Sequence characterization and comparative expression profile of buffalo WNT10B gene in adult and fetal tissues.

In this study, Wingless-type MMTV (mouse mammary tumor virus) integration site family member (WNT10B) gene was sequence characterized in the Indian water buffalo. Sequence analysis revealed an open reading frame of 1176 nucleotides in buffalo, encoding 391 amino acids long protein. Nineteen nucleotide variations were observed between cattle and buffalo resulting in six amino acid changes. Phylogenetic analysis showed the clustering of ruminant species together. Real-time expression analysis of WNT10B in tissues collected from different organs of fetal and adult buffalo, revealed, the gene being abundantly expressed in the rumen and liver of the fetus. The fetal ovary, heart, kidney, lung, testis and mammary gland showed moderate expression, while in adult tissues, expression was high in the ovary, testis, brain, kidney, small intestine and liver, whereas lower expression was observed in the adult rumen. Significant differences in WNT10B expression levels were found for the brain, small intestine, testes, kidney, heart, rumen, and ovary when adult and fetal tissues were compared. A moderate level of genetic variation was found between cattle and buffalo WNT10B and expression patterns in a variety of tissues in adult buffalo implies that in addition to possible roles in adipogenesis and hematopoiesis, the WNT10B gene might be playing a significant role in other regulatory pathways as well.

A bibliometric analysis of sustainable development goals (SDGs): a review of progress, challenges, and opportunities.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a global appeal to protect the environment, combat climate change, eradicate poverty, and ensure access to a high quality of life and prosperity for all. The next decade is crucial for determining the planet's direction in ensuring that populations can adapt to climate change. This study aims to investigate the progress, challenges, opportunities, trends, and prospects of the SDGs through a bibliometric analysis from 2015 to 2022, providing insight into the evolution and maturity of scientific research in the field. The Web of Science core collection citation database was used for the bibliometric analysis, which was conducted using VOSviewer and RStudio. We analyzed 12,176 articles written in English to evaluate the present state of progress, as well as the challenges and opportunities surrounding the SDGs. This study utilized a variety of methods to identify research hotspots, including analysis of keywords, productive researchers, and journals. In addition, we conducted a comprehensive literature review by utilizing the Web of Science database. The results show that 31% of SDG-related research productivity originates from the USA, China, and the UK, with an average citation per article of 15.06. A total of 45,345 authors around the world have contributed to the field of SDGs, and collaboration among authors is also quite high. The core research topics include SDGs, climate change, Agenda 2030, the circular economy, poverty, global health, governance, food security, sub-Saharan Africa, the Millennium Development Goals, universal health coverage, indicators, gender, and inequality. The insights gained from this analysis will be valuable for young researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and public officials as they seek to identify patterns and high-quality articles related to SDGs. By advancing our understanding of the subject, this research has the potential to inform and guide future efforts to promote sustainable development. The findings indicate a concentration of research and development on SDGs in developed countries rather than in developing and underdeveloped countries.

Diversity analysis at MHC class II DQA locus in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) indicates extensive duplication and trans-species evolution.

Variation at MHC Class II-DQA locus in riverine and swamp buffaloes (Bubu) has been explored in this study. Through sequencing of buffalo DQA, 48 nucleotide variants identified from 17 individuals, reporting 42 novel alleles, including one pseudogene. Individual animal displayed two to seven variants, suggesting the presence of more than two Bubu-DQA loci, as an evidence of extensive duplication. dN values were found to be higher than dS values at peptide binding sites, separately for riverine and swamp buffaloes, indicating locus being under positive selection. Evolutionary analysis revealed numerous trans-species polymorphism with alleles from water buffalo assigned to at least three different loci (Bubu-DQA1, DQA2, DQA3). Alleles of both the sub-species intermixed within the cluster, showing convergent evolution of MHC alleles in bovines. The results thus suggest that both riverine and swamp buffaloes share con-current arrangement of DQA region, comparable to cattle in terms of copy number and population polymorphism.

An overview of research on natural resources and indigenous communities: a bibliometric analysis based on Scopus database (1979-2020).

Indigenous people constitute an important section of society in many countries. Despite being a numerically smaller section, they are culturally diverse and distributed mostly in valuable natural resources-rich regions worldwide. In the era of globalization, industrialization, and trade liberalization, indigenous communities have become more vulnerable to displacement, land alienation, cultural erosion, and social exclusion. During the last few decades, researchers have tried to evaluate and document their problems and prospects. The present study analyzes the trends and characteristics of research and development conducted about indigenous communities. The research hotspots based on keywords, productive researchers, and journals during 1979-2020 were mapped using the Scopus database. The analysis was carried out using the bibliometrix R-package and VOSviewer software tool. Consistent growth in the number of studies and citations on indigenous communities concerning environmental conservation, natural resources, and economic development was observed during the last four decades. The present findings reveal that research on the indigenous community has attracted the attention of the scientific community in recent years. Qualitative studies with methodological rigor, having potential for social and policy implications, are warranted to understand and respect ingrained cultural and socio-economic diversity among these communities. Graphical abstract.

Current status and unique attributes of Indian Chilika buffalo for adaptation to brackish water ecology.

Chilika buffalo is native to the Eastern coast of India and well adapted to the largest coastal brackish water lagoon of Asia, Chilika Lake. We present here a report on the Chilika buffalo breed emphasizing the conservational urgency based on unique biochemical and molecular evidence related to liver and kidney functions while comparing it with tropically adapted other water buffalo breeds (Bubalus bubalis) of India. It is found that the Chilika buffalo breed has a better ability to withstand a long dehydration period as evident from its better glomerular filtration and higher expression of the ion transport channel. Mitochondrial D-loop sequencing results have shown these buffaloes being closer to swamp-type buffaloes of Bangladesh and northeast India and represent a unique "hybrid zone" on the eastern coast of India. Conservation of such uniquely adapted germplasm is crucial owing to the current global trend, where the introduction of exotic breeds has negatively impact "sui-generis" germplasm and they require higher managerial resource consumption for maintaining higher productivity. Further, the introduction of unconventional fisheries activities has proved detrimental to the lagoon ecosystem, potentially causing more threat to the buffalo's population.

The temporal expression patterns of brain transcriptome during chicken development and ageing.

BACKGROUND: The transcriptional profiles of mammals during brain development and ageing have been characterized. However the global expression patterns of transcriptome in the chicken brain have not been explored. Here, we systematically investigated the temporal expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs across 8 stages (including 3 embryonic stages, 2 growth stages and 3 adult stages) in the female chicken cerebrum. RESULTS: We identified 39,907 putative lncRNAs and 14,558 mRNAs, investigated the temporal expression patterns by tracking a set of age-dependent genes and predicted potential biological functions of lncRNAs based on co-expression network. The results showed that genes with functions in development, synapses and axons exhibited a progressive decay; genes related to immune response were up-regulated with age. CONCLUSIONS: These results may reflect changes in the regulation of transcriptional networks and provide non-coding RNA gene candidates for further studies and would contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms of chicken development and may provide insights or deeper understanding regarding the regulatory mechanisms of age-dependent protein coding and non-protein coding genes in chicken. In addition, as the chicken is an important model organism bridging the evolutionary gap between mammals and other vertebrates, these high resolution data may provide a novel evidence to improve our comprehensive understanding of the brain transcriptome during vertebrate evolution.

Identification of polymorphism in fatty acid binding protein 3 (FABP3) gene and its association with milk fat traits in riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).

The fatty acid binding protein 3 (FABP3) gene, known to be associated with fat percentage of milk and meat in bovines, was screened among swamp and riverine buffaloes for polymorphism detection and further association with milk fat contents. An SNP g.307C > T was identified in the intron 2 (+53 exon 2) region of FABP3 gene of Indian buffaloes. The SNP identified was genotyped in 692 animals belonging to 15 riverine, swamp and hybrid (riverine × swamp) buffalo populations of diverse phenotypes and utilities, by PCR-RFLP. A marked contrast was observed between the C and T allele frequencies in three types of buffaloes. The frequency of C allele ranged from 0.67 to 0.96 in pure swamp buffalo populations, with the highest in Mizoram (0.96). Whereas the frequency of T allele was high across all the Indian riverine buffalo breeds, ranging from 0.57 to 0.96. None of the genotypes at FABP3 g.307C > T locus was found to have significant association with milk fat and other production traits in Mehsana dairy buffalo breed. Our study revealed marked differences in the allele frequencies between riverine and swamp buffaloes at FABP3 g.307C > T locus, without any significant association with different milk traits in riverine buffaloes.

Menstrual characteristics of adolescent athletes: a study from West Bengal, India.

The present study investigates: (i) differences in menstrual characteristics of athlete and non-athlete adolescents; (ii) relationship between menstrual characteristics, anthropometric variables, athletic status and socioeconomic status. The present study was conducted among 159 unmarried adolescents (80 non-athletes and 79 athletes) of age 15 to 19 years. The study participants belong to Bengali speaking Hindu ethnic group of Kolkata, the capital city of West Bengal State of India. Data were collected on socio-demographic and menstrual characteristics using pre-tested questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard methods. Descriptive statistics were used to understand the differences in menstrual characteristics between athletes and non-athletes, stepwise linear regression analyses were carried out to predict age at menarche, menstrual cycle length and duration of menstrual discharge using socio-demographic and anthropometric variables as well as athletic status as independent variables. Logistic (binary) regression was carried out to assess the strength of association between menstrual characteristics (as dependent variables) and athletic status, socio-demographic and anthropometric variables, and other menstrual characteristics (independent variables). The study participants differ significantly (p < or = 0.05) for certain menstrual characteristics such as age at menarche, cycle length, skipped cycle, premenstrual syndrome, heavy discharge when compared for their athletic status. Certain anthropometric and socioeconomic variables were found to be significantly associated with their menstrual characteristics. The study results demonstrate that menstrual functioning among adolescents is significantly influenced by their athletic status. The findings of this study would help health care professionals to devise future health care programs for adolescents in gen- eral and athletes in particular.

Laboratory diagnosis and epidemiological features of leptospirosis cases in a tribal region of Western Maharashtra, India: A retrospective study.

PURPOSE: Palghar district, located in the coastal region of the Konkan division of Maharashtra, has a predominantly tribal population. Leptospirosis is a major neglected public health problem and is highly underreported in Palghar district. The study aimed to evaluate the seropositivity of Leptospira infection and its associated epidemiological factors in tribal areas of the Palghar district of Maharashtra. METHODS: The present retrospective study included 94 samples of patients clinically suspected of leptospirosis during a period of one year (2021-2022) tested at Model Rural Health Research Unit (MRHRU) Dahanu. The serum sample testing was done for the presence of specific Leptospira IgM antibodies using the Panbio™ Leptospira IgM ELISA kit. Leptospirosis seropositivity was correlated with various epidemiological risk factors. RESULTS: A total of 12 samples of patients tested positive for specific IgM antibodies by ELISA method, indicating an overall positivity of 12.8%. Among those who tested positive, fever (83.3%), headache (58.3%), myalgia (50%), redness of the eyes (50%), and calf tenderness (16.7%) were the common symptoms observed. Subjects with redness of the eyes were significantly associated with leptospirosis (p = 0.018). The highest positivity (50%) was reported from the Ganjad area of Dahanu taluka. Farmers and animal handlers were most affected by leptospirosis. CONCLUSION: The high proportion of Leptospirosis cases reflects the endemic nature of the disease in the Palghar district. This study shows seasonal trends in leptospirosis incidence over the year. The clinical presentation of leptospirosis may vary from sub-clinical to mild illness to severe and potentially fatal. The findings of this study will be important for achieving the overarching goal of One Health.

Genomic evolution of the SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern: COVID-19 pandemic waves in India.

SARS-CoV-2 has mutated rapidly since its first case report in Wuhan, China, leading to the emergence of an indefinite number of variants. India has witnessed three waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. The country saw its first wave of SARS-CoV-2 illness from late January 2020 to February 2021. With a peak surge of cases in mid-September 2020, India recorded more than 11 million cases and a death toll of more than 0.165 million at this time. India faced a brutal second wave driven by the emergence of highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 variants B.1.617.2 (Delta variant) and the third wave with the leading cause of BA.2 (Omicron variant), which has led to an unprecedented rise in COVID-19 cases in the country. On September 14, 2022, India recorded a cumulative 44.51 million cases of COVID-19 with more than 0.528 million deaths. The discovery of common circulating mutants is facilitated by genome sequencing. The changes in the Spike surface glycoprotein recombinant binding domains served as the critical alterations, resulting in enhanced infectivity and transmissibility, with severe clinical effects. Further, the predominant mutation in the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein; the D614G strains served as a model for vaccine development. The mutation of the Wuhan strain to the Variant of Concern led to a significant increase in SARS-CoV-2 infections. In addition, there was a shift in the age group affected by SARS-CoV-2 variant infection. The current review summarized the COVID-19 pandemic's Variant of Concern and the advent of SARS-CoV-2 in India.

Reproductive health and its bio-cultural correlates among Rai and Bhutia women of rural Sikkim: a micro level study.

This study addresses the relationship between utilization of maternal health services in terms of antenatal care, delivery care, and contraceptive use, and current prevalence of gynecological problems mediated through socioeconomic, demographic and biological correlates, in two ethnic communities of Sikkim. Study participants included 506 parous, nonpregnant women of Rai and Bhutia communities. Information on morbidity status and utilization of maternal health care facilities were collected using appropriate pretested questionnaires. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used. Anthropometric measurements were taken and blood tests were carried out for estimating hemoglobin concentration, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Logistic regression showed significant association between participant's education, parity, husband's cooperation and maternal health care utilization on one hand and prevalence of gynecological problems, hemoglobin concentration, ESR and parity on the other. Study results reinforce an interrelation between prevalence of gynecological problems and maternal health care utilization during pregnancy and delivery. A single effective health care program can be launched to meet the needs of these two ethnic groups.

Therapeutic Antiaging Strategies.

Aging constitutes progressive physiological changes in an organism. These changes alter the normal biological functions, such as the ability to manage metabolic stress, and eventually lead to cellular senescence. The process itself is characterized by nine hallmarks: genomic instability, telomere attrition, epigenetic alterations, loss of proteostasis, deregulated nutrient sensing, mitochondrial dysfunction, cellular senescence, stem cell exhaustion, and altered intercellular communication. These hallmarks are risk factors for pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. Emerging evidence has been focused on examining the genetic pathways and biological processes in organisms surrounding these nine hallmarks. From here, the therapeutic approaches can be addressed in hopes of slowing the progression of aging. In this review, data have been collected on the hallmarks and their relative contributions to aging and supplemented with in vitro and in vivo antiaging research experiments. It is the intention of this article to highlight the most important antiaging strategies that researchers have proposed, including preventive measures, systemic therapeutic agents, and invasive procedures, that will promote healthy aging and increase human life expectancy with decreased side effects.

Omicron BA.2 lineage predominance in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 positive cases during the third wave in North India.

Background: Recent studies on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) reveal that Omicron variant BA.1 and sub-lineages have revived the concern over resistance to antiviral drugs and vaccine-induced immunity. The present study aims to analyze the clinical profile and genome characterization of the SARS-CoV-2 variant in eastern Uttar Pradesh (UP), North India. Methods: Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was conducted for 146 SARS-CoV-2 samples obtained from individuals who tested coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) positive between the period of 1 January 2022 and 24 February 2022, from three districts of eastern UP. The details regarding clinical and hospitalized status were captured through telephonic interviews after obtaining verbal informed consent. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was created for evolutionary analysis using MEGA7. Results: The mean age of study participants was 33.9 ± 13.1 years, with 73.5% accounting for male patients. Of the 98 cases contacted by telephone, 30 (30.6%) had a travel history (domestic/international), 16 (16.3%) reported having been infected with COVID-19 in past, 79 (80.6%) had symptoms, and seven had at least one comorbidity. Most of the sequences belonged to the Omicron variant, with BA.1 (6.2%), BA.1.1 (2.7%), BA.1.1.1 (0.7%), BA.1.1.7 (5.5%), BA.1.17.2 (0.7%), BA.1.18 (0.7%), BA.2 (30.8%), BA.2.10 (50.7%), BA.2.12 (0.7%), and B.1.617.2 (1.3%) lineages. BA.1 and BA.1.1 strains possess signature spike mutations S:A67V, S:T95I, S:R346K, S:S371L, S:G446S, S:G496S, S:T547K, S:N856K, and S:L981F, and BA.2 contains S:V213G, S:T376A, and S:D405N. Notably, ins214EPE (S1- N-Terminal domain) mutation was found in a significant number of Omicron BA.1 and sub-lineages. The overall Omicron BA.2 lineage was observed in 79.5% of women and 83.2% of men. Conclusion: The current study showed a predominance of the Omicron BA.2 variant outcompeting the BA.1 over a period in eastern UP. Most of the cases had a breakthrough infection following the recommended two doses of vaccine with four in five cases being symptomatic. There is a need to further explore the immune evasion properties of the Omicron variant.

Differences in age distribution in first and second waves of COVID-19 in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India.

Comparison of first and second waves of Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) showed varied differences including the peak and time distribution. Contrary to published reports of comparing two waves in India wherein the younger age group was affected more in the second wave in India; a secondary data analysis of around 0.5 million real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction tests conducted in COVID-19 diagnostic laboratory in eastern Uttar Pradesh, India showed an increase in positivity rate in older age groups in the second wave. The positivity rate among symptomatic cases was found to be three times higher in second wave compare to the first wave. Higher positivity rates were seen across older age groups, with a shift of 11 years in the mean age of positivity in the second wave compared to the first.

Association of female reproductive tract microbiota with egg production in layer chickens.

BACKGROUND: The microbiota of the female reproductive tract is increasingly recognized as playing fundamental roles in animal reproduction. To explore the relative contribution of reproductive tract microbiomes to egg production in chickens, we investigated the microbiota in multiple reproductive and digestive tract sites from 128 female layer (egg-producing) chickens in comparable environments. RESULTS: We identified substantial differences between the diversity, composition, and predicted function of site-associated microbiota. Differences in reproductive tract microbiota were more strongly associated with egg production than those in the digestive tract. We identified 4 reproductive tract microbial species, Bacteroides fragilis, Bacteroides salanitronis, Bacteroides barnesiae, and Clostridium leptum, that were related to immune function and potentially contribute to enhanced egg production. CONCLUSIONS: These findings provide insights into the diverse microbiota characteristics of reproductive and digestive tracts and may help in designing strategies for controlling and manipulating chicken reproductive tract microbiota to improve egg production.

Genome Sequencing Reveals a Mixed Picture of SARS-CoV-2 Variant of Concern Circulation in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, India.

Uttar Pradesh is the densely populated state of India and is the sixth highest COVID-19 affected state with 22,904 deaths recorded on November 12, 2021. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) is being used as a potential approach to investigate genomic evolution of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus. In this study, a total of 87 SARS-CoV-2 genomes-49 genomes from the first wave (March 2020 to February 2021) and 38 genomes from the second wave (March 2021 to July 2021) from Eastern Uttar Pradesh (E-UP) were sequenced and analyzed to understand its evolutionary pattern and variants against publicaly available sequences. The complete genome analysis of SARS-CoV-2 during the first wave in E-UP largely reported transmission of G, GR, and GH clades with specific mutations. In contrast, variants of concerns (VOCs) such as Delta (71.0%) followed by Delta AY.1 (21.05%) and Kappa (7.9%) lineages belong to G clade with prominent signature amino acids were introduced in the second wave. Signature substitution at positions S:L452R, S:P681R, and S:D614G were commonly detected in the Delta, Delta AY.1, and Kappa variants whereas S:T19R and S:T478K were confined to Delta and Delta AY.1 variants only. Vaccine breakthrough infections showed unique mutational changes at position S:D574Y in the case of the Delta variant, whereas position S:T95 was conserved among Kappa variants compared to the Wuhan isolate. During the transition from the first to second waves, a shift in the predominant clade from GH to G clade was observed. The identified spike protein mutations in the SARS-CoV-2 genome could be used as the potential target for vaccine and drug development to combat the effects of the COVID-19 disease.

Hypertension and its correlates in two communities of dissimilar genetic ancestry in Sikkim, India.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension has emerged as a major health risk among adults and the elderly in India. In spite of sharing similar physical and cultural environments, group level cultural variability and distinct genetic ancestry may result in differences in patterns of hypertension prevalence. AIM: The present study investigates the relationships between socio-economic, lifestyle and anthropometric variables and hypertension in two communities (Rai and Bhutia) of Sikkim. Both groups live in a similar ecological setting and are exposed to forces of modernization of almost equal magnitude. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The study sample consists of 582 Rais and 315 Bhutias. Information on socio-demographic characteristics, substance uses and other lifestyle variables were collected through relevant pre-tested questionnaires. Anthropometric measurements were taken following standard methods. Three consecutive blood pressure measurements were taken and averaged for analysis. RESULTS: The results of covariance analyses show that ethnicity is not a significant covariate of either systolic or diastolic blood pressure. Use of tobacco and alcohol consumption, level of education and activity patterns were found to be significant correlates of hypertension. The diagnostic ability of waist circumference is found to be better than body mass index for assessment of risk of hypertension among the present study populations. CONCLUSIONS: Lifestyle factors more than ethnicity and socio-economic factors contribute to the development of hypertension in these populations. Based on the results of this study, we would suggest that a sustainable increase in physical activity and reduction in alcohol consumption would be helpful in the proper management of hypertension for both groups.

Menstrual characteristics: a study of the adolescents of rural and urban West Bengal, India.

BACKGROUND: It has been observed that menstrual characteristics are generally influenced by lifestyle, socio-cultural and biological factors. AIM: The present study examines: (a) variation in menstrual characteristics between rural and urban adolescents; and (b) whether these characteristics can be predicted from various socio-economic variables related to place of residence. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The sample of the present study constituted 715 adolescent girls from rural (325) and urban (390) areas of West Bengal, a State of India. These girls belong to a Bengali-speaking Hindu ethnic group. Data on socio-economic variables and menstrual characteristics were collected using pretested questionnaires. RESULTS: Rural and urban adolescents differed significantly (p < or = 0.05) with respect to age at menarche, skipped and irregular cycles, premenstrual syndrome, duration of menstrual discharge, mean number of days of peak discharge and problems related to menstrual discharge. Place of residence was found to be a significant predictor of age at menarche (beta = 0.27, p < 0.01). Significant association was observed between some of the socio-economic variables and various menstrual characteristics among the study participants. CONCLUSIONS: Menstrual characteristics differ significantly between rural and urban adolescents. Moreover, various socio-economic variables pertaining to place of residence significantly affect the menstrual characteristics among adolescents.

Transcriptome analysis reveals differentially expressed genes associated with high rates of egg production in chicken hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis.

The hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis regulates the breeding process cycle of laying hens. However, the key regulatory genes of the HPO axis and pathways that drive chicken egg laying performance remain elusive. A total of 856 Chinese Luhua chicken was raised and the highest two hundred and the lowest two hundred chicken egg production were considered as high egg production (HEP) and low egg production (LEP) according to the total egg number at 300 days of age, respectively. RNA-seq sequencing (RNA-Seq) was conducted to explore the chicken transcriptome from the hypothalamus, pituitary gland and ovary tissue of 6 Chinese Luhua chicken with 3 high and low-rate egg production. In total, 76.09 Gb RNA-seq sequences were generated from 15 libraries with an average of 5.07 Gb for each library. Further analysis showed that 414, 356 and 10 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in pituitary gland, ovary and hypothalamus between HEP and LEP chickens, respectively. In pituitary gland, DEGs were involve in regulation of cellular glucose homeostasis, Ras protein signal transduction, negative regulation of hormone secretion. In Ovary DEGs were mainly involved in embryonic organ development, regulation of canonical Wnt signaling, response to peptide hormone. Our study identified DEGs that regulate mTOR signaling pathway, Jak-STAT signaling pathway, Tryptophan metabolism and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways at HPO-axis in laying hens. These important data contribute to improve our understanding of reproductive biology of chicken and isolating effective molecular markers that can be used for genetic selection in Chinese domestic Luhua chicken.

MiRNA Profiling in Pectoral Muscle Throughout Pre- to Post-Natal Stages of Chicken Development.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is known to be an important regulator of muscle growth and development. The regulation of microRNA on the skeletal muscle phenotype of animals is mainly achieved by regulating the proliferation and differentiation of myoblasts. In this study, we sequenced a total of 60 samples from 15 developing stages of the pectoral muscle and five other tissues at 300 days of Tibetan chicken. We characterized the expression patterns of miRNAs across muscle developmental stages, and found that the chicken growth and development stage was divided into early-embryonic and late-embryonic as well as postnatal stages. We identified 81 and 21 DE-miRNAs by comparing the miRNA profiles of pectoral muscle of three broad periods and different tissues, respectively; and 271 miRNAs showed time-course patterns. Their potential targets were predicted and used for functional enrichment to understand their regulatory functions. Significantly, GgmiRNA-454 is a time-dependent and tissue-differential expression miRNA. In order to elucidate the role of gga-miRNA-454 in the differentiation of myoblasts, we cultured chicken myoblasts in vitro. The results show that although gga-miRNA-454-3p initiates increase and thereafter decrease during the chicken myoblasts differentiation, it had no effect on primary myoblasts proliferation. Furthermore, we confirm that gga-miRNA-454 inhibits myoblast differentiation by targeting the myotube-associated protein SBF2.