Identifying associations between genetic markers and economic traits has practical benefits for the meat goat industry. To better understand the genomic regions and biological pathways contributing to body conformation traits of meat goats, a genome-wide association study was performed using Dazu black goats (DBGs), a Chinese indigenous goat breed. In particular, 150 DBGs were genotyped by whole-genome sequencing, and six body conformation traits, including body height (BH), body length (BL), cannon circumference (CC), chest depth (CD), chest width (CW), and heart girth (HG), were examined. In total, 53 potential SNPs were associated with these body conformation traits. A bioinformatics analysis was performed to evaluate the genes located close to the significant SNPs. Finally, 42 candidate genes (e.g., PSTPIP2, C7orf57, CCL19, FGF9, SGCG, FIGN, and SIPA1L) were identified as components of the genetic architecture underlying body conformation traits. Our results provide useful biological information for the improvement of growth performance and have practical applications for genomic selection in goats.

Reproductive traits are the basic economic traits of goats and important indicators in goat breeding. In this study, Dazu black goats (DBGs; n = 150), an important Chinese local goat breed with excellent reproductive performance, were used to screen for important variation loci and genes of reproductive traits. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), 18 SNPs were found to be associated with kidding traits (average litter size, average litter size in the first three parity, and average litter size in the first six parity), and 10 SNPs were associated with udder traits (udder depth, teat diameter, teat length, and supernumerary teat). After gene annotation of the associated SNPs and in combination with relevant references, the candidate genes, namely ATP1A1, LRRC4C, SPCS2, XRRA1, CELF4, NTM, TMEM45B, ATE1, and FGFR2, were associated with udder traits, while the ENSCHIG00000017110, SLC9A8, GLRB, GRIA2, GASK1B, and ENSCHIG00000026285 genes were associated with litter size. These SNPs and candidate genes can provide useful biological information for improvement of the reproductive traits of goats.

Reproductive traits are essential economic traits in goats. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genes of GLRB, GRIA2, and GASK1B, and reproductive traits (kidding traits and placental traits) in goats. We used the resequencing data of 150 Dazu Black Goats to perform correlation analysis with the average litter size. We screened thirteen SNPs loci in introns and then used the Sanger method to genotype the remaining 150 Dazu Black Goats. The results showed that a total of six SNPs were screened. Three SNPs related to litter size and live litter size (g.28985790T > G, g.28986352A > G, and g.28987976A > G); one SNP related to total cotyledon area (g.29203243G > A); two SNPs related to placental efficiency (g.30189055G > A and g.30193974C > T); one SNP associated with cotyledon support efficiency (g.30193974C > T). The qPCR results showed that GLRB, GRIA2, and GASK1B were all highly expressed in the udder, kidney, uterus, and ovary. It indicated that these three candidate genes might affect the reproductive traits, which could be used as candidate markers for reproductive traits in Dazu Black Goats. Moreover, association studies on a large scale are still needed to figure out what effect these SNPs have on reproductive traits.

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a critical regulator of non-shivering thermogenesis and energy expenditure, offering significant potential for addressing obesity and associated metabolic disorders. Isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a natural flavonoid, has shown promising therapeutic effects in lipid metabolism-related diseases. This study aimed to explore the effects of ISL on lipid metabolism and obesity using a high-fat-diet (HFD)-induced obesity model in mice. Mice were subjected to an HFD and treated with ISL via gavage. The results demonstrated that ISL treatment significantly reduced HFD-induced weight gain and upregulated the expression of key thermogenic genes, suggesting enhanced BAT activity and thermogenesis. In vitro experiments using C3H10-T1/2 cells further supported these findings, as ISL treatment markedly increased the expression of UCP1 and PPARGC1a, which are critical regulators of thermogenesis. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying ISL’s effects, we conducted a transcriptomic analysis of BAT from ISL-treated mice. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes were predominantly associated with metabolic processes, including the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid degradation. These pathways are integral to energy metabolism and thermogenesis, providing mechanistic insights into ISL’s anti-obesity effects. Additionally, ISL treatment significantly downregulated the expression of NNAT and SGK1, genes implicated in lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis. These findings suggest that ISL modulates BAT function by regulating the expression of these genes, thereby influencing lipid deposition and thermogenic capacity. In summary, this study suggests that ISL treatment has the potential to mitigate HFD-induced obesity by promoting BAT thermogenesis and modulating lipid metabolism. The molecular mechanisms involve the regulation of key metabolic pathways and genes, such as NNAT and SGK1, highlighting ISL’s potential as a therapeutic agent for obesity and related metabolic disorders.

The establishment of endometrial receptivity constitutes a multifaceted biological process orchestrated by intricate regulatory networks, representing a critical determinant for successful embryo implantation and pregnancy outcomes. This study systematically characterized the dynamic landscapes of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) and mRNA in the goat endometrium across distinct implantation stages. Endometrial tissues from goats at gestational days 10 (D10, n = 4), 17 (D17, n = 4), and pregnancy failure at gestational day 17 (PF, n = 3) were collected; in addition, three samples from each group (n = 3) were selected for transcriptomic sequencing of mRNA, lncRNA, circRNA, and miRNA. The receptive endometrium (D17) exhibited enhanced glandular development, mature pinopodes, elevated estrogen and progesterone levels, and a reduced estrogen/progesterone ratio, along with upregulated markers (VEGF, OPN, IGF1R). Transcriptome profiling identified 6,104 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), 485 lncRNAs (DElncRNAs), 1,694 circRNAs (DEcircRNAs), and 203 miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) across stages. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted the pivotal roles of MAPK, TNF, and RAS signaling pathways in establishing endometrial receptivity, with hub genes including ISG15, CXCL10, IFI6, and RSAD2 contributing significantly to the development of uterine receptivity in goats. Furthermore, ncRNAs such as MSTRG774.1, novel_circ_000145, novel_circ_000257, and chi-miR-348-3p exhibited specific or elevated expression patterns during the receptive phase, suggesting their potential regulatory functions in maintaining the endometrial receptivity microenvironment. Moreover, an integrated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was constructed to elucidate potential interactions between ncRNAs and mRNAs, offering novel insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying endometrial receptivity in ruminants.