Zhang Dan, Yuan Chao, An Xuejiao, Guo Tingting, Lu Zengkui, Liu Jianbin
Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China.
Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Sheep Breeding Engineering Technology Research Center of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China.
Genomics. 2025 Jan;117(1):110973. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110973. Epub 2024 Dec 3.
Many studies on the adaptability of Tibetan sheep to hypoxia have been reported, but little attention has been paid to the reproduction of Tibetan sheep living at an altitude of more than 4000 m. In this study, the ovaries of Alpine Merino sheep (AM) living in middle-high altitude areas (2500 m) and the ovaries of Gangba Tibetan sheep (GB) and Huoba Tibetan sheep (HB) living in ultra-high altitude areas (4400 m or more) were collected. Through morphological, transcriptomics and metabolomics, the effects of ultra-high altitude areas on Tibetan sheep ovarian development and the molecular mechanism of sheep's adaptability to ultra-high altitude environment were explored. The results showed that the number of granulosa cells in AM was significantly higher than that in GB and HB. The transcriptome revealed several genes related to follicular development, such as DAPL1, IGFBP1, C5, GPR12, STRA6, BMPER, etc., which were mainly enriched in related pathways such as cell growth and development. Through metabolomics analysis, it was found that the differential metabolites between the three groups of sheep were mainly lipids and lipid-like small molecules, such as Glycerol 3-Phosphate, PC (16: 0 / 18: 3 (9Z, 12Z, 15Z)), mainly enriched in lipid metabolism and other related pathways. The results of combined analysis showed that Tryptophan metabolism and Steroid hormone biosynthesis may have a significant effect on Tibetan sheep follicular development. Some genes (including HSD17B7, CYP11A1, CYP19, HSD3B1, CYP17, etc.) and some metabolites (including Cortisone, 2-Methoxyestrone, etc.) are enriched in these pathways, regulating ovarian and follicular development by affecting estrogen, progesterone, etc.. The results further revealed the molecular mechanism of Tibetan sheep to adapt to the ultra-high altitude environment and maintain normal ovarian and follicular development through the regulation of genes and metabolites.
关于藏羊对低氧适应性的许多研究已有报道，但对于生活在海拔4000米以上地区的藏羊繁殖情况却鲜有关注。在本研究中，采集了生活在中高海拔地区（2500米）的高山美利奴羊（AM）以及生活在超高海拔地区（4400米及以上）的岗巴藏羊（GB）和霍巴藏羊（HB）的卵巢。通过形态学、转录组学和代谢组学，探究了超高海拔地区对藏羊卵巢发育的影响以及绵羊适应超高海拔环境的分子机制。结果表明，AM中颗粒细胞数量显著高于GB和HB。转录组揭示了几个与卵泡发育相关的基因，如DAPL1、IGFBP1、C5、GPR12、STRA6、BMPER等，它们主要富集在细胞生长和发育等相关通路中。通过代谢组学分析发现，三组绵羊之间的差异代谢物主要是脂质和类脂小分子，如甘油3 - 磷酸、PC（16:0 / 18:3(9Z,12Z,15Z)）,主要富集在脂质代谢等相关通路中。联合分析结果表明，色氨酸代谢和类固醇激素生物合成可能对藏羊卵泡发育有显著影响。一些基因（包括HSD17B7、CYP11A1、CYP19、HSD3B1、CYP17等）和一些代谢物（包括可的松、2 - 甲氧基雌酮等）在这些通路中富集，通过影响雌激素、孕酮等调节卵巢和卵泡发育。研究结果进一步揭示了藏羊通过基因和代谢物调控来适应超高海拔环境并维持正常卵巢和卵泡发育的分子机制。
