Tan Sheep Research Articles

Optimisation of tannin extraction from Coriaria nepalensis bark as a renewable resource for use in tanning

Tannin as a renewable resource with the potential to play an increased role in the tanning of leather by the virtue of its low pollution and biodegradability. In this work, a valuable tannin resource was obtained from the Coriaria nepalensis bark (CNB), the extraction of tannin from CNB with sodium hydroxide was optimized by the Box-Behnken design response surface. The effects of extraction time, extraction temperature, liquid-solid ratio and sodium hydroxide concentration on the yield of CNB tannin were examined. Extracting the bark at 82 °C over 63 min with 0.22 % sodium hydroxide at a 23 mL g−1 liquid-solid ratio, the CNB tannin extraction yield was 16.02 ± 0.08 %. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy revealed that CNB tannin is a hydrolysable tannin that contains carbonyl, phenolic hydroxyl and glycosyl, with relative molecular weights between 424 Da and 1464 Da, as determined by gel permeation chromatography. CNB tannins were used to tan sheep skin, and the shrinkage temperature of the tanned leather was found to be 76.4 °C. Other physical properties, including elongation at break (75.8 %), tear strength (38.2 N mm-1) and tensile strength (6.1 MPa), were comparable to those achieved using commercial valonia tannin reagents. Scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope revealed that CNB tannin penetrates into the collagen fibers of leather to provide stable cross-linking, resulting in firm and delicately grained surfaces.

Genetic polymorphism association analysis of SNPs on the species conservation genes of Tan sheep and Hu sheep

For further understanding the genetic control mechanisms of growth and development in Tan sheep, and culturing good traits on meat performance, which is very important to both in developing local species and improving economic efficaciously. In our study, we recruited a total of 250 Tan sheep and 174 healthy Hu sheep to detect 32 SNPs in GH, GHR, NPY, Leptin, H-FABP, MSTN, and CAST by using direct sequencing techniques, in order to explore genetic marking loci which were an association with growth characters. From the results, we found different SNPs with an obvious difference for the growth traits. In the different genetic model analysis, we found SNP12, SNP29, SNP41, SNP8, SNP34, SNP35, SNP9, SNP10, SNP36, SNP45, and SNP39 were a significantly negative association with the two kinds of sheep. And SNP46, SNP42, and SNP69 with the positive association between the different trait in sheep were analyzed. From the LD and haplotype analysis, we found three blocks with the positive association in growth traits between Tan sheep and Hu sheep. The block of SNP29, SNP32, SNP34, SNP35, SNP36, SNP39, SNP41, SNP42, SNP45, and SNP46 with the genotype “AATCTACTTA” is the most significantly association with the traits. In summary, the study initially explored the genes for growth and reproduction between Tan sheep and Hu sheep and found some statistically significant results which demonstrate that there are genetic differences. These differential molecular markers may provide a scientific theoretical basis for the preferred species of Tan sheep which with good meat performance and better utilization of species resources.

Nutritive value and ruminal degradation of seven Chinese herbs as forage for Tan sheep

ABSTRACT Tan sheep is an indigenous ovine breed of China known for its high meat quality and pleasing taste. Seven herbs of traditional Chinese medicine, namely, Ephedra sinica, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Caragana korshinskii, Allium mongolicum, Thymus vulgaris, Astragalus membranaceus, and Lespedeza bicolor are commonly grazed by Tan sheep. It has been widely believed that these herbs are of high nutritive value, which may significantly contribute to the high meat quality and distinct flavor of Tan sheep. However, the nutritive values of these herbs have not been evaluated to date. In this study, samples of the seven herbs were collected from the steppe of Yanchi County of Ningxia Autonomous Region of China. The dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE), ash (Ash), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) of these herbs were measured using locally cultivated alfalfa as the standard forage. Digestion of the dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and crude protein in the rumen of Tan sheep was examined using the nylon bag method, in order to evaluate their feeding nutritional value. Our results show that all the seven herbs meet the nutritional needs of ruminants based on the standard forage alfalfa. However, Ephedra, Glycyrrhiza, Caragana, Allium, Astragalus, and Lespedeza have higher nutritive value than Thymus (P < 0.05). According to the ruminal degradation rates of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber, and crude protein, the nutritive value of Caragana, Allium, and Lespedeza is higher than that of Ephedra, Glycyrrhiza, Astragalus, and Thymus (P < 0.05). The overall nutritive value of Allium is the highest among the seven herbs and therefore Allium is recommended to better meet the nutritional needs of Tan sheep.

Effects of enzyme + bacteria treatment on growth performance, rumen bacterial diversity, KEGG pathways, and the CAZy spectrum of Tan sheep

ABSTRACT In this study, the effects of enzyme +bacteria treatment of buckwheat straw and alfalfa on growth performance and rumen bacterial diversity was investigated, 20 three-month-old Ningxia Tan sheep with similar body weights were selected and randomly divided into two groups, 10 sheep in each group. The control group was fed with basal diet + untreated buckwheat straw and alfalfa (the ratio of buckwheat to alfalfa was 2:8), and the experimental group was fed with basic diet + cellulase (enzyme activity ≥ 10,000 U/g) + compound probiotics (enzyme to bacteria ratio 8:20). 1) The total weight gain and average daily gain of Tan sheep in the experimental group were extremely significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01). 2). The proportion of Firmicutes in the experimental group was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.05). 3). In the KEGG pathway B level, 15 genes were significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.05). 4). In the CAZy level B, 12 genes were upregulated in the experimental group compared with the control group (P < 0.05),3 genes were downregulated (P < 0.05).Feeding Tan sheep with buckwheat straw and alfalfa treated with enzyme and bacteria can improve the weight gain effect, change the rumen bacterial diversity, and increase the some functional genes in the rumen. The conditions of this experiment would be beneficial to the healthy breeding of Tan sheep, and thus the methods can be used in commercial production.

Research Article Candidate genes expression affect intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition in Tan sheep

Research Article Candidate genes expression affect intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition in Tan sheep

Non-destructive assessment of the myoglobin content of Tan sheep using hyperspectral imaging

This study aimed to develop simplified models for rapid and nondestructive monitoring myoglobin contents (DeoMb, MbO2 and MetMb) during refrigerated storage of Tan sheep based on a hyperspectral imaging (HSI) system in the spectral range of 400–1000 nm. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) and least-squares support vector machines (LSSVM) were applied to correlate the spectral data with the reference values of myoglobin contents measured by a traditional method. In order to simplify the LSSVM models, competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) and Interval variable iterative space shrinkage approach (iVISSA) were used to select key wavelengths. The new CARS-LSSVM models of DeoMb and MbO2 yielded good results, with R2p of 0.810 and 0.914, RMSEP of 1.127 and 2.598, respectively. The best model of MetMb was new iVISSA-CARS-LSSVM, with an R2p of 0.915 and RMSEP of 2.777. The overall results from this study indicated that it was feasible to predict myoglobin contents in Tan sheep using HSI.

Effect of energy intake and L-carnitine on fattening performance, carcass traits, meat quality, blood metabolites, and gene expression of lamb

• LPL and FASN were increased in adipose tissues with energy intake increasing, while LIPE and SCD were decreased. • L-carnitine supplementation did not improve growth performance and mutton quality. • L-carnitine could be used as a potential feed additive to inhibit fat accumulation in sheep. A 70-day feeding experiment was conducted on Tan sheep ( Ovis ) to study the effects of energy intake (low, medium, or high) and/or L -carnitine supplementation (0 or 200 ppm) on fattening performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and expression of lipid metabolism associated genes. A 2 × 3 factorial arrangement was designed, 144 lambs (14.21 ± 0.30 kg) were randomly divided into six groups of four replicates (six lambs per replicate). At the end of feeding experiment, 24 lambs were slaughtered and sampled to analyze indexes. The results showed that live body weight (LBW), average daily gains (ADG), tail fat weight, GR values, and carcass weight increased with increasing energy intake. Increased energy intake significantly increased cooked meat percentage, shear force, and the content of crude protein (CP), ash, and crude fat (EE) in muscle. L -carnitine supplementation significantly reduced tail fat weight, GR values, and the content of CP and EE in muscle, while cooked meat percentage and water loss rate significantly increased. However, L -carnitine supplementation did not affect the LBW and ADG indexes. The effects of L -carnitine or energy intake did not significantly affect amino acid compositions of the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. High-energy intake resulted in higher blood urea nitrogen concentrations; in contrast, no significant effects of energy intake were observed on total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and glucose (GLU) concentrations. In addition, L -carnitine supplementation in the high-energy group reduced GLU serum concentrations, but did not affect the concentrations of TC and TG. The investigation of gene expression showed that lipoprotein lipase and fatty acid synthase were significantly increased in the liver, tail fat, and subcutaneous fat with energy intake, while lipase E (hormone sensitive type) and stearoyl-CoA desaturase gene expression were significantly decreased. Furthermore, the effects of L -carnitine supplementation on gene expression were opposite to those of energy intake. Significant interaction was found between energy intake and L -carnitine supplementation for EE content in muscle, blood biochemical index, and amino acid compositions in the LD muscle. In conclusion, high-energy diets promote animal growth and production performance, while accelerating fat deposition. L -carnitine supplementation had slightly effect on the improvement of performance and lamb quality, while effectively counteracting the negative influence of high-energy intake, particularly inhibiting fat accumulation.

Transcriptomic analyses revealed common tailed and perirenal adipose differentially expressed genes in four Chinese indigenous sheep breeds

ABSTRACT Fat deposition and distribution in different body sites are associated with livestock productivity. In some sheep breeds, fat is excessively accumulated around the tail region, which is regarded as the fat-tail phenotype. Though some plausible genes or genomic regions associated with the fat-tail phenotype were identified, further validation of them in different individuals and breeds is still required. In this study, we implemented differential expression analysis using RNA-seq data in longissimus dorsi muscle tissue (MUT), perirenal adipose tissue (PAT) and tail adipose tissue (TAT) of Hu sheep, which is a representative of short fat-tailed sheep. The result identified 1336, 427 and 665 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in MUT, PAT and TAT of Hu sheep respectively. Of those, 600 DEGs and 336 DEGs showed unique expression in TAT and PAT, respectively. In addition, integrated analyses of our data with published data from small-tailed Han sheep, Guangling large-tailed sheep and Tan sheep found 9 DEGs in PAT and 13 DEGs in TAT of Hu sheep have similar expression patterns in the remaining three sheep breeds. Among 9 DEGs in PAT, WT1, TCF21, PPFIBP1 and WNT10B may have important roles in perirenal adipose formation. Among 13 DEGs in TAT, PKD2L1 and MST1 may play significant roles in the maintenance of unsaturated fatty acid content in TAT. Five genes that were previously reported to be correlated with tailed fat deposition were further validated in current study, including CITED1, HOTAIR_2, HOTAIR_3, HOXC12 and HOXC13. Furthermore, we also investigated the expression pattern of 42 candidate genes identified by selection signature analysis or genome wide association analysis from published studies. Two of them were found to be highly expressed in TAT, including PPP1CA and PEX6. Our findings identify candidate genes for tail fat deposition across different breeds and pave a solid foundation for studying the regulation of fat deposition in sheep in the future.

Variation in KRTAP6-1 affects wool fibre diameter in New Zealand Romney ewes.

Variation in KRTAP6-1 has been reported to affect wool fibre traits in Merino cross-breed sheep and Chinese Tan sheep, but little is known about whether these effects persist in other breeds. In this study, variation in KRTAP6-1 was investigated in 290 New Zealand (NZ) Romney ewes sired by 16 different rams. Polymerase chain reaction single-stranded conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) analysis revealed four variants (, , and of KRTAP6-1, and nine genotypes (AA, AB, AE, AF, BB, BE, BF, EE and FF) in these ewes. Among the 243 ewes that had genotypes with a frequency of over 5 % (i.e. AA, AB and BB), the presence of was found to be associated with reduced mean fibre diameter (MFD) and increased coefficient of variation in fibre diameter (CVFD), whereas the presence of had a trend of association with decreased coarse edge measurement (CEM). A genotype effect was also detected for MFD and CVFD. No associations were detected for fibre diameter standard deviation (FDSD), mean fibre curvature (MFC) and medulation. These results suggest that variation in KRTAP6-1 affects wool fibre diameter in NZ Romney ewes, confirming the finding in Merino cross-breed sheep.

Occurrence of Enterocytozoon bieneusi in Chinese Tan sheep in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China

Enterocytozoon bieneusi is a zoonotic parasite which is considered to be an opportunistic pathogen of humans and animals. A number of studies have reported E. bieneusi infection in various animals. However, no information is available on the occurrence of E. bieneusi in Tan sheep, a unique indigenous sheep species in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China. The objectives of the present study were to examine the prevalence and identify the genotypes of E. bieneusi in Tan sheep in China. A total of 1014 fecal specimens of Tan sheep from six farms in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region were examined by nested PCR amplification of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of nuclear ribosomal DNA. The total prevalence of E. bieneusi was 12.2% (124/1014), ranging from 0.5 to 22.2% on six farms. Sequence analysis identified 10 genotypes of E. bieneusi, including three known genotypes, BEB6, COS-I, and CHG13, and seven novel genotypes designated as NX1 to NX7, which all belonged to group 2 by phylogenetic analysis. This is the first report describing the prevalence of E. bieneusi in Tan sheep, and the new genotypes identified in the current study expand the genotype distribution of E. bieneusi. These findings provide baseline data and have implications for the epidemiology and control of E. bieneusi infection in Tan sheep.

Variation in the ovine KAP8-1 gene affects wool fibre uniformity in Chinese Tan sheep

Chinese Tan sheep are known for producing ‘spring-like’ crimped wool fleeces that consist of both fine wool fibres (non-medulated) and heterotypic wool fibres (frequently medulated). The genetic basis of these unique characteristics is poorly understood. Wool fibres are comprised of hard alpha-keratins embedded in keratin-associated proteins (KAPs). Variation in the KAP8-1 gene (KRTAP8-1) was investigated in Chinese Tan sheep, and the effect of variation in the gene on four key wool traits [mean fibre diameter (MFD), fibre diameter standard deviation (FDSD), coefficient of variation of fibre diameter (CVFD) and mean fibre curvature (MFC)] was investigated for both the fine and heterotypic wool fibres. Three previously identified ovine KRTAP8-1 variants (A, D and E) were detected, but two other previously identified variants (B and C) were not present in these Tan sheep. Of the six genotypes (AA, AD, AE, DD, DE and EE) observed, the effect of the genotype on wool traits were analysed for the three (AA, AE and EE) where the genotype frequency was greater than 5%. Genotype was found to have an effect (P = 0.022) on CVFD in the fine wool. These results suggest that variation in KRTAP8-1 affects fibre uniformity in Tan sheep.

Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in SLC5A1, CCNA1, and ABCC1 and the Association with Litter Size in Small-Tail Han Sheep.

Simple SummaryLitter size is one of the most important reproductive traits in sheep. Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), g.70067210 T > C in SLC5A1, g.25350431 C > T and g.25360220 T > C in CCNA1, and g.14413132 C > T in ABCC1, were identified by mass spectrometry and may be associated with litter size in sheep. Four SNPs were genotyped in Small-Tail Han, Hu, Cele Black, Suffolk, Sunite, Prairie Tibetan, and Tan sheep, and the expression patterns of SLC5A1, CCNA1, and ABCC1 were determined in Small-Tail Han sheep with different fecundities. Furthermore, we also studied the FecB mutation’s association with litter size in Small-Tail Han sheep. The results indicated that all genes included in this study were differentially expressed in the ovary and uterus of polytocous and monotocous Small-Tail Han sheep. Furthermore, association analysis indicated that both g.70067210 T > C in SLC5A1 and the FecB mutation in BMPR-IB were significantly associated with litter size in Small-Tail Han sheep. Linear regression analysis of the association of multiple markers (FecB and g.70067210 T > C in SCL5A1) with litter size indicated that homozygous ewes carrying the BB/TT genotype had a larger litter size than any other genotype.SLC5A1, CCNA1, and ABCC1 have been extensively studied as candidate genes because of their great influence on the reproductive traits of animals. However, little is known about the association between polymorphisms of the SLC5A1, CCNA1, and ABCC1 genes and litter size in Small-Tail Han sheep. In this study, the expression levels of SLC5A1, CCNA1, and ABCC1 in HPG (hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal) axis tissues of polytocous and monotocous Small-Tail Han sheep were analyzed by qPCR. To better understand the effects of four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) comprising of g.70067210 T > C in SLC5A1, g.25350431 C > T and g.25360220 T > C in CCNA1, and g.14413132 C > T in ABCC1, a population genetic analysis was conducted using data obtained from genotyping in 728 sheep from seven breeds. The results indicated that all genes included in this study were differentially expressed in the pituitary and uterus of polytocous and monotocous Small-Tail Han sheep (p < 0.05). The associations of these four SNPs and the FecB mutation with litter size in 384 Small-Tail Han sheep were analyzed, therefore, and it was found that both g.70067210T > C and the FecB mutation were significantly associated with litter size (p < 0.05). The linear regression analysis of the association of multiple markers (FecB and g.70067210 T > C in SCL5A1) with litter size indicated that homozygous ewes carrying the BB/TT genotype had larger litter size than any ewes with any other genotype. In conclusion, the SLC5A1 SNPs significantly affect litter size in sheep and are useful as genetic marker for litter size.

Role of OXCT1 in ovine adipose and preadipocyte differentiation

3-oxoacid CoA-transferase 1 (OXCT1) is a key enzyme in ketone body metabolism that is expressed in adipose and other tissues. The present study addressed the function of OXCT1 in adipose tissue from Tan sheep. The 1563 bp ovine OXCT1 coding sequence was cloned from ovine adipose tissue. The OXCT1 protein sequence was highly homologous to OXCT1 from other species. OXCT1 was highly expressed in kidney and at lower levels in small intestine, lung, spleen, heart, stomach, liver, tail adipose, and cartilage, but not in longissimus muscle. OXCT1 was expressed at higher levels in perirenal and tail adipose tissues than in subcutaneous adipose tissue. OXCT1 expression levels increased during the in vitro differentiation of adipocytes, but decreased dramatically at day 8. OXCT1 knockdown in ovine adipocytes promoted lipid accumulation, whereas overexpression did the converse. This study demonstrates that OXCT1 may play a role in adipogenesis and provides new insight on adipose deposition in sheep.

Effects of grazing season and stocking rate on seed bank in sheep dung on the semiarid Loess Plateau

Endozoochorous dispersal of seeds by livestock has long attracted the attention of grassland scientists, but little is known about seed dispersal via Tan sheep dung on the dry grasslands of the Loess Plateau. We investigated the composition of dung seed bank of Tan sheep under summer and winter rotational grazing regimes at different stocking rates (2.7, 5.3 and 8.7sheepha–1), and assessed the relationships between seed mass and shape, egested seedling density and species richness and diversity. We also assessed the effects of stocking rate and grazing season on seedling density and species richness and diversity of the dung seed bank. Seeds of 10 pasture species germinated from Tan sheep dung with only two being annual species (Eragrostis pilosa and Chenopodium glaucum). The mean seed mass (±s.e.) was 2.59±0.23mg, ranging from 0.10mg (Cleistogenes songorica) to 10.59mg (Thermopsis lanceolata), and the mean seed shape index (±s.e.) was 0.10±0.02, ranging from 0.03 (Lespedeza bicolor) to 0.19 (Stipa bungeana). Species richness and diversity and seedling density decreased with increasing seed mass and shape index, suggesting that small, round seeds are most suitable for endozoochorous dispersal. Stocking rate had no effect on the number of germinated seeds that collected from summer or winter grazing pastures. Species richness and diversity and seedling density were greater in winter grazing pastures than in summer grazing pastures. Jaccard coefficients of similarity between the Tan sheep dung bank and aboveground vegetation were &amp;lt;0.5 for all stocking rates, indicating their weak relationship, but were significantly higher for winter than summer grazing. Plant seeds on the Loess Plateau could disperse through Tan sheep grazing, endozoochory can increase the heterogeneity of rotationally grazed plant communities, and this dispersal mode is an adaptation of plants to the harsh environment of the semiarid areas.

Effect of conjugated linoleic acid addition on growth performance, digestion and metabolism of stabling Tan sheep

Effect of conjugated linoleic acid addition on growth performance, digestion and metabolism of stabling Tan sheep

Molecular Cloning of the B4GALNT2 Gene and Its Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms Association with Litter Size in Small Tail Han Sheep.

Simple SummaryIn French Lacaune sheep, the B4GALNT2 (beta-1, 4-N-acetyl-galactosaminyl transferase 2) gene was considered as the potential gene for a FecL (mutation), which regulates the ovine ovulation rate. Three specific mutation sites linked with the FecL mutation have not been previously found in 11 sheep breeds. However, two mutations of g.36946470C > T and g.36933082C > T in the exon of B4GALNT2 were found to have had a significant effect on the litter size in the first parity for Small Tail Han (STH) Sheep (p < 0.05). B4GALNT2, which is mainly expressed in ovine ovary, also plays an important role in sheep reproduction. Furthermore, we discovered two transcription start sites (TSS) of B4GALNT2 in its 5′-flanking region in ovine granule cells in vitro.A new fecundity gene named the FecL (mutation), which regulates the ovulation rate, was discovered in French Lacaune sheep. The B4GALNT2 (beta-1, 4-N-acetyl-galactosaminyl transferase 2) gene was considered as the potential FecL mutation gene. This study explores whether the effect of the FecL mutation exists in other sheep breeds, and the features of the B4GALNT2 gene in terms of the molecular structure and its expression profile. Using Sanger sequencing, we found that high and low fecundity breeds from among 11 measured sheep breeds all had no variation in the three specific mutation sites, which were linked with the FecL mutation. However, two mutations of g.36946470C > T and g.36933082C > T in the exon of B4GALNT2 had a significant effect on litter size in the first parity for Small Tail Han (STH) Sheep (p < 0.05). Two transcription start sites (TSS) of B4GALNT2 in its 5′-flanking region were discovered in ovine granule cells in vitro, through the RACE (Rapid amplification of cDNA ends) method. Except for in the kidney and oviduct, no significant difference in expression levels had been found between STH sheep and Tan sheep breeds. The B4GALNT2 gene, as a candidate for FecL, may have a relationship with the differences in litter size in STH sheep. B4GALNT2 is mainly expressed in the ovine ovary, which also suggests that B4GALNT2 plays an important role in sheep reproduction.

Integrated miRNA-mRNA analysis reveals regulatory pathways underlying the curly fleece trait in Chinese tan sheep

BackgroundTan sheep is an indigenous Chinese breed well known for its beautiful curly fleece. One prominent breed characteristic of this sheep breed is that the degree of curliness differs markedly between lambs and adults, but the molecular mechanisms regulating the shift are still not well understood. In this study, we identified 49 differentially expressed (DE) microRNAs (miRNAs) between Tan sheep at the two stages through miRNA-seq, and combined the data with that in our earlier Suppression Subtractive Hybridization cDNA (SSH) library study to elucidate the mechanisms underlying curly fleece formation.ResultsThirty-six potential miRNA-mRNA target pairs were identified using computational methods, including 25 DE miRNAs and 10 DE genes involved in the MAPK signaling pathway, steroid biosynthesis and metabolic pathways. With the differential expressions between lambs and adults confirmed by qRT-PCR, some miRNAs were already annotated in the genome, but some were novel miRNAs. Inhibition of KRT83 expression by miR-432 was confirmed by both gene knockdown with siRNA and overexpression, which was consistent with the miRNAs and targets prediction results.ConclusionOur study represents the comprehensive analysis of mRNA and miRNA in Tan sheep and offers detailed insight into the development of curly fleece as well as the potential mechanisms controlling curly hair formation in humans.

Research Article Association of &lt;i&gt;Six1&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Six4&lt;/i&gt; gene expression with meat tenderness in Tan sheep

Research Article Association of &lt;i&gt;Six1&lt;/i&gt; and &lt;i&gt;Six4&lt;/i&gt; gene expression with meat tenderness in Tan sheep

Spoilage Marker Metabolites and Pathway Analysis in Chilled Tan Sheep Meat Based on GC-MS

Spoilage Marker Metabolites and Pathway Analysis in Chilled Tan Sheep Meat Based on GC-MS

Generation of gene-edited sheep with a defined Booroola fecundity gene (FecBB) mutation in bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 1B (BMPR1B) via clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated (Cas) 9.

Since its emergence, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated (Cas) 9 system has been increasingly used to generate animals for economically important traits. However, most CRISPR/Cas9 applications have been focused on non-homologous end joining, which results in base deletions and insertions, leading to a functional knockout of the targeted gene. The Booroola fecundity gene (FecBB) mutation (p.Q249R) in bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 1B (BMPR1B) has been demonstrated to exert a profound effect on fecundity in many breeds of sheep. In the present study, we successfully obtained lambs with defined point mutations resulting in a p.249Q>R substitution through the coinjection of Cas9 mRNA, a single guide RNA and single-stranded DNA oligonucleotides into Tan sheep zygotes. In the newborn lambs, the observed efficiency of the single nucleotide exchange was as high as 23.8%. We believe that our findings will contribute to improved reproduction traits in sheep, as well as to the generation of defined point mutations in other large animals.