Yan Deng1, Shenqiang Hu1, Chenglong Luo2, Qingyuan Ouyang1, Li Li1, Jiaming Ma1, Zhenping Lin3, Junpeng Chen3, Hehe Liu1, Jiwei Hu1, Guohong Chen4, Dingming Shu2, Yuxuan Pan3, Bo Hu1, Hua He1, Hao Qu5, Jiwen Wang6. 1. Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, 611130, Chengdu, China. 2. The Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong, 510640, Guangzhou, China. 3. The Baisha Livestock and Poultry Original Species Research Institute, Guangdong, 515000, Shantou, China. 4. Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Animal Genetic, Breeding and Molecular Design, Yangzhou University, Jiangsu, 225009, Yangzhou, China. 5. The Institute of Animal Science, Guangdong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Guangdong, 510640, Guangzhou, China. qhw03@163.com. 6. Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Sichuan, 611130, Chengdu, China. wjw2886166@163.com.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: During domestication, remarkable changes in behavior, morphology, physiology and production performance have taken place in farm animals. As one of the most economically important poultry, goose owns a unique appearance characteristic called knob, which is located at the base of the upper bill. However, neither the histomorphology nor the genetic mechanism of the knob phenotype has been revealed in geese. RESULTS: In the present study, integrated radiographic, histological, transcriptomic and genomic analyses revealed the histomorphological characteristics and genetic mechanism of goose knob. The knob skin was developed, and radiographic results demonstrated that the knob bone was obviously protuberant and pneumatized. Histologically, there were major differences in structures in both the knob skin and bone between geese owing knob (namely knob-geese) and those devoid of knob (namely non-knob geese). Through transcriptome analysis, 592 and 952 genes differentially expressed in knob skin and bone, and significantly enriched in PPAR and Calcium pathways in knob skin and bone, respectively, which revealed the molecular mechanisms of histomorphological differences of the knob between knob- and non-knob geese. Furthermore, integrated transcriptomic and genomic analysis contributed to the identification of 17 and 21 candidate genes associated with the knob formation in the skin and bone, respectively. Of them, DIO2 gene could play a pivotal role in determining the knob phenotype in geese. Because a non-synonymous mutation (c.642,923 G > A, P265L) changed DIO2 protein secondary structure in knob geese, and Sanger sequencing further showed that the AA genotype was identified in the population of knob geese, and was prevalent in a crossing population which was artificially selected for 10 generations. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to uncover the knob histomorphological characteristics and genetic mechanism in geese, and DIO2 was identified as the crucial gene associated with the knob phenotype. These data not only expand and enrich our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of head appendages in both mammalian and avian species, but also have important theoretical and practical significance for goose breeding.
BACKGROUND: During domestication, remarkable changes in behavior, morphology, physiology and production performance have taken place in farm animals. As one of the most economically important poultry, goose owns a unique appearance characteristic called knob, which is located at the base of the upper bill. However, neither the histomorphology nor the genetic mechanism of the knob phenotype has been revealed in geese. RESULTS: In the present study, integrated radiographic, histological, transcriptomic and genomic analyses revealed the histomorphological characteristics and genetic mechanism of goose knob. The knob skin was developed, and radiographic results demonstrated that the knob bone was obviously protuberant and pneumatized. Histologically, there were major differences in structures in both the knob skin and bone between geese owing knob (namely knob-geese) and those devoid of knob (namely non-knob geese). Through transcriptome analysis, 592 and 952 genes differentially expressed in knob skin and bone, and significantly enriched in PPAR and Calcium pathways in knob skin and bone, respectively, which revealed the molecular mechanisms of histomorphological differences of the knob between knob- and non-knob geese. Furthermore, integrated transcriptomic and genomic analysis contributed to the identification of 17 and 21 candidate genes associated with the knob formation in the skin and bone, respectively. Of them, DIO2 gene could play a pivotal role in determining the knob phenotype in geese. Because a non-synonymous mutation (c.642,923 G > A, P265L) changed DIO2 protein secondary structure in knob geese, and Sanger sequencing further showed that the AA genotype was identified in the population of knob geese, and was prevalent in a crossing population which was artificially selected for 10 generations. CONCLUSIONS: This study was the first to uncover the knob histomorphological characteristics and genetic mechanism in geese, and DIO2 was identified as the crucial gene associated with the knob phenotype. These data not only expand and enrich our knowledge on the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of head appendages in both mammalian and avian species, but also have important theoretical and practical significance for goose breeding.
Authors: Susan E Johnston; John C McEwan; Natalie K Pickering; James W Kijas; Dario Beraldi; Jill G Pilkington; Josephine M Pemberton; Jon Slate Journal: Mol Ecol Date: 2011-03-29 Impact factor: 6.185
Authors: Jente Ottenburghs; Hendrik-Jan Megens; Robert H S Kraus; Ole Madsen; Pim van Hooft; Sipke E van Wieren; Richard P M A Crooijmans; Ronald C Ydenberg; Martien A M Groenen; Herbert H T Prins Journal: Mol Phylogenet Evol Date: 2016-05-24 Impact factor: 4.286
Authors: Michael D Shapiro; Zev Kronenberg; Cai Li; Eric T Domyan; Hailin Pan; Michael Campbell; Hao Tan; Chad D Huff; Haofu Hu; Anna I Vickrey; Sandra C A Nielsen; Sydney A Stringham; Hao Hu; Eske Willerslev; M Thomas P Gilbert; Mark Yandell; Guojie Zhang; Jun Wang Journal: Science Date: 2013-01-31 Impact factor: 47.728