A Microarray-Based Analysis Reveals that a Short Photoperiod Promotes Hair Growth in the Arbas Cashmere Goat.

Many animals exhibit different behaviors in different seasons. The photoperiod can have effects on migration, breeding, fur growth, and other processes. The cyclic growth of the fur and feathers of some species of mammals and birds, respectively, is stimulated by the photoperiod as a result of hormone-dependent regulation of the nervous system. To further examine this phenomenon, we evaluated the Arbas Cashmere goat (Capra hircus), a species that is often used in this type of research. The goats were exposed to an experimentally controlled short photoperiod to study the regulation of cyclic cashmere growth. Exposure to a short photoperiod extended the anagen phase of the Cashmere goat hair follicle to increase cashmere production. Assessments of tissue sections indicated that the short photoperiod significantly induced cashmere growth. This conclusion was supported by a comparison of the differences in gene expression between the short photoperiod and natural conditions using gene chip technology. Using the gene chip data, we identified genes that showed altered expression under the short photoperiod compared to natural conditions, and these genes were found to be involved in the biological processes of hair follicle growth, structural composition of the hair follicle, and the morphogenesis of the surrounding skin appendages. Knowledge about differences in the expression of these genes as well as their functions and periodic regulation patterns increases our understanding of Cashmere goat hair follicle growth. This study also provides preliminary data that may be useful for the development of an artificial method to improve cashmere production by controlling the light cycle, which has practical significance for livestock breeding.

Adaptive evolution of Hoxc13 genes in the origin and diversification of the vertebrate integument.

The problem of origination and diversification of integument derivatives in vertebrates is still a challenge. The homeobox (Hox) genes Hoxc13 control integument formation in vertebrate. Hoxc13 show strong expression in the integument development, are highly conserved across vertebrates, and show mutations that are associated with skin and appendages. To test whether the evolution of the integument is associated with positive selection or relaxation of Hoxc13, we obtained these genes in a wide range of vertebrates. In Hoxc13, we found evidence of diversifying selection after speciation during the origin of vertebrates. In addition, we found the glycine-rich regions in Hoxc13 protein in mammals, but not among non-mammalian taxa. Our results strongly implicate that Hoxc13 genes could have played an important role in the evolution of integument structure.