The Guangxi Partridge chicken is a well-known chicken breed in southern China with good meat quality, which has been bred as a meat breed to satisfy the increased demand of consumers. Compared with line D whose body weight is maintained at the average of the unselected group, the growth rate and weight of the selected chicken group (line S) increased significantly after breeding for four generations. Herein, transcriptome analysis was performed to identify pivotal genes and signal pathways of selective breeding that contributed to potential mechanisms of growth and development under artificial selection pressure. The average body weight of line S chickens was 1.724 kg at 90 d of age, which showed a significant increase at 90 d of age than line D chickens (1.509 kg), although only the internal organ ratios of lung and kidney changed after standardizing by body weight. The myofiber area and myofiber density of thigh muscles were affected by selection to a greater extent than that of breast muscle. We identified 51, 210, 31, 388, and 100 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the hypothalamus, pituitary, breast muscle, thigh muscle, and liver between the two lines, respectively. Several key genes were identified in the hypothalamus-pituitary-muscle axis, such as FST, THSB, PTPRJ, CD36, PITX1, PITX2, AMPD1, PRKAB1, PRKAB2, and related genes for muscle development, which were attached to the cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction signaling pathway, the PPAR signaling pathway, and lipid metabolism. However, signaling molecular pathways and the cell community showed that elevated activity in the liver of line S fowl was mainly involved in focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules, and signal transduction. Collectively, muscle development, lipid metabolism, and several signaling pathways played crucial roles in the improving growth performance of Guangxi Partridge chickens under artificial selection for growth rate. These results support further study of the adaptation of birds under selective pressure.

CDK5RAP3 was regarded as the most significant regulator of cellular responses against heat stress, which is associated with dysfunctions of the immune system and animal susceptibility to disease. Despite this, little known about how CDK5RAP3 regulates heat stress response. In this study, CDK5RAP3 conditional Knockout (CKO) mice, CDK5RAP3^-/- mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) and bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) were used as an in vitro and in vivo model, respectively to reveal the role of CDK5RAP3 in regulating the heat stress response. The deletion of CDK5RAP3 unexpectedly caused animal lethality after 1.5-h heat stimulations. Furthermore, BMECs were re-cultured for eight hours after heat stress and was found that the expression of CDK5RAP3 and HSPs showed a similar fluctuating pattern of increase (0–2, 4–6 h) and decrease (2–4, 6–8 h). In addition to the remarkably enhanced expression of heat shock protein, apoptosis rate and endoplasmic reticulum stress, the deletion of CDK5RAP3 also affected nucleoplasmic translocation and trimer formation of heat shock factor 1 (HSF1). These programs were further confirmed in the mammary gland of CDK5RAP3 CKO mice and CDK5RAP3^-/- MEFs as well. Interestingly, genetic silencing of HSF1 downregulated CDK5RAP3 expression in BMECs. Immunostaining and immunoprecipitation studies suggested a physical interaction between CDK5RAP3 and HSF1 being co-localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Besides, CDK5RAP3 also interacted with HSP90, suggesting an operative machinery at both transcriptional level and protein functionality of HSP90 per se. Together, our findings suggested that CDK5RAP3 works like a novel nucleoplasmic shuttle or molecular chaperone, deeply participating in HSF1-mediated heat stress response and protecting cells from heat injury.

Garlic, an important economic crop, provides nutrient-rich straw. When appropriately balanced with silage corn stalks, it is a high-quality forage resource. However, studies on the impact of garlic straw with silage corn stalks on Hu sheep’s digestive metabolism and rumen microbiota are scarce. In this study, different addition ratios of garlic straw and silage corn stalks were utilized for in vitro experiments. We designed six experimental groups (CON, G0, G20, G40, G60, G80, and G100) based on varying ratios of garlic straw to silage corn stalks. Rumen microbiota was analyzed through 16S rRNA sequencing. Nutrient composition analysis indicated that garlic straw’s relative feeding value (RFV) closely resembled that of silage corn stalks. After 24 h of fermentation, dry matter digestibility and in vitro gas production significantly increased, reaching peak values at a 60% addition ratio. Furthermore, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) such as acetic, propionic, and butyric acid exhibited elevated contents, with the highest yields observed at 60% inclusion. At the genus level, Prevotella, Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, and Succiniclasticum were identified as the dominant bacterial groups. The gas production test showed a significant decrease in the G80 group compared to others. Microbial analysis revealed a higher abundance of Prevotella in G80 compared to G20, offering valuable insights for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from ruminant animals. Finally, this study predicted the impact of garlic straw with silage corn stalks’ addition on Hu sheep’s metabolic pathways and biological functions of the rumen microbiota. This research highlights the potential for effectively utilizing garlic straw as a feed resource for Hu sheep and proposes a rational proportion for combining garlic straw with silage corn stalks.

Geese (Anser cygnoides) are popular worldwide with consumers for their unique meat quality, egg production, foie gras, and goose down; however, the key genes that influence geese growth remain elusive. To explore the mechanism of geese growth, a total of 500 Zhedong White geese were raised; four high-weight (HW) and four low-weight (LW) male geese were selected to collect carcass traits and for further transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis. The body weight and average daily gain of HW geese were significantly higher than those of the LW geese (p-value < 0.05), and the yields of the liver, gizzard, glandular stomach, and pancreas showed no significant difference between the HW and the LW group (p-value > 0.05). Compared with the LW geese, 19 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (i.e., COL11A2, COL22A1, and TF) were detected in the breast muscle from the HW geese, which were involved in the PPAR signaling pathway, adipocytokine signaling pathway, fatty acid biosynthesis, and ferroptosis. A total of 59 differential accumulation metabolites (DAMs), which influence the pathways of glutathione metabolism and vitamin B6 metabolism, were detected in the breast muscle between the HW and LW geese. In the liver, 106 DEGs (i.e., THSD4, CREB3L3, and CNST) and 202 DAMs were found in the livers of the HW and LW groups, respectively. DEGs regulated the pathways of the TGF-beta signaling pathway, pyruvate metabolism, and adipocytokine signaling pathway; DAMs were involved in pyrimidine metabolism, nitrogen metabolism, and phenylalanine metabolism. Correlation analysis between the top DEGs and DAMs revealed that in the breast muscle, the expression levels of COL11A2 and COL22A1 were positively correlated with the content of S-(2-Hydroxy-3-buten-1-yl)glutathione. In the liver, the expression of THSD4 was positively correlated with the content of 2-Hydroxyhexadecanoic acid. In addition, one DEG (LOC106049048) and four DAMs (mogrol, brassidic acid, flabelline, and L-Leucyl-L-alanine) were shared in the breast muscle and liver. These important results contribute to improving the knowledge of goose growth and exploring the effective molecular markers that could be adopted for Zhedong White goose breeding.

The rumen microbiome plays a crucial role in determining the metabolic and digestive efficiency of livestock. Despite its crucial role, the impact of the rumen microbiome on average daily gain (ADG) in Xuzhou cattle remains underexplored. Xuzhou cattle is a well-known breed in China, renowned for rapid growth and superior meat quality. We selected 10 individuals from the Xuzhou cattle population and categorized Xuzhou cattle into High-ADG and Low-ADG groups and analyzed their rumen microbiota. Through comprehensive metagenomic and metabolomic analyses, we characterized the microbial diversity and functional composition of the rumen microbiome, uncovering distinct taxonomic and functional alterations associated with ADG. Thirteen kingdoms, 224 phyla, and over 16,000 species were identified, and principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) indicated significant microbial differentiation between the two groups on phylum, genus, and species levels ( P < 0.05). Notably, Lentisphaerae, along with several other genera and species, presented a higher abundance in High, suggesting a potential connection with enhanced growth performance. Further functional annotation revealed that the High group displayed enriched carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism pathways, with a greater abundance of carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes), particularly those involved in the degradation of complex carbohydrates. The Low-ADG group exhibited reduced metabolic activity in these pathways. Metabolomic analysis revealed 10 significantly altered metabolites, including gamma-glutamyltyrosine and N-acetylaspartic acid, which were upregulated in the High-ADG group, indicating their potential role in growth promotion. Spearman’s rank correlation analysis further uncovered significant interactions between key microbiomes and metabolites, which correlated with ADG. Random forest analysis identified Victivallales and Lentisphaerae as key taxa, with gamma-glutamyltyrosine and Asp-Phe emerging as predictive biomarkers for ADG. IMPORTANCE: This study identifies key microbiota (Victivallales and Lentisphaerae) and metabolites (gamma-glutamyltyrosine, Asp-Phe, N-acetylaspartic acid, Gly-Phe) that positively regulate average daily gain (ADG) in Xuzhou cattle through amino acid metabolism. This fundamental information is vital for the development of potential manipulation strategies to improve the daily gain level through precision feeding.

Introduction: Animal reproduction is a highly complex process influenced by numerous factors, and previous study has suggested that Hungatella hathewayi (HH) may have potential benefits for swine reproduction. Building on these findings, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of HH supplementation on sows’ hormone levels, antioxidant capacity, host metabolism, and gut microbiota.Methods: Twenty healthy Large-Yorkshire sows with similar physical conditions were randomly divided into four groups based on the principle of similar weight (n = 5). The control group was fed a basal diet, while the treatment groups received the basal diet supplemented with 5 × 10¹⁰, 5 × 10¹¹, and 5 × 10¹² CFU/sow of HH. Supplementation with HH was administered every three days over a treatment duration of 30 days. Serum and feces of sows were collected at the end of the experiment.Results: Dietary HH supplementation significantly increased the estrogen concentration in sows but did not alter the levels of FSH, progestogen, or antioxidative capacity (T-AOC, SOD, and MDA). 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that HH treatment altered the gut microbial composition and metabolism, increasing the relative abundance of Roseburia, Alloprevotella, Lachnospira, Anaerovibrio, and Hungatella in the HH group. Further metabolomic analysis suggested that the differentially accumulated metabolites from serum and feces involved changes in the metabolism of pyrimidine and tryptophan, as well as alterations in steroid hormone biosynthesis.Discussion: Our findings suggest that dietary supplementation with Hungatella hathewayi has the potential to modulate host estrogen levels through the regulation of gut microbiota and host metabolism. This mechanism may serve as a novel and promising approach for influencing reproductive performance in sows.