CDH1, a Novel Surface Marker of Spermatogonial Stem Cells in Sheep Testis

Spermatogonial stem cells（SSCs） are unique stem cells in adult body that can transmit genetic information to the next generation. They have self-renewal potential and can continuously support spermatogenesis throughout life of a male animal. However, the SSC population is extremely small, isolation and purification of the SSCs is challenging, especially for livestock animals. It has been confirmed that CDH1（cadherin-1, also known as E-cadherin） can be expressed in undifferentiated SSCs of mouse and rats, but it has not been verified in sheep. Here, CDH1 was found as a novel surface marker for sheep SSCs. In this paper, sheep antiCDH1 polyclonal antibodies were prepared and its activity was checked. Using the obtained antibodies and immunohistochemistry analysis, we confirmed that CDH1 can be expressed by SSCs in sheep testis.

不同繁殖力绵羊卵巢转录组比较分析

为深入探索影响绵羊繁殖力的分子调控机制,本研究对16个产多羔的高繁绵羊和产单羔的低繁绵羊的卵巢转录组数据进行分析,使用WGCNA和eGWAS构建绵羊卵巢加权基因共表达网络和基于表达的全基因组关联,使用DESeq2进行差异基因分析,并通过EWSS挖掘繁殖高分化基因。结果表明:1)高繁绵羊和低繁绵羊卵巢组织共表达26 747个基因。2)17 908个高变异基因被聚为9个共表达基因模块。3)884个差异表达基因中高繁绵羊的上调表达基因多于低繁绵羊。4)获得28 727个高质量的SNPs变异位点,筛选到232个极高度变异的SNPs。5)通过多种方法整合筛选到12个影响绵羊繁殖力高度分化的基因(FGD4、LHFPL2、PPIL6、MILR1、PPP1R9B、NUP62、POU2F3、PHLDB1、SH3PXD2B、XPC、DAXX和MXRA5)。综上,本研究揭示了绵羊卵巢基因的表达模式及多维度筛选的绵羊繁殖力差异基因,最终找到12个可能调控绵羊繁殖相关的关键基因,为绵羊繁殖研究提供理论依据和数据支撑。

绵羊繁殖相关编码RNA和非编码RNA的研究进展

随着分子生物学和生物信息学的发展及应用,已有诸多研究从影响绵羊卵巢发育、排卵、产羔、睾丸发育和精子发生等主要繁殖活动相关编码RNA和非编码RNA方面着手,对绵羊繁殖相关的编码和非编码RNA进行筛选和鉴定。本文对影响绵羊繁殖的编码RNA和非编码RNA研究成果进行总结梳理,共整理了61个关键mRNAs、9个miRNAs、17个lncRNAs和4个circRNAs,并进一步阐述RNA的发展历史和生物学功能,以及编码RNA与非编码RNA构成调控绵羊繁殖的复杂ceRNA网络。结果表明:1)不同年龄公羊睾丸和母羊卵巢在繁殖过程中mRNA呈动态变化;2)非编码RNA与DNA、RNA或蛋白质之间相互作用,调控转录、翻译以及翻译后修饰等过程,实现不同品种、年龄和饲喂水平绵羊对精子发生和卵泡发育等过程的调控;3)编码RNA和非编码RNA形成稳定的ceRNA调控机制使繁殖活动趋于动态平衡。本综述为挖掘绵羊繁殖性状分子标记基因、开展分子育种工作、改善绵羊繁殖性能及提高羊产业经济效益打下基础。