Wang Longxin, Liu Hehe, Yu Simeng, Lu Meixi, Zhang Yunsheng, Wang Shuaiqin, Hou Shuisheng
Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Institute of Animal Science, Beijin, China.
College of Animal Science & Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaan'xi, Yangling, China.
BMC Genomics. 2025 Apr 28;26(1):410. doi: 10.1186/s12864-025-11452-w.
The strength of duck eggshells is essential for their storage, transportation, and processing, with various studies indicating a correlation between eggshell color and strength.
Our research has demonstrated that green-shelled duck eggs exhibit higher eggshell strength compared to white-shelled eggs in the M2 Line Pekin Duck population. To this end, we established mRNA transcriptome profiles of 10 eggshell gland tissues and 10 liver tissues and constructed gene expression networks in the two tissues. RNA-Seq analysis suggests that genes associated with ion transport, transmembrane transport, and liver cell proliferation and differentiation in the eggshell gland could play important roles in eggshell formation. The liver of green shell duck has stronger cell proliferation ability to maintain its homeostasis, and the eggshell gland has stronger ability to secrete eggshell matrix protein, which may be the reason why the eggshell is stronger than that of white shell duck. Through Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), three related modules were found in eggshell gland and liver, respectively, and three key genes were screened in each tissue (eggshell gland: FKBP10, PPARG, MAP3K5, liver: PHLDA1, FLT3, CACNB4). They have important regulatory effects on eggshell color and eggshell strength respectively.
Through transcriptome analysis, we identified key genes associated with eggshell color (ESB) (Gland: ABCG2, SLC51B; Liver: COX1, DIO3, RBPJ) and eggshell strength (ESS) (Gland: MAP3K5, PPARG, FKBP10; Liver: PHLDA1, FLT3, CACNB4). We propose that these genes regulate ESB and ESS by modulating antioxidant capacity and bile acid synthesis in the liver and shell gland, leading to enhanced biliverdin deposition and stronger eggshells in green-shelled ducks. Additionally, the upregulation of ion transport, transmembrane transport, and liver cell proliferation-related genes in green-shelled ducks further supports the observed superiority in eggshell strength.
鸭蛋壳的强度对于其储存、运输和加工至关重要，多项研究表明蛋壳颜色与强度之间存在相关性。
我们的研究表明，在M2系北京鸭群体中，绿壳鸭蛋的蛋壳强度高于白壳蛋。为此，我们建立了10个蛋壳腺组织和10个肝脏组织的mRNA转录组图谱，并构建了这两个组织中的基因表达网络。RNA测序分析表明，蛋壳腺中与离子转运、跨膜转运以及肝细胞增殖和分化相关的基因可能在蛋壳形成中发挥重要作用。绿壳鸭的肝脏具有更强的细胞增殖能力以维持其稳态，而蛋壳腺具有更强的分泌蛋壳基质蛋白的能力，这可能是其蛋壳比白壳鸭更强的原因。通过加权基因共表达网络分析（WGCNA），分别在蛋壳腺和肝脏中发现了三个相关模块，并在每个组织中筛选出三个关键基因（蛋壳腺：FKBP10、PPARG、MAP3K5；肝脏：PHLDA1、FLT3、CACNB4）。它们分别对蛋壳颜色和蛋壳强度具有重要的调节作用。
通过转录组分析，我们鉴定出了与蛋壳颜色（ESB）（蛋壳腺：ABCG2、SLC51B；肝脏：COX1、DIO3、RBPJ）和蛋壳强度（ESS）（蛋壳腺：MAP3K5、PPARG、FKBP10；肝脏：PHLDA1、FLT3、CACNB4）相关的关键基因。我们认为这些基因通过调节肝脏和壳腺中的抗氧化能力和胆汁酸合成来调控ESB和ESS，从而导致绿壳鸭中胆绿素沉积增加且蛋壳更强。此外，绿壳鸭中离子转运、跨膜转运和肝细胞增殖相关基因的上调进一步支持了观察到的蛋壳强度优势。
