Wen Tang, Yuan Zhang, Zhong Wang, Wei Guo, Jiajing Chen, Quan Ji, Yanfei Wang, Ruiyang Li, Houqiang Xu, Xiang Chen
Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Guiyang 550025, China; College of Life Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang, China; College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction in the Plateau Mountainous Region, Ministry of Education, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Guiyang 550025, China; College of Animal Science, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, China.
Genomics. 2025 Jan;117(1):110937. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110937. Epub 2024 Sep 14.
Reproductive traits are vital economic parameters in goat production, and boosting the reproductive capacity of breeding rams is crucial for enhancing the profitability of goat farming. Currently, research on the reproductive performance of Qianbei Ma goats mainly centers on investigating mechanisms associated with prolificacy and estrous ovulation in ewes, with limited emphasis on ram reproductive aspects. This study used scanning electron microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to profile the morphology of testis and the dynamic changes of Luteinizing Hormone (LH), Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH), and Testosterone (T) in serum at different developmental stages of Qianbei Ma goats. Meanwhile, transcriptome sequencing technology was used to investigate the mRNA expression patterns in testicular tissues at different developmental stages: newborn (0 M), puberty (6 M), sexual maturity (12 M), and physical maturity (18 M). The results showed that the diameter, circumference, and area of the testicular seminiferous tubules gradually increased with age. The levels of T and LH in serum significantly increased from 0 to 6 months after birth (p < 0.05), followed by a stabilization of T levels and a significant decrease in LH levels (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, FSH shows a decreasing trend between 0 and 18 months after birth. A total of 26,437 differentially expressed genes were identified in 6 comparison groups, which involve various biological processes such as immunity, growth, metabolism, development, and reproduction, and are significantly enriched in signaling pathways related to testicular development and spermatogenesis. WGCNA analysis identified 6 regions significantly associated with testicular development and spermatogenesis, and selected 320 genes for constructing a PPI network. Ten candidate genes related to testicular development and spermatogenesis were identified, including TP53, PLK4, RPS9, PFN4, ACTB, CYP17A1, GPX4, CLDN1, AMH and DHH. Of these, the CYP17A1 gene promotes interstitial cell proliferation, and promotes T synthesis. This study provides a theoretical basis and data support for promoting efficient breeding of goats and early breeding of excellent male goats.
繁殖性状是山羊生产中的重要经济参数，提高种公羊的繁殖能力对于提高养羊业的盈利能力至关重要。目前，关于黔北麻羊繁殖性能的研究主要集中在调查母羊多胎性和发情排卵相关机制，对公羊繁殖方面的关注较少。本研究采用扫描电子显微镜和酶联免疫吸附测定（ELISA）方法，对黔北麻羊不同发育阶段睾丸的形态以及血清中促黄体生成素（LH）、促卵泡生成素（FSH）和睾酮（T）的动态变化进行了分析。同时，利用转录组测序技术研究了不同发育阶段（新生期（0月龄）、青春期（6月龄）、性成熟期（12月龄）和体成熟期（18月龄））睾丸组织中的mRNA表达模式。结果表明，睾丸生精小管的直径、周长和面积随年龄逐渐增加。血清中T和LH水平在出生后0至6个月显著升高（p<０.０５），随后T水平稳定，LH水平显著下降（p<０.０５）。同时，FSH在出生后0至18个月呈下降趋势。在6个比较组中总共鉴定出26437个差异表达基因，这些基因涉及免疫、生长、代谢、发育和繁殖等多种生物学过程，并在与睾丸发育和精子发生相关的信号通路中显著富集。加权基因共表达网络分析（WGCNA）确定了6个与睾丸发育和精子发生显著相关的区域，并选择了320个基因构建蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络。鉴定出10个与睾丸发育和精子发生相关的候选基因，包括TP５３、PLK４、RPS９、PFN４、ACTB、CYP17A1、GPX４、CLDN1、AMH和DHH。其中，CYP17A1基因促进间质细胞增殖，并促进T合成。本研究为促进山羊高效育种和优秀种公羊早期选育提供了理论依据和数据支持。
