A Chinese indicine pangenome reveals a wealth of novel structural variants introgressed from other Bos species.

Chinese indicine cattle harbor a much higher genetic diversity compared with other domestic cattle, but their genome architecture remains uninvestigated. Using PacBio HiFi sequencing data from 10 Chinese indicine cattle across southern China, we assembled 20 high-quality partially phased genomes and integrated them into a multiassembly graph containing 148.5 Mb (5.6%) of novel sequence. We identified 156,009 high-confidence nonredundant structural variants (SVs) and 206 SV hotspots spanning ∼195 Mb of gene-rich sequence. We detected 34,249 archaic introgressed fragments in Chinese indicine cattle covering 1.93 Gb (73.3%) of the genome. We inferred an average of 3.8%, 3.2%, 1.4%, and 0.5% of introgressed sequence originating, respectively, from banteng-like, kouprey-like, gayal-like, and gaur-like Bos species, as well as 0.6% of unknown origin. Introgression from multiple donors might have contributed to the genetic diversity of Chinese indicine cattle. Altogether, this study highlights the contribution of interspecies introgression to the genomic architecture of an important livestock population and shows how exotic genomic elements can contribute to the genetic variation available for selection.

Toll receptor ligand Spätzle 4 responses to the highly pathogenic Enterococcus faecalis from Varroa mites in honeybees.

Honeybees play a major role in crop pollination, which supports the agricultural economy and international food supply. The colony health of honeybees is threatened by the parasitic mite Varroa destructor, which inflicts physical injury on the hosts and serves as the vector for variable viruses. Recently, it shows that V. destructor may also transmit bacteria through the feeding wound, yet it remains unclear whether the invading bacteria can exhibit pathogenicity to the honeybees. Here, we incidentally isolate Enterococcus faecalis, one of the most abundant bacteria in Varroa mites, from dead bees during our routine generation of microbiota-free bees in the lab. In vivo tests show that E. faecalis is only pathogenic in Apis mellifera but not in Apis cerana. The expression of antimicrobial peptide genes is elevated following infection in A. cerana. The gene-based molecular evolution analysis identifies positive selection of genes encoding Späetzle 4 (Spz4) in A. cerana, a signaling protein in the Toll pathway. The amino acid sites under positive selection are related to structural changes in Spz4 protein, suggesting improvement of immunity in A. cerana. The knock-down of Spz4 in A. cerana significantly reduces the survival rates under E. faecalis challenge and the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes. Our results indicate that bacteria associated with Varroa mites are pathogenic to adult bees, and the positively selected gene Spz4 in A. cerana is crucial in response to this mite-related pathogen.

Whole-genome sequencing reveals genomic diversity and selection signatures in Xia'nan cattle.

BACKGROUND: The crossbreeding of specialized beef cattle breeds with Chinese indigenous cattle is a common method of genetic improvement. Xia'nan cattle, a crossbreed of Charolais and Nanyang cattle, is China's first specialized beef cattle breed with independent intellectual property rights. After more than two decades of selective breeding, Xia'nan cattle exhibit a robust physique, good environmental adaptability, good tolerance to coarse feed, and high meat production rates. This study analyzed the population genetic structure, genetic diversity, and genomic variations of Xia'nan cattle using whole-genome sequencing data from 30 Xia'nan cattle and 178 published cattle genomic data. RESULT: The ancestry estimating composition analysis showed that the ancestry proportions for Xia'nan cattle were mainly Charolais with a small amount of Nanyang cattle. Through the genetic diversity studies (nucleotide diversity and linkage disequilibrium decay), we found that the genomic diversity of Xia'nan cattle is higher than that of specialized beef cattle breeds in Europe but lower than that of Chinese native cattle. Then, we used four methods to detect genome candidate regions influencing the excellent traits of Xia'nan cattle. Among the detected results, 42 genes (θπ and CLR) and 131 genes (FST and XP-EHH) were detected by two different detection strategies. In addition, we found a region in BTA8 with strong selection signals. Finally, we conducted functional annotation on the detected genes and found that these genes may influence body development (NR6A1), meat quality traits (MCCC1), growth traits (WSCD1, TMEM68, MFN1, NCKAP5), and immunity (IL11RA, CNTFR, CCL27, SLAMF1, SLAMF7, NAA35, and GOLM1). CONCLUSION: We elucidated the genomic features and population structure of Xia'nan cattle and detected some selection signals in genomic regions potentially associated with crucial economic traits in Xia'nan cattle. This research provided a basis for further breeding improvements in Xia'nan cattle and served as a reference for genetic enhancements in other crossbreed cattle.

Nickel-Catalyzed Atroposelective C-H Alkylation Enabled by Bimetallic Catalysis with Air-Stable Heteroatom-Substituted Secondary Phosphine Oxide Preligands.

The catalytic asymmetric construction of axially chiral C-N atropisomers remains a formidable challenge due to their low rotational barriers and is largely reliant on toxic, cost-intensive, and precious metal catalysts. In sharp contrast, we herein describe the first nickel-catalyzed atroposelective C-H alkylation for the construction of C-N axially chiral compounds with the aid of a chiral heteroatom-substituted secondary phosphine oxide (HASPO)-ligated Ni-Al bimetallic catalyst. A wide range of alkenes, including terminal and internal alkenes, were well compatible with the reaction, providing a variety of benzimidazole derivatives in high yields and enantioselectivities (up to 97:3 e.r.). The key to success was the identification of novel HASPOs as highly effective chiral preligands. Mechanistic studies revealed the catalyst mode of action, and in-depth data science analysis elucidated the key features of the responsible chiral preligands in controlling the enantioselectivity.

Litchi aspartic protease LcAP1 enhances plant resistance via suppressing cell death triggered by the pectate lyase PlPeL8 from Peronophythora litchii.

Plant cell death is regulated in plant-pathogen interactions. While some aspartic proteases (APs) participate in regulating programmed cell death or defense responses, the defense functions of most APs remain largely unknown. Here, we report on a virulence factor, PlPeL8, which is a pectate lyase found in the hemibiotrophic pathogen Peronophythora litchii. Through in vivo and in vitro assays, we confirmed the interaction between PlPeL8 and LcAP1 from litchi, and identified LcAP1 as a positive regulator of plant immunity. PlPeL8 induced cell death associated with NbSOBIR1 and NbMEK2. The 11 conserved residues of PlPeL8 were essential for inducing cell death and enhancing plant susceptibility. Twenty-three LcAPs suppressed cell death induced by PlPeL8 in Nicotiana benthamiana depending on their interaction with PlPeL8. The N-terminus of LcAP1 was required for inhibiting PlPeL8-triggered cell death and susceptibility. Furthermore, PlPeL8 led to higher susceptibility in NbAPs-silenced N. benthamiana than the GUS-control. Our results indicate the crucial roles of LcAP1 and its homologs in enhancing plant resistance via suppression of cell death triggered by PlPeL8, and LcAP1 represents a promising target for engineering disease resistance. Our study provides new insights into the role of plant cell death in the arms race between plants and hemibiotrophic pathogens.

Reactive Oxygen Species-Responsive Delivery of a Notch Inhibitor to Alleviate Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis by Inhibiting Hepatic de Novo Lipogenesis and Inflammation.

With the increased prevalence of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) in the world, effective pharmacotherapy in clinical practice is still lacking. Previous studies have shown that dibenzazepine (DBZ), a Notch inhibitor, could alleviate NASH development in a mouse model. However, low bioavailability, poor water solubility, and extrahepatic side effects restrict its clinical application. To overcome these barriers, we developed a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-sensitive nanoparticle based on the conjugation of bilirubin to poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) chains, taking into account the overaccumulation of hepatic ROS in the pathologic state of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). The PEGylated bilirubin can self-assemble into nanoparticles in an aqueous solution and encapsulate insoluble DBZ into its hydrophobic cavity. DBZ nanoparticles (DBZ Nps) had good stability, rapidly released DBZ in response to H2O2, and effectively scavenged intracellular ROS of hepatocytes. After systemic administration, DBZ Nps could accumulate in the liver of the NASH mice, extend persistence in circulation, and improve the bioavailability of DBZ. Furthermore, DBZ Nps significantly improved glucose intolerance, relieved hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation, and ameliorated NASH-induced liver fibrosis. Additionally, DBZ Nps had no significant extrahepatic side effects. Taken together, our results highlight the potential of the ROS-sensitive DBZ nanoparticle as a promising therapeutic strategy for NASH.

Upgraded CRISPR/Cas9 tools for tissue-specific mutagenesis in Drosophila.

CRISPR/Cas9 has emerged as a powerful technology for tissue-specific mutagenesis. However, tissue-specific CRISPR/Cas9 tools currently available in Drosophila remain deficient in three significant ways. First, many existing gRNAs are inefficient, such that further improvements of gRNA expression constructs are needed for more efficient and predictable mutagenesis in both somatic and germline tissues. Second, it has been difficult to label mutant cells in target tissues with current methods. Lastly, application of tissue-specific mutagenesis at present often relies on Gal4-driven Cas9, which hampers the flexibility and effectiveness of the system. Here, we tackle these deficiencies by building upon our previous CRISPR-mediated tissue-restricted mutagenesis (CRISPR-TRiM) tools. First, we significantly improved gRNA efficiency in somatic tissues by optimizing multiplexed gRNA design. Similarly, we also designed efficient dual-gRNA vectors for the germline. Second, we developed methods to positively and negatively label mutant cells in tissue-specific mutagenesis by incorporating co-CRISPR reporters into gRNA expression vectors. Lastly, we generated genetic reagents for convenient conversion of existing Gal4 drivers into tissue-specific Cas9 lines based on homology-assisted CRISPR knock-in. In this way, we expand the choices of Cas9 for CRISPR-TRiM analysis to broader tissues and developmental stages. Overall, our upgraded CRISPR/Cas9 tools make tissue-specific mutagenesis more versatile, reliable, and effective in Drosophila These improvements may be also applied to other model systems.

Real-time analgesic efficacy and factors determining drug requirements of combined spinal-epidural analgesia for labor: a prospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: Combined spinal-epidural analgesia (CSEA) is effective but not sufficient for labor pain. This study was conducted to assess the real-time analgesic efficacy, side effects of anesthetic drug dosage, and maternal satisfaction in labor to provide reference for the optimization of labor analgesia. METHODS: This was a prospective, cohort, single-center study that included 3020 women who received CSEA for labor analgesia. The visual analogue scale (VAS) for labor pain, real-time anesthetic drug dosage, side effects, adverse labor outcomes, factors influencing average drug dosage, and maternal satisfaction with CSEA were assessed. RESULTS: Overall, the VAS labor pain score was lowest at the first hour after the anesthesia was given. After 4 h for primiparas and 3 h for multiparas, the VAS score was greater than 3 but the anesthetic drug dosage did not reach the maximum allowed dosage at the same time. The average anesthetic drug dosage was positively correlated with fever, urinary retention, uterine atony, prolonged active phase, prolonged second stage, assisted vaginal delivery, and postpartum hemorrhage. The average anesthetic drug dosage was the highest in women ≤ 20 years old, those with a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 24.9 kg/m2, and those with a primary or secondary education level. CONCLUSION: Appropriate age guidance and emphasis on education of labor analgesia, weight management during pregnancy, and real-time anesthetic dosage adjustment during labor based on VAS pain score may have positive effects on the satisfaction of labor analgesia. CLINICAL TRIAL NUMBER AND REGISTRY: Clinicaltrials.gov (ChiCTR2100051809).

Genetic diversity and signatures of selection in BoHuai goat revealed by whole-genome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Cross breeding is an important way to improve livestock performance. As an important livestock and poultry resource in Henan Province of China, Bohuai goat was formed by crossing Boer goat and Huai goat. After more than 20 years of breeding, BoHuai goats showed many advantages, such as fast growth, good reproductive performance, and high meat yield. In order to better develop and protect Bohuai goats, we sequenced the whole genomes of 30 BoHuai goats and 5 Huai goats to analyze the genetic diversity, population structure and genomic regions under selection of BoHuai goat. Furthermore, we used 126 published genomes of world-wide goat to characterize the genomic variation of BoHuai goat. RESULTS: The results showed that the nucleotide diversity of BoHuai goats was lower and the degree of linkage imbalance was higher than that of other breeds. The analysis of population structure showed that BoHuai goats have obvious differences from other goat breeds. In addition, the BoHuai goat is more closely related to the Boer goat than the Huai goat and is highly similar to the Boer goat. Group by selection signal in the BoHuai goat study, we found that one region on chromosome 7 shows a very strong selection signal, which suggests that it could well be the segment region under the intense artificial selection results. Through selective sweeps, we detected some genes related to important traits such as lipid metabolism (LDLR, STAR, ANGPTL8), fertility (STAR), and disease resistance (CD274, DHPS, PDCD1LG2). CONCLUSION: In this paper, we elucidated the genomic variation, ancestry composition, and selective signals related to important economic traits in BoHuai goats. Our studies on the genome of BoHuai goats will not only help to understand the characteristics of the crossbred but also provide a basis for the improvement of cross-breeding programs.

Genome-wide CRISPR screening reveals ADCK3 as a key regulator in sensitizing endometrial carcinoma cells to MPA therapy.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness of conservative treatment of endometrial carcinoma (EC) with oral progesterone therapy, such as medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), can be blunted due to primary or acquired resistance, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely defined. METHODS: Genome-wide CRISPR screening was performed to identify potential regulators in response to MPA in Ishikawa cells. Crystal violet staining, RT-qPCR, western blotting, ChIP-qPCR and luciferase assays were employed to elucidate the p53-AarF domain-containing kinase 3 (ADCK3) regulatory axis and its roles in sensitizing EC cells to MPA treatment. RESULTS: ADCK3 is identified as a previously unrecognized regulator in response to MPA in EC cells. Loss of ADCK3 in EC cells markedly alleviated MPA-induced cell death. Mechanistically, loss of ADCK3 primarily suppresses MPA-mediated ferroptosis by abrogating arachidonate 15-lipoxygenase (ALOX15) transcriptional activation. Moreover, we validated ADCK3 as a direct downstream target of the tumor suppressor p53 in EC cells. By stimulating the p53-ADCK3 axis, the small-molecule compound Nutlin3A synergized with MPA to efficiently inhibit EC cell growth. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings reveal ADCK3 as a key regulator of EC cells in response to MPA and shed light on a potential strategy for conservative EC treatment by activating the p53-ADCK3 axis to sensitize MPA-mediated cell death.

Nitric oxide is involved in the regulation of guard mother cell division by inhibiting the synthesis of ACC.

A stoma forms by a series of asymmetric divisions of stomatal lineage precursor cell and the terminal division of a guard mother cell (GMC). GMC division is restricted to once through genetic regulation mechanisms. Here, we show that nitric oxide (NO) is involved in the regulation of the GMC division. NO donor treatment results in the formation of single guard cells (SGCs). SGCs are also produced in plants that accumulate high NO, whereas clustered guard cells (GCs) appear in plants with low NO accumulation. NO treatment promotes the formation of SGCs in the stomatal signalling mutants sdd1, epf1 epf2, tmm1, erl1 erl2 and er erl1 erl2, reduces the cell number per stomatal cluster in the fama-1 and flp1 myb88, but has no effect on stomatal of cdkb1;1 cyca2;234. Aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC), a positive regulator of GMC division, reduces the NO-induced SGC formation. Further investigation found NO inhibits ACC synthesis by repressing the expression of several ACC SYNTHASE (ACS) genes, and in turn ACC represses NO accumulation by promoting the expression of HEMOGLOBIN 1 (HB1) encoding a NO scavenger. This work shows NO plays a role in the regulation of GMC division by modulating ACC accumulation in the Arabidopsis cotyledon.

Immune and cytokine alterations and RNA-sequencing analysis in gestational tissues from pregnant women after recovery from COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 is a global pandemic. Understanding the immune responses in pregnant women recovering from COVID-19 may suggest new therapeutic approaches. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional study between March 1, 2020, and September 1, 2020. Participants were assigned into the convalescent COVID-19 group if they had a previous COVID-19 infection during pregnancy or the healthy control group. RNA-Seq was performed on human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUMSCs) and human amniotic mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs). Immunohistochemical staining, cytokine testing, lymphocyte subset analysis, RNA-Seq, and functional analyses were performed on the placental and umbilical cord blood (UCB) and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: A total of 40 pregnant women were enrolled, with 13 in the convalescent group and 27 in the control group. There were 1024, 46, and 32 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified in the placental tissue, hUMSCs, and hAMSCs between the convalescent and control groups, respectively. Enrichment analysis showed those DEGs were associated with immune homeostasis, antiviral activity, cell proliferation, and tissue repair. Levels of IL-6, TNF-α, total lymphocyte counts, B lymphocytes, Tregs percentages, and IFN-γ expressing CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were statistically different between two groups (p ≤ 0.05). ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expressed on the placenta were not different between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Multiple changes in immune responses occurred in the placental tissue, hUMSCs, and hAMSCs after maternal recovery from COVID-19, which might imply their protective roles against COVID-19 infection.

A Feasibility Study to Evaluate Replacing Conventional Computed Tomography at 120 KVP with Low Radiation Dose and Low Iodine Intake Based on Body Mass Index-Adapted Abdominal Computed Tomography Angiography in 291 Patients.

BACKGROUND This feasibility study aimed to evaluate replacing conventional computed tomography at 120 kVp with low radiation and low iodine dose based on body mass index (BMI)-adapted abdominal computed tomography angiography in 291 patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 291 abdominal CTA patients were divided into 3 individualized kVp groups according to their BMI: A1 with 70 kVp (n=57), A2 with 80 kVp (n=49), and A3 with 100 kVp (n=48); and 3 conventional 120 kVp groups: B1 (n=40), B2 (n=53), and B3 (n=44) BMI-matched with group A. The contrast media was 300 mgI/kg for group A and 500 mgI/kg for group B. The CT values and SD of the abdominal aorta and the erector spinae were measured, and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and figure-of-merit (FOM) were calculated. Imaging quality, radiation, and contrast media dosage were evaluated. RESULTS The CT and CNR of abdominal aorta in groups A1 and A2 were higher than those in groups B1 and B2 (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference between groups A3 and B3 (P>0.05). FOM of the abdominal aorta in group A was higher than that in group B (P<0.05). Compared with groups B1, B2, and B3, the radiation doses of A1, A2, and A3 groups decreased by 70.61%, 56.72%, and 31.87%, and contrast intake decreased by 39.94%, 38.74%, and 35.09%, respectively (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS BMI-based individualized kVp abdominal CTA imaging significantly reduced overall radiation dose and contrast media intake while providing excellent image quality.

Location deviation correction method based on cross-correlation spectrum in OFDR.

A location deviation compensation algorithm based on cross-correlation spectrum is proposed for optical frequency domain reflection (OFDR) measurement. The strain and the imperfect repeatability of the laser source may cause a location deviation of the OFDR measurement system, resulting in a demodulation error. This paper proposes to use the peak-to-average ratio (PAR) to measure the quality of the correlation results and achieve compensation, which achieves efficient compensation for location deviation. Compared to other compensation methods, this algorithm can deal with the complex location deviation with better demodulation accuracy and stability. Through a strain measurement experiment, we demonstrate that the demodulation error caused by location deviation is largely eliminated. As a result, the spatial resolution of the system is improved from 8 cm to 2 cm, and the maximum measurement range is expanded to 5000µÎµ.

Copy number variations of LRRFIP1 gene and the relationship with growth traits in four Chinese sheep.

CNVs (copy number variations) are the novel and common structural variants that could cover entire genes found in plenty of species. CNV may influence economically important traits or disease susceptibility in livestock species. Based on the whole genome resequencing results, we found that there was a CNV region on the LRRFIP1 gene. Then we used qPCR to detect the copy number type distribution in 553 individuals of four sheep breeds and used them for association analysis. The results showed that: (1) In the CKS, the sheep with gain type had a larger heart girth (p = 0.049). (2) For the HS, the CNV could significantly affect rump breadth (p = 0.037) and circumference of the cannon (p = 0.035). And the sheep with median type showed better performance in rump breadth and circumference of cannon. (3) At the STHS, the CNV was significantly correlated with chest width (p = 0.000) with loss type as the most favorable CNV type. Meanwhile, the best was the loss type, and the lowest was the median. (4) This CNV had no significant effect on the LTHS. So, the CNV of LRRFIP1 was related to the growth traits of these three sheep breeds and it may be used as a molecular marker for sheep.

CNV analysis of VAMP7 gene reveals variation associated with growth traits in Chinese cattle.

Copy number variant (CNV), a common genetic polymorphism, is closely related to the phenotypic variation traits of organisms. Vesicle-associated membrane protein 7 gene (VAMP7) codes a protein, which is a member of the SNARE proteins family and plays an important role in the process of intracellular vesicle transport. In this study, a total of four cattle breeds (Yunling cattle, Xianan cattle, Pinan cattle, Jiaxian red cattle) were used to investigate the copy numbers, and we found an association relationship between CNV of VAMP7 gene and growth traits of cattle by SPSS 20.0 software. The results showed that the CNV type of VAMP7 gene in four cattle breeds had the same distribution, Duplication type occupies a dominant position among the four varieties. In Yunling cattle, the Duplication type of VAMP7 is significantly related to the height at the hip cross (p < 0.05), Individuals with Duplication type commonly have less performance on growth and development, which indicates that the Duplication type of the VAMP7 gene may have a negative effect on cattle growth. Individuals with the other two CNV types may become the breeding direction of the VAMP7 gene. This study provided a new perspective and basic material for the molecular genetics of the CNV of the VAMP7 gene, and also promoted the breeding progress of Chinese local cattle.

Association between the copy number variation of CCSER1 gene and growth traits in Chinese Capra hircus (goat) populations.

Recently, Coiled-coil serine-rich protein 1 (CCSER1) gene is reported to be related to economic traits in livestock, and become a hotspot. In our study, we detected CCSER1 gene CNV in 693 goats from six breeds (GZB, GZW, AN, BH, HG, TH) by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and the association analysis between the types of CNV and growth traits. Then, CCSER1 gene expression pattern was discovered in seven tissues from NB goats. Our results showed that the CCSER1 gene copy numbers were distributed differently in the aforementioned six breeds. The type of CCSER1 gene CNV was significantly associated with body weight and heart girth traits in GZW goat, in which individuals with deletion type were dominant in body weight trait (P < 0.05), while the normal type individuals were more advantageous in heart girth trait (P < 0.01); and there was a significant association with heart girth in TH goat (P < 0.05), which normal type was the dominant one. The expression profile revealed that CCSER1 gene has the highest level in the lung, followed by the small intestine and heart. In conclusion, our result is dedicated to an in-depth study of the novel CCSER1 gene CNV site and to provide essential information for Chinese goats molecular selective breeding in the future.

Copy number variation of GAL3ST1 gene is associated with growth traits of Chinese cattle.

Copy number variation (CNV) is a type of genomic structural variation, and the research on it has flourished in recent years. According to the high-throughput sequencing data, we found that the copy number variation region of the GAL3ST1 gene was correlated with the growth traits of bovine. It is significant that we study the CNV of GAL3ST1 gene and process the association analysis between results of Q-PCR and growth traits of Chinese cattle. In this research, SPSS software was used to detect the distribution of GAL3ST1 gene copy number in four cattle breeds and the correlation of growth traits was analyzed. Correlation analysis showed that GAL3ST1 CNV had positive effects on some growth traits of bovine (p < 0.05). In addition, the study detects the expression of GAL3ST1 gene in different tissues of Xia'nan cattles on mRNA level. The result showed that GAL3ST1 gene has different expression conditions in different tissues, results showed that the expression level was high in intestine and low in liver tissue. In a word, we speculated that the GAL3ST1 gene can be used as a molecular marker and this study confirmed that the CNV of it can provide theoretical basis for molecular breeding of cattle in China.

Copy number variation of the ZNF679 gene in cattle and its association analysis with growth traits.

Copy number variation (CNV) is an important member of genetic structural variation that exists widely in animal genomes and is between 50 bp and several Mb in length and widely used in research's of animal genetics and breeding. ZNF679 is an important transcription factor, which has been found association with diseases in the human genome many times. This gene has also been found to be associated with cattle growth traits in previous re-sequencing studies. We tested the CNVs of the ZNF679 gene in 809 individuals from 7 Chinese cattle breeds and tested the association between the CNVs and growth traits in 552 individuals from 5 breeds. The results demonstrated the correlation the correlation between the CNVs of the ZNF679 gene and some Chinese cattle (QC cattle and XN cattle) growth traits. To sum up, this study indicated that ZNF679-CNVs can be used as a candidate gene for molecular genetic marker-assisted selection breeding for cattle growth traits to contribute to the development of genetic improvement of Chinese cattle.

Association between copy number variation of SERPINA3-1 gene and growth traits in Chinese cattle.

Serpin peptidase inhibitor, clade A (alpha-1 antiproteinase, antitrypsin), member 3 (SERPINA3) belongs to the serine protease inhibitor family A subtype, and contains 8 genes from SERPINA3-1 to SERPINA3-8. Although the regulatory effects of these 8 genes have been revealed one by one in recent years, the related effects of SERPINA3-1 gene on cattle growth is still unclear. This study used quantitative Real time PCR (qPCR) to detect the type of copy number variation (CNV) of SERPINA3-1 gene in a total of 542 Chinese cattle, and expression of SERPINA3-1 gene in different tissues of Qinchuan cattles (adult) on mRNA level. Then association analysis was conducted between the detection results and cattle growth traits. The results showed that the Duplication type in SERPINA3-1 gene performed better on the growth traits and the CNV was significantly correlated with multiple growth traits (p < 0.05). In addition, SERPINA3-1 gene has different expression conditions in different tissues, results showed that SERPINA3-1 gene has a low expression in muscle. In conclusion, we speculate that the SERPINA3-1 gene can be used as a molecular marker and the result of this study could be a basic material for candidate functional genes for beef cattle growth and development.

In order to detect the gene expression diversification of the SERPINA3-1 gene, blood samples were collected from five Chinese cattle breeds, we detected related signal and made an associated analyze with cattle growth traits. We determined the copy number variation distribution of the SERPINA3-1 gene in cattle populations and found that the SERPINA3-1 gene has a certain promoting effect on the growth and development of Chinese cattle. For example, Pinan cattle with Duplication type copy number have a better performance on growth traits. This study has enriched the candidate genes of Chinese cattle molecular breeding and provided basic data for Chinese cattle breeding.