Dynamic changes in gene and transcript expression represent a key factor in regulating the cyclical development of hair follicles. In this study, based on Nanopore sequencing (ONT-seq) data of skin tissue from three developmental stages (anagen (An), catagen (Cn), and telogen (Tn)) of Jiangnan cashmere goat hair follicles, this study presents a profile of candidate DETs implicated in cycle regulation by delineating their stage-specific expression patterns and dynamic expression trends from anagen to telogen. A large proportion of the candidate DETs were significantly enriched in functions related to fat synthesis, storage, or metabolism, with significance levels of p < 0.05 or p < 0.01. These significantly enriched DETs, which were generally upregulated from An to Cn or downregulated from Cn to Tn, support a model where accelerated intradermal fat deposition promotes the progression from An to Cn, while its subsequent decrease facilitates the transition from Cn to Tn. Concurrently, our results also suggest a potential role for dynamic changes in AS patterns in regulating the hair follicle cycle. This regulatory role of AS patterns is potentially mediated through affecting genes related to lipid synthesis/metabolism or cell structure/interaction. Notably, a broader range of fat synthesis, storage, or metabolism-related transcripts showed significant differential expression (p < 0.05) in the An vs. Cn group. Ultimately, by establishing this candidate DET profile, we aim to provide fresh perspectives for deciphering the complex molecular regulation of the hair follicle cycle and to identify new targets for genetically enhancing or molecularly breeding cashmere traits in cashmere goats.

Background/Objectives: The Subo Merino sheep is a high-quality fine-wool breed developed through progressive hybridization, characterized by high wool yield and excellent wool quality. This study is designed to investigate the effects of two gene polymorphisms in Subo Merino sheep on wool traits, thereby providing critical theoretical and technical support for the breeding of high-quality fine-wool sheep. Methods: In this study, 944 one-year-old Subo Merino sheep were genotyped for coding regions of the BLTP1 and KIF27 genes using the Fluidigm BioMark™ HD system. Association between SNP loci and wool traits was analyzed via the least squares means method in SAS 9.4. Protein-protein interaction networks were constructed using the STRING database, and protein structures before and after mutation were predicted with SOPMA and SWISS-MODEL. Results: The results revealed that BLTP1 gene identified a missense mutation site SNP1, which resulted in a nucleotide change c.812 (C > T) and an amino acid change p.Pro271Leu. KIF27 gene identified a missense mutation site SNP2, which resulted in a nucleotide change c.3896 (T > C) and an amino acid change p.Met1299Thr. Association analysis showed that SNP1 had a significant effect on wool crimp number (CN) and staple length (SL) (p < 0.05), while SNP2 significantly affected live weight after shearing (LWAS) (p < 0.05). Protein structure prediction showed that mutations at SNP1 and SNP2 primarily led to changes in α-helix, extended chain, and random coil structures. Conclusions: These results suggest that SNP1 in BLTP1 and SNP2 in KIF27 could serve as potential molecular markers for wool traits in Subo Merino sheep. This study provides theoretical support and candidate gene targets for molecular marker-assisted breeding, contributing to genetic improvement and efficient breeding of this fine-wool breed.

Reproductive and growth traits are key economic traits in sheep. This study aims to identify key single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and candidate genes associated with reproductive and growth traits in Tianmu polytocous sheep through a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The findings are expected to provide both a theoretical foundation for molecular breeding in this breed and novel insights into the genetic basis of ovine reproductive and growth performance. This study took 483 adult Tianmu polytocous ewes as the research subjects, collected their lambing records, measured their phenotypic values of growth traits (3 weight and 11 body size traits), and collected their blood samples for whole-genome resequencing to identify SNPs in the Tianmu polytocous sheep genome. The results identified a total of 9,499,019 (3× coverage) and 27,413,216 (30× coverage) high-quality SNPs in the Tianmu polytocous sheep genome. Subsequently, the association analysis between SNPs and reproductive and growth traits was conducted using a mixed linear model. A total of 92, 66, 18, 28, 6, 42, 3, 3, 6, 1, 12, 3, 22, 8, 6, and 3 SNPs were found associated with litter size at first parity, litter size at second parity, litter size at third parity, litter size at fourth parity, birth weight, weaning weight, body height, withers height, body length, head length, head width, cannon bone circumference, forelimb height, chest girth, chest depth, and withers width, respectively. Further, based on SNP annotation, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis, candidate genes associated with the reproductive and growth traits were identified. Among these genes, 11 LOC, DEPTOR, GNG12, GRM7, PTH, PTH2R, WWOX, INHA, and NRG3 are candidate genes associated with litter size at first parity or litter size at third parity. These genes are involved in the G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway, G protein-coupled receptor activity, ovarian tissue development, and hormone secretion. Additionally, TFRC and NTN1 are candidate genes associated with birth weight, while five UGT1A and CASR are candidate genes associated with weaning weight. These candidate genes are primarily involved in lipid metabolism. Finally, the following genes were identified as candidates associated with specific traits: DLG2, TMEM126A, and TMEM126B with body height; DSCAM and SCN8A with body length; BARX1 with cannon bone circumference; four LOC genes with forelimb height; EPHA4 with chest depth; and MRS2 with withers width.

Sheep (Ovis aries) represent one of the most important livestock species for global animal protein and wool production. However, little is known about the genetic and biological basis of ovine phenotypes, particularly those with high economic value and environmental impact. Here, by integrating 1413 RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) samples from 51 distinct tissues across 14 developmental time points, representing early-prenatal, late-prenatal, neonatal, lamb, juvenile, adult, and elderly stages, we constructed a high-resolution Developmental Gene Expression Atlas (dGEA) in sheep. We observed dynamic patterns of gene expression and regulatory networks across tissues and developmental stages. Leveraging this resource to interpret genetic associations for 48 monogenic and 12 complex traits in sheep, we found that genes upregulated at prenatal developmental stages played more important roles in shaping these phenotypes than those upregulated at postnatal stages. For instance, genetic associations of crimp number, mean staple length (MSL), and individual birthweight were significantly enriched in the prenatal rather than postnatal skin and immune tissues. By comprehensively integrating genome-wide association study (GWAS) fine-mapping results with the sheep dGEA, we identified several candidate genes for complex traits in sheep, such as SOX9 for MSL, GNRHR for litter size at birth, and PRKDC for live weight. These results provide novel insights into the developmental and molecular architecture of ovine phenotypes. The dGEA (https://sheepdgea.njau.edu.cn/) will serve as an invaluable resource for sheep developmental biology, genetics, genomics, and selective breeding.

MicroRNA (miRNA) is a prominent topic in biological research, as it plays a crucial role in regulating various physiological processes. Identifying miRNAs associated with fiber traits enhances our understanding of the complex biological mechanisms involved in hair follicle development and provides potential targets for improving fine-wool sheep breeds. This study focused on 20 Ordos fine-wool sheep and identified miRNA expression profiles in skin tissues through transcriptome sequencing. Key miRNAs related to the diameter of wool fibers were preliminarily screened through cell verification experiments. The results revealed 26 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs in tissues with varying wool fineness, with 12 DE miRNAs being upregulated and 14 DE miRNAs being downregulated. All DE miRNAs predicted 2,844 target genes. Integrating previous mRNA sequencing data, oar-miR-370-3p has 23 differentially expressed target genes. Following the overexpression of miR-370-3p in fibroblasts, the expression levels of the predicted target genes ZDHHC15, JUNB, TGFBI, and IFI6 were upregulated compared to the control group, resulting in increased cell activity. These results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms regulating the diameter traits of sheep wool fibers and offer important resources for precise sheep breeding research.

In this study, 944 Subo Merino sheep, a high-quality fine wool breed, were selected as research subjects. The SNP typing of the FAT3 gene was performed using the Fluidigm BiomarkTM HD system, and 11 missense mutation sites were identified. The analysis of population polymorphism of single-nucleotide polymorphisms was conducted. It is noteworthy that a substantial strong linkage disequilibrium was identified between SNP 5 and SNP 6 (r2 > 0.8). The association between SNPs of the FAT3 gene and wool traits showed that multiple SNPs were significantly correlated with several different wool traits (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the investigation delved into the impact of the FAT3 gene on wool fiber through the utilization of quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), which yielded findings that this gene was notably expressed in fine wool fiber (FW) (p < 0.001). To predict the subcellular localization and protein transmembrane structure of FAT3, we employed the PSORT II Prediction and TMHMM online software. It was determined that the protein contains a transmembrane domain. This study provides molecular markers for the improvement of the selection and breeding of ultrafine-wool sheep and offers experimental evidence for accelerating the genetic breeding of sheep.

To identify molecular markers associated with wool traits in fine-wool sheep, we examined genetic polymorphisms in the NOTCH2 and CD1A genes in 944 Subo Merino sheep in this study. Subsequently, we performed association analyses between mutation sites in the NOTCH2 and CD1A genes and wool traits using SAS 9.4 software, followed by linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis of different mutation sites using Haploview 4.2 software. Additionally, bioinformatics tools were employed to predict the potential impacts of missense mutations on protein secondary and tertiary structures. Finally, quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to assess the expression levels of the NOTCH2 and CD1A genes. Genetic analysis revealed six polymorphic sites in NOTCH2 and CD1A, all of which were missense mutations. Two SNPs in NOTCH2 (SNP1 and SNP2) showed significant associations with the coefficient of variation of fibre diameter, and SNP1 was also associated with greasy fleece weight. Four SNPs in CD1A (SNP3–SNP6) were significantly associated with fibre diameter standard deviation, and SNP3, SNP4, and SNP5 were additionally associated with crimp number. LD analysis revealed that SNP3, SNP4, and SNP5 were closely linked. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the mutations caused alterations in the secondary and tertiary structures of the NOTCH2 and CD1A proteins. qPCR results showed that the CD1A gene was highly expressed in the fine wool fibre group compared with the ultra-fine wool fibre group. In conclusion, this study revealed a genetic association between NOTCH2 and CD1A and wool traits. The results are expected to provide a theoretical foundation for breeding wool traits in Subo Merino sheep, thereby enhancing the economic value of fine wool.

Based on comprehensive proteomic analysis conducted across various stages of secondary hair follicles (SHFs), the growth and development regulatory mechanisms of SHFs in Jiangnan cashmere goats were studied. Proteomic analysis of skin tissue from the SHF anagen (An), catagen (Cn), and telogen (Tn) revealed 145 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) between the An and Tn, 53 DEPs between the Cn and An, and 168 DEPs between the Cn and Tn. Gene Ontology (GO) annotations indicated that the DEPs were predominantly involved in keratin filament formation (KRTAP3-1, KRT1, KRT8), intermediate filament formation (KRT26, KRT35, KRT19, etc.), and lipid metabolism (FA2H, CERS6, ECH1, TECR, etc.). Furthermore, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis identified significant enrichment of DEPs in pathways related to hair follicle growth and development. Notably, these included the PPAR signaling pathway (PLIN2, PLIN4, ACSL5, etc.), the IL-17 signaling pathway (S100A7A, LOC108633164), and the estrogen signaling pathway (KRT26, KRT35, LOC102176457.). Western blotting (WB) experiments were then performed on five DEPs (KRT28, FA2H, PLIN2, FABP7, and VNN1) to validate the consistency of the WB results with the proteomic data. Overexpression and siRNA interference of PLIN2 in dermal papilla cells (DPCs) were followed by CCK8 and flow cytometry assays, revealing that PLIN2 knockdown significantly decreased DPC proliferation while inducing apoptosis, compared to controls. These findings suggest that the PLIN2 gene plays a crucial role in modulating SHF growth cycles in cashmere goats by influencing DPC proliferation. These results provide novel insights that could inform the development of breeding strategies aimed at enhancing the cashmere yield in such goats.

Background/Objectives: The Jiangnan cashmere goat is a newly developed national cashmere goat breed in China, and the genetic stability of its traits is the core of breeding work. Methods: This study used 353 Jiangnan cashmere goats as research subjects. Descriptive statistics were performed on the key economic traits of the experimental population. Polymorphisms in the CXCL10, FOS, HOXC13, and WNT4 genes were detected using multiplex PCR. The correlation between single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci and key economic traits was analyzed using the least squares variance method in SAS 9.4 software. Results: A total of 14 SNP loci were detected in the four genes, of which 5 were in the CXCL10 gene. Three SNPs were detected in the FOS, HOXC13, and WNT4 genes. SNP3, SNP4, SNP6, SNP10, SNP11, SNP12, SNP13, and SNP14 were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The results of the correlation analysis showed that SNP9 of the HOXC13 gene was significantly correlated with birth weight (BW) and mean fiber diameter (MFD), SNP10 of the HOXC13 gene was significantly correlated with yearling weight (YW), and SNP14 of the WNT4 gene was significantly correlated with birth weight (BW) (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of this study provide molecular markers for cashmere goat breeding and an experimental basis for accelerating the cultivation of new strains, which is conducive to further optimizing the economic traits of the Jiangnan cashmere goat and ensuring the stable inheritance of its economic traits through molecular breeding.

Wool plays an irreplaceable role in the lives of livestock and the textile industry. The variety of hair quality and shape leads to the diversity of its functions and applications, and the finer wool has a higher economic value. In this study, 10 coarse and 10 fine ordos fine wool sheep skin samples were collected for RNA-seq, and coarse and fine skin/hair follicle RNA-seq datasets of other five animal breeds were obtained from NCBI. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis showed that the common genes were clustered into eight modules. Similar gene expression patterns in sheep and rabbits with the same wool types, different gene expression patterns in animal species with different hair types, and brown modules were significantly correlated with species and breeds. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that, most genes in the brown module associated with hair follicle development. Hence, gene expression patterns in skin tissues may determine hair morphology in animal. The analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed that 32 highly expressed candidate genes associated with the wool fineness of Ordos fine wool sheep. Among them, KAZALD1 (grey module), MYOC (brown module), C1QTNF6 (brown module), FOS (tan module), ITGAM, MX2, MX1, and IFI6 genes have been reported to be involved in the regulation of the hair follicle cycle or hair loss. Additionally, 12 genes, including KAZALD1, MYOC, C1QTNF6, and FOS, are differentially expressed across various animal breeds and species. The above results suggest that different sheep breeds share a similar molecular regulatory basis of wool fineness. Finally, the study provides a theoretical reference for molecular breeding of sheep breeds as well as for the investigation of the origin and evolution of animal hair.

As the economic level of individuals rises, so too does the demand for mutton. Enhancing the breeds of mutton sheep not only boosts production efficiency and economic benefits but also fosters the sustainable growth of the mutton sheep breeding industry. Thus, this study examines the early growth and reproductive traits of Tianmu Sainuo sheep, analyzing the genetic interactions among these traits to furnish a theoretical foundation for refining breeding strategies and expediting the genetic advancement of this breed. The investigation compiled 29,966 data entries, involving 111 sires for birth weight (BWT) and 113 for other metrics. The data encompassed 10,415 BWT records from 1,633 dams, 12,753 weaning weight (WWT) records from 1,570 dams, 12,793 average daily gain (ADG) records from 1,597 dams, and 13,594 litter size (LS) records from 1,499 dams. Utilizing the GLM procedure in SAS 9.2 software, the study analyzed the non-genetic influences on lamb BWT, WWT, ADG, and LS. Concurrently, DMU software estimated the variance components across various animal models for each trait. Employing the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and likelihood ratio test (LRT), six models were tested, incorporating or excluding maternal inheritance and environmental impacts, to identify the optimal model for deriving genetic parameters. The findings reveal that birth year (BY), birth quarter (BQ), birth type (BT), age of mother (AM), and birth sex (BS) exerted significant impacts on BWT, WWT, and ADG (p < 0.01). Additionally, BQ and AM significantly influenced LS (p < 0.01). The most accurate genetic evaluation model determined the heritability of BWT, WWT, ADG, and LS to be 0.0695, 0.0849, 0.0777, and 0.1252, respectively.

Background The hair follicle is a skin accessory organ that regulates hair development, and its activity varies on a regular basis. However, the significance of metabolites in the hair follicle cycle has long been unknown.Results Targeted metabolomics was used in this investigation to reveal the expression patterns of 1903 metabolites in cashmere goat skin during anagen to telogen. A statistical analysis was used to investigate the potential associations between metabolites and the hair follicle cycle. The findings revealed clear changes in the expression patterns of metabolites at various phases and in various feeding models. The majority of metabolites (primarily amino acids, nucleotides, their metabolites, and lipids) showed downregulated expression from anagen (An) to telogen (Tn), which was associated with gene expression, protein synthesis and transport, and cell structure, which reflected, to some extent, that the cells associated with hair follicle development are active in An and apoptotic in An-Tn. It is worth mentioning that the expression of vitamin D3 and 3,3',5-triiodo-L-thyronine decreased and then increased, which may be related to the shorter and longer duration of outdoor light, which may stimulate the hair follicle to transition from An to catagen (Cn). In the comparison of different hair follicle development stages (An, Cn, and Tn) or feeding modes (grazing and barn feeding), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis revealed that common differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) (2'-deoxyadenosine, L-valine, 2'-deoxyuridine, riboflavin, cytidine, deoxyguanosine, L-tryptophan, and guanosine-5'-monophosphate) were enriched in ABC transporters. This finding suggested that this pathway may be involved in the hair follicle cycle. Among these DEMs, riboflavin is absorbed from food, and the expression of riboflavin and sugars (D-glucose and glycogen) in skin tissue under grazing was greater and lower than that during barn feeding, respectively, suggesting that eating patterns may also alter the hair follicle cycle.Conclusions The expression patterns of metabolites such as sugars, lipids, amino acids, and nucleotides in skin tissue affect hair follicle growth, in which 2'-deoxyadenosine, L-valine, 2'-deoxyuridine, riboflavin, cytidine, deoxyguanosine, L-tryptophan, and guanosine-5'-monophosphate may regulate the hair follicle cycle by participating in ABC transporters. Feeding practices may regulate hair follicle cycles by influencing the amount of hormones and vitamins expressed in the skin of cashmere goats.

Sheep (Ovis aries) represents one of the most important livestock species for animal protein and wool production worldwide. However, little is known about the genetic and biological basis of ovine phenotypes, particularly for those of high economic value and environmental impact. Here, by generating and integrating 1,413 RNA-seq samples from 51 distinct tissues across 14 developmental time points, representing early prenatal, late prenatal, neonate, lamb, juvenile, adult, and elderly stages, we built a high-resolution developmental Gene Expression Atlas (dGEA) in sheep. We observed dynamic patterns of gene expression and regulatory networks across tissues and developmental stages. When harnessing this resource for interpreting genomic associations of 48 monogenetic and 12 complex traits in sheep, we found that genes upregulated at prenatal developmental stages played more important roles in shaping these phenotypes than those upregulated at postnatal stages. For instance, genetic associations of crimp number, mean staple length (MSL), and individual birth weight were significantly enriched in the prenatal rather than postnatal skin and immune tissues. By comprehensively integrating fine-mapping results and the sheep dGEA, we identified several key genes associated with complex traits in sheep, such as SOX9 (associated with MSL), GNRHR (associated with litter size at birth), and PRKDC (associated with live weight). These results provide novel insights into the gene regulatory and developmental architecture underlying ovine phenotypes. The dGEA (https://sheepdgea.njau.edu.cn/) will serve as an invaluable resource for sheep developmental biology, genetics, genomics, and selective breeding. ### Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest.

Tibetan cashmere goats are not only served as a valuable model for studying adaptation to hypoxia and high-altitude conditions but also playing a pivotal role in bolstering local economies through the provision of premium quality cashmere yarn. In this study, we performed an integration and network analysis of metabolomic, transcriptomic and proteomic to elucidate the role of differentially expressed genes, important metabolites, and relevant cellular and metabolic pathways between the fine (average 12.04 ± 0.03 μm of mean fiber diameter) and coarse cashmere (average 14.88 ± 0.05 μm of mean fber diameter) producing by Tibetan cashmere goats. We identified a distinction of 56 and 71 differential metabolites (DMs) between the F and C cashmere groups under positive and negative ion modes, respectively. The KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of these DMs highlighted numerous pathways predominantly involved in amino acid and protein metabolism, as indicated by the finding that the most impactful pathway was the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway. In the F group, we identified a distinctive metabolic profile where amino acid metabolites including serine, histidine, asparagine, glutamic acid, arginine, valine, aspartic acid, tyrosine, and methionine were upregulated, while lysine, isoleucine, glutamine, tryptophan, and threonine were downregulated. The regulatory network and gene co-expression network revealed crucial genes, metabolites, and metabolic pathways. The integrative omics analysis revealed a high enrichment of several pathways, notably encompassing protein digestion and absorption, sphingolipid signalling, and the synaptic vesicle cycle. Within the sphere of our integrative analysis, DNMT3B was identified as a paramount gene, intricately associated with significant proteins such as HMCN1, CPB2, GNG12, and LRP1. Our present study delineated the molecular underpinnings governing the variations in cashmere characteristics by conducting comprehensive analyses across metabolomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic dimensions. This research provided newly insights into the mechanisms regulating cashmere traits and facilitated the advancement of selective breeding programs aimed at cultivating high-quality superfine Tibetan cashmere goats.

Background The adaptive evolution of plateau indigenous animals is a current research focus. However, phenotypic adaptation is complex and may involve the interactions between multiple genes or pathways, many of which remain unclear. As a kind of livestock with important economic value, cashmere goat has a high ability of plateau adaptation, which provides us with good materials for studying the molecular regulation mechanism of animal plateau adaptation. Results In this study, 32 Jiangnan (J) and 32 Tibetan (T) cashmere goats were sequenced at an average of 10. Phylogenetic, population structure, and linkage disequilibrium analyses showed that natural selection or domestication has resulted in obvious differences in genome structure between the two breeds. Subsequently, 553 J vs. T and 608 T vs. J potential selected genes (PSGs) were screened. These PSGs showed potential relationships with various phenotypes, including myocardial development and activity ( LOC106502520 , ATP2A2 , LOC102181869 , LOC106502520 , MYL2 , ISL1 , and LOC102181869 genes), pigmentation ( MITF and KITLG genes), hair follicles/hair growth ( YAP1 , POGLUT1 , AAK1 , HES1 , WNT1 , PRKAA1 , TNKS , WNT5A , VAX2 , RSPO4 , CSNK1G1, PHLPP2 , CHRM2 , PDGFRB , PRKAA1 , MAP2K1 , IRS1 , LPAR1 , PTEN , PRLR , IBSP , CCNE2 , CHAD , ITGB7 , TEK , JAK2 , and FGF21 genes), and carcinogenesis ( UBE2R2 , PIGU , DIABLO , NOL4L , STK3 , MAP4 , ADGRG1 , CDC25A , DSG3 , LEPR , PRKAA1 , IKBKB , and ABCG2 genes). Phenotypic analysis showed that Tibetan cashmere goats has finer cashmere than Jiangnan cashmere goats, which may allow cashmere goats to better adapt to the cold environment in the Tibetan plateau. Meanwhile, KRTs and KAPs expression in Jiangnan cashmere goat skin was significantly lower than in Tibetan cashmere goat. Conclusions The mutations in these PSGs maybe closely related to the plateau adaptation ability of cashmere goats. In addition, the expression differences of KRTs and KAPs may directly determine phenotypic differences in cashmere fineness between the two breeds. In conclusion, this study provide a reference for further studying plateau adaptive mechanism in animals and goat breeding.

BACKGROUND:Cashmere has long been used as the raw material for wool textiles. The diameter of the cashmere fibre determines its quality and economic value. However, the regulatory role of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) in cashmere fineness remains unclear, especially regarding the interaction between ncRNAs and coding RNAs.RESULTS:Transcriptome sequencing was used to identify the expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs) in the skin tissues of Jiangnan cashmere goats with different cashmere fineness levels. Integration analysis of ncRNA and coding RNA was performed in combination with previous research results. The results showed that 16,437 lncRNAs, 2234 circRNAs, and 1322 miRNAs were identified in 8 skin samples of cashmere goats. A total of 403 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, 62 DE circRNAs and 30 DE miRNAs were identified in the skin tissues of the fine groups (Fe) and coarse groups (Ce). We predicted the target gene of DE lncRNA, the target gene of DE miRNA and the host gene of DE circRNA. Based on functional annotation and enrichment analysis of target genes, we found that DE lncRNAs could be involved in regulating the fineness traits of cashmere. The most potential lncRNAs were MSTRG.42054.1, MSTRG.18602.3, and MSTRG.2199.13.CONCLUSIONS:The data from this study enriched the cashmere goat noncoding RNA database and helped to supplement the annotation of the goat genome. The results provided a new direction for the breeding of cashmere characters.

Hair/wool usually plays an important role in maintaining animal physiological activi-ties, and the economic value of wool cannot be ignored. At present, people set higher demands on wool fineness. Hence, improving wool fineness is the concern of fine wool sheep breeding. Using RNA-Seq to screen the potential candidate genes that associate with wool fineness can provide theoretical references for fine-wool sheep breeding, and also provide us new ideas for further understand the molecular regulation mechanism of hair growth. In this study, we compared the expression pattern difference of genome-wide genes between the skin transcriptomes of Subo and Chinese Merinos. The results showed that, 16 candidate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (Included: CACNA1S, GP5, LOC101102392, HSF5, SLITRK2, LOC101104661, CREB3L4, COL1A1, PTPRR, SFRP4, LOC443220, COL6A6, COL6A5, LAMA1, LOC114115342 and LOC101116863 genes) that may associate with wool fineness were screened, and these genes were located in signaling pathways that regulate hair follicle development, cycle or hair growth. It is worth noting that, among the 16 DEGs, COL1A1 gene has the highest expression level in Merino skins, and the fold change of LOC101116863 gene is the highest, and the structures of these two genes are both highly conserved in different species. In conclusion, we speculate that these two genes may play a key role in regulating wool fineness and respectively have similar and conserved functions in different species.

为分析济宁青山羊初生重和死亡率2个重要经济性状的影响因素,利用SPSS19.0和SAS9.2软件对这2个指标进行描述性统计、最小二乘方差分析和协方差分析,分析2012-2017年产羔记录中出生年份、出生季节、配种季节、性别和产羔类型5个因素对济宁青山羊羔羊初生重和死亡率的影响并求得羔羊初生重、死亡率的最小二乘均值.结果表明:1)出生年份、出生季节、性别和产羔类型对羔羊初生重均有极显著的影响(P＜0.01);产羔类型对羔羊死亡率有显著影响(P＜0.05)、配种季节对羔羊死亡率有极显著影响(P＜0.01).2)2012-2017年6年羔羊初生重呈先下降后增加再下降的趋势,死亡率呈先下降再增加的趋势.3)公羔初生重极显著高于母羔初生重(P＜0.01)o 4)随着母羊产羔数的增加,死亡率升高.单羔的初生重极显著高于四羔及以上(P＜0.01),双羔的初生重与三羔差异显著(P＜0.05).5)秋季出生的羔羊初生重极显著高于其他季节.春季所产羔羊的初生重显著高于夏季和冬季(P＜0.05).综上,济宁青山羊初生重和死亡率受出生年份、出生季节、配种季节、性别和产羔类型这5个因素的影响,该研究为今后通过加强管理来提高羔羊的初生重、降低羔羊的死亡率,以及进行遗传参数和育种值估计提供科学依据,为提高济宁青山羊的生产性能,以及优质济宁青山羊的选种选育提供一定的基础.

Cashmere, a highly valuable animal product derived from cashmere goats, holds significant economic importance. MiRNAs serve as crucial regulators in the developmental processes of mammalian hair follicles. Understanding the regulation of miRNAs during the hair follicle cycle is essential for enhancing cashmere quality. In this investigation, we employed high-throughput sequencing technology to analyze the expression profiles of miRNAs in the secondary hair follicles of Jiangnan cashmere goats at different stages. Through bioinformatics analysis, we identified differentially expressed miRNAs (DE miRNAs). The regulatory relationships between miRNAs and their target genes were verified using multiple techniques, including RT-qPCR, western blot, Dual-Luciferase Reporter, and CKK-8 assays. Our findings revealed the presence of 193 DE miRNAs during various stages of the hair follicle cycle in Jiangnan cashmere goats. Based on the previously obtained mRNA data, the target genes of DE miRNA were predicted, and 1,472 negative regulatory relationships between DE miRNAs and target genes were obtained. Notably, the expression of chi-miR-877-3p was down-regulated during the telogen (Tn) phase compared to the anagen (An) and catagen (Cn) phases, while the IGFBP5 gene exhibited up-regulation. Further validation experiments confirmed that overexpression of chi-miR-877-3p in dermal papilla cells suppressed IGFBP5 gene expression and facilitated cell proliferation. The results of this study provide novel insights for analyzing the hair follicle cycle. This study reports a miRNA that regulates hair follicle cycle in cashmere goats. Cashmere goats, known for their diverse range of animal products including delectable meat, soft sheepskin, and high-quality natural fiber, offer an excellent opportunity to explore hair regeneration as they represent a heterogenous fur mammal. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules encoded by approximately 3% of mammalian genes. Remarkably, they have the ability to regulate around 30% of protein-coding genes. Given that a single miRNA can target multiple genes, they exert control over various biological functions such as metabolism, growth, development, and immunity. In this study, we found that miR-877-3p is able to regulate the expression of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 5 (IGFBP5), a key gene involved in the development of the hair follicle cycle. Investigating the regulatory role of miRNAs in the hair follicle cycle of cashmere goats provides a novel perspective for unraveling the mechanisms underlying hair follicle growth and development in mammals.