The Chinese forest musk deer (
Moschus berezovskii
; FMD) is an artiodactyl mammal and is both economically valuable and highly endangered. To investigate the genetic mechanisms of musk secretion and adaptive immunity in FMD, we compared its genome to nine other artiodactyl genomes. Comparative genomics demonstrated that eight positively selected genes (PSGs) in FMD were annotated in three KEGG pathways that were related to metabolic and synthetic activity of musk, similar to previous transcriptome studies. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that many PSGs were involved in the regulation of immune system processes, implying important reorganization of the immune system in FMD. FMD-specific missense mutations were found in two PSGs (
MHC
class II antigen
DRA
and
ADA
) that were classified as deleterious by PolyPhen-2, possibly contributing to immune adaptation to infectious diseases. Functional assessment showed that the FMD-specific mutation enhanced the
ADA
activity, which was likely to strengthen the immune defense against pathogenic invasion. Single nucleotide polymorphism-based inference showed the recent demographic trajectory for FMD. Our data and findings provide valuable genomic resources not only for studying the genetic mechanisms of musk secretion and adaptive immunity, but also for facilitating more effective management of the captive breeding programs for this endangered species.
Breast milk is an unparalleled food for infants, as it can meet almost all of their nutritional needs. Breast milk in the first month is an important source of acquired immunity. However, breast milk protein may vary with the stage of lactation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to use a data-independent acquisition approach to determine the differences in the proteins of breast milk during different lactation periods. The study samples were colostrum (3–6 days), transitional milk (7–14 days), and mature milk (15–29 days). The results identified a total of 2085 different proteins, and colostrum contained the most characteristic proteins. Protein expression was affected by the lactation stage. The proteins expressed in breast milk changed greatly between day 3 and day 14 and gradually stabilized after 14 days. The expression levels of lactoferrin, immunoglobulin, and clusterin were the highest in colostrum. CTP synthase 1, C-type lectin domain family 19 member A, secretoglobin family 3A member 2, trefoil factor 3 (TFF3), and tenascin were also the highest in colostrum. This study provides further insights into the protein composition of breast milk and the necessary support for the design and production of infant formula.
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