Identification of key genes and pathways associated with duck (Anas platyrhynchos) embryonic skin development using weighted gene co-expression network analysis

Abstract

Skin and feather follicle morphogenesis are important processes for duck development, however, the mechanisms underlying morphogenesis at the embryonic stage remain unclear. To improve understanding of these processes, we used transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analyses to identify these critical genes and pathways involved in duck skin development. Five modules were found to be the most related to five key stages in skin development that span from embryonic day 8 (E8) to postnatal day 7 (D7). Using STEM software, 6519 genes from five modules were clustered into 10 profiles to reveal key genes. All above, we obtained several key module genes including WNT3A, NOTCH1, SHH, BMP2, NOG, SMAD3, and TGFβ2. Furthermore, we revealed that several pathways play critical roles throughout the skin development process, including the Wnt pathway and cytoskeletal rearrangement-related pathways, whereas others are involved in specific stages of skin development, such as the Notch, Hedgehog, and TGF-beta signaling pathways. Overall, this study identified the pathways and genes that play critical roles in skin development, which may provide a basis for high quality down-type meat duck breeding.

Effects of the Number of Crested Cushions in Runzhou White-Crested Ducks on Serum Biochemical Parameters

“…Frahmm et al [9] suggested that this abnormal increase in brain tissue in crested-cushion chickens might be related to their similarly large ventricles. Our group previously found that there are fat-body-like lipomas in the brains of crestedcushion ducks, with some cranium missing or incompletely closed in the head and a small part of fat body tissue and brain tissue spillage, which is consistent with the findings of Bartels et al [2,10,11].…”

Transcriptional Characteristics Showed That miR-144-y/FOXO3 Participates in Embryonic Skin and Feather Follicle Development in Zhedong White Goose

“…Moreover, Abe et al (2017) [ 56 ] reported that PTCH1 is expressed in the epithelial and dermal sections of the early hair follicle at the start of the organogenesis phase of mouse hair follicle development, though a rise in PTCH1 expression is seen in the follicular dermal mesenchyme. In addition, Yuan et al (2020) [ 57 ] showed that among critical module genes involved in skin and feather follicle development in duck embryos, PTCH2, PTCH1, and Shh were identified as hub genes, were significantly expressed at E15, and are enriched in the Hedgehog (HH) signaling pathway. These findings suggest that this gene is highly related to skin and feather follicle formation and is acting through the regulation of the Shh signaling pathway.…”