Buglione Maria, Rivieccio Eleonora, Aceto Serena, Paturzo Vincenzo, Biondi Carla, Fulgione Domenico
Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, 80126 Naples, Italy.
Department of Humanities Studies, University of Naples Federico II, 80133 Naples, Italy.
Life (Basel). 2024 Aug 22;14(8):1045. doi: 10.3390/life14081045.
Domesticated animals are artificially selected to exhibit desirable traits, however not all traits of domesticated animals are the result of deliberate selection. Loss of olfactory capacity in the domesticated pig () is one example. We used whole transcriptome analysis (RNA-Seq) to compare patterns of gene expression in the olfactory mucosa of the pig and two subspecies of wild boar (), and investigate candidate genes that could be responsible for the loss of olfactory capacity. We identified hundreds of genes with reductions in transcript abundance in pig relative to wild boar as well as differences between the two subspecies of wild boar. These differences were detected mainly in genes involved in the formation and motility of villi, cilia and microtubules, functions associated with olfaction. In addition, differences were found in the abundances of transcripts of genes related to immune defenses, with the highest levels in continental wild boar subspecies. Overall, the loss of olfactory capacity in pigs appears to have been accompanied by reductions in the expression of candidate genes for olfaction. These changes could have resulted from unintentional selection for reduced olfactory capacity, relaxed selection for maintaining olfactory capacity, pleiotropic effects of genes under selection, or other non-selective processes. Our findings could be a cornerstone for future researches on wild boars, pigs, feral populations, and their evolutionary trajectories, aimed to provide tools to better calibrate species management as well as guidelines for breeders.
家养动物是经过人工选择以展现出理想性状的，然而并非家养动物的所有性状都是有意选择的结果。家猪嗅觉能力的丧失就是一个例子。我们使用全转录组分析（RNA测序）来比较猪与野猪两个亚种嗅觉黏膜中的基因表达模式，并研究可能导致嗅觉能力丧失的候选基因。我们鉴定出数百个相对于野猪而言转录本丰度降低的基因，以及野猪两个亚种之间的差异。这些差异主要在参与绒毛、纤毛和微管的形成与运动的基因中被检测到，这些功能与嗅觉相关。此外，在与免疫防御相关的基因转录本丰度上也发现了差异，大陆野猪亚种中的水平最高。总体而言，猪嗅觉能力的丧失似乎伴随着嗅觉候选基因表达的降低。这些变化可能是由于对降低的嗅觉能力的无意选择、对维持嗅觉能力的选择放松、被选择基因的多效性效应或其他非选择性过程导致的。我们的研究结果可能是未来对野猪、猪、野生种群及其进化轨迹研究的基石，旨在提供更好地校准物种管理的工具以及为育种者提供指导方针。
