Abstract
Simple SummaryAs important prolific candidate genes, BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 may affect the lambing performance of sheep. Therefore, regarding the three FecB genotypes of Small Tail Han (STH) sheep (FecB BB, FecB B+, and FecB ++), this study explored the gene expression characteristics of different tissues using reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR). The results showed that BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 expression differed between the selected tissues, with all being highly expressed in the ovaries. Further analysis indicated that there was no significant difference in BMPR1B expression among the three FecB genotypes, but both GDF9 and BMP15 had the highest expression in FecB B+. As for other non-ovarian tissues, expression also varied. This study is relevant to understanding the high prolificacy of the STH breed.The expression characteristics of the prolific candidate genes, BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9, in the major visceral organs and hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis tissues of three FecB genotypes (FecB BB, FecB B+, and FecB ++) were explored in STH ewes using RT-PCR and qPCR. The results were as follows, BMPR1B was expressed in all FecB BB genotype (Han BB) tissues, and GDF9 was expressed in all selected tissues, but BMP15 was specifically expressed in the ovaries. Further study of ovarian expression indicated that there was no difference in BMPR1B expression between genotypes, but the FecB B+ genotype (Han B+) had greater expression of GDF9 and BMP15 than Han BB and FecB ++ genotype (Han ++) (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). BMP15 expression was lower in the ovaries of Han BB than in Han ++ sheep, but the reverse was shown for GDF9. The gene expression in non-ovarian tissues was also different between genotypes. Therefore, we consider that the three genes have an important function in ovine follicular development and maturation. This is the first systematic analysis of the tissue expression pattern of BMPR1B, BMP15, and GDF9 genes in STH sheep of the three FecB genotypes. These results contribute to the understanding of the molecular regulatory mechanism for ovine reproduction.
Highlights
Understanding of the genetics of female fertility is of particular importance for economic production of meat sheep
We report the bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1B (BMPR1B), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) expression levels of the three genotypes based on FecB in the major visceral organs, the HPG axis, and other tissues, including the oviduct and uterus in STH ewes, elucidating the genetic mechanism controlling high fecundity in certain breeds of sheep
Serine or or threonine, threonine, which which has has an an important important influence expression detected in the reproductive tissues, brain,brain, skeletal muscle, and kidney expressionhas haspreviously previouslybeen been detected in the reproductive tissues, skeletal muscle, and tissues of sheep
Summary
Understanding of the genetics of female fertility is of particular importance for economic production of meat sheep. Earlier work [1] found that between 74% and 96% of the economic value of genetic progress under selection was attributable to increases in litter size, which is influenced by ovulation rate. Increasing the litter size of sheep has been an urgent scientific challenge for a long time. Since the beginning of the 1980s, researchers have searched for the major genes related to the prolificacy of sheep [2]. Three kinds of major candidate genes have been studied, including those with known mutations, those with known genetic modes, as well as those that need to be further validated [3]. The bone morphogenetic protein receptor 1B (BMPR1B), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9)
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