Identification of genes and proteins associated with anagen wool growth

Abstract

Identifying genes of major effect for wool growth would offer strategies for improving the quality and increasing the yield of fine wool. In this study, we employed the Agilent Sheep Gene Expression Microarray and proteomic technology to investigate the gene expression patterns of body side skin (more wool growing) in Aohan fine wool sheep (a Chinese indigenous breed) in comparison with groin skin (no wool growing) at the anagen stage of the wool follicle. A microarray study revealed that 4772 probes were differentially expressed, including 2071 upregulated and 2701 downregulated probes, in the comparisons of body side skin vs. groin skin (S/G). The microarray results were verified by means of quantitative PCR. A total of 1099 probes were assigned to unique genes/transcripts. The number of distinct genes/transcripts (annotated) was 926, of which 352 were upregulated and 574 were downregulated. In S/G, 13 genes were upregulated by more than 10 fold, whereas 60 genes were downregulated by more than 10 fold. Further analysis revealed that the majority of the genes possibly related to the wool growth could be assigned to categories including regulation of cell division, intermediate filament, cytoskeletal part and growth factor activity. Several potential gene families may participate in hair growth regulation, including fibroblast growth factors, transforming growth factor-β, WNTs, insulin-like growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factors and so on. Proteomic analysis also revealed 196 differentially expressed protein points, of which 121 were identified as single protein points.

Identification of differentially expressed genes affecting hair and cashmere growth in the Laiwu black goat by microarray

“…Skin and hair follicle integrity is crucially dependent on ITGB1 expression in keratinocytes (41). However, ITGB1 expression in body skin of the Aohan fine wool sheep was downregulated >10 fold (38). The results of the present study were consistent with this, although the fold change was reduced at -2.45.…”

“…However, connexin 43 was downregulated in body skin in the microarray and RT-qPCR data of the present study. A similar pattern was observed in the Aohan fine wool sheep (38).…”

“…However, in the present study MMP2 was significantly downregulated in body compared with groin skin. A similar result was observed in the Aohan fine wool sheep (38), suggesting that MMP2 functions may differ in goat and sheep.…”

“…Growth hormone (GH) and GH receptor (GHR) were upregulated in body compared with groin skin, consistent with results in Aohan fine wool sheep (38). A number of growth factors have been demonstrated to be critical for hair growth, including FGFs, transforming growth factors, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), epidermal growth factors and hepatocyte growth factor (50).…”

A comparison of transcriptomic patterns measured in the skin of Chinese fine and coarse wool sheep breeds

“…In sheep or goat, the gene expression patterns have been explored for genes associated with particular fibre traits, or the expression pattern in different wool follicle cycle phase 12 – 15 . Some important genes have been associated with traits including fibre diameter 16 , color 17 , 18 , crimp frequency (or the number of waves per cm of wool fibre length) waves 19 , 20 , development of secondary follicle 21 , 22 or presence of wool follicles 23 , 24 .…”