Genome-wide profile in DNA methylation in goat ovaries of two different litter size populations.

Although some studies have investigated the DNA methylation modification in goat ovaries, it is not understood DNA methylation related to goat litter size. This investigation was designed to explore the DNA methylation status in the ovaries of high litter size and low litter size groups using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS). We found that there was global difference on DNA methylation in high litter size and low litter size goat ovaries. Many differentially methylated region-related genes (DMGs) were found in the ovaries of these two different goat populations. Moreover, enrichment analysis discovered that many DMGs were involved in gamete development, reproductive system development, wingless-type MMTV integration site family (WNT) signalling pathways and mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK) signalling pathways. The data indicated that DNA methylation in goat ovaries may play important roles in the folliculogenesis, the oocyte ovulation rate and finally the litter size. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of genome-wide DNA methylation patterns in ovaries of high and low litter size goat which helps the understanding of ovarian DNA methylation in relation to goat fertility capability.

scRNA-seq of ovarian follicle granulosa cells from different fertility goats reveals distinct expression patterns.

The new technology of high-throughput single-cell RNA sequencing (10 × scRNA-seq) was developed recently with many advantages. However, it was not commonly used in farm animal research. There are few reports for the gene expression of goat ovarian follicle granulosa cells (GCs) during different developmental stages. In the current investigation, the gene expression of follicle GCs at different stages from two populations of Ji'ning grey goats: high litter size (HL; ≥3/L; 2 L) and low litter size (LL; ≤2 /L; 2 L) were analysed by scRNA-seq. Many GC marker genes were identified, and the pseudo-time showed that GCs developed during the time course which reflected the follicular development and differentiation trajectory. Moreover, the gene expression difference between the two populations HL versus LL was very clear at different developmental stages. Many marker genes differentially expressed at different developmental stages. ASIP and ASPN were found to be highly expressed in the early stage of GCs, INHA, INHBA, MFGE8 and HSD17B1 were identified to be highly expressed in the growing stage of GCs, while IGFBP2, IGFBP5 and CYP11A1 were found to be highly expressed in late stage. These marker genes could be used as reference genes of goat follicle GC development. This investigation for the first time discovered the gene expression patterns in goat follicle GCs in high- or low-fertility populations (based on litter size) by scRNA-seq which may be useful for uncovering the oocyte development potential.

miR-15b negatively correlates with lipid metabolism in mammary epithelial cells.

Mammary epithelial cells are regulated by steroid hormones, growth factors, and even microRNAs. miR-15b has been found to regulate lipid metabolism in adipocytes; however, its effects on lipid metabolism in mammary epithelial cells, the cells of lipid synthesis and secretion, are as yet unknown. The main purpose of this investigation was to explore the effect of miR-15b on lipid metabolism in mammary epithelial cells, along with the underlying mechanisms. miR-15b was overexpressed or inhibited by miRNA mimics or inhibitors; subsequently, lipid formation in mammary epithelial cells, and proteins related to lipid metabolism, were investigated. Through overexpression or inhibition of miR-15b expression, the current investigation found that miR-15b downregulates lipid metabolism in mammary epithelial cells and is expressed differentially at various stages of mouse and goat mammary gland development. Inhibition of miR-15b expression increased lipid content in mammary epithelial cells through elevation of the lipid synthesis enzyme fatty acid synthetase (FASN), and overexpression of miR-15b reduced lipid content in mammary epithelial cells with decreasing levels of FASN. Moreover, the steroid hormones estradiol and progesterone decreased miR-15b expression with a subsequent increase in lipid formation in mammary epithelial cells. The expression of miR-15b was lower during lactation and negatively correlated with lipid synthesis proteins, which suggests that it may be involved in lipid synthesis and milk production. miR-15b might be a useful target for altering lipid production and milk yield.

Molecular evidence of offspring liver dysfunction after maternal exposure to zinc oxide nanoparticles.

Recently, reproductive, embryonic and developmental toxicity have been considered as one important sector of nanoparticle (NP) toxicology, with some studies already suggesting varying levels of toxicity and possible transgenerational toxic effects. Even though many studies have investigated the toxic effects of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs), little is known of their impact on overall reproductive outcome and transgenerational effects. Previously we found ZnO NPs caused liver dysfunction in lipid synthesis. This investigation, for the first time, explored the liver dysfunction at the molecular level of gene and protein expression in offspring after maternal exposure to ZnO NPs. Three pathways were investigated: lipid synthesis, growth related factors and cell toxic biomarkers/apoptosis at 5 different time points from embryonic day-18 to postnatal day-20. It was found that the expression of 15, 16, and 16 genes in lipid synthesis, growth related factors and cell toxic biomarkers/apoptosis signalling pathway respectively in F1 animal liver were altered by ZnO NPs compared to ZnSO4. The proteins in these signalling pathways (five in each pathways analyzed) in F1 animal liver were also changed by ZnO NPs compared to ZnSO4. The results suggest that ZnO NPs caused maternal liver defects can also be detected in offspring that might result in problems on offspring liver development, mainly on lipid synthesis, growth, and lesions or apoptosis. Along with others, this study suggests that ZnO NPs may pose reproductive, embryonic and developmental toxicity; therefore, precautions should be taken with regard to human exposure during daily life.

Regulation of steroid hormones and energy status with cysteamine and its effect on spermatogenesis.

Although it is well known that cysteamine is a potent chemical for treating many diseases including cystinosis and it has many adverse effects, the effect of cysteamine on spermatogenesis is as yet unknown. Therefore the objective of this investigation was to explore the effects of cysteamine on spermatogenesis and the underlying mechanisms. Sheep were treated with vehicle control, 10mg/kg or 20mg/kg cysteamine for six months. After that, the semen samples were collected to determine the spermatozoa motility by computer-assisted sperm assay method. Blood samples were collected to detect the levels of hormones and the activity of enzymes. Spermatozoa and testis samples were collected to study the mechanism of cysteamine's actions. It was found that the effects of cysteamine on spermatogenesis were dose dependent. A low dose (10mg/kg) cysteamine treatment increased ovine spermatozoa motility; however, a higher dose (20mg/kg) decreased both spermatozoa concentration and motility. This decrease might be due to a reduction in steroid hormone production by the testis, a reduction in energy in the testis and spermatozoa, a disruption in the blood-testis barrier, or a breakdown in the vital signaling pathways involved in spermatogenesis. The inhibitory effects of cysteamine on sheep spermatogenesis may be used to model its effects on young male patients with cystinosis or other diseases that are treated with this drug. Further studies on spermatogenesis that focus on patients treated with cysteamine during the peripubertal stage are warranted.

Regulation of egg quality and lipids metabolism by Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles.

This investigation was designed to explore the effects of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles (ZnO NP) on egg quality and the mechanism of decreasing of yolk lipids. Different concentration of ZnO NP and ZnSO4 were used to treat hens for 24 weeks. The body weight and egg laying frequency were recorded and analyzed. Albumen height, Haugh unit, and yolk color score were analyzed by an Egg Multi Tester. Breaking strength was determined by an Egg Force Reader. Egg shell thickness was measured using an Egg Shell Thickness Gouge. Shell color was detected by a spectrophotometer. Egg shape index was measured by Egg Form Coefficient Measuring Instrument. Albumen and yolk protein was determined by the Kjeldahl method. Amino acids were determined by an amino acids analyzer. Trace elements Zn, Fe, Cu, and P (mg/kg wet mass) were determined in digested solutions using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Optical Emission Spectrometry. TC and TG were measured using commercial analytical kits. Yolk triglyceride, total cholesterol, pancreatic lipase, and phospholipids were determined by appropriate kits. ß-carotene was determined by spectrophotometry. Lipid metabolism was also investigated with liver, plasma, and ovary samples. ZnO NP did not change the body weight of hens during the treatment period. ZnO NP slowed down egg laying frequency at the beginning of egg laying period but not at later time. ZnO NP did not affect egg protein or water contents, slightly decreased egg physical parameters (12 to 30%) and trace elements (20 to 35%) after 24 weeks treatment. However, yolk lipids content were significantly decreased by ZnO NP (20 to 35%). The mechanism of Zinc oxide nanoparticles decreasing yolk lipids was that they decreased the synthesis of lipids and increased lipid digestion. These data suggested ZnO NP affected egg quality and specifically regulated lipids metabolism in hens through altering the function of hen's ovary and liver.

Cloning and in vitro function analysis of codon-optimized FatI gene.

Currently, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) have attracted great attention because of their biological significance to organisms. In addition, PUFAs show an obvious impact on prevention and treatment of various diseases. Because n-3 PUFAs cannot be endogenously synthesized by mammals, mammals have to rely on a dietary supplement for sufficient supply. The finding and application of the fatty acid dehydrogenase I (FatI) gene are expected to change the current situation because it can convert n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFAs) to n-3 PUFAs. Meanwhile, the gradual maturation of transgenic technology makes it possible to produce transgenic animals that can synthesize n-3 PUFAs by themselves. In this study, the DNA coding sequence of FatI was synthesized by a chemical method after codon optimization according to the mammal's codon bias. The synthesized DNA sequence was introduced into Boer goat fetal fibroblasts by the constructed recombinant eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+)-FatI. Boer goat fetal fibroblasts were transfected by electroporation, and the stable transfected cell lines were obtained by G418 selection. Genomic DNA PCR and Southern blot were applied to verify that the foreign gene FatI was integrated into the genome of the Boer goat fibroblasts. RT-PCR results showed the expression of FatI gene at the mRNA level. The fatty acid profile of cells carrying the FatI gene revealed an increase in total n-3 PUFAs (from 0.61 to 0.95), but a decrease in n-6 PUFAs (from 10.34 to 9.85), resulting in a remarkable increase in the n-3:n-6 ratio (from 0.059 to 0.096). The n-3:n-6 ratio had a 63.49 percent increase, which is a precursor of the response of n-3 desaturase activity of the FatI gene. The study may provide a practical tool for producing transgenic animals that can produce n-3 PUFAs by themselves, and we hope that the application will lay the foundation for animals producing n-3 PUFAs, which will benefit human nutrition and wellness.

Anti-senescence effect of FatI gene in goat somatic cells.

The fatty acid dehydrogenase I (FatI) is able to express in mammalian cells and convert n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to n-3 PUFAs. n-3 PUFA is an important component of the cell membrane and plays an important role in the prevention and control of a variety of human diseases. However, n-3 PUFAs cannot be endogenously synthesized by mammals because they lack the dehydrogenase that converts n-6 to n-3 PUFA. For the time being, gradually matured transgenic technology makes it possible to produce transgenic animals that are able to synthesize n-3 PUFAs by themselves. However, the transgenic technology itself may bring negative impacts. In this study, the eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1-FatI was introduced into the genome of Boer goat fetal fibroblasts cultured in vitro, and the influence of biological characteristics of the fetal fibroblast was studied via overexpression of FatI. The results showed that the proliferation and apoptosis of cultured fetal fibroblast were not affected significantly by the overexpression of FatI using BrdU and TUNEL staining methods, respectively. Moreover, the overexpression of FatI significantly inhibited the senescence of somatic cells compared with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) transgenic cells (P < 0.01). Quantitative PCR revealed that the mRNA expression of P16 and P53 in the FatI transgenic cell group was significantly lower than that in the EGFP transgenic cell group (P < 0.01). In conclusion, the senescence of goat somatic cells was inhibited by the overexpression of the FatI gene.

ß-Nicotinamide mononucleotide improves chilled ram sperm quality in vitro by reducing oxidative stress damage.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the effect of ß-nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) supplementation on ram sperm quality during storage at 4°C in vitro. METHODS: Tris-citric acid-glucose solution containing different doses of NMN (0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 µM) was used to dilute semen collected from rams and it was stored at 4°C. Sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity as well as acrosome integrity were evaluated at 0, 24, and 48 h time points after storage at 4°C. In addition, sperm mitochondrial activity, lipid peroxidation (LPO), malondialdehyde (MDA) content, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, glutathione (GSH) content, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and apoptosis were measured at 48 h time point after storage at 4°C. RESULTS: Results demonstrate that the values obtained for sperm motility, acrosome integrity, and plasma membrane integrity in the NMN treatments were significantly higher than control (p<0.05). The addition of 60 µM NMN significantly improved ram sperm mitochondrial activity and reduced LPO, MDA content, and ROS content compared to control (p<0.05). Interestingly, sperm GSH content and SOD activity for the 60 µM NMN treatment were much higher than those observed for control. NMN treatment also decreased the level of Cleaved-Caspase 3, Cleaved-Caspase 9, and Bax while increasing Bcl-2 level in sperm at 48 h time point after storage at 4°C. CONCLUSION: Ram sperm quality can be maintained during storage at 4°C with the addition of NMN at 60 µM to the semen extender. NMN also reduces oxidative stress and apoptosis. Overall, these findings suggest that NMN is efficient in improving the viability of ram sperm during storage at 4°C in vitro.

Vibration Emissions Reduce Boar Sperm Quality via Disrupting Its Metabolism.

Artificial insemination (AI) with liquid-preserved semen has recently become common in pig breeding. The semen doses are produced in a centralized manner at the boar stud and then subsequently distributed and transported to sow farms. However, vibration emissions during transportation by logistic vehicles may adversely affect the quality of boar sperm. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the impact of vibration-induced emissions on sperm quality and function under simulated transportation conditions. Each time, ejaculates from all 15 boars were collected and then pooled together to minimize individual variations, and the sample was split using an extender for dilution. Different rotational speeds (0 rpm, 80 rpm, 140 rpm, 200 rpm) were utilized to simulate varying intensities of vibration exposure using an orbital shaker, considering different transportation times (0 h, 3 h, and 6 h). Subsequently, evaluations were conducted regarding sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial function, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, pH, glycolytic pathway enzyme activities, and capacitation following exposure to vibration emissions. Both vibration time and intensity impact sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosomal integrity. Vibration exposure significantly reduced sperm ATP levels, mitochondrial membrane potential, and the levels of mitochondria-encoded proteins (MT-ND1, MT-ND6) (p < 0.05). After vibration emission treatment, the pH value and mitochondrial ROS levels significantly increased (p < 0.05). Inhibition of sperm glycolysis was observed, with reduced activities of hexokinase (HK), pyruvate kinase (PK), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), along with decreased lactate levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, sperm tyrosine phosphorylation levels were significantly reduced by vibration emissions compared to the control group (p < 0.05). After the vibration emission treatment, the number of sperm bound to each square millimeter of oviduct explants decreased significantly compared to the control group (p < 0.05). Similarly, compared to the control group, using semen subjected to vibration stress for AI results in significantly reduced pregnancy rates, total born litter size, live-born litter size, and healthy born litter size (p < 0.05).

Mitochonic Acid 5 Increases Ram Sperm Quality by Improving Mitochondrial Function during Storage at 4 °C.

Semen preservation involves lengthening sperm's fertile lifespan without any detrimental effects on its biochemical, functional, and ultrastructural properties. Liquid storage at 4 °C is a ram sperm preservation method. However, this method of storage causes irreversible damage due to cold shocks, osmotic stresses, oxidative stresses, and reductions in sperm metabolism. The present study aims to investigate whether the supplementation of mitochonic acid 5 (MA-5) in a sperm extender could improve chilled ram sperm quality and elucidate its mechanism of action. Ram sperm were diluted with a tris-citrate-glucose extender containing different concentrations of MA-5 (0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 nM) and stored at 4 °C for up to 48 h. Sperm motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, ATP content, and the expression of NADPH dehydrogenase subunits 1 (MT-ND1) and NADPH dehydrogenase subunits 6 (MT-ND6) were evaluated. It was observed that compared to the control, the 10 nM MA-5 treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased total motility (82 ± 3.5% vs. 76 ± 5.9%), progressive motility (67.6 ± 8.2% vs. 51 ± 8.3%), and other parameters (straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), and curvilinear velocity (VCL)). In addition, 10 nM MA-5 supplementation also improved ram sperm membrane integrity and acrosomal integrity as well increased mitochondrial membrane potential (51.1 ± 0.7% vs. 37.7 ± 1.3%), reduced ROS levels, and elevated adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contents. Furthermore, a Western blot analysis demonstrated that the addition of MA-5 significantly (p < 0.05) increased the expression of MT-ND1 and MT-ND6 proteins in ram sperm, with the 10 nM MA-5 treatment resulting in the highest expression level. These results suggest that MA-5 improves ram sperm quality by maintaining high sperm mitochondrial function during liquid storage at 4 °C.

Pyrroloquinoline Quinone Improves Ram Sperm Quality through Its Antioxidative Ability during Storage at 4 °C.

Sperm motility is an important factor in the migration of sperm from the uterus to the oviduct. During sperm preservation in vitro, sperm generates excessive ROS that damages its function. This study aims to investigate whether the addition of pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ) to the diluted medium could improve chilled ram sperm quality, and then elucidates the mechanism. Ram semen was diluted with Tris-citric acid-glucose (TCG) medium containing different doses of PQQ (0 nM, 10 nM, 100 nM, 1000 nM, 10,000 nM), and stored at 4 °C. Sperm motility patterns, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and ATP levels were measured after preservation. Furthermore, the expressions of NADH dehydrogenase 1 (MT-ND1) and NADH dehydrogenase 6 (MT-ND6) in sperm were also detected by western blotting. In addition, sperm capacitation and the ability of sperm to bind to the zona pellucina were also evaluated. It was observed that the addition of PQQ significantly (p < 0.05) improved ram sperm motility, membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity during preservation. The percentage of sperm with high mitochondrial membrane potential in the PQQ treatment group was much higher than that in the control. In addition, supplementation of PQQ also decreased the sperm MDA and ROS levels, while increasing ATP levels. Interestingly, the levels of MT-ND1 and MT-ND6 protein in sperm treated with PQQ were also higher than that of the control. Furthermore, the addition of 100 nM PQQ to the medium decreased ROS damage in MT-ND1 and MT-ND6 proteins. The addition of 100 nM PQQ significantly (p < 0.05) increased protein tyrosine phosphorylation in ram sperm after induced capacitation. Furthermore, the value of the sperm-zona pellucida binding capacity in the 100 nM PQQ treatment group was also much higher than that of the control. Overall, during chilled ram- sperm preservation, PQQ protected ram sperm quality by quenching the ROS levels to reduce ROS damage and maintain sperm mitochondrial function, and preserved the sperm's high ability of fertilization.

Maternal diabetes causes abnormal dynamic changes of endoplasmic reticulum during mouse oocyte maturation and early embryo development.

BACKGROUND: The adverse effects of maternal diabetes on oocyte maturation and embryo development have been reported. METHODS: In this study, we used time-lapse live cell imaging confocal microscopy to investigate the dynamic changes of ER and the effects of diabetes on the ER's structural dynamics during oocyte maturation, fertilization and early embryo development. RESULTS: We report that the ER first became remodeled into a dense ring around the developing MI spindle, and then surrounded the spindle during migration to the cortex. ER reorganization during mouse early embryo development was characterized by striking localization around the pronuclei in the equatorial section, in addition to larger areas of fluorescence deeper within the cytoplasm. In contrast, in diabetic mice, the ER displayed a significantly higher percentage of homogeneous distribution patterns throughout the entire ooplasm during oocyte maturation and early embryo development. In addition, a higher frequency of large ER aggregations was detected in GV oocytes and two cell embryos from diabetic mice. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the diabetic condition adversely affects the ER distribution pattern during mouse oocyte maturation and early embryo development.

Resveratrol Improves the Frozen-Thawed Ram Sperm Quality.

Cryopreservation generates a substantial quantity of ROS in semen, leading to a decline in sperm quality and fertilization capacity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of resveratrol and its optimal concentration on ram sperm quality after cryopreservation. Ram semen was diluted with a freezing medium containing different concentrations of resveratrol (0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 µM). After thawing, various sperm parameters such as total motility, progressive motility, acrosome integrity, plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, glutathione (GSH) content, glutathione synthase (GPx) activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) content, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, ROS level, SIRT1 level, DNA oxidative damage, and AMPK phosphorylation level were assessed. In addition, post-thaw sperm apoptosis was evaluated. Comparatively, the addition of resveratrol up to 75 µM significantly improved the sperm motility and sperm parameters of cryopreserved ram sperm. Specifically, 50 µM resveratrol demonstrated a notable enhancement in acrosome and plasma membrane integrity, antioxidant capacity, mitochondrial membrane potential, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content, SIRT1 level, and AMPK phosphorylation levels compared to the control group (p < 0.05). It also significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the oxidative damage to sperm DNA. However, detrimental effects of resveratrol were observed at a concentration of 100 µM resveratrol. In conclusion, the addition of 50 µM resveratrol to the cryopreservation solution is optimal for enhancing the quality of cryopreserved ram sperm.

Carboxylated ε-Poly-l-lysine Improves Post-Thaw Quality, Mitochondrial Functions and Antioxidant Defense of Goat Cryopreserved Sperm.

Carboxylated ε-poly-l-lysine (CPLL), a novel cryoprotectant, can protect the sperm membranes by inhibiting ice crystal formation during the cryopreservation process. The present study was conducted to investigate the consequence of CPLL supplementation on the post-thaw quality of cryopreserved goat sperm. For this, different doses (0, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2%; v/v) of CPLL were added to the cryopreservation medium, and the motility, membrane and acrosome integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), ATP level, ROS production, anti-oxidant defense system, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, and apoptosis in post-thaw sperm were evaluated. It was observed that the addition of 1% CPLL significantly (p < 0.05) increased the total motility, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, and catalase (CAT) activity of post-thaw sperm compared to those of control and other CPLL doses. The ATP content was observed significantly (p < 0.05) higher in 0.5% and 1% CPLL, however, the SOD activity and progressive motility were significantly (p < 0.05) increased by adding CPLL at 1% and 1.5% level. Moreover, the addition of CPLL at 1% dose not only showed a lower percentage of apoptosis, but also significantly (p < 0.05) increased the MMP while reducing ROS production and MDA levels compared to those of other CPLL doses and/or control. Therefore, it is clear that the supplementation of 1% CPLL can remarkably improve the post-thaw goat sperm motility, membrane and acrosome integrity, antioxidant abundance, mitochondrial potentials, and ATP supply by protecting the sperm from cryodamage and undergoing apoptosis. These findings will provide novel insights into sperm cryobiology.

Bayesian mapping of genome-wide epistatic imprinted loci for quantitative traits.

Genomic imprinting, an epigenetic phenomenon of parent-of-origin-specific gene expression, has been widely observed in plants, animals, and humans. To detect imprinting genes influencing quantitative traits, the least squares and maximum likelihood approaches for fitting a single quantitative trait locus (QTL) and Bayesian methods for simultaneously modeling multiple QTL have been adopted, respectively, in various studies. However, most of these studies have only estimated imprinting main effects and thus ignored imprinting epistatic effects. In the presence of extremely complex genomic imprinting architectures, we introduce a Bayesian model selection method to analyze the multiple interacting imprinted QTL (iQTL) model. This approach will greatly enhance the computational efficiency through setting the upper bound of the number of QTLs and performing selective sampling for QTL parameters. The imprinting types of detected main-effect QTLs can be estimated from the Bayes factor statistic formulated by the posterior probabilities for the genetic effects being compared. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated by several simulation experiments. Moreover, this method is applied to dissect the imprinting genetic architecture for body weight in mouse and fruit weight in tomato. Matlab code for implementing this approach will be available from the authors upon request.

Effect of Zearalenone-Induced Ferroptosis on Mice Spermatogenesis.

Male reproductive health is critically worsening around the world. It has been reported that the mycotoxin ZEA causes reproductive toxicity to domestic animals and affects spermatogenesis, thereby inhibiting male reproductive function. Ferroptosis is a newly identified type of programmed cell death that is different from apoptosis and it depends on iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation. Whether ferroptosis is linked to ZEA's detrimental effect on spermatogenesis needs to be further explored. This study clarifies ferroptosis's involvement in ZEA-induced damage on spermatogenesis. The reproductive injury model used in this study was induced by gavaging male mice in the ZEA treatment group with 30 µg/kg of ZEA for five weeks. Results show that ZEA treatment reduced mouse sperm motility and concentration, destroyed the structure of the seminiferous tubules of the testis, damaged the antioxidant defense system, and blocked spermatogenesis. Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1) inhibition of ferroptosis partially alleviated ZEA-induced oligozoospermia in mice. In addition, ZEA treatment was found to activate a signaling pathway associated with ferroptosis in mouse testis. ZEA also downregulated the expression of Nrf2, SLC7A11, and GPX4, and decreased the protein expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4, resulting in the accumulation of lipid peroxides and an increase in the level of 4-HNE protein in the testis. Importantly, these changes were accompanied by an increase in the relative contents of Fe2+ and Fe3+. Iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation are the causes of ferroptosis in spermatogenic cells, leading to a decrease in sperm motility and concentration. While the administration of Fer-1 at 0.5 and 1 mg/kg also increased the expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 proteins by upregulating Nrf2 expression, reducing iron accumulation, and reversing ZEA-induced ferroptosis, Fer-1 at 1.5 mg/kg had the best repairing effect for all parameters. In conclusion, ZEA-induced ferroptosis may be mediated by a notable reduction in Nrf2, SLC7A11 and GPX4 expression levels. Overall, ferroptosis is a novel therapeutic target for mitigating ZEA-induced reproductive toxicity.

Beneficial Effect of Proline Supplementation on Goat Spermatozoa Quality during Cryopreservation.

Sperm cryopreservation contributes to the extensive utilization of artificial insemination (AI) in the daily livestock industry. However, due to the presence of few sperm with good biological function in post-thaw goat sperm, its use has been limited for AI purposes. Hence, its improvement has been the focus of many research studies. This study aimed to investigate the effects of proline supplementation of the freezing medium on goat sperm. The goat semen was cryopreserved with freezing medium supplementation of different concentrations of proline (0, 0.5, 1, 2 and 4 mM). The post-thaw sperm motility patterns, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), proline dehydrogenase (PRODH) activity, superoxide dis-mutase (SOD) activity, glutathione (GSH) levels and GSH/GSSG were evaluated. Likewise, the expression and immunofluorescent localization of PRODH in post-thaw goat sperm was also detected. It was observed that addition of 2 mM proline to the freezing medium significantly enhanced post-thaw goat sperm total motility, progressive motility, straight-linear velocity (VSL), curvilinear velocity (VCL), average path velocity (VAP), straightness (STR), linearity (LIN), membrane integrity and acrosome integrity. Interestingly, PRODH was expressed in post-thaw goat sperm, especially in the post-acrosome and sperm tail. Addition of 2 mM proline also significantly increased the post-thaw sperm PRODH activity compared to the control. Moreover, post-thaw goat sperm LPO levels and MDA levels were reduced by supplementation of 2 mM proline. Furthermore, compared to the control, the values of post-thaw goat sperm T-AOC, SOD activity, GSH level and GSH/GSSG were also significantly increased in 2 mM proline treatment. Reduction of post-thaw goat sperm apoptosis in 2 mM proline treatment was also observed as the levels of Caspase3 and Caspase9 were decreased by the supplementation with 2 mM proline. These observations suggest that the addition of 2 mM proline to the freezing medium increased post-thaw goat sperm quality by reducing oxidative stress during cryopreservation. These findings also provide novel insights into the use of proline as an efficient additive to enhance post-thaw goat sperm quality during cryopreservation.

Quantitative Label-Free Proteomic Analysis of Milk Fat Globule Membrane in Donkey and Human Milk.

Previous studies have found donkey milk (DM) has the similar compositions with human milk (HM) and could be used as a potential hypoallergenic replacement diet for babies suffering from cow's milk allergy. Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) proteins are involved in many biological functions, behaving as important indicators of the nutritional quality of milk. In this study, we used label-free proteomics to quantify the differentially expressed MFGM proteins (DEP) between DM (in 4-5 months of lactation) and HM (in 6-8 months of lactation). In total, 293 DEP were found in these two groups. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that the majority of DEP participated in regulation of immune system process, membrane invagination and lymphocyte activation. Several significant Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were determined for the DEP, such as lysosome, galactose metabolism and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. Our study may provide valuable information in the composition of MFGM proteins in DM and HM, and expand our knowledge of different biological functions between DM and HM.