A Screen for Key Genes and Pathways Involved in High-Quality Brush Hair in the Yangtze River Delta White Goat.

Haiyan Guo,Kangle Qin,Guohu Cheng,Hao Zhang,Yongjun Li,Meijia Zhang

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0169820

Abstract

The Yangtze River Delta White Goat is the only goat breed that produces high-quality brush hair, or type III hair, which is specialized for use in top-grade writing brushes. There has been little research, especially molecular research, on the traits that result in high-quality brush hair in the Yangtze River Delta White Goat. To explore the molecular mechanisms of the formation of high-quality brush hair, High-throughput RNA-Seq technology was used to compare skin samples from Yangtze River Delta White Goats that produce high-quality hair and non high-quality hair for identification of the important genes and related pathways that might influence the hair quality traits. The results showed that 295 genes were expressed differentially between the goats with higher and lower hair quality, respectively. Of those genes, 132 were up-regulated, 62 were down-regulated, and 101 were expressed exclusively in the goats with high-quality brush hair. Gene Ontology and Metabolic Pathway Significant Enrichment analyses of the differentially expressed genes indicated that the MAP3K1, DUSP1, DUSP6 and the MAPK signaling pathway might play important roles in the traits important for high-quality brush hair.

Highlights

The Yangtze River Delta White Goat is the unique goat species that can produce high-quality meat, skin, and Type III hair
Brush hair is usually divided into three grades, Type I low-quality hair, Type II mid-quality hair, and Type III high-quality hair[1], which is specialized for making top-grade writing brushes and has many characteristics such as white color, straight peak, fine luster, and rich elasticity
With a price up to 2,500~3,000 US dollar per kg, Type III hair is popular in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries influenced by Chinese culture and usually a traditional Chinese export in tight supply[3]

Summary

Introduction

The Yangtze River Delta White Goat is the unique goat species that can produce high-quality meat, skin, and Type III hair. Brush hair is usually divided into three grades, Type I low-quality hair, Type II mid-quality hair, and Type III high-quality hair[1], which is specialized for making top-grade writing brushes and has many characteristics such as white color, straight peak, fine luster, and rich elasticity. The Yangtze River Delta White Goat, called the Haimen goat, is found mainly in the Yangtze River delta plain, the central area of which is located in Haimen County, Nantong, Jiangsu Province[2]. It has a laudatory name, brush hair goat, for its special production of hair. With a price up to 2,500~3,000 US dollar per kg, Type III hair is popular in Japan, Korea, Singapore, and other Southeast Asian countries influenced by Chinese culture and usually a traditional Chinese export in tight supply[3].

Methods

Results

Conclusion