澳大利亚萨福克羊及无角陶塞特羊对新疆的生态适应性及杂交后代利用研究

测定分析了新疆地区引入澳大利亚萨福克羊及无角陶塞特羊的体温、脉搏、呼吸频率、血清T₃、T₄含量、繁殖率、总适应能力及杂一代公羔的育肥屠宰性能.结果表明,萨福克羊及无角陶塞特羊繁殖率及体重接近或超过原产地澳大利亚的生产水平.萨福克羊总适应能力为98.80%,无角陶赛特羊为98.74%.杂一代公羔日增重、饲料转化率、净肉重较哈萨克羊高,而尾脂重低于哈萨克羊.     

绵羊H-FABP基因单核苷酸多态性的研究

以小尾寒羊(48只)、宁夏滩羊(121只)、滩寒杂交羊F1(23只)、无角陶塞特(48只)、萨福克(24只)5个绵羊群体为实验材料, 利用PCR-SSCP和DNA测序技术对心脏型脂肪酸结合蛋白(H-FABP)基因(GenBank登录号: AY157617)外显子2和内含子2部分序列进行单核苷酸多态性(SNPs)检测及遗传多态性分析。结果表明: (1)引物2的PCR扩增产物中存在981(G/A)、1014(A/C)、1019(T/C) 和1058 (-/G ) 4个SNP位点, 表现为AA、BB、CC、AB、AC、BC、AD、CD和BD 9种基因型, 其中AA为优势基因型。经χ2检验后, 除滩羊和萨福克羊外, 其他群体的基因频率和基因型频率均处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态。群体遗传多态性分析表明: 宁夏滩羊、小尾寒羊和无角陶塞特羊3个群体中的多态信息含量(PIC)均处于0.25和0.50之间, 为中度多态, 萨福克羊和滩寒杂交羊F1为低度多态(PIC<0.25), 表明脂肪酸结合蛋白基因在不同绵羊品种中具有单核苷酸多态性, 可以进一步作为候选基因来分析其与肌内脂肪含量性状的关联性。(2)引物4的PCR扩增产物中检测到1个SNP多态位点为2407(T/C), 表现为HH、Hh和 hh 3种基因型, 基因型频率大小为HH＞Hh＞hh, 经χ2检验后, 在滩羊和无角陶塞特羊中均为达到Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态, 其多态信息含量均为低度多态(PIC<0.25), 而在小尾寒羊、滩寒杂交羊F1和萨福克羊均没有多态出现。     

新疆4个绵羊品种内皮型一氧化氮合酶基因第8外显子的PCR-SSCP鉴定

目的:对新疆4个绵羊品种内皮型一氧化氮合酶(eNOS)基因第8外显子的多态性进行鉴定。方法:利用PCR-SSCP和测序的方法对76只中国美利奴羊、51只无角陶赛特羊、57只萨福克羊、37只哈萨克羊共4个绵羊品种进行单核苷酸多态性(SNP)检测,并用生物信息学方法对检测出的SNP进行统计分析。结果:在中国美利奴羊、无角陶赛特羊、萨福克羊、哈萨克羊中共检测到AA、AB、BB等3种基因型,AA基因型的频率分别为0.0526、0.0980、0.1754和0.2973,BB基因型的频率分别为0.6316、0.1961、0.5614和0.1892,AB基因型的频率分别为0.3158、0.7059、0.2632和0.5135。通过测序,在eNOS基因第8外显子上发现了一个新的SNP位点(ss974768653),位于绵羊eNOS基因第8外显子142 bp处(A142G)。结论:中国美利奴羊和哈萨克羊的多态性位点(P0.05)处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态,萨福克和无角陶赛特羊的多态性位点(P0.05)不处于Hardy-Weinberg平衡状态。     

我国主要地方绵羊品种随机扩增多态DNA研究

对蒙古羊、湖羊、滩羊、小尾寒羊、乌珠穆沁羊、藏绵羊、阿勒泰羊7个地方绵羊品种和无角陶赛特羊、德国美利奴羊、萨福克羊3个引入品种基因组DNA进行了RAPD分析。结果表明：（1）RAPD可作为一种有效的标记用于绵羊品种之间遗传亲缘关系的分析。（2）在所使用的43种随机引物中,有35种引物扩增出多态谱带,多态频率为66.24%,说明RAPD技术用于研究绵羊核DNA的遗传变异具有较高的检出率和灵敏度。（3）总群体平均遗传多样性指数（HSP)为0.9139,说明绵羊群体具有较为丰富的遗传多样性。（4）我国地方绵羊品种间的分子聚类关系与其所处的地理位置、考古学结果,以及细胞遗传学研究结果基本,引入品种间的分子聚类关系也与其育成史基本一致。     

多浪羊mtDNA D-loop区遗传多样性及系统发育分析

以多浪羊为研究对象,分析绵羊线粒体D-loop区的遗传多样性,为研究多浪羊的起源和进化历史奠定基础。结果显示,多浪羊线粒体DNA D-loop序列长度为945~1 039 bp,A、T、G和C含量分别为29.4%、27.7%、17.7%和25.1%,其中A+T为57.1%,G+C为42.8%。研究获得了26种单倍型,56个多态位点,其中单一多态位点42个,简约信息位点14个。平均核苷酸差异数k为5.289,核苷酸多样度Pi为0.02 415,核苷酸多样度较低,说明多浪羊的遗传多样性贫乏,应采取重点措施予以保护。另外研究发现多浪羊经历过群体扩张,其母系起源除A、B和C世系外,可能存在D或E世系。     

IGFBP-3基因多态性及其与中国美利奴羊部分羊毛性状的关联性分析

采用PCR-SSCP方法对中国美利奴羊和哈萨克羊中IGFBP-3基因的多态性进行了检测, 并对不同基因型与中国美利奴羊部分羊毛性状间的关联性进行了分析。结果在位于内含子1区的一段178 bp的扩增产物经SSCP分析后出现了3种基因型, 基因型AA、AB和BB及等位基因A、B在中国美利奴羊中的频率分别为0.70、0.24、0.06和0.82、0.18; 在哈萨克羊中的频率分别为0.87、0.13、0.00和0.93、0.07。序列分析发现: 在该序列的122位碱基表现多态性 (g.122 G>T)。所研究的两个群体在该位点上均处于Hardy-Weinberg不平衡状态(P<0.01)。不同基因型对部分羊毛性状有一定的影响: 不同基因型个体在剪毛后体重和净毛率上没有明显差异。AA、AB及BB基因型个体的羊毛伸直长度逐渐变短, 其中AA与AB基因型之间差异极显著(P<0.01)。AA型个体的剪毛量和羊毛密度要明显低于AB型(P<0.01)和BB型个体(P<0.05); 羊毛纤维直径则明显高于AB型(P<0.01)和BB型(P<0.05)个体。     

柔毛淫羊藿愈伤组织诱导及其总黄酮和淫羊藿苷含量测定

本研究旨在探讨柔毛淫羊藿愈伤组织的最佳诱导条件和愈伤组织中总黄酮、淫羊藿苷含量。采用正交试验设计方法研究不同外植体、培养基、培养温度和光照条件对柔毛淫羊藿愈伤组织诱导的影响,分光光度法测定愈伤组织中总黄酮含量,高效液相色谱法测定其中淫羊藿苷含量。结果显示,以幼叶为外植体,培养基为N6+2, 4-D 3 mg/L+6-BA 1 mg/L+NAA 0.5 mg/L,在黑暗或弱光(1 000 Lx)和(21±1)℃条件下愈伤组织诱导效果最好;愈伤组织中总黄酮和淫羊藿苷含量分别达5.24%和0.564%,与叶中含量无显著差异。初步建立了柔毛淫羊藿愈伤组织诱导的适宜培养条件,为高产淫羊藿总黄酮和淫羊藿苷的组培苗生产和细胞悬浮培养体系的建立提供了依据。     

绵羊BMP-15基因在不同产羔性状母羊中的表达量差异及分析

选择分别影响Hanna、Cambridge与Belclare三个不同品种绵羊高繁殖力的骨形态发生蛋白15(bone morphogenetic protein 15,BMP-15)为候选基因,为了解不同产羔性能母羊BMP-15基因在不同组织中的表达差异,及其与产羔数性状关联性分析,采用real time RT-PCR的方法检测BMP-15基因在蒙古羊、无角陶赛特羊、小尾寒羊3种绵羊母羊的下丘脑、垂体、卵巢、肾脏、心脏5个组织中m RNA的分布。结果表明,在具有高繁殖力的蒙古羊双羔母羊、无角陶赛特羊双羔母羊中,BMP-15基因集中表达在肾脏和卵巢,其中肾脏的表达量高于卵巢(p0.05),而其余组织表达并不明显;在小尾寒羊多羔母羊中,BMP-15基因集中表达在肾脏、心脏和卵巢,其余组织表达并不明显。在蒙古羊及无角陶赛特羊卵巢中,双羔母羊的BMP-15基因的表达量均显著高于单羔母羊(p0.05),而小尾寒羊多羔母羊的卵巢中BMP-15基因的表达量也显著高于蒙古羊的单、双羔母羊。推测BMP-15基因可能是影响以上3个品种绵羊高产的候选基因之一。     

绵羊X染色体59571364与59912586位点在脂尾、瘦尾绵羊群体中的多态性检测及分析

为了探讨绵羊X染色体上两处SNP(59571364和59912586)与绵羊尾脂沉积性状的关系, 继而为利用分子标记辅助选择育种技术培育低脂绵羊品种提供依据, 文章以尾型极端差异的阿勒泰羊、湖羊、中国美利奴细毛羊以及萨福克羊为研究对象, 利用PCR-RFLP检测两位点在群体中的多态性, 并分析了两个SNP位点在阿勒泰羊群体中的单倍型。结果表明：59571364位点的TT基因型和59912586位点的GG基因型在瘦尾中国美利奴与萨福克羊群体中属于优势基因型, 而两种基因型在脂尾(臀)阿勒泰羊与湖羊群体中比率均不足2%; 两位点在阿勒泰羊群体中的单倍型分析结果显示, CA单倍型为主单倍型, 比率高达55%, CA与TA两单倍型约占88.33%。以上结果提示, 绵羊X染色体59571364与59912586位点在脂尾(臀)与瘦尾绵羊群体中分布存在较大差异, 可作为理想的分子标记应用于高、低脂绵羊品种选育。     

不同品种肉羊胚胎移植效率的研究

以无角多赛特、萨福克、德克赛尔、东福利生纯种肉用绵羊为供体,以内蒙古小尾寒羊为受体,利用辅助生殖技术对纯种群体进行扩繁,并对不同品种肉羊的超排及胚胎移植效果进行了比较.结果显示,无角多赛特和萨福克的平均超排胚胎数明显高于德克赛尔和东福利生(P<0.05);将2523枚A级囊胚进行移植,总产羔率为51.32%,以无角多赛特产羔率明显优于其他品种肉羊(P<0.05);手术和腹腔镜移植技术对引进的纯种绵羊产羔率没有影响,但腹腔镜移植技术对受体造成的创口小,操作快捷.     

Genetic structure and admixture in sheep from terminal breeds in the United States

Selection for performance in diverse production settings has resulted in variation across sheep breeds worldwide. Although sheep are an important species to the United States, the current genetic relationship among many terminal sire breeds is not well characterized. Suffolk, Hampshire, Shropshire and Oxford (terminal) and Rambouillet (dual purpose) sheep (n = 248) sampled from different flocks were genotyped using the Applied Biosystems Axiom Ovine Genotyping Array (50K), and additional Shropshire sheep (n = 26) using the Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip. Relationships were investigated by calculating observed heterozygosity, inbreeding coefficients, eigenvalues, pairwise Wright’s F_ST estimates and an identity by state matrix. The mean observed heterozygosity for each breed ranged from 0.30 to 0.35 and was consistent with data reported in other US and Australian sheep. Suffolk from two different regions of the United States (Midwest and West) clustered separately in eigenvalue plots and the rectangular cladogram. Further, divergence was detected between Suffolk from different regions with Wright’s F_ST estimate. Shropshire animals showed the greatest divergence from other terminal breeds in this study. Admixture between breeds was examined using admixture , and based on cross-validation estimates, the best fit number of populations (clusters) was K = 6. The greatest admixture was observed within Hampshire, Suffolk, and Shropshire breeds. When plotting eigenvalues, US terminal breeds clustered separately in comparison with sheep from other locations of the world. Understanding the genetic relationships between terminal sire breeds in sheep will inform us about the potential applicability of markers derived in one breed to other breeds based on relatedness.     

Effects of sire genotype on lamb performance at weaning in extensive sheep systems

A low finishing weight and poor carcass characteristics are major causes of lower incomes in extensive sheep flocks; however, the use of terminal sire crossbreeding would improve lamb performance and carcass traits under these conditions. The aim of this study was to evaluate sire breed effects on the performance of lambs born to Corriedale ewes in extensive sheep systems in Western Patagonia. A total of 10 Corriedale, 10 Dorset, nine Suffolk and seven Texel sires, 16 of which were under a genetic recorded scheme and 20 selected from flocks not participating in genetic improvement programmes, were used across six commercial farms for 2 successive years. Data were collected from 685 lambs of the four resulting genotypes. Overall, Corriedale lambs were 0.47 kg lighter at birth than crossbred lambs (P<0.001). Suffolk and Texel sired lambs required more assistance (P<0.01) at birth than Corriedale or Dorset sired lambs, with Suffolk sired lambs requiring the most assistance (8%). Ewes sired with Suffolk rams had larger (P<0.05) litters than ewes sired with Texel or Corriedale rams. Lamb live weight gain from birth to weaning was higher (P<0.001) in crossbred lambs compared with Corriedale lambs, therefore, crossbred lambs averaged 2.9 kg heavier BW (P<0.001) than Corriedale lambs. A significant sire breed x sire source interaction was detected for lamb live weight gain (P<0.05) and lamb live weight at weaning (P<0.01), showing that the heaviest lambs were from recorded sires, except for Suffolk crossbred lambs. Mortality rate to weaning was increased (P<0.05) in Suffolk cross lambs (31%), with Corriedale lambs showing the lowest (17%) mortality. Terminal sire breeds increased (P<0.001) cold carcass weight, with 13.8, 16.0, 15.2 and 14.9 kg for the Corriedale, Dorset, Suffolk and Texel sired lambs, respectively. Carcass length, kidney knob and channel fat, fat grade, grade rule and fat depth measurements were not affected by sire breed (P>0.05). Carcass conformation was higher in Texel sired lambs compared with Corriedale lambs (P<0.05), with Dorset and Suffolk sired lambs being intermediate. Crossbred lambs showed a greater (P<0.001) eye muscle than Corriedale. Commercial cuts were affected by sire breed, as a result of the Corriedale lambs being smaller and having lighter carcass than crossbred lambs. Significant improvement in lamb weights at weaning and carcass traits could be expected when using a terminal sire on Corriedale ewes in Western Patagonia. However, no advantages were detected with the use of recorded sires under these production systems.     

Accuracy of pedigree and genomic predictions of carcass and novel meat quality traits in multi-breed sheep data assessed by cross-validation

Background

Genomic predictions can be applied early in life without impacting selection candidates. This is especially useful for meat quality traits in sheep. Carcass and novel meat quality traits were predicted in a multi-breed sheep population that included Merino, Border Leicester, Polled Dorset and White Suffolk sheep and their crosses.

Methods

Prediction of breeding values by best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) based on pedigree information was compared to prediction based on genomic BLUP (GBLUP) and a Bayesian prediction method (BayesR). Cross-validation of predictions across sire families was used to evaluate the accuracy of predictions based on the correlation of predicted and observed values and the regression of observed on predicted values was used to evaluate bias of methods. Accuracies and regression coefficients were calculated using either phenotypes or adjusted phenotypes as observed variables.

Results and conclusions

Genomic methods increased the accuracy of predicted breeding values to on average 0.2 across traits (range 0.07 to 0.31), compared to an average accuracy of 0.09 for pedigree-based BLUP. However, for some traits with smaller reference population size, there was no increase in accuracy or it was small. No clear differences in accuracy were observed between GBLUP and BayesR. The regression of phenotypes on breeding values was close to 1 for all methods, indicating little bias, except for GBLUP and adjusted phenotypes (regression = 0.78). Accuracies calculated with adjusted (for fixed effects) phenotypes were less variable than accuracies based on unadjusted phenotypes, indicating that fixed effects influence the latter. Increasing the reference population size increased accuracy, indicating that adding more records will be beneficial. For the Merino, Polled Dorset and White Suffolk breeds, accuracies were greater than for the Border Leicester breed due to the smaller sample size and limited across-breed prediction. BayesR detected only a few large marker effects but one region on chromosome 6 was associated with large effects for several traits. Cross-validation produced very similar variability of accuracy and regression coefficients for BLUP, GBLUP and BayesR, showing that this variability is not a property of genomic methods alone. Our results show that genomic selection for novel difficult-to-measure traits is a feasible strategy to achieve increased genetic gain.     

Globally dispersed Y chromosomal haplotypes in wild and domestic sheep

To date, investigations of genetic diversity and the origins of domestication in sheep have utilised autosomal microsatellites and variation in the mitochondrial genome. We present the first analysis of both domestic and wild sheep using genetic markers residing on the ovine Y chromosome. Analysis of a single nucleotide polymorphism (oY1) in the SRY promoter region revealed that allele A-oY1 was present in all wild bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis), two subspecies of thinhorn sheep (Ovis dalli), European Mouflon (Ovis musimon) and the Barbary (Ammontragis lervia). A-oY1 also had the highest frequency (71.4%) within 458 domestic sheep drawn from 65 breeds sampled from Africa, Asia, Australia, the Caribbean, Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Sequence analysis of a second locus, microsatellite SRYM18, revealed a compound repeat array displaying fixed differences, which identified bighorn and thinhorn sheep as distinct from the European Mouflon and domestic animals. Combined genotypic data identified 11 male-specific haplotypes that represented at least two separate lineages. Investigation of the geographical distribution of each haplotype revealed that one (H6) was both very common and widespread in the global sample of domestic breeds. The remaining haplotypes each displayed more restricted and informative distributions. For example, H5 was likely founded following the domestication of European breeds and was used to trace the recent transportation of animals to both the Caribbean and Australia. A high rate of Y chromosomal dispersal appears to have taken place during the development of domestic sheep as only 12.9% of the total observed variation was partitioned between major geographical regions.     

DNA fingerprints of sheep using an M13 probe

The bacteriophage M13 DNA was used to detect hypervariable minisatellites in several families of Booroola sheep as well as Merino and Suffolk sheep. Digestion of sheep DNA gave rise to three to eight fragments with different restriction enzymes demonstrating considerable polymorphism between the different breeds. The length of informative DNA fragments varied in size from 6 to 20kb. The DNA fingerprints generated were individual specific and allowed for differentiation between closely related animals. The pattern obtained with sheep DNA was different from that observed with humans and other vertebrates in the proportion of high molecular weight DNA fragments present. Pedigree analysis of DNA patterns of dams and their offspring for several sets of twins and triplets showed a clear distinction between individuals and failed to reveal the presence of monozygosity.     

Glucosephosphate isomerase poiymorphism in sheep

Two types of glucosephosphate isomerase (GPI) are described for the first time in sheep. Type T produced a 3-b and pattern on polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of serum samples, whereas type M produced a pattern of 5–7 bands. When 23 Scottish Halfbred ewes showing type T were mated to 3 Suffolk rams showing type M, their 32 offspring had frequencies of 0.72 and 0.28 for T and M respectively. There was no conclusive evidence that the types were controlled by codominant alleles or by simple Mendelian inheritance and neither was sex-linked. The frequency of the rarer type (M) was sufficiently high to provide conclusive evidence of true enzyme polymorphism.     

The growth of sheep scab lesions in relation to sheep breed and time of the year

Numerically equal groups of between five and ten young Merino and Dorper sheep were artificially infested with sheep scab mites, Psoroptes ovis. Separate groups of sheep were infested during the early winter of two successive years as well as during the early summer of the second year. Lesion growth was measured at two-weekly intervals for a period of six weeks during the first winter and for eight weeks during the second winter and in the summer. The rate of lesion growth and mean lesion size on Merino sheep was significantly greater than that on Dorper sheep at each two-weekly recording during the winter of both years. The rate of growth of the lesions did not differ significantly between the two sheep breeds during summer, although, with the exception of eight weeks post-infestation, the mean lesion size on Merino sheep was significantly larger than that on Dorper sheep at each assessment. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Genetic selection, sex and feeding treatment affect the whole-body chemical composition of sheep

Hypotheses on total body chemical composition were tested using data from 350 Suffolk sheep grown to a wide range of live weights, and fed in a non-limiting way, or with reduced amounts of feed, or ad libitum on feeds of reduced protein content. The sheep were from an experiment where selection used an index designed to increase the lean deposition rate while restricting the fat deposition rate. Ultrasound muscle and fat depths were the only composition measurements in the index. The animals were males and females from a selection (S) line and its unselected control (C). The protein content of the lipid-free dry matter was unaffected by live weight, sex or feeding treatment with only a very small effect of genetic line (0.762 kg/kg in S and 0.753 kg/kg in C; P < 0.05). The form of the relationship between water and protein was not affected by any of the factors; in the different kinds of sheep it was consistent with no effect other than through differences in mature protein weight. The water : protein ratio at maturity was estimated as 3.45. Over the whole dataset, lipid weight (L) increased with protein weight (P) according to L = 0.3135 × P1.850. Allowing for this scaling, fatness increased on low-protein feeds, was greater in females than in males and in C than in S (P < 0.001). Lipid content (g/kg fleece-free empty body weight) was reduced by restricted feeding only in males at the highest slaughter weight (114 kg). The lines differed in lipid content (P < 0.001) with means of 265.1 g/kg for C and 237.3 g/kg for S. Importantly, there was no interaction between line and feeding treatments. A higher proportion of total body protein was in the carcass in S than in C (0.627 v. 0.610; P < 0.001). For lipid, the difference was reversed (0.736 v. 0.744; P < 0.05). The total energy content increased quadratically with slaughter weight. At a particular weight, the energy content of gain was higher in females than in males and in C than in S. Genetic selection affected body composition at a weight favouring the distribution of protein to the carcass and lipid to the non-carcass. Once allowing for effects of genetic selection, sex and feeding treatment on fatness, simple rules can be used to generate the chemical composition of sheep.