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Early embryonic development determines fetal and adult development. However, little is known about the specific development of the early Mongolian sheep embryo. We aim to analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between 16-day embryos of two breeds of Mongolian sheep, namely, Hulunbuir short-tailed sheep and Ujumqin sheep, by mRNA sequencing. A total of 2152 DEGs were identified. Significantly DEGs include WNT5A, WNT2, AXIN2, BMP5, TGFB2, and SMAD9, which are involved in multiple signaling pathways, and genes involved in digestion and absorption and cellular differentiation, such as DPP4, ACE2, PLPP1, CD22, CD44, TEC, and JAK1. In the pathway analysis, the development of Hulunbuir short-tailed sheep 16-day embryo H(E16) highlighted pathways primarily associated with cellular interactions and organogenesis. These pathways are critical for transcriptional control during early embryonic development, especially organ formation. Genes that sophisticate organs and body mechanisms, and genes associated with protein and fat digestion, hematopoietic stem cell lineage and osteoblast differentiation, are enriched during the development of the Ujumqin sheep 16-day embryo U(E16). Our work provides important complementary reference data for the study of early embryonic development in sheep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sheep body size can directly reflect the growth rates and fattening rates of sheep and is also an important index for measuring the growth performance of meat sheep. In this study, high-resolution resequencing data from four sheep breeds (Dorper sheep, Suffolk sheep, Ouessant sheep, and Shetland sheep) were analyzed. The nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms of three candidate genes (KIAA1217, SNTA1, and LTBP1) were also genotyped in 642 healthy Ujumqin sheep using MALDI-TOFMS and the genotyping results were associated with growth traits. The results showed that different genotypes of the KIAA1217 g.24429511T>C locus had significant effects on the chest circumferences of Ujumqin sheep. The SNTA1 g.62222626C>A locus had different effects on the chest depths, shoulder widths and rump widths of Ujumqin sheep. This study showed that these two sites can be used for marker-assisted selection, which will be beneficial for future precision molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Food Safety & Quality is the property of Journal of Food Safety & Quality Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Sheep body size can directly reflect the growth rates and fattening rates of sheep and is also an important index for measuring the growth performance of meat sheep. In this study, high-resolution resequencing data from four sheep breeds (Dorper sheep, Suffolk sheep, Ouessant sheep, and Shetland sheep) were analyzed. The nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms of three candidate genes ( KIAA1217 , SNTA1 , and LTBP1 ) were also genotyped in 642 healthy Ujumqin sheep using MALDI-TOFMS and the genotyping results were associated with growth traits. The results showed that different genotypes of the KIAA1217 g.24429511T>C locus had significant effects on the chest circumferences of Ujumqin sheep. The SNTA1 g.62222626C>A locus had different effects on the chest depths, shoulder widths and rump widths of Ujumqin sheep. This study showed that these two sites can be used for marker-assisted selection, which will be beneficial for future precision molecular breeding., Competing Interests: AS was employed by East Ujumqin Banner Hersig animal husbandry development limited liability company. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Liu, Qin, Zhang, Xu, Dai, Lan, Wang, Zhang, Zhao, Kong, Qin, Wu, Gong, Zhou, Suhe, Wang and Liu.)

Copyright of Food Research & Development is the property of Food Research & Development Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The Ujumqin sheep is one of the most profitable breeds in China, with unique multi-vertebral characteristics. We performed high-throughput genome resequencing of five multi-vertebral and three non-multi-vertebral sheep in an Ujumqin population. We identified the genomic regions that correlated with the germplasm characteristics to establish the cause of the “multi-vertebral” phenotype in this breed. Sequencing generated a total of 314 952 000 000 bp of raw data. The alignment rate of all the samples was between 98.53% and 99.11%, and the mean depth of coverage relative to the reference genome was between 11.58× and 14.92×. After comparing the differences between the two groups, we identified 21 homozygous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the mutant exons of 14 genes. Nineteen loci of 10 genes contained nonsynonymous mutations, while two loci contained synonymous mutations. Resequencing revealed homozygous mutations comprised of 44 indels located within exons of 19 genes. These indels included 37 frameshift mutations, 6 non-frameshift mutations, and 1 stopgain single nucleotide variation (SNV). Finally, comparisons of genotypic variations revealed 17 genes with homozygous mutations in their coding regions, 5 of which have previously been associated with vertebral development and the remaining 12 genes were newly identified in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine the relationships among muscle fiber-type composition, fiber diameter, and myogenic regulatory factor ( MRF) gene expression in different skeletal muscles during development in naturally grazing Wuzhumuqin sheep. Three major muscles (i.e. the Longissimus dorsi ( LD), Biceps femoris ( BF) and Triceps brachii ( TB)) were obtained from 20 Wuzhumuqin sheep and 20 castrated rams at each of the following ages: 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months. Muscle fiber-type composition and fiber diameter were measured using histochemistry and morphological analysis, and MRF gene expression levels were determined using real-time PCR. In the LD muscle, changes in the proportion of each of different types of fiber (I, IIA and IIB) were relatively small. In the BF muscle, a higher proportion of type I and a 6.19-fold lower proportion of type IIA fibers were observed ( P < 0.05). In addition, the compositions of type I and IIA fibers continuously changed in the TB muscle ( P < 0.05). Moreover, muscle diameter gradually increased throughout development ( P < 0.05). Almost no significant difference was found in MRF gene expression patterns, which appeared to be relatively stable. These results suggest that changes in fiber-type composition and increases in fiber size may be mutually interacting processes during muscle development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though muscle characteristics in the second half of gestation closely relate to quantity and quality of postnatal muscle, far fewer studies have examined breed differences in prenatal sheep muscle. This study seeks to better understand anatomic prenatal muscle differences and its underpinning mechanisms between two contrasting sheep breeds. A total of 38 sheep fetuses, including 20 Texel with pronounced muscularity and 18 Ujumqin, an indigenous fat-tailed sheep characterized by their hardiness, fetuses aged at up to five time-points from embryonic day (E) 70-135 of gestation were sacrificed and their organs and muscles dissected at 12 anatomical locations from the right side of each animal. Whole Texel fetuses weighed more especially at E70 and E85 (both 1.7-fold, P <0.001) with heavier internal organs ( P <0.05), than age-matched Ujumqin fetuses. Texel fetuses also contained more muscle, including aggregate-excised muscles (70% before E100, P <0.001) and muscle proportion (~0.5%, P <0.05), larger (~20%) and more total muscle fibers, greater muscle size (20% loin muscle area, P =0.008), and a lower proportion of type I muscle fibers (Texel, 18.85%; Ujumqin, 25.23%) at most anatomical locations. Notably, in Texel fetuses from E70 to E85, sharply decreased myofiber number and significantly augmented fiber size were accompanied by the molecular events resembled those in myoblast fusing of Ujumqin sheep (E85-E100), which indicate this period (E70-E85) is pivotal for Texel myoblast fusing. Altogether, these results suggest that comparing with obese animal, the muscular superiority in lean breed largely establishes at middle gestation, although they share the similar regulatory gene network. The present study provides a novel insight into mammalian myogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of Suaeda glauca crushed seed on rumen microbial populations, ruminal fermentation, methane emission, and growth performance in lambs. Thirty male Ujumqin lambs (a local breed, average body weight 25.5 ± 1.28 kg) were equally divided into three treatments for a 56 d feeding period. The treatments were control diet (CTR), 80 g of SG seed/kg of diet (SGS80, dry matter (DM) basis), and 160 g of SG seed/kg of diet (SGS160, DM basis). Ruminal samples were collected at 0, 3, 6 and 9 h after the morning feeding on d 28 and 56 to investigate treatment, sampling day, sampling hour, and their interactions effects on ruminal parameters and microorganism population. After the feeding trial, all lambs were moved to respiratory chambers to measure methane emission. Addition of SG seed decreased methanogen ( P < 0.05), protozoa ( P < 0.01), and Fibrobacter succinogenes populations ( P < 0.05). Methanogen and protozoa populations were also affected by an interaction between treatment and sampling day ( P < 0.01) and the effect of SG seed on methanogen and protozoa populations decreased with feeding time. Addition of SG seed did not change populations of fungi, Ruminococcus flavefaciens , and Ruminococcus albus . Lambs fed SG160 diet had lower rumen ammonia nitrogen concentration ( P < 0.01) compared with lambs fed CTR diet. Ammonia nitrogen concentration was affected by an interaction between treatment and sampling day ( P < 0.01). No SG seed effects were found in ruminal pH, total volatile fatty acid concentration and molar proportion of volatile fatty acid. Addition of SG seed increased average daily gain ( P < 0.05) and dry matter intake ( P < 0.05) of lambs but reduced methane emissions ( P < 0.05). No SG seed effects were found in feed efficiency. In conclusion, addition of SG seed seemed to be a feasible means of decreasing methane emissions from lambs by reducing methanogen and protozoa populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ujumqin sheep are susceptible to infection by the gastrointestinal nematode Haemonchus contortus , which reduces productivity and total meat yield in sheep. Thus, the effects of green tea polyphenol (GTP) supplements (0, 2, 4, or 6 g of GTP/kg feed) on dietary nutrient digestibility and meat quality in lambs infected with H. contortus were examined; control lambs were not infected. H. contortus infections did not affect digestion but the apparent digestibilities of nutrients were decreased by dietary 2 g of GTP/kg feed supplementation. There was an interaction between treatment and sampling time on plasma total protein, urea nitrogen, and amino acid concentrations. The antioxidant activity and meat color of INFGTP0 lambs decreased. In conclusion, H. contortus infections in lambs decreased meat quality, but appropriate levels of dietary GTP supplementation diminished these negative effects though lower dose of GTP supplement showed negative effects on digestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Whether myofibers increase with a pulsed-wave mode at particular developmental stages or whether they augment evenly across developmental stages in large mammals is unclear. Additionally, the molecular mechanisms of myostatin in myofiber hyperplasia at the fetal stage in sheep remain unknown. Using the first specialized transcriptome-wide sheep oligo DNA microarray and histological methods, we investigated the gene expression profile and histological characteristics of developing fetal ovine longissimus muscle in Texel sheep (high muscle and low fat), as a myostatin model of natural mutation, and Ujumqin sheep (low muscle and high fat). Fetal skeletal muscles were sampled at 70, 85, 100, 120, and 135 d of gestation. Results: Myofiber number increased sharply with a pulsed-wave mode at certain developmental stages but was not augmented evenly across developmental stages in fetal sheep. The surges in myofiber hyperplasia occurred at 85 and 120 d in Texel sheep, whereas a unique proliferative surge appeared at 100 d in Ujumqin sheep. Analysis of the microarray demonstrated that immune and hematological systems’ development and function, lipid metabolism, and cell communication were the biological functions that were most differentially expressed between Texel and Ujumqin sheep during muscle development. Pathways associated with myogenesis and the proliferation of myoblasts, such as calcium signaling, chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4 signaling, and vascular endothelial growth factor signaling, were affected significantly at specific fetal stages, which underpinned fetal myofiber hyperplasia and postnatal muscle hypertrophy. Moreover, we identified some differentially expressed genes between the two breeds that could be potential myostatin targets for further investigation. Conclusions: Proliferation of myofibers proceeded in a pulsed-wave mode at particular fetal stages in the sheep. The myostatin mutation changed the gene expression pattern in skeletal muscle at a transcriptome-wide level, resulting in variation in myofiber phenotype between Texel and Ujumqin sheep during the second half of gestation. Our findings provide a novel and dynamic description of the effect of myostatin on skeletal muscle development, which contributes to understanding the biology of muscle development in large mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Ujumqin sheep ear marginal tissue (USEM) fibroblast line, frozen in 147 cryovials with 4 × 106 cell each, was successfully established from 33 Ujumqin sheep ear marginal tissues using explant culture and cryopreservation techniques. The cells were morphologically consistent with fibroblasts. The growth curve was typical S-shape and the cell population passed through a lag phase, a logarithmic phase and a plateau phase. The population doubling time (PDT) was approximately 72 h. Tests for bacteria, fungi, viruses and mycoplasma were all negative. Isoenzyme polymorphism indicated that the genetic characteristics of the cell line were stable in vitro. Karyotyping analysis indicated that the chromosome number of a normal cell was of 2 n = 54 and 95.4% of the entire population was diploid. The transfection efficiencies of six fluorescent proteins (pEGFP-N3, pEGFP-C1, pDsRed-N1, pEYFP-N1, pECFP-N1 and pECFP-mito) optimal at 48 h were from 18.5% to 30.1%. The cell line met all criteria from the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC). Not only has the germline of this important sheep breed been preserved at the cell level, but also valuable material had been provided for genome, postgenome and somatic cloning research. Moreover, the establishment of this technical platform may provide both technical and theoretical support for storing the genetic resources of other animals and poultry at the cell level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]