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A deep understanding of the dynamics and mechanisms of male reproductive tract development is necessary for adoption of either genetic techniques or environmental management practices for improving fertility and hatchability in poultry. However, compared with other poultry such as chickens and ducks, less is known about the age- and breed-related changes in the reproductive tract development of domestic goose ganders exhibiting relatively poor reproductive performance as well as the regulatory mechanisms. In the present study, by taking 2 Chinese domestic goose breeds (Sichuan White goose, SW and Gang goose, GE; Anser cygnoides) and one European goose breed (Landes goose, LD; Anser anser) as the experimental objects, we comprehensive analyzed the morphological, histological, and genome-wide transcriptomic variations in their testicular and external genital development during the period from hatching to sexual maturity. Results from histomorphological analysis demonstrated that the reproductive tract of all goose breeds developed in both age- and breed-dependent manners, and the left and right testis developed asymmetrically throughout posthatch development. The tenth week posthatch was a critical developmental stage for all goose ganders, because both the testicular and external genital histomorphological parameters significantly changed before and after this period. During the first 10 wk posthatch, the weight, organ index, or size of male reproductive organs developed more rapidly in SW than in LD, and so were the testicular parenchymal-to-interstitial ratio and the external genital lymphatic lumen diameter. However, the testicular seminiferous epithelium thickness, seminiferous tubule diameter, and Leydig cell number, as well as the external genital keratinized epithelium thickness were significantly higher in LD than in SW at 10 wk of age. Through comparative transcriptomics analysis and RT-qPCR validation, several pathways related to germ and somatic cell function, organ remodeling, and energy metabolism were thought to be responsible for the developmental variations in the early testicular development between Chinese and European domestic ganders, where 10 hub genes involved in the cell cycle, RNA polymerase II-dependent transcription, and mitotic cell division pathways might play essential roles. These data shed new light on the interbreed differences in the male goose reproductive tract development and the molecular mechanisms regulating male goose testicular functions and fertility., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The 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 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Spermatogenesis is a crucial indicator of geese reproduction performance and production. The testis is the main organ responsible for sperm production, and the egg-laying cycle in geese is a complex physiological process that demands precise orchestration of hormonal cues and cellular events within the testes, however, the seasonal changes in the transcriptomic and proteomic profiles of goose testicles remain unclear. To explore various aspects of the mechanisms of the seasonal cyclicity of testicles in different goose breeds, in this study, we used an integrative transcriptomic and proteomic approach to screen the key genes and proteins in the testes of 2 goose males, the Hungarian white goose and the Wanxi white goose, at 3 different periods of the laying cycle: beginning of laying cycle (BLC), peak of laying cycle (PLC), and end of laying cycle (ELC). The results showed that a total of 9,273 differentially expressed genes and 4,543 differentially expressed proteins were identified in the geese testicles among the comparison groups. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis suggested that the DEGs, in the comparison groups, were mainly enrichment in metabolic pathways, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, cyctokine-cyctokine receptor interaction, calcium signaling pathway, apelin signaling pathway, ether lipid metabolism, cysteine, and methionine metabolism. While the DEPs, in the 3 comparison groups, were mainly involved in the ribosome, metabolic pathways, carbon metabolism, proteasome, endocytosis, lysosome, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, oxidative phosphorylation, nucleocytoplasmic transport, and tight junction. The protein-protein interaction network analysis (PPI) indicated that selected DEPs, such as CHD1L, RAB18, FANCM, TAF5, TSC1/2, PHLDB2, DNAJA2, NCOA5, DEPTOR, TJP1, and RAPGEF2, were highly associated with male reproductive regulation. Further, the expression trends of 4 identified DEGs were validated by qRT-PCR. In conclusion, this work offers a new perspective on comprehending the molecular mechanisms and pathways involved in the seasonal cyclicity of testicles in the Hungarian white goose and the Wanxi white goose, as well as contributing to improving goose reproductive performance., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES Yongfeng Sun reports financial support was provided by Jilin Provincial Science and Technology Department, Jilin Animal Husbandry Administration and Jilin Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The Shitou goose, the largest meat-type goose breed, is an ideal model for offering insights into enhancing meat production efficiency through understanding its genetic regulation of muscle development. Here, through whole-transcriptomic analysis of embryonic leg muscles, we identified 847 differentially expressed genes (DEG), 244 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DEL), 37 differentially expressed circRNAs (DEC), and 84 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEM). Gene ontology (GO) analysis highlighted the significant enrichment of differentially expressed RNAs in muscle structure development, actin filament-based processes, and the actin cytoskeleton pathway. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis identified pathways associated with the FoxO signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway and calcium signaling pathway. Furthermore, we utilized Miranda, TargetScan, and miRDB to identify regulatory networks that involve interactions between lncRNA-mRNA, circRNA-mRNA, miRNA-mRNA, lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA, and circRNA-miRNA-mRNA, which regulated the growth and development of skeletal muscle. Notably, differentially expressed genes within the ceRNA network were most significantly enriched in the regulation of actin cytoskeletal organization. Additionally, a lncRNA/circRNA-miRNA-mRNA ceRNA network related to muscle growth and development was constructed based on protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis and hub genes selection using Cytoscape. This further elucidated the regulatory roles of noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) in the formation of muscle fibers in Shitou goose. In summary, this study provides a valuable transcriptional regulatory network for goose muscle development laying the groundwork for further exploration of the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying the excellent meat production performance of Shitou goose., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

This study aimed to evaluate fattening performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and leg bone traits in geese reared under an intensive production system, depending on genotypes. In the study, a total of 210 goslings (70 goslings for each genotype such as Linda, Toulouse, and Mast) were obtained from 168-week-old breeders. The geese were fed ad libitum with the same feeds during 12 weeks. Then, 5 males and 5 females from each goose genotype (30 birds in total) were slaughtered to determine the carcass, meat, and bone properties. The fattening performance, carcass properties, relative organ weights, and proximate analyses of breast and thigh meats did not differ among the genotype groups. The relative abdominal fat percentage weight was the highest in the Mast geese among the examined genotypes. Dry matter and crude protein values in meat were affected by genotype. The liver compositions, such as dry matter, crude fat, and crude protein, was significantly different from breast and thigh meat. It was found that the meat of Toulouse and Linda genotypes had lower SFA, n6/n3, and TI values, but higher MUFA, UFA, and crude protein values, making them superior to the meat of the Mast genotype. In the thigh meat, it was determined that lower SFA, AI, and TI values, and higher MUFA and UFA values, made it superior to the breast meat. In goose liver, DFA, NF and TI values were higher than the other tissues. Interactions were observed in the chemical composition and some fatty acids (P < 0.05). The femur and metatarsus bones of the Linda genotype were more durable than those of the Mast genotype due to their lower Robusticity indexes of femur and metatarsus bones. These results show that Linda and Toulouse geese are superior to the Mast genotype in terms of valuable fatty acids under intensive fattening. Additionally, the superior bone strength of Linda geese indicates that bone-related problems will be less common when this genotype is raised under intensive conditions., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Egg production performance is an important economic trait in the poultry industry. In previous studies, attention has often been paid to the growth and development of the ovaries, while there has been less research on the testicular tissue of male goose. Due to various factors, there are usually significant differences in the process of testicular spermatogenesis among different goose breeds. The Jilin white goose (JL) is a high-production local goose species in China, domesticated from Anser cygnoides, which has a high egg-laying performance and the egg-laying period can last from February to July. In the production of goose within Jilin Province, the female goose of Jilin White goose is considered as an important maternal parent of synthetic lines, and ganders from Hungarian white goose (HU), Wanxi white goose (WX) and Jilin white goose are the main male parents. Each year, all 3 gander species begin to exhibit breeding capacity in February and reach the peak of reproductive capacity by April, marked by high fertilization rates. With the gradual increase in temperature, the testicular tissue of Hungarian and Wanxi goose gradually diminishes in its ability to produce sperm. the testicular tissue undergoes significant shrinkage by the end of June, resulting in a near loss of sperm production capability, thereby yielding low fertilization rates. However, the Jilin White goose demonstrates the ability to maintain a stable sperm production capacity. Individuals with low sperm motility contribute to increased seed production costs and pose constraints on the industrial development of livestock and poultry varieties. In this study, transcriptomics and proteomics data from gooses testicular of 3 different goose breeds inclouding Jilin white goose, Wanxi white gooseand Hungary white goose sampled in 2 stages, peak of laying cycle (PLC) and end of laying cycle (ELC). In a comparative analysis between PLC and ELC groups (ELC vs. PLC) of 3 breeds, we identified 401,340,6651 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 18,225,323 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), respectively. Differentially expressed genes and proteins were significantly enriched in Gene Ontology (GO) terms such as phosphotransferase activity, cytoskeletal protein binding, microtubule motor activity, channel activity and carbohydrate metabolic process. The KEGG enrichment analysis of the DEGs in testicular showed that most differentially expressed mRNAs participate in the KEGG pathways, including ECM-receptor interaction, MAPK signaling pathway, carbon metabolism, Cell cycle, VEGF signaling pathway, Lipoic acid metabolism and p53 signaling pathway. The differential expression of 4 selected DEGs (SPAG6, NEK2, HSPA4L, SERF1A) was verified by qRT-PCR, and the results were consistent with RNA-seq data. In conclusion, this study reveals the differences in gene expression regulation in testicular tissues of different goose species, and screening candidate genes and proteins related to spermatogenesis., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors state that they have no known competing financial interests or personal ties that could have influenced the work reported in this study., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

1. This study investigates the molecular mechanisms affecting brooding in Zhedong white geese by examining differences in reproductive endocrine levels, ovarian histology and transcriptomics.2. Twenty 18-month-old Zhedong white geese were selected to examine their ovaries using histological, biochemical, molecular biological, and high-throughput sequencing techniques during the laying and brooding periods.3. The results showed that the number of atretic follicles and apoptotic cells in the ovaries increased significantly ( p  < 0.05), the levels of follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinising hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone and oestradiol decreased significantly ( p  < 0.05), and the level of prolactin increased significantly ( p  < 0.01) during the brooding stage.4. In broody geese, the expression of CASP3, CASP9, P53, BAX , and Cyt-c were considerably higher ( p  < 0.05), but BCL2 expression was significantly lower ( p  < 0.05).5. In ovarian tissues, 260 differentially expressed lncRNAs, 13 differentially expressed miRNA and 60 differentially expressed mRNA were all discovered using transcriptome sequencing analysis. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that the differentially expressed mRNA and non-coding RNA target genes were primarily involved in ECM-receptor interaction, cell adhesion, cardiac muscle contraction, mTOR signalling, and the calcium signalling pathway.6. In conclusion, follicular atrophy and apoptosis occurred in the ovaries and serum reproductive hormone levels were significantly changed during the brooding period of Zhedong white geese. COL3A1, COL1A2, GRIA1, RNF152 , miR-192, and miR-194 may be important candidates for the regulation of brooding behaviour, with the mTOR signalling pathway playing a key role.

Hybrid breeding has proven to enhance meat quality and is extensively utilized in goose breeding. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of research investigating the molecular mechanisms that underlie the meat quality of hybrid geese. In this study, we employed the Sichuan White Goose as the maternal line for hybridization with the Zhedong White Goose and Tianfu Meat Goose P3 line. We assessed the growth and slaughter meat quality performance of 10-wk-old hybrid offspring in comparison to Sichuan white goose purebred offspring. The results indicate that hybrid geese have significantly improved performance in growth and slaughter meat quality. Furthermore, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of the chest muscles of hybrid offspring through transcriptomics and metabolomics to unravel the effects of hybrid breeding on growth and meat quality. A total of 673 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and 93 differentially expressed metabolites were identified. The joint analysis highlighted the significant enrichment of DEGs AMPD1, AMPD3, RRM2, ENTPD3, and the metabolite UMP in the nucleotide metabolism pathway. These findings underscore the crucial role of these genetic and metabolic factors in regulating muscle growth and meat quality in hybrid populations., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

The Hungarian White Goose (Anser anser domesticus) is an excellent European goose breed, with high feather and meat production. Despite its importance in the poultry industry, no available genome assembly information has been published. This study aimed to present Chromosome-level and functional genome sequencing of the Hungarian White Goose. The results showed that the genome assembly has a total length of 1115.82 Mb, 39 pairs of chromosomes, 92.98% of the BUSCO index, and contig N50 and scaffold N50 were up to 2.32 Mb and 60.69 Mb, respectively. Annotation of the genome assembly revealed 19550 genes, 286 miRNAs, etc. We identified 235 expanded and 1,167 contracted gene families in this breed compared with the other 16 species. We performed a positive selection analysis between this breed and four species of Anatidae to uncover the genetic information underlying feather follicle development. Further, we detected the function of miR-199-x, miR-143-y, and miR-23-z on goose embryonic skin fibroblast. In summary, we have successfully generated a highly complete genome sequence of the Hungarian white goose, which will provide a great resource to improve our understanding of gene functions and enhance the studies on feather follicle development at the genomic level., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Yongfeng Sun reports financial support was provided by Jilin Provincial Science and Technology Department, Jilin Animal Husbandry Administration and Jilin Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I ( COI ) genes of six endangered goose breeds (Xupu, Yangjiang, Yan, Wuzong, Baizi, and Lingxian) were sequenced and compared to assess the genetic diversity of endangered goose breeds. By constructing phylogenetic trees and evolutionary maps of genetic relationships, the affinities and degrees of genetic variations among the six different breeds were revealed. A total of 92 polymorphic sites were detected in the 741 bp sequence of the mtDNA COI gene after shear correction, and the GC content of the processed sequence (51.11%) was higher than that of the AT content (48.89%). The polymorphic loci within the populations of five of the six breeds (Xupu, Yangjiang, Yan, Baizi, and Lingxian) were more than 10, the haplotype diversity > 0.5, and the nucleotide diversity (Pi) > 0.005, with the Baizi geese being the exception. A total of 35 haplotypes were detected based on nucleotide variation among sequences, and the goose breed haplotypes showed a central star-shaped dispersion; the FST values were -0.03781 to 0.02645, The greatest genetic differentiation (FST = 0.02645) was observed in Yan and Wuzong breeds. The most frequent genetic exchange (Nm > 15.00) was between the Wuzong and Yangjiang geese. An analysis of molecular variance showed that the population genetic variation mainly came from within the population; the base mismatch differential distribution analysis of the goose breeds and the Tajima's D and Fu's Fs neutral detection of the historical occurrence dynamics of their populations were negative ( p > 0.10). The distribution curve of the base mismatches showed a multimodal peak, which indicated that the population tended to be stabilised. These results provide important genetic information for the conservation and management of endangered goose breeds and a scientific basis for the development of effective conservation strategies.

Sperm mobility (SM) is an objective index for measuring sperm motility; however, the mechanisms underlying its regulation in geese remain unclear. The present study sought to elucidate the genetic mechanism underlying SM traits in Zi geese (Anser cygnoides L.). To this end, three successive experiments were performed. In Experiment I, SM was determined in 40 ganders; the 3 ganders with the highest mobility and three with the lowest mobility were assigned to the high and low sperm mobility rank (SMR) groups, respectively. In Experiment II, the differences in fertility between the two SMR groups were assessed within two breeding flocks comprising the selected six ganders from Experiment I and 30 females (each flock had 3 ganders and 15 females). In Experiment III, the testes of the 6 ganders were harvested for histological observation and whole-transcriptome sequencing. Results revealed better fertility, well-developed seminiferous tubules, and abundant mature sperm in the high-SMR-flock compared to those of the low-SMR-flock (89 vs. 81%) (P < 0.05). Differential expression (DE) analysis identified 76 mRNAs, 344 lncRNAs, and 17 miRNAs between the SMR groups, with LOC106049708, XPNPEP3, GNB3, ADCY8, PRKAG3, oha-miR-182-5p, and ocu-miR-10b-5p identified as key mRNAs and miRNAs contributing to SM. Enrichment analysis implicated these DE RNAs in pathways related to ATP binding, cell metabolism, apelin signaling, Wnt signaling, and Adherens junctions. Additionally, competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks comprising 9 DE mRNAs, 17 DE miRNAs, and 169 DE lncRNAs were constructed. Two ceRNA network pathways (LOC106049708-oha-miR-182-5p-MSTRG.2479.6 and PRKAG3-ocu-miR-10b-5p-MSTRG.9047.14) were identified as key regulators of SM in geese. These findings offer crucial insights into the identification of key genes and ceRNA pathways influencing sperm mobility in geese., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Goose creates important economic value depending on their enrich nutrients of meat. Our previous study investigates potential candidate genes associated with variations in meat quality between Xianghai Flying (XHF) Goose and Zi Goose through genomic and transcriptome integrated analysis. Screening of 5 differential expression candidate genes related to muscle development identified by the F ST , XP-EHH and RNA-seq in breast muscle from various geese. Among them, C1QTNF1 (C1q and TNF related protein 1), a gene of unknown function in goose, which observed mutations in coding sequence regions in sequencing data. Its function was explored after overexpression and knockdown which designed depending on the genetic sequence of the goose, respectively. Results showed that over-expression of C1QTNF1 significantly enhances cell proliferation and viability. In addition, the expression levels of the fusion marker gene Myomaker and the differentiation marker gene MyoD are significantly upregulated in cells. Knock-down C1QTNF1 leads to down regulated Myomaker and MyoD which involved muscle formation. But, the expression level of muscle atrophy marker MuRF is not significantly changed among different transfection groups. Since protein structures and interactions are closely related to their functions, we further analyzed the C1QTNF1 for physicochemical properties, structural predictions, protein interactions and homology. It can be reasonably inferred that C1QTNF1 has a similar effect to collagen, which may affect muscle development. In summary, we first speculate that C1QTNF1 may play an important regulatory role in muscle growth and development and thereby contributes to the further understanding of the genetic mechanisms that underlie meat quality traits of goose., Competing Interests: DISCLOSURES The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

1. Melanin distribution typically exhibits a gradient dilution along the dorsal-ventral axis of the body, including in domestic geese. However, the specific genes and molecular mechanisms responsible for this melanin distribution pattern remain incompletely understood.2. The transcriptomic comparisons were conducted at three embryonic stages, specifically on embryonic d 15 (E15), 22 (E22), and 29 (E29), between the pigmented dorsal skin and the depigmented distal foot.3. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with melanin synthesis were identified, particularly TYR , TYRP1 , and EDNRB2 , which exhibited significantly higher expression levels in the dorsal skin at E15 and E22. However, expression levels significantly decreased in later stages (E29).4. The ASIP gene showed remarkably high-expression levels in the distal feet compared to the dorsal skin post-E22 stage (log 2 FC: 5.31/6.88 at E22/E29). Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis detected eight terms associated with melanin synthesis and melanosome formation ( p  < 0.05), including melanosome membrane (GO: 0033162) and melanin biosynthetic process (GO: 0042438). Additionally, KEGG pathway analysis showed significant enrichment of the melanogenesis pathway (hsa004916) at d 22 (E22).

Magang geese are typical short-day breeders whose reproductive behaviors are significantly influenced by photoperiod. Exposure to a long-day photoperiod results in testicular regression and spermatogenesis arrest in Magang geese. To investigate the epigenetic influence of DNA methylation on the seasonal testicular regression in Magang geese, we conducted whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and transcriptome sequencing of testes across 3 reproductive phases during a long-day photoperiod. A total of 250,326 differentially methylated regions (DMR) were identified among the 3 comparison groups, with a significant number showing hypermethylation, especially in intronic regions of the genome. Integrating bisulfite sequencing with transcriptome sequencing data revealed that DMR-associated genes tend to be differentially expressed in the testes, highlighting a potential regulatory role for DNA methylation in gene expression. Furthermore, there was a significant negative correlation between changes in the methylation of CG DMRs and changes in the expression of their associated genes in the testes. A total of 3,359 DMR-associated differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified; functional enrichment analyses revealed that motor proteins, MAPK signaling pathway, ECM-receptor interaction, phagosome, TGF-beta signaling pathway, and calcium signaling might contribute to the testicular regression process. GSEA revealed that the significantly enriched activated hallmark gene set was associated with apoptosis and estrogen response during testicular regression, while the repressed hallmark gene set was involved in spermatogenesis. Our study also revealed that methylation changes significantly impacted the expression level of vitamin A metabolism-related genes during testicular degeneration, with hypermethylation of STRA6 and increased calmodulin levels indicating vitamin A efflux during the testicular regression. These findings were corroborated by pyrosequencing and real-time qPCR, which revealed that the vitamin A metabolic pathway plays a pivotal role in testicular degeneration under long-day conditions. Additionally, metabolomics analysis revealed an insufficiency of vitamin A and an abnormally high level of oxysterols accumulated in the testes during testicular regression. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that testicular degeneration in Magang geese induced by a long-day photoperiod is linked to vitamin A homeostasis disruption, which manifests as the hypermethylation status of STRA6, vitamin A efflux, and a high level of oxysterol accumulation. These findings offer new insights into the effects of DNA methylation on the seasonal testicular regression that occurs during long-day photoperiods in Magang geese., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Males and females have long shown disparities in body weight and height; yet, the underlying mechanisms influencing growth and development remain unclear. Male and female Zhedong White Geese (ZDW) geese have long been selected for large body size and egg production, respectively. This led to a large difference in body weight between males and females, making them a unique model for studying the effects of sex on growth and development. This study aimed to elucidate these mechanisms by comparing the transcriptomes of muscle and pituitary tissues in male and female ZDW geese to identify the critical genes responsible for the effects of sex on growth performance. Our analysis revealed 1101 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in leg musculature (507 upregulated, 594 downregulated), 773 DEGs in breast musculature (311 upregulated, 462 downregulated), and 517 DEGs in the pituitary gland (281 upregulated, 236 downregulated) between male and female geese. These DEGs were significantly enriched in gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways associated with endocrine metabolism (e.g., hormonal activities), muscle formation (e.g., sarcomere and myofibril), and bone formation (e.g., bone morphogenesis and cartilage formation). The upregulated genes in males were enriched in KEGG pathways involving nutrient digestion and absorption (vitamin and protein), as well as the secretion of digestive juices (gastric acid and bile). Through protein-protein interaction analyses, we also observed high-density gene networks related to muscle fiber development, calcium ion metabolism, mitochondrial respiratory chain, and bone development. Therefore, our multi-tissue transcriptome analysis provides a deeper understanding of the complex and systematic gender-driven effects on growth and development in geese. IGF1, GHRHR, and NCAPG-LCORL and pathways related to myogenesis might play vital roles in gender differences before hormones exert their effect., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Our study presents the assembly of a high-quality Taihu goose genome at the Telomere-to-Telomere (T2T) level. By employing advanced sequencing technologies, including Pacific Biosciences HiFi reads, Oxford Nanopore long reads, Illumina short reads, and chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C), we achieved an exceptional assembly. The T2T assembly encompasses a total length of 1,197,991,206 bp, with contigs N50 reaching 33,928,929 bp and scaffold N50 attaining 81,007,908 bp. It consists of 73 scaffolds, including 38 autosomes and one pair of Z/W sex chromosomes. Importantly, 33 autosomes were assembled without any gap, resulting in a contiguous representation. Furthermore, gene annotation efforts identified 34,898 genes, including 436,162 RNA transcripts, encompassing 806,158 exons, 743,910 introns, 651,148 coding sequences (CDS), and 135,622 untranslated regions (UTR). The T2T-level chromosome-scale goose genome assembly provides a vital foundation for future genetic improvement and understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying important traits in geese., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Sertoli cells (SC) are a type of important cells in the testes, which can provide transport proteins, regulatory proteins, growth factors, and other cytokines for the spermatogenic process. They participate in the regulation of the maturation and differentiation of spermatogenic cells and play an important supporting role in the migration, proliferation, and differentiation of germ cells at all levels in the testes. Previous studies found differential expression of LINC9137, miR-140-3p, and Sodium/Potassium Transporting ATPase Interacting 3 (NKAIN3) genesin high and low sperm motility goose testicular tissues. This study investigated the effects of the LINC9137-miR-140-3p-NKAIN3 signal axis on the proliferation and apoptosis of goose testicular sertoli cells at the cellular level, respectively. The results showed that through acridine orange staining, oil red O staining, Alkaline phosphatase (AKP) staining, and RT qPCR assay, it was comprehensively identified that the cultured testicular sertoli cells were purified in vitro. Through the dual luciferase activity detection test, it was found that LINC9137 has a targeted binding site with miR-140-3p and NKAIN3. In addition, this study found that overexpression of miR-140-3p significantly inhibited the expression of LINC9137 and NKAIN3 in sertoli cells, and their expression was significantly increased when miR-140-3p was interfered with. By measuring cell proliferation activity and apoptosis related gene expression, it was found that overexpression of LINC9137 decreased cell proliferation activity (P > 0.05), while the expression level of apoptosis factor Bcl2 Associated X Protein (Bax)/B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl2) increased (P > 0.05). On the contrary, when interfering with LINC9137, the cell proliferation activity of sertoli cells was significantly increased (P < 0.01), and the expression level of apoptosis factor Bax/Bcl2 was significantly reduced (P < 0.05); The effect of miR-140-3p on the proliferation and apoptosis of sertoli cells is opposite to that of LINC9137. Meanwhile, this study co transfected overexpressed LINC9137 and miR-140-3p plasmids into sertoli cells, and found that the effect of LINC9137 overexpression on supporting cell proliferation was weakened by miR-140-3p. This study elucidates the role and function of the LINC9137 miR-140-3p-NKAIN3 signaling axis in the development of goose testes and spermatogenesis, establishes a regulatory network related to spermatogenesis, and provides a theoretical basis for studying the genetic regulation of goose spermatogenesis., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

1. The Wulong goose is a Chinese breed and a source of high-quality meat and eggs. A characteristic of the Wulong goose is that a proportion of the birds do not have eyelids, known as the Huoyon trait.2. Wulong geese exhibiting the Huoyan trait at embryonic stages of 9 days (E9), 12 days (E12) and 14 days (E14) were selected alongside those with normal eyelids for comprehensive transcriptome sequencing. Differentially expressed gene (DEG) and functional enrichment analyses were performed and finally, eight DEG were chosen to verify the accuracy of qPCR sequencing.3. Overall, 466, 962 and 550 DEG were obtained from the three control groups, D9 vs . N9, D12 vs . N12 and D14 vs . N14, respectively, by differential analysis ( p  < 0.05). CDKN1C , CRH , CROCC and TYSND1 were significantly expressed in the three groups. Enrichment analysis revealed the enrichment of CROCC and TYSND1 in pathways of cell cycle process, endocytosis, microtubule-based process, microtubule organising centre organisation, protein processing and protein maturation. CDKN1C and CRH were enriched in the cell cycle and cAMP signalling pathway.4. Some collagen family genes were detected among the DEGs, including COL3A1 , COL4A5 , COL4A2 and COL4A1 . FREM1 and FREM2 genes were detected in both Huoyan and normal eyelids. There was a significant difference ( p  < 0.01) in FREM1 expression between ED9 and ED14 in female embryos, but this difference was not observed in male embryos.

Background: In day-old Hungarian white goose goslings, there is a noticeable difference in dorsal down coloration between males and females, with females having darker dorsal plumage and males having lighter plumage. The ability to autosex day-old goslings based on their dorsal down coloration is important for managing them efficiently and planning their nutrition in the poultry industry. The aim of this study was to determine the biological and genetic factors underlying this difference in dorsal down colorationthrough histological analysis, biochemical assays, transcriptomic profiling, and q‒PCR analysis., Results: Tissue analysis and biochemical assays revealed that compared with males, 17-day-old embryos and day-old goslings of female geese exhibited a greater density of melanin-containing feather follicles and a greater melanin concentration in these follicles during development. Both female and male goslings had lower melanin concentrations in their dorsal skin compared to 17-day-old embryos. Transcriptome analysis identified a set of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (MC1R, TYR, TYRP1, DCT and MITF) associated with melanogenesis pathways that were downregulated or silenced specifically in the dorsal skin of day-old goslings compared to 17-day-old embryos, affecting melanin synthesis in feather follicles. Additionally, two key genes (MC1R and MITF) associated with feather coloration showed differences between males and females, with females having higher expression levels correlated with increased melanin synthesis and darker plumage., Conclusion: The expression of multiple melanogenesis genes determines melanin synthesis in goose feather follicles. The dorsal down coloration of day-old Hungarian white goose goslings shows sexual dimorphism, likely due to differences in the expression of the MC1R and MITF genes between males and females. These results could help us better understand why male and female goslings exhibit different plumage patterns., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Goose is one of the most economically valuable poultry species and has a distinct appearance due to its possession of a knob. A knob is a hallmark of sexual maturity in goose ( Anser cygnoides ) and plays crucial roles in artificial selection, health status, social signaling, and body temperature regulation. However, the genetic mechanisms influencing the growth and development of goose knobs remain completely unclear. In this study, histomorphological and transcriptomic analyses of goose knobs in D70, D120, and D300 Yangzhou geese revealed differential changes in tissue morphology during the growth and development of goose knobs and the key core genes that regulate goose knob traits. Observation of tissue sections revealed that as age increased, the thickness of the knob epidermis, cuticle, and spinous cells gradually decreased. Additionally, fat cells in the dermis and subcutaneous connective tissue transitioned from loose to dense. Transcriptome sequencing results, analyzed through differential expression, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), and pattern expression analysis methods, showed D70-vs.-D120 (up-regulated: 192; down-regulated: 423), D70-vs.-D300 (up-regulated: 1394; down-regulated: 1893), and D120-vs.-D300 (up-regulated: 1017; down-regulated: 1324). A total of 6243 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, indicating varied expression levels across the three groups in the knob tissues of D70, D120, and D300 Yangzhou geese. These DEGs are significantly enriched in biological processes (BP) such as skin morphogenesis, the regulation of keratinocyte proliferation, and epidermal cell differentiation. Furthermore, they demonstrate enrichment in pathways related to goose knob development, including ECM-receptor interaction, NF-kappa B, and PPAR signaling. Through pattern expression analysis, three gene expression clusters related to goose knob traits were identified. The joint analysis of candidate genes associated with goose knob development and WGCNA led to the identification of key core genes influencing goose knob development. These core genes comprise WNT4 , WNT10A , TCF7L2 , GATA3 , ADRA2A , CASP3 , SFN , KDF1 , ERRFI1 , SPRY1 , and EVPL . In summary, this study provides a reference for understanding the molecular mechanisms of goose knob growth and development and provides effective ideas and methods for the genetic improvement of goose knob traits.

Goose down feather has become one of the most important economical products in the goose breeding industry and it provides several essential physiological roles in birds. Therefore, understanding and regulating the development of skin and feather follicles during embryogenesis is critical for avian biology and the poultry industry. MicroRNAs are known to play an important role in controlling gene expression during skin and feather follicle development. In this study, bioinformatics analysis was conducted to select miR-140-y as a potential miRNA involved in skin and feather follicle development and to predict TCF4 as its target gene. This gene was expressed at significant levels during embryonic feather follicle development, as identified by qPCR and Western blot. The targeting relationship was confirmed by a dual-luciferase assay in 293T cells. Then, the miR-140-y/TCF4 function in dermal fibroblast cells was explored. The results showed that miR-140-y could suppress the proliferation of goose embryonic dermal fibroblast cells (GEDFs) by suppressing the activity of some Wingless-types (Wnt) pathway related genes and proliferation marker genes, while miR-140-y inhibition led to the opposite effect. Similarly, the inhibition of the TCF4 gene results in blocking the proliferation of GEDFs by reducing the activity of some Wnt pathway-related genes. Finally, the co-transfection of miR-140-y inhibitor and siRNA-TCF4 results in a rescue of the TCF4 function and an increase of the Wnt signaling pathway and GEDFs proliferation. In conclusion, these results demonstrated that the miR-140-y-TCF4 axis influences the activity of the Wnt signaling pathway and works as a dynamic regulator during skin and feather follicle development., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Jilin white goose is an excellent local breed in China, with a high annual egg production and laying eggs mainly from February to July each year. The testis, as the only organ that can produce sperm, can affect the sexual maturity and fecundity of male animals. Its growth and development are affected and regulated by a variety of factors. Proteomics is generally applied to identify and quantify proteins in cells and tissues in order to understand the physiological or pathological changes that occur in tissues or cells under specific conditions. Currently, the female poultry reproductive system has been extensively studied, while few related studies focusing on the regulatory mechanism of the reproductive system of male poultry have been conducted., Results: A total of 1753 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were generated in which there were 594, 391 and 768 different proteins showing differential expression in three stages, Initial of Laying Cycle (ILC), Peak of Laying Cycle (PLC) and End of Laying Cycle (ELC). Furthermore, bioinformatics was used to analyze the DEPs. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment, Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis were adopted. All DEPs were found to be implicated in multiple biological processes and pathways associated with testicular development, such as renin secretion, Lysosomes, SNARE interactions in vesicle trafficking, the p53 signaling pathway and pathways related to metabolism. Additionally, the reliability of transcriptome results was verified by real-time quantitative PCR by selecting the transcript abundance of 6 selected DEPs at the three stages of the laying cycle., Conclusions: The funding in this study will provide critical insight into the complex molecular mechanisms and breeding practices underlying the developmental characteristics of testicles in Jilin white goose., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Accurate gender identification is crucial for the study of bird reproduction and evolution. The current study aimed to explore and evaluate the effectiveness of a noninvasive method for gender identification in Yangzhou geese. In this experiment, 600 goose eggs were collected. Hair root tissues were used for PCR amplification, molecular sequencing, and anal inversion for early sex recognition in goslings. According to the DNA amplification results for the feather pulp tissue of 2-wk-old geese, bands appeared at 436 bp (CHD1-Z) and 330 bp (CHD1-W) upon gel electrophoresis. This method considered the base of goose feathers to accelerate the process of gender recognition. By examining the sex of anatomized poultry for verification, the accuracy rate of PCR gel electrophoresis and molecular sequencing sex identification was 100%, whereas the average accuracy rate of anal inversion was 97.41%. In the comparison of feather growth trends at 0 to 18 wk of age, the feather root weight (FRW), feather root length (FRL), feather branch length (FBL), and feather shaft diameter (FSD) of Yangzhou goose of the same age were not significantly different between males and females (P > 0.05). At 6 wk of age, the FRW, FRL, and FSD in males and FRL in females increased rapidly; their growth increased by 84.43, 67.58, 45.10, and 69.42%, respectively. At 10 wk of age, the male FRL, male FBL, and female FBL increased by 37.31, 34.81, and 21.72, respectively. The Boltzmann model was found to be the best-fitting model for the feathers of male Yangzhou geese. Early sex identification based on feather growth trends between the sexes is not feasible. This study provides a convenient and reliable technical means for early sex identification of waterfowl and serves as an ecological strategy for protecting the reproduction of poultry populations., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Documentation on the domestic geese (Anser anser) in Benin is scarce, making it objectively difficult to exploit. Its production depends on small flocks raised by livestock farmers in different areas. The aim of the study was to describe the phenotypic and morphometric characteristics of geese encountered in northern Benin. To this end, a total of 576 adult geese (353 males and 223 females) from 102 farms in 4 agro-ecological zones of northern Benin were evaluated for 11 quantitative and 5 qualitative body traits. There are 6 plumage colors with white (42.01%), white-brown magpie (24.65%) and white-grey magpie (17.19%) as dominant colors. The proportions of white-grey (75%) and multicolored (51.85%) in Far northern zone of Benin (FNZB) were higher (P < 0.05) than those in the cotton zone of northern Benin (CZNB), Food-producing zone of southern Borgou (FZSB) and West-Atacora Zone (WAZ). The red coloring of the tarsi was more dominant in the FZSB (63.09%) and the FZSB (61.79%) (P < 0.05). Orange (57.47%) and yellow (28.82%) colored beaks were dominant but did not vary (P > 0.05) from one agro-ecological zone to another. Quantitative traits such as body length, tarsus length, wing span and thoracic circumference of geese varied (P < 0.05) between 71.34 to73.22 cm, 10.08 to 10.6 cm, 131.95 to 135.42 cm and between 42.07 to 43.86 cm respectively. Males differed significantly from females (P < 0.05) for all morphometric traits. The live weight of geese in the FNZB showed higher values than those of other agro-ecological zones (P ˂ 0.05). In addition, white phenotype geese (3.76 kg) were heavier (P ˂ 0.05) than other phenotypes. All correlations between weight and body measurements of domestic geese were positive, but the correlations between live weight and wing span (r = 0.68) were the strongest. These correlations could be used to assess the live weight of the geese population studied and for selection based on live weight. This study provides a reference for morpho-biometric traits and will be complemented by molecular characterization., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Age at first egg (AFE) has consistently garnered interest as a crucial reproductive indicator within poultry production. Previous studies have elucidated the involvement of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axes in regulating poultry sexual maturity. Concurrently, there was evidence suggesting a potential co-regulatory relationship between these 2 axes. However, as of now, no comprehensive exploration of the key pathways and genes responsible for the crosstalk between the HPO and HPT axes in the regulation of AFE has been reported. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of morphological differences and performed transcriptomic analysis on the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, and ovarian stroma between normal laying group (NG) and abnormal laying group (AG). Morphological results showed that the thyroid index difference (D-) value (thyroid index D-value=right thyroid index-left thyroid index) was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in the NG than in the AG, while the ovarian index was significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the NG than in the AG. Furthermore, between NG and AG, we identified 99, 415, 167, and 1182 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, and ovarian stroma, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) analysis highlighted that DEGs from 4 tissues were predominantly enriched in the "biological processes" category. Additionally, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed that 16, 14, 3, and 26 KEGG pathways were significantly enriched (P < 0.05) in the hypothalamus, pituitary, thyroid, and ovarian stroma. The MAPK signaling pathway emerged as the sole enriched pathway across all 4 tissues. Employing an integrated analysis of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network and correlation analysis, we found GREB1 emerged as a pivotal component within the HPO axis to regulate estrogen-related signaling in the HPT axis, meanwhile, the HPT axis influenced ovarian development by regulating thyroid hormone-related signaling mainly through OPN5. Then, 10 potential candidate genes were identified, namely IGF1, JUN, ERBB4, KDR, PGF, FGFR1, GREB1, OPN5, DIO3, and THRB. These findings establish a foundation for elucidating the physiological and genetic mechanisms by which the HPO and HPT axes co-regulate goose AFE., (Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

As the largest peripheral lymphoid organ in poultry, the spleen plays an essential role in regulating the body's immune capacity. However, compared with chickens and ducks, information about the age- and breed-related changes in the goose spleen remains scarce. In this study, we systematically analyzed and compared the age-dependent changes in the morphological, histological, and transcriptomic characteristics between Landes goose (LG; Anser anser ) and Sichuan White goose (SWG; Anser cygnoides ). The results showed a gradual increase in the splenic weights for both LG and SWG until week 10, while their splenic organ indexes reached the peak at week 6. Meanwhile, the splenic histological indexes of both goose breeds continuously increased with age, reaching the highest levels at week 30. The red pulp (RP) area was significantly higher in SWG than in LG at week 0, while the splenic corpuscle (AL) diameter was significantly larger in LG than in SWG at week 30. At the transcriptomic level, a total of 1710 and 1266 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between week 0 and week 30 were identified in spleens of LG and SWG, respectively. Meanwhile, a total of 911 and 808 DEGs in spleens between LG and SWG were identified at weeks 0 and 30, respectively. Both GO and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the age-related DEGs of LG or SWG were dominantly enriched in the Cell cycle, TGF-beta signaling, and Wnt signaling pathways, while most of the breed-related DEGs were enriched in the Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, ECM-receptor interaction, and metabolic pathways. Furthermore, through construction of protein-protein interaction networks using significant DEGs, it was inferred that three hub genes including BUB1, BUB1B , and TTK could play crucial roles in regulating age-dependent goose spleen development while GRIA2 , GRIA4 , and RYR2 could be crucial for the breed-specific goose spleen development. These data provide novel insights into the splenic developmental differences between Chinese and European domestic geese, and the identified crucial pathways and genes are helpful for a better understanding of the mechanisms regulating goose immune functions., Competing Interests: The 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 Hu, Song, Li, Chen, Tang, Chen, Yang, Yan, Wang, Wang, Hu, He, Li and Wang.)

Since 2021, a novel strain of goose reovirus (GRV) has emerged within the goose farming industry in Guangdong province, China. This particular viral variant is distinguished by the presence of white necrotic foci primarily localized in the liver and spleen, leading to substantial economic losses for the poultry industry. However, the etiology, prevalence and genomic characteristics of the causative agent have not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, we conducted an epidemiological inquiry employing suspected GRV samples collected from May 2021 to September 2022. The macroscopic pathological and histopathological lesions associated with GRV-infected clinical specimens were examined. Moreover, we successfully isolated the GRV strain and elucidated the complete genome sequence of the isolate GD21/88. Through phylogenetic and recombination analysis, we unveiled that the GRV strains represent a novel variant resulting from multiple reassortment events. Specifically, the μNS, λC, and σNS genes of GRV were found to have originated from chicken reovirus, while the σA gene of GRV exhibited a higher degree of similarity with a novel duck reovirus. The remaining genes of GRV were traced back to Muscovy duck reovirus. Collectively, our findings underscore the significance of GRV as a pathogenic agent impacting the goose farming industry. The insights gleaned from this study contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology of GRV in Southern China and shed light on the genetic reassortment events exhibited by the virus., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Geese evolved from migratory birds, and when they consume excessive high-energy feed, glucose is converted into triglycerides. A large amount of triglyceride deposition can induce incomplete oxidation of fatty acids, leading to lipid accumulation in the liver and the subsequent formation of fatty liver. In the Chaoshan region of Guangdong, China, Shitou geese develop a unique form of fatty liver through 24 h overfeeding of brown rice. To investigate the mechanisms underlying the formation of fatty liver in Shitou geese, we collected liver samples from normally fed and overfed geese. The results showed that the liver size in the treatment group was significantly larger, weighing 3.5 times more than that in the control group. Extensive infiltration of lipid droplets was observed in the liver upon staining of tissue sections. Biochemical analysis revealed that compared to the control group, the treatment group showed significantly elevated levels of total cholesterol (T-CHO), triglycerides (TG), and glycogen in the liver. However, no significant differences were observed in the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), which are common indicators of liver damage. Furthermore, we performed a combined transcriptomic and lipidomic analysis of the liver samples and identified 1,510 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1,559 significantly differentially abundant metabolites (SDMs). The enrichment analysis of the DEGs revealed their enrichment in metabolic pathways, cellular process-related signaling pathways, and specific lipid metabolism pathways. We also conducted KEGG enrichment analysis of the SDMs and compared them with the enriched signaling pathways obtained from the DEGs. In this study, we identified 3 key signaling pathways involved in the formation of fatty liver in Shitou geese, namely, the biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids, glycerol lipid metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. In these pathways, genes such as glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase, mitochondrial (GPAM), 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 2 (AGPAT2), diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2), lipase, endothelial (LIPG), lipoprotein lipase (LPL), phospholipase D family member 4 (PLD4), and phospholipase A2 group IVF (PLA2G4F) may regulate the synthesis of metabolites, including triacylglycerol (TG), phosphatidate (PA), 1,2-diglyceride (DG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylcholine (PC). These genes and metabolites may play a predominant role in the development of fatty liver, ultimately promoting the accumulation of TG in the liver and leading to the progression of fatty liver., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Zi goose is a famous indigenous breed originating from northeast China with high annual egg production. Xianghai flying goose is a composite breed and is bred by crosses of the wild swan goose and the Zi goose. Our previous study revealed significant differences in muscle fiber characteristics between the two populations. Here, we aimed to reveal the underlying genetic basis of the above phenotype differences through whole-genome and transcriptome analysis. A total of 20 blood samples (10 Zi geese and 10 Xianghai flying geese) were used for whole genome sequencing, and eight breast muscle tissue samples (four Zi geese and four Xianghai flying geese) were used for RNA sequencing. Using the F ST and XP-EHH analysis, some highly differentiated genome regions annotated with egg production (RORB, WNT4, BMPR1B) and breast muscle development (WNT7B) between the two populations were detected. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed differentially expressed genes related to muscle development (IGF1, PAX7). Moreover, several genes were detected by both genome and transcriptome analysis, and some of them were reported to be associated with muscle growth (SLIT2, PREX1) and intramuscular fat (COL6A1). These findings will help researchers better understand the genetic basis related to egg production and muscle development in geese., (© 2023 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

Betaine is widely used as a feed additive in the chicken industry to promote laying performance and growth performance, yet it is unknown whether betaine can be used in geese to improve the laying performance of goose breeders and the growth traits of offspring goslings. In this study, laying goose breeders at 39 wk of age were fed basal (Control, CON) or betaine-supplemented diets at low (2.5 g/kg, LBT) or high (5 g/kg, HBT) levels for 7 wk, and the breeder eggs laid in the last week were collected for incubation. Offspring goslings were examined at 35 and 63 d of age. The laying rate tended to be increased (P = 0.065), and the feed efficiency of the breeders was improved by betaine supplementation, while the average daily gain of the offspring goslings was significantly increased (P < 0.05). Concentrations of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF-2) in serum and liver were significantly increased in the HBT group (P < 0.05), with age-dependent alterations of serum T3 levels. Concurrently, hepatic mRNA expression of the IGF gene family was significantly increased in goslings derived from betaine-treated breeders (P < 0.05). A higher ratio of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA)-immunopositive nuclei was found in the liver sections of the HBT group, which was confirmed by significantly upregulated hepatic expression of PCNA mRNA and protein (P < 0.05). Moreover, hepatic expression of thyroxine deiodinase type 1 (Dio1) and thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ) was also significantly upregulated in goslings of the HBT group (P < 0.05). These changes were associated with significantly higher levels of global DNA 5-mC methylation, together with increased expression of methyl transfer genes (P < 0.05), including betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT), glycine N-methyltransferase (GNMT), and DNA (cytosine-5-)-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1). The promoter regions of IGF-2 genes, as well as the predicted TRβ binding site on the IGF-2 gene, were significantly hypomethylated (P < 0.05). These results indicate that gosling growth can be improved by dietary betaine supplementation in goose breeders via epigenetic modulation of the IGF gene family, especially IGF-2, in the liver., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

This article aimed to detect the existence of barley-specific Nikita and Sukkula retrotransposons in domestic geese samples and to evaluate the evolutionary relationships between these and other transposons belonging to the family Anatidae. Inter-retrotransposonamplified polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction (IRAP-PCR) method was performed for these retrotransposons movements in three diverse domestic goose populations (Chinese x Embden crossbred, Turkish White, and Turkish Multicolor). Polymorphism ratios were between 0 and 33% in all samples for Nikita and 0-73% in all samples for Sukkula . In addition, intrapopulation genetic polymorphism rates were also 0-15% in Chinese x Embden crossbred, 0-25% in Turkish White, 0-25% in Turkish Multicolor for Nikita ; while 0-27% in Chinese x Embden, and 0-50% in Turkish Multicolor for Sukkula . There was no polymorphism for Sukkula among Turkish White samples. Moreover, the neighbour-joining method was used for phylogenetic tree construction using 38 sequences of different ducks, geese, and swans. In silico analyses supported the transitions of retrotransposons in the family Anatidae. It is concluded that transposon mobility among the phylogenetically distant species may lead to understanding evolutionary relationships. This report is one of the first studies investigating retrotransposon movements in domestic geese, revealing a new perspective on the goose genome regarding mobile genetic elements.

The use of essential oils has recently increased in the poultry sector. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of essential oil mixture (juniper, mint, oregano and rosemary oil) on fatty acid oxidation and lipogenic gene expression in geese. Research groups were formed as C (control; no additives), EK1 (0.4 ml/l essential oil mixture supplemented) and EK2 (0.8 ml/l essential oil mixture supplemented). Relative expression levels of genes included in lipogenesis (ACCα, ChREBP, FASN, LXRα and SREBP-1) expression levels of genes included in fatty acid oxidation (ACOX1, CPT1, CPT1A, PPARα and PPARγ) were measured using RT-qPCR. Group EK1 upregulates the mRNA expression levels of genes involved in lipogenesis such as ACCα, ChREBP and SREBP-1, while it downregulates the mRNA expression in levels of all genes involved in fatty acid oxidation. Group EK2 increases the mRNA expression levels of genes involved in lipogenesis such as ACCα, FASN and SREBP-1, while it decreased mRNA expression at the levels of all genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, as in the other group. In the study, adding an essential oil mixture to drinking water is predicted to increase fatty liver because it upregulates genes related to fat synthesis (lipogenesis) and downregulates genes related to fat degradation (fatty acid oxidation)., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature B.V.)

Background: Improving the egg production of goose is a crucial goal of breeding, because genetics is the key factor affecting egg production. Thus, we sequenced the genomes of 55 Chinese indigenous geese from six breeds, which were divided into the high egg-laying group (ZE, HY, and SC) and low egg-laying group (ZD, LH, and ST). Based on the results of the inter-population selection signal analysis, we mined the selected genome regions in the high egg-laying germplasm population to identify the key candidate genes affecting the egg-laying traits., Results: According to the whole-genome sequencing data, the average sequencing depth reached 11.75X. The genetic relationships among those six goose breeds coincided with the breed's geographical location. The six selective signal detection results revealed that the most selected regions were located on Chr2 and Chr12. In total, 12,051 single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites were selected in all six methods. Using the enrichment results of candidate genes, we detected some pathways involved in cell differentiation, proliferation, and female gonadal development that may cause differences in egg production. Examples of these pathways were the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway (IGF2, COMP, and FGFR4), animal organ morphogenesis (IGF2 and CDX4), and female gonad development (TGFB2)., Conclusion: On analyzing the genetic background of six local goose breeds by using re-sequencing data, we found that the kinship was consistent with their geographic location. 107 egg-laying trait-associated candidate genes were mined through six selection signal analysis. Our study provides a critical reference for analyzing the molecular mechanism underlying differences in reproductive traits and molecular breeding of geese., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Insulin-like growth factors 2 (IGF2) is an insulin-like growth factor that plays a major role in animal growth, cell proliferation and differentiation, as well as reproduction. IGF2 is well-known to be a candidate gene of growth and reproductive traits in many agricultural animals. Our previous study revealed that the G63A (Chr2: G26541617A) mutation within IGF2 exon 1 showed a significant association with egg numbers (E180d) of Sanhua goose population ( p  < 0.05). However, little work focus on the correlation between the IGF2 mutations and goose growth traits. In this study, qPCR indicated that the IGF2 mRNA highly expressed in leg muscle, liver, ovary and pituitary gland. Meanwhile, association analysis showed that the G63A mutation was significantly associated with the body weight of first-hatched Zhedong-White geese (BW0, p  < 0.05), and strongly significantly associated with the BW2, BW4, BW6, BW8 and BW10 ( p  < 0.01). The GG homozygous had the lowest BW (from 4 weeks to 10 weeks) than those of AA and AG genotypes ( p  < 0.01), and the allele A was also positively correlated with the BW of the Zhedong-White goose population. Therefore, the G63A mutation in IGF2 may be an important genetic marker for goose breeding.

The Swan goose and Greylag goose are species of geese native to East Asia and Europe, respectively, and are widely believed to be the ancestors of Chinese and European domesticated geese. The Yili goose (YL) and European domestic geese originated from the Greylag goose, but the history of domestication is unclear. In this study, we sequenced and analyzed the genome of the YL goose and the Hortobagy goose to combine with other previously sequenced goose populations for in-depth analysis. The population genetic variations in Stone geese, East Zhejiang White Geese, Taihu geese and Zi geese were also identified and compared. The results showed that admixture gene flow existed in the YL geese population, which was introgressed by Chinese geese, suggesting that gene flow events were frequent and widespread among domesticated geese. Further selected sweep analysis identified candidate genes and metabolic pathways that may be related to the differences in morphology. Several genes such as TGFBR3L, CMYA5, FOXD1, ARHGEF28 and SUCLG2 are associated with growth, reproduction and fertility traits. The results of this study will help to understand the genetic characteristics of domestic geese and the genes affecting important traits and provide a basis for the improved breed of domestic geese., (© 2023 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

The ovarian circadian clock plays a regulatory role in the avian ovulation-oviposition cycle. However, little is known regarding the ovarian circadian clock of geese. In this study, we investigated rhythmic changes in clock genes over a 48-h period and identified potential clock-controlled genes involved in progesterone synthesis in goose ovarian preovulatory granulosa cells. The results showed that BMAL1, CRY1, and CRY2, as well as 4 genes (LHR, STAR, CYP11A1, and HSD3B) involved in progesterone synthesis exhibited rhythmic expression patterns in goose ovarian preovulatory granulosa cells over a 48-h period. Knockdown of BMAL1 decreased the progesterone concentration and downregulated STAR mRNA and protein levels in goose ovarian preovulatory granulosa cells. Overexpression of BMAL1 increased the progesterone concentration and upregulated the STAR mRNA level in goose ovarian preovulatory granulosa cells. Moreover, we demonstrated that the BMAL1/CLOCK complex activated the transcription of goose STAR gene by binding to an E-box motif. These results suggest that the circadian clock is involved in the regulation of progesterone synthesis in goose ovarian preovulatory granulosa cells by orchestrating the transcription of steroidogenesis-related genes., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) belongs to the member of the insulin-like growth factors family, which plays key roles in animal growth, differentiation and proliferation, as well as reproduction and the regulation of ovarian follicle development. However, little is known about the goose IGF2 gene. In this study, a 1879   bp fragment that covered the complete coding region (CDS) of goose IGF2 cDNA was identified for the first time. The cDNA consists of an open reading frame of 574 nucleotides with the capacity to encode a prepro-IGF-II protein of 187 amino acids, which comprises a signal peptide (24 residues), IGF-II peptide (67 residues), and C-terminal peptide (96 residues), and is closely related to that of chicken. qPCR indicates that the goose IGF2 mRNA is differentially expressed in all examined tissues of fertilized eggs (28 days) and laying Zhedong White geese (270 days). Two novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in exon 1 (G63A, Chr2: G26541617A) and intron 1 (G38A, Chr2: G26541479A) regions, and the synonymous mutation G63A showed a significant association with egg numbers (E180d) of Sanhua goose population ( p   <   0.05). All the information derived from this study could be valuable and facilitate further studies on the functions of goose IGF2 gene.

Goose astroviruses (GoAstVs) are causative agents that account for fatal infection of goslings characterized by visceral urate deposition, resulting in severe economic losses in major goose-producing regions in China since 2017. In this study, we sought to unravel the intrinsic properties associated with adaptation and evolution in the host environment of GoAstVs. Consistent results from phylogenetic analysis and correspondence analysis performed on the codon usage patterns (CUPs) reveal 2 clusters of GoAstVs, namely, GoAstV-1 and GoAstV-2. However, multiple similar compositional characteristics were found, despite the high divergence between GoAstV-1 and GoAstV-2. Studies on the base composition of GoAstVs reveal an A/U bias, indicating a compositional constraint, while natural selection prevailed in determining the CUPs in the virus genome based on our neutrality plot analysis, reflecting high adaptive pressure to fit the host environment. Codon adaptation index (CAI) analysis revealed a higher degree of fitness to the CUPs of the corresponding host for GoAstVs than avian influenza virus and betacoronaviruses, which may be a favorable factor contributing to the high pathogenicity and wide distribution of GoAstVs in goslings. In addition, GoAstVs were less adapted to ducks and chickens, with significantly lower CAI values than to geese, which may be a reason for the different prevalence of GoAstVs among these species. Extensive investigations on dinucleotide distribution revealed a significant suppression of the CpG and UpA motifs in the virus genome, which may facilitate adaptation to the host's innate immune system by evading surveillance. In addition, our study reported the trends of increasing fitness to the host's microenvironment for GoAstVs through increasing adaptation to host CUPs and ongoing reduction of CpG motifs in the virus genome. The present analysis deepens our understanding of the basic biology, pathogenesis, adaptation and evolutionary pattern of GoAstVs, and contributes to the development of novel antiviral strategies., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The study was conducted to find out the candidate microRNA (miRNA) and genes that associated with sperm motility of Yili goose through small RNA sequencing of testicular tissue of Yili goose, and provide a theoretical basis for the study of the regulation mechanism of sperm motility of Yili goose gander., Results: In this study, five male geese with high sperm motility and five male geese with low sperm motility were slaughtered to obtain their testis tissues for small RNA sequencing, and biological information methods were used for data analysis. The results showed that a total of 1575 known miRNAs and 68 novel miRNAs were identified in the testis tissue of Yili goose, and 71 differentially expressed miRNAs and 660 differentially expressed genes were screened. GO functional analysis showed that miRNAs target genes were mainly involved in the binding, kinase activity, structural constituent of cytoskeleton and intermediate filament cytoskeleton. KEGG functional analysis showed that miRNAs target genes were significantly enriched in arginine and proline metabolism, glycolysis / gluconeogenesis, fructose and mannose metabolism and beta-Alanine metabolism and other pathways. miRNAs-mRNAs interaction network suggests miR-140/miR-140-3p/miR-140-3p-NKAIN3, let-7d-BTG1 and miR-145-5p/miR -145a-5p-CLEC2E may play an important role in testis development and spermatogenesis., Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the sperm motility of Yili goose may be regulated by different miRNAs, and the target genes are significantly enriched in pathways related to sperm metabolism, indicating that miRNAs affect the sperm motility of Yili goose by regulating the metabolic process of sperm and the expression of related genes. This study can provide a reference for revealing the regulation mechanism of Yili goose sperm motility at the molecular level., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

This study aimed to investigate the role of the LCORL gene in regulating the growth performance of Zhedong white (ZDW) geese, belonging to the swan geese (Anser cygnoides), and identify possible selective signatures in diverse goose breeds. Single nucleotide polymorphisms around LCORL were genotyped, and their associations with body-size-related (BSR) traits were estimated. The results showed that the genotyped loci upstream of LCORL were significantly related to the body weight and breast width of ZDW geese aged 10 weeks (p < 0.05). A genome scan comparing expected heterozygosity among different breeds identified a ~150 kb long genomic region with extremely low heterozygosity downstream of LCORL among swan geese. Further, significant associations of variants within the low heterozygosity region among ZDW geese with BSR traits, including body weight, body length and breast width (p < 0.05) were also detected. Overall, mutations adjacent to LCORL were related to the growth performance of swan geese, and the significant effects of variants in a low-heterozygosity region on BSR traits provided valuable insights into the molecular mechanism of artificial selection reshaping body stature in swan geese., (© 2023 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.)

The granulosa cells play an important role in the fate of follicular development or atresia in poultry. Fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12) is downregulated in atretic follicles and may be involved in regulating granulosa cell survival in previous studies, but its molecular mechanism remains unclear. In this study, FGF12 overexpression and knockdown models of goose granulosa cells were constructed to investigate its function. The downstream expression of the cell cycle pathway was analyzed by qPCR. Granulosa cell proliferative activity and apoptosis were detected by CCK8 and TUNEL. Protein phosphorylation levels of ERK and AKT were measured using Western blotting to analyze the key pathway of FGF12 regulation of granulosa cell proliferation. ERK protein phosphorylation inhibitor was added for further verification. After overexpression of FGF12, cell proliferation activity was increased, the expressions of cell cycle pathway genes CCND1, CCNA2, MAD2, and CHK1 were upregulated, the apoptosis of granulosa cell was decreased, and Caspase 3 gene and protein expression were downregulated. After the knockdown of FGF12, cell proliferation activity decreased, the expression of downstream genes in the cell cycle pathway was downregulated, the apoptosis of granulosa cells was increased, and the Bcl-2 gene and protein were downregulated. Overexpression of FGF12 promoted the synthesis of P4 and upregulates the expression of the STAR gene. Overexpression of FGF12 promoted ERK protein phosphorylation but did not affect AKT phosphorylation. The addition of ERK phosphorylation inhibitors resulted in the elimination of the increase in cell proliferative activity caused by FGF12 overexpression. In conclusion, FGF12 could promote proliferation and inhibit apoptosis of goose granulosa cells by increasing ERK phosphorylation., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Wulong geese (Anser cygnoides orientalis) are known for their excellent egg-laying performance. However, they show considerable population differences in egg-laying behavior. This study combined genome-wide selection signal analysis with transcriptome analysis (RNA-seq) to identify the genes related to high egg production in Wulong geese., Results: A total of 132 selected genomic regions were screened using genome-wide selection signal analysis, and 130 genes related to high egg production were annotated in these regions. These selected genes were enriched in pathways related to egg production, including oocyte meiosis, the estrogen signaling pathway, the oxytocin signaling pathway, and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Furthermore, a total of 890 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 340 up-regulated and 550 down-regulated genes, were identified by RNA-seq. Two genes - GCG and FAP - were common to the list of selected genes and DEGs. A non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism was identified in an exon of FAP., Conclusions: Based on genome-wide selection signal analysis and transcriptome data, GCG and FAP were identified as candidate genes associated with high egg production in Wulong geese. These findings could promote the breeding of Wulong geese with high egg production abilities and provide a theoretical basis for exploring the mechanisms of reproductive regulation in poultry., (© 2023. BioMed Central Ltd., part of Springer Nature.)

To explore the differences in body-weight traits of five goose breeds and analyze their genetic diversity and historical dynamics, we collected body-weight data statistics and used Sanger sequencing to determine the mitochondrial DNA of 100 samples of five typical goose breeds in China and abroad. The results indicated that Lion-Head, Hortobagy, and Yangzhou geese have great breeding potential for body weight. Thirteen polymorphic sites were detected in the corrected 505 bp sequence of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) ND6 gene, accounting for approximately 2.57% of the total number of sites. The guanine-cytosine (GC) content (51.7%) of the whole sequence was higher than the adenine-thymine (AT) content (48.3%), showing a certain GC base preference. There were 11 haplotypes among the five breeds, including one shared haplotype. We analyzed the differences in the distribution of base mismatches among the five breeds and conducted Tajima's D and Fu's Fs neutral tests on the historical dynamics of the populations. The distribution of the mismatch difference presented an unsmooth single peak and the Tajima's D value of the neutral test was negative (D < 0) and reached a significant level, which proves that the population of the three species had expanded; the Lion-Head goose population tends to be stable. The genetic diversity of Lion-Head, Zhedong White, Yangzhou, and Taihu geese was equal to the average diversity of Chinese goose breeds. The Hortobagy goose is a foreign breed with differences in mating line breeding and hybrid advantage utilization.

Geese have strong brooding abilities, which severely affect their egg-laying performance. Phosphorylation is widely involved in regulating reproductive activities, but its role in goose brooding behavior is unclear. In this study, we investigated differences in the phosphoprotein composition of ovarian tissue between laying and brooding geese. Brooding geese exhibited ovarian and follicular atrophy, as well as significant oxidative stress and granulosa cell apoptosis. We identified 578 highly phosphorylated proteins and 281 lowly phosphorylated proteins, and a KEGG pathway analysis showed that these differentially phosphorylated proteins were mainly involved in cell apoptosis, adhesion junctions, and other signaling pathways related to goose brooding behavior. The extracellular regulated protein kinase (ERK)-B-Cell Lymphoma 2(BCL 2 ) signaling pathway was identified as playing an important role in regulating cell apoptosis. The phosphorylation levels of ERK proteins were significantly lower in brooding geese than in laying geese, and the expression of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) was downregulated. Overexpression of MEK led to a significant increase in ERK phosphorylation and BCL2 transcription in H 2 O 2 -induced granulosa cells ( p < 0.05), partially rescuing cell death. Conversely, granulosa cells receiving MEK siRNA exhibited the opposite trend. In conclusion, geese experience significant oxidative stress and granulosa cell apoptosis during brooding, with downregulated MEK expression, decreased phosphorylation of ERK protein, and inhibited expression of BCL2 ., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Physiological mechanisms of seasonal changes in testicular function in birds are not fully elucidated. The balance between androgens and estrogens and testis sensitivity for gonadotropin and gonadal steroids are still unclear. The aim of the study was to examine: (1) the changes in circulating and intra-testicular steroid hormone levels and their relationship; (2) the mRNA expression of testicular gonadotropin, prolactin (PRL), progesterone (P4), androgen, and estrogen receptors, and (3) key steroidogenesis processes-related genes with immunofluorescent localization of aromatase in gander testes during the annual period. Testes from ganders (n = 25) in the first reproduction season were obtained at five breeding stages, i.e., prebreeding (PrB), peak of reproduction (PR), postbreeding (PoB), nonbreeding (NB), and onset of reproduction (OR). Males were kept under breeding conditions. It was found that plasma P4 levels decreased at the PoB and NB stages, whereas intra-testicular P4 was the highest in the NB stage. Intra-testicular estradiol (E2) levels were higher at the PoB and NB stages than the other stages, whereas testosterone (T) levels showed a nearly opposite pattern. The plasma estradiol-to-testosterone ratios were higher at the PrB, PoB and NB stages compared to other stages. The transcript abundances for luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), PRL receptor (PRLR), estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), and estrogen receptor beta (ERβ) also change in testicular tissue during the annual period. Moreover, StAR mRNA expression was upregulated at the PoB and NB stages, and CYP11A1 transcript level was the highest at the PoB stage. Stage-dependent changes in the CYP19A1 mRNA and aromatase protein levels with higher abundances of transcript at PoB and NB stages and protein at the NB stage were observed. Localization and immunofluorescent signal intensity for aromatase also differed in relation to the examined stages. It may be suggested that differential E2 levels, as well as aromatase expression and localization across annual stages are responsible for the seasonal activation/inactivation stages of testis spermatogenesis in domestic ganders. These data strongly suggest a role of aromatase in the control of gander steroidogenesis as changes in this enzyme level are associated with alternation in gonadal steroid hormones. In addition, joint action with others hormones, like PRL and LH, seems to be important in the final effect of seasonal reproduction potential., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The development of asymmetric chick gonads involves separate developmental programs in the left and right gonads. In contrast to the left ovary developing into a fully functional reproductive organ, the right ovary undergoes gradual degeneration. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the the degeneration of the right ovary remain incompletely understood. In the present study, we investigated the histomorphological and transcriptomic changes in the right ovary of ducks and geese during the the embryonic stage up to post-hatching day 1., Result: Hematoxylin-eosin stainings revealed that the right ovary developed until embryonic day 20 in ducks (DE20) or embryonic day 22 in geese (GE22), after which it started to regress. Further RNA-seq analyses revealed that both the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in ducks and geese right ovary developmental stage were significantly enriched in cell adhesion-related pathway (ECM-receptor interaction, Focal adhesion pathway) and Cellular senescence pathway. Then during the degeneration stage, the DEGs were primarily enriched in pathways associated with inflammation, including Herpes simplex virus 1 infection, Influenza A, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. Moreover, duck-specific DEGs showed enrichment in Steroid hormone biosynthesis, Base excision repair, and the Wnt signaling pathway, while geese-specifically DEGs were found to be enriched in apoptosis and inflammation-related pathways, such as Ferroptosis, Necroptosis, RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. These findings suggest that the degeneration process of the right ovary in ducks occurs at a slower pace compared to that in geese. Additionally, the observation of the left ovary of the geese varying degeneration rates in the right ovary after hatching indicated that the development of the left ovary may be influenced by the degeneration of the right ovary., Conclusion: The data presented in this study provide valuable insights into the dynamic changes in histological structure and transcriptome during the degeneration of the right ovary in ducks and geese. In addition, through the analysis of shared characteristics in the degeneration process of the right ovary in both ducks and geese, we have uncovered the patterns of degradation and elucidated the molecular mechanisms involved in the regression of the right ovary in poultry. Furthermore, we have also made initial discoveries regarding the relationship between the degeneration of the right ovary and the development of the left ovary., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The epidemic of goose astrovirus (GoAstV) caused huge losses to the poultry industry. Epidemiological studies in China revealed 2 circulating genotypes of GoAstV, but there is a lack of differential diagnosis tools. By analyzing all published genomes of GoAstV, this study designed specific PCR primers and Taqman probes to recognize different genotypes of GoAstV. After optimization and verification, this study developed a Taqman-based real-time quantitative PCR method that is capable of differential diagnosis. The established qPCR exhibited detection limitations of 100 copies/μL or 10 copies/μL, respectively, for GoAstV genotype 1 and genotype 2, and showed no false positive for other common avian viruses. This method was then used to analyze 72 samples collected from different regions in Jiangxi, and the results were verified by genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. These results revealed a complex coinfection of GoAstV different genotypes in China, highlighting the importance of long-term focus on the prevalence and genome evolution of GoAstV., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Domestic geese are seasonal breeders and have the lowest reproductive capacity among all poultry species. Magang geese is a topical short-day breeder, short photoperiod exposure stimulates its reproductive activity while long photoperiod inhibits. To explore epigenetic change that could influence reproductive activity, we performed whole genome bisulfite sequencing and transcriptome sequencing in the hypothalamus at three reproductive stages during long-light exposure in male Magang geese., Results: A total number of 10,602 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified among three comparison groups. We observed that the vast majority of DMRs were enriched in intron regions. By integrating the BS-sequencing and RNA-seq data, the correlation between methylation changes of CG DMRs and expression changes of their associated genes was significant only for genes containing CG DMRs in their intron. A total of 278 DMR-associated DEGs were obtained among the three stages. KEGG analysis revealed that the DMR-associated DEGs were mainly involved in 11 pathways. Among them, the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway was significantly enriched in both two comparisons (RA vs.RD and RD vs.RI); the Wnt signaling pathway, apelin signaling pathway, melanogenesis, calcium signaling pathway, focal adhesion, and adherens junction were significantly enriched in the RA vs. RI comparison. In addition, the expression level of two serotonin-metabolic genes was significantly altered during reproductive axis inactivation by the methylation status of their promoter region (TPH2) and intron region (SLC18A2), respectively. These results were confirmed by Bisulfite sequencing PCR (BSP), pyrosequencing, and real-time qPCR, indicating that serotonin metabolic signaling may play a key role in decreasing the reproductive activity of Magang geese induced by long-light exposure. Furthermore, we performed a metabolomics approach to investigate the concentration of neurotransmitters among the three stages, and found that 5-HIAA, the last product of the serotonin metabolic pathway, was significantly decreased in the hypothalamus during RI., Conclusions: Our study reveals that the methylation status of the serotonin metabolic pathway in the hypothalamus is associated with reproductive inactivation, and provided new insight into the effect of DNA methylation on the reproductive regulation of the hypothalamus in Magang geese., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The study was on a one-way cross between Wanxi male and Lindov female geese, and tested the effects of a hepatoprotective compound on growth and other traits in the parental and one-way cross involving male and female progeny. The hybrids obtained from crossing had high viability and productivity; their level was also positively affected by giving a hepatoprotective complex. Female parents were the Lindov breed's geese, and male parents were 120 geese of the Chinese Wanxi breed. During the growing period, hybrid young birds were receiving a hepatoprotective complex in the amount of 1.0 mL per 1 L of water for 7 days. The research took into account geese' safety indices, live weight, and absolute and average daily gain. The interbreeding results prove that the resulting hybrids' safety index is 2.38%-4.54% higher than the parent forms' safety index. The hybrids' live weight increased by 8.4% due to a higher increase in live weight by 16.5%-22.1% allowing us to conclude the positive effect of crossing and using a hepatoprotective complex when breeding geese. The research made it possible to improve geese' productive qualities through hybridization and the use of a hepatoprotective complex. This information can contribute to the genetic improvement of body size in current breeding programs., (© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

The low reproductive efficiency (RE) of geese limits their production in the poultry industry. To select ganders with high breeding potential, the effect of 3 sperm mobility ranks (SMRs; high-, medium-, and low-SMR) on the RE of naturally mating geese was determined. To exclude the confounding effect of social rank (SR) on RE in naturally mating flocks, a 2-factor nested experimental design was used to differentiate the effects of SMR and SR on RE. Twenty-seven ganders and 135 geese (Zi geese, Anser cygnoides L.) at approximately 1 yr of age were divided into 3 flocks, each of which included the 3 SMR groups. Each SMR group included 3 ganders and 15 female geese. Relative genetic contribution (RGC) is defined as the number of offspring sired by 1 male as a percentage of the entire goslings in each flock, and it was used to compare the differences in RE among ganders. The frequency of agonistic behavioral interactions (ABIs) among the ganders was video recorded in each SMR group, and the SR of each gander was determined. In total, 1,026 eggs were incubated, and 609 goslings hatched. Parent-offspring relationships among 771 individuals from the 2 generations were identified using 20 microsatellite markers, and the RGC was calculated. Results showed that the SMR and SR had significant effects on RGC in naturally mating geese (P = 0.001 and P = 0.000, respectively). Significant differences in RGC were observed among the high- and medium- and low-SMR groups, with average RGCs of 14.3, 10.6, and 8.4%, respectively. The high-SMR group had the highest RGCs in each flock, and the ganders with high SR had the highest RGCs among the 3 SMRs. The study showed that in a naturally mating geese population, selecting for the sperm mobility traits of a gander can effectively improve the RE., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

1. Myxovirus resistance (Mx) is a protein produced by the interferon-induced natural immune response with broad spectrum antiviral function. However, the role and expression characteristics of the Mx gene in immune defence against viral infection in goose have not yet been reported.2. This study found a 2576 bp genomic sequence and a 2112 bp mRNA sequence for Mx , encoding 703 amino acids. Multiple sequence alignments of the amino acid sequences showed that the Yangzhou goose Mx (goMx) had 86.99% similarity to the mallard duck ( Ana s platyrhynchos ).3. Tissue-specific expression profiling revealed that the expression of goMx was highest in the lung and spleen. Both poly (I:C) and GPV were found to elevate the expression of goMx . The upregulated expression of goMx was associated with interferon pathway-related genes IRF7 , JAK1 , STAT1 , and STAT2 . Furthermore, overexpression of goMx significantly activated the transcription of poly (I:C) induced TNF-α , IL-1β , IL-6 , and IL-18 .4. The findings of this study suggest that the goMx modulation of the antiviral response is mediated by the interferon pathway.