France Génomique, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Cécile Donnadieu
- INRAE, US 1426, GeT-PlaGe, Genotoul, France Génomique, Université Fédérale de Toulouse, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Alain Pinton
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, ENVT, 31320 Castanet-Tolosan, France
| | - Didier Boichard
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Aurélien Capitan
- Eliance, 75012 Paris, France;
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, G2B, 78350 Jouy-en-Josas, France
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4
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Wucherpfennig JI, Howes TR, Au JN, Au EH, Roberts Kingman GA, Brady SD, Herbert AL, Reimchen TE, Bell MA, Lowe CB, Dalziel AC, Kingsley DM. Evolution of stickleback spines through independent cis-regulatory changes at HOXDB. Nat Ecol Evol 2022; 6:1537-1552. [PMID: 36050398 PMCID: PMC9525239 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-022-01855-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanisms leading to new traits or additional features in organisms is a fundamental goal of evolutionary biology. We show that HOXDB regulatory changes have been used repeatedly in different fish genera to alter the length and number of the prominent dorsal spines used to classify stickleback species. In Gasterosteus aculeatus (typically 'three-spine sticklebacks'), a variant HOXDB allele is genetically linked to shortening an existing spine and adding an additional spine. In Apeltes quadracus (typically 'four-spine sticklebacks'), a variant HOXDB allele is associated with lengthening a spine and adding an additional spine in natural populations. The variant alleles alter the same non-coding enhancer region in the HOXDB locus but do so by diverse mechanisms, including single-nucleotide polymorphisms, deletions and transposable element insertions. The independent regulatory changes are linked to anterior expansion or contraction of HOXDB expression. We propose that associated changes in spine lengths and numbers are partial identity transformations in a repeating skeletal series that forms major defensive structures in fish. Our findings support the long-standing hypothesis that natural Hox gene variation underlies key patterning changes in wild populations and illustrate how different mutational mechanisms affecting the same region may produce opposite gene expression changes with similar phenotypic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia I Wucherpfennig
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Timothy R Howes
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jessica N Au
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric H Au
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | | | - Shannon D Brady
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Amy L Herbert
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Thomas E Reimchen
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Michael A Bell
- University of California Museum of Paleontology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Craig B Lowe
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Anne C Dalziel
- Department of Biology, Saint Mary's University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
| | - David M Kingsley
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA.
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5
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Kalds P, Zhou S, Gao Y, Cai B, Huang S, Chen Y, Wang X. Genetics of the phenotypic evolution in sheep: a molecular look at diversity-driving genes. Genet Sel Evol 2022; 54:61. [PMID: 36085023 PMCID: PMC9463822 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-022-00753-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND After domestication, the evolution of phenotypically-varied sheep breeds has generated rich biodiversity. This wide phenotypic variation arises as a result of hidden genomic changes that range from a single nucleotide to several thousands of nucleotides. Thus, it is of interest and significance to reveal and understand the genomic changes underlying the phenotypic variation of sheep breeds in order to drive selection towards economically important traits. REVIEW Various traits contribute to the emergence of variation in sheep phenotypic characteristics, including coat color, horns, tail, wool, ears, udder, vertebrae, among others. The genes that determine most of these phenotypic traits have been investigated, which has generated knowledge regarding the genetic determinism of several agriculturally-relevant traits in sheep. In this review, we discuss the genomic knowledge that has emerged in the past few decades regarding the phenotypic traits in sheep, and our ultimate aim is to encourage its practical application in sheep breeding. In addition, in order to expand the current understanding of the sheep genome, we shed light on research gaps that require further investigation. CONCLUSIONS Although significant research efforts have been conducted in the past few decades, several aspects of the sheep genome remain unexplored. For the full utilization of the current knowledge of the sheep genome, a wide practical application is still required in order to boost sheep productive performance and contribute to the generation of improved sheep breeds. The accumulated knowledge on the sheep genome will help advance and strengthen sheep breeding programs to face future challenges in the sector, such as climate change, global human population growth, and the increasing demand for products of animal origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Kalds
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish, 45511 Egypt
| | - Shiwei Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Yawei Gao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Bei Cai
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Shuhong Huang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Yulin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, 712100 China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 China
- International Joint Agriculture Research Center for Animal Bio-Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Yangling, 712100 China
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6
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Hintermann A, Guerreiro I, Lopez-Delisle L, Bolt CC, Gitto S, Duboule D, Beccari L. Developmental and evolutionary comparative analysis of a regulatory landscape in mouse and chicken. Development 2022; 149:275867. [PMID: 35770682 PMCID: PMC9307994 DOI: 10.1242/dev.200594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Modifications in gene regulation are driving forces in the evolution of organisms. Part of these changes involve cis-regulatory elements (CREs), which contact their target genes through higher-order chromatin structures. However, how such architectures and variations in CREs contribute to transcriptional evolvability remains elusive. We use Hoxd genes as a paradigm for the emergence of regulatory innovations, as many relevant enhancers are located in a regulatory landscape highly conserved in amniotes. Here, we analysed their regulation in murine vibrissae and chicken feather primordia, two skin appendages expressing different Hoxd gene subsets, and compared the regulation of these genes in these appendages with that in the elongation of the posterior trunk. In the two former structures, distinct subsets of Hoxd genes are contacted by different lineage-specific enhancers, probably as a result of using an ancestral chromatin topology as an evolutionary playground, whereas the gene regulation that occurs in the mouse and chicken embryonic trunk partially relies on conserved CREs. A high proportion of these non-coding sequences active in the trunk have functionally diverged between species, suggesting that transcriptional robustness is maintained, despite considerable divergence in enhancer sequences. Summary: Analyses of the relationships between chromatin architecture and regulatory activities at the HoxD locus show that ancestral transcription patterns can be maintained while new regulations evolve.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Hintermann
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Isabel Guerreiro
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Lucille Lopez-Delisle
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (EPFL ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Federal School of Technology (EPFL) 2 , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Christopher Chase Bolt
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (EPFL ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Federal School of Technology (EPFL) 2 , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
| | - Sandra Gitto
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
| | - Denis Duboule
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (EPFL ISREC), School of Life Sciences, Federal School of Technology (EPFL) 2 , 1015 Lausanne , Switzerland
- Collège de France 3 , 11 Place Marcelin Berthelot, 75005 Paris , France
| | - Leonardo Beccari
- University of Geneva 1 Department of Genetics and Evolution , , 30 quai Ernest-Ansermet, 1211 Geneva , Switzerland
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7
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Simon R, Drögemüller C, Lühken G. The Complex and Diverse Genetic Architecture of the Absence of Horns (Polledness) in Domestic Ruminants, including Goats and Sheep. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13050832. [PMID: 35627216 PMCID: PMC9140736 DOI: 10.3390/genes13050832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Horns are the most obvious common feature of Bovidae. The naturally occurring absence of horns in these species, also known as polledness, is of surprisingly heterogeneous nature, although they are Mendelian traits. This review compares in detail the molecular differences among the causes of inherited polledness in the domestic ruminant species of cattle, yak, sheep, and goat based on the causal gene variants that have been discovered in recent years. The genetic causes for the lack of horns in small ruminants seem not only to be more complex, e.g., in sheep, breed-specific characteristics are still unexplained, but in goats, there is also the associated disorder of intersexuality—polled intersex syndrome (PIS). In connection with animal welfare and the associated discussion about a legal ban on the dehorning of all farm animals, naturally hornless animals and the causal genetic variants are of increasing research interest in the age of genome editing. However, the low acceptance of genetic engineering in livestock, especially in European societies, limits its use in food-producing animals. Therefore, genotype-based targeted selection of naturally occurring variants is still a widely used method for spreading this desired trait within and across populations, at least in cattle and sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Simon
- Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (R.S.); (G.L.)
| | - Cord Drögemüller
- Institute of Genetics, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
- Correspondence:
| | - Gesine Lühken
- Institute for Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35390 Giessen, Germany; (R.S.); (G.L.)
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8
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Grohs C, Boussaha M, Hozé C, Capitan A. Rare cases of hernia of the linea alba among TWIST1 haploinsufficient Charolais cattle. Anim Genet 2022; 53:239-241. [PMID: 35187669 DOI: 10.1111/age.13179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Grohs
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Mekki Boussaha
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Chris Hozé
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,ALLICE, Paris, France
| | - Aurélien Capitan
- INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, Université Paris-Saclay, Jouy-en-Josas, France.,ALLICE, Paris, France
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9
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Li YK, Mennecart B, Aiglstorfer M, Ni XJ, Li Q, Deng T. The early evolution of cranial appendages in Bovoidea revealed by new species of Amphimoschus (Mammalia: Ruminantia) from China. Zool J Linn Soc 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/zoolinnean/zlab053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The cranial appendage (headgear) is an iconic structure of modern ruminants, and four of the five extant pecoran families display morphological and physiological specialties. They probably share one origin from the same genetic basis, whereas the evolution of the cranial appendages is still debatable, especially in consideration of fossil taxa lacking headgear. Amphimoschus is an enigmatic pecoran that comprises no more than two species, mainly known from the late early/early middle Miocene of Western and Central Europe and considered not to possess any cranial appendages. Here, we present Amphimoschus xishuiensis sp. nov., discovered in the Tabenbuluk area, Gansu Province, China. The new species reveals the first evidence of cranial ornamentations in the genus, including a supraorbital bump, an antorbital protuberance and frontal thickening. In our phylogenetic analysis the genus was inferred as a basal member of the Bovoidea, and thus the cranial ornamentations of A. xishuiensis might provide insight into the early evolution of cranial appendages in Bovoidea. They could be interpreted as weapons to defend territories in intense intraspecific or interspecific competition during the late early Miocene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Kun Li
- Center for Research and Education on Biological Evolution and Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Palaeobiology and Stratigraphy, Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing 210008, China
| | - Bastien Mennecart
- Naturhistorisches Museum Basel, Basel 4001, Switzerland
- Naturhistorishes Museum Wien, Vienna 1010, Austria
| | - Manuela Aiglstorfer
- Naturhistorisches Museum Mainz/Landessammlung für Naturkunde Rheinland-Pfalz, Mainz 55116, Germany
| | - Xi-Jun Ni
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Qiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044, China
| | - Tao Deng
- Center for Research and Education on Biological Evolution and Environment, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
- Key Laboratory of Vertebrate Evolution and Human Origins, Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100044, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Life and Paleoenvironment, Beijing 100044, China
- Department of Earth Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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10
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Kalds P, Luo Q, Sun K, Zhou S, Chen Y, Wang X. Trends towards revealing the genetic architecture of sheep tail patterning: Promising genes and investigatory pathways. Anim Genet 2021; 52:799-812. [PMID: 34472112 DOI: 10.1111/age.13133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Different sheep breeds have evolved after initial domestication, generating various tail phenotypic patterns. The phenotypic diversity of sheep tail patterns offers ideal materials for comparative analysis of its genetic basis. Evolutionary biologists, animal geneticists, breeders, and producers have been curious to clearly understand the underlying genetics behind phenotypic differences in sheep tails. Understanding the causal gene(s) and mutation(s) underlying these differences will help probe an evolutionary riddle, improve animal production performance, promote animal welfare, and provide lessons that help comprehend human diseases related to fat deposition (i.e., obesity). Historically, fat tails have served as an adaptive response to aridification and climate change. However, the fat tail is currently associated with compromised mating and animal locomotion, fat distribution in the animal body, increased raising costs, reduced consumer preference, and other animal welfare issues such as tail docking. The developing genomic approaches provide unprecedented opportunities to determine causal variants underlying phenotypic differences among populations. In the last decade, researchers have performed several genomic investigations to assess the genomic causality underlying phenotypic variations in sheep tails. Various genes have been suggested with the prominence of several potentially significant causatives, including the BMP2 and PDGFD genes associated with the fat tail phenotype and the TBXT gene linked with the caudal vertebrae number and tail length. Although the potential genes related to sheep tail characteristics have been revealed, the causal variant(s) and mutation(s) of these high-ranking candidate genes are still elusive and need further investigation. The review discusses the potential genes, sheds light on a knowledge gap, and provides possible investigative approaches that could help determine the specific genomic causatives of sheep tail patterns. Besides, characterizing and revealing the genetic determinism of sheep tails will help solve issues compromising sheep breeding and welfare in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Kalds
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.,Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Faculty of Environmental Agricultural Sciences, Arish University, El-Arish, Egypt
| | - Q Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - K Sun
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - S Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - Y Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
| | - X Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China
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