The Complex and Diverse Genetic Architecture of the Absence of Horns (Polledness) in Domestic Ruminants, including Goats and Sheep

Simon, Rebecca; Drögemüller, Cord; Lühken, Gesine

doi:10.3390/genes13050832

Cited by 19 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 83 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…It is not known whether the genes identified in previous studies are critical to horn development or which key genes and pathways are involved in the formation of horns. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) is a high-throughput technology that provides a comprehensive view of the entire transcriptome, which contributes to a better understanding of embryonic development and the role of genes [ 18 , 19 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Critical Genes for Ovine Horn Development Based on Transcriptome during the Embryonic Period

Luan

Wang

et al. 2023

Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Horns, also known as headgear, are a unique structure of ruminants. As ruminants are globally distributed, the study of horn formation is critical not only for increasing our understanding of natural and sexual selection but also for the breeding of polled sheep breeds to facilitate modern sheep farming. Despite this, a significant number of the underlying genetic pathways in sheep horn remain unclear. In this study, to clarify the gene expression profile of horn buds and investigate the key genes in horn bud formation, RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) technology was utilized to investigate differential gene expression in the horn buds and adjacent forehead skin of Altay sheep fetuses. There were only 68 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified, consisting of 58 up-regulated genes and 10 down-regulated genes. RXFP2 was differentially up-regulated in the horn buds and had the highest significance (p-value = 7.42 × 10−14). In addition, 32 DEGs were horn-related genes identified in previous studies, such as RXFP2, FOXL2, SFRP4, SFRP2, KRT1, KRT10, WNT7B, and WNT3. Further, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the DEGs were mainly enriched with regard to growth, development, and cell differentiation. Pathway analysis revealed that the Wnt signaling pathway may be responsible for horn development. Further, through combining the protein–protein interaction networks of the DEGs, it was found that the top five hub genes, namely, ACAN, SFRP2, SFRP4, WNT3, and WNT7B, were also associated with horn development. Our results suggest that only a few key genes, including RXFP2, are involved in bud formation. This study not only validates the expression of candidate genes identified at the transcriptome level in previous studies but also provides new possible marker genes for horn development, which may promote our understanding of the genetic mechanisms of horn formation.

show abstract

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Identification of Critical Genes for Ovine Horn Development Based on Transcriptome during the Embryonic Period

Luan

Wang

et al. 2023

Biology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…However, some production breeds with desirable resilience and sustainability traits, like the Wiltshire Horn, a wool-shedding breed with a good carcass and high feed efficiency, have undesirable large horns that make them difficult to handle and manage. Gene editing for polledness has been achieved successfully in cattle, reviewed in (Van Eenennaam, 2019), but in sheep is likely to be more complex, reviewed in (Simon et al 2022). A 1.78Kb insertion in the 3'UTR region of the RXFP2 gene on chromosome 10 has been identified which is strongly associated with polledness in GWAS (Wiedemar and Drögemüller, 2015) however it does not segregate in the same way across all breeds (Lühken et al, 2016).…”

Section: New Genomic Resources Can Inform Genome Editing and The Use ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

<strong>Recent Advances in the Genomic Resources for Sheep</strong>

Woolley¹,

Salavati²,

Clark³

2023

Preprint

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sheep (Ovis aries) provide a vital source of protein and fibre to human populations. In coming decades, as the pressures associated with rapidly changing climates increase, breeding sheep sustainably as well as producing enough protein to feed a growing human population will pose a considerable challenge for sheep production across the globe. High quality reference genomes and other genomic resources can help to meet these challenges by: 1) informing breeding programmes by adding a priori information about the genome, 2) providing tools such as pangenomes for characterising and conserving genetic diversity, and 3) improving our understanding of fundamental biology using the power of genomic information to link cell, tissue and whole animal scale knowledge. In this review we describe recent advances in the genomic resources available for sheep, discuss how these might help to meet future challenges for sheep production, and provide some insight into what the future might hold.

show abstract

“…In other breeds with variable horn statuses in both sexes or with a sex-dependent horn status, the segregation of this potential insertion is weaker. It has been suggested that this insertion is among the potential various causative factors for polledness in sheep [ 59 ]. He et al [ 60 ] performed PCR amplification of the DNA of 49 Chinese sheep with three horn statuses (polled, two-horned, and four-horned), and found the EEF1A1-like insertion in 68.4% (13/19) of the polled individuals and 43.3% (13/30) of the horned individuals.…”

Section: Main Textmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetics of the phenotypic evolution in sheep: a molecular look at diversity-driving genes

et al. 2022

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background After domestication, the evolution of phenotypically-varied sheep breeds has generated rich biodiversity. This wide phenotypic variation arises as a result of hidden genomic changes that range from a single nucleotide to several thousands of nucleotides. Thus, it is of interest and significance to reveal and understand the genomic changes underlying the phenotypic variation of sheep breeds in order to drive selection towards economically important traits. Review Various traits contribute to the emergence of variation in sheep phenotypic characteristics, including coat color, horns, tail, wool, ears, udder, vertebrae, among others. The genes that determine most of these phenotypic traits have been investigated, which has generated knowledge regarding the genetic determinism of several agriculturally-relevant traits in sheep. In this review, we discuss the genomic knowledge that has emerged in the past few decades regarding the phenotypic traits in sheep, and our ultimate aim is to encourage its practical application in sheep breeding. In addition, in order to expand the current understanding of the sheep genome, we shed light on research gaps that require further investigation. Conclusions Although significant research efforts have been conducted in the past few decades, several aspects of the sheep genome remain unexplored. For the full utilization of the current knowledge of the sheep genome, a wide practical application is still required in order to boost sheep productive performance and contribute to the generation of improved sheep breeds. The accumulated knowledge on the sheep genome will help advance and strengthen sheep breeding programs to face future challenges in the sector, such as climate change, global human population growth, and the increasing demand for products of animal origin.

show abstract

The Complex and Diverse Genetic Architecture of the Absence of Horns (Polledness) in Domestic Ruminants, including Goats and Sheep

Cited by 19 publications

References 83 publications

Identification of Critical Genes for Ovine Horn Development Based on Transcriptome during the Embryonic Period

Identification of Critical Genes for Ovine Horn Development Based on Transcriptome during the Embryonic Period

<strong>Recent Advances in the Genomic Resources for Sheep</strong>

Genetics of the phenotypic evolution in sheep: a molecular look at diversity-driving genes

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About