Weissella, a genus of Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic lactic acid bacteria, has emerged as a significant component of human microbiota with diverse biotechnological and therapeutic applications. This narrative review examines the current state of knowledge regarding Weissella taxonomy, physiological characteristics, and functional properties based on research spanning from 1993 to present. Weissella species demonstrate remarkable versatility, producing bioactive metabolites including exopolysaccharides (EPS), bacteriocins, and organic acids that confer antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. These bacteria show significant potential in food fermentation, probiotic applications, and therapeutic interventions for gut health, obesity, and inflammatory conditions. However, challenges persist regarding strain-specific pathogenicity, particularly with W. confusa as an opportunistic pathogen, and the need for comprehensive safety evaluations. Current limitations include variability in probiotic efficacy, incomplete understanding of host-microbe interactions, and gaps in metabolic pathway characterization. This review provides a foundation for advancing Weissella research and applications while highlighting critical areas requiring further investigation to fully harness their biotechnological and therapeutic potential.

Egg quality is a critical economic trait in poultry production, influencing consumer preference and production efficiency. The genetic and epigenetic regulation of egg quality involves complex biological pathways across various traits such as shell quality, albumen composition, and yolk biochemistry. This review synthesizes recent advances in the genetic, molecular, and epigenetic mechanisms that determine poultry egg quality. Specifically, it focuses on external traits such as eggshell strength, color, and thickness, and internal traits including albumen height, yolk composition, and the Haugh unit. Through genome-wide association studies (GWAS), quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, whole-genome sequencing (WGS), and multi-omics approaches, key candidate genes such as OC-116, CALB1, CA2 (shell formation), OVAL, SPINK5, SERPINB14 (albumen quality), and FGF9, PIAS1, NOX5 (lipid metabolism) have been identified. These genes play a pivotal role in shell biomineralization, albumen protein regulation, and yolk lipid transport. This review also explores the heritability of these traits, emphasizing the challenges posed by polygenic architecture and the influence of environmental factors. Furthermore, it addresses the dynamic spatiotemporal regulation of egg quality traits, including epigenetic layers such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, RNA methylation, and post-translational protein modifications. This paper highlights the application of these findings to breeding programs via genomic selection, marker-assisted breeding, and epigenetic engineering approaches. Future directions for precision breeding and the development of functional eggs with enhanced quality are also discussed.

Plumage color is a key trait for identifying waterfowl breeds with significant economic importance. A white-feathered group has recently emerged within the native Matahu duck population, presenting an opportunity for breeding new lines. However, the genetic basis for this plumage variation is still unknown, necessitating further research. This study aims to identify the genetic mechanisms underlying the emergence of white-feathered individuals in the Matahu duck population through combined genome and transcriptome analysis, providing insights for selective breeding and the development of new white-feathered lines. In this study, a total of 1344 selected genes and 1406 significantly differentially expressed genes were identified through selection signal analysis and transcriptomic analysis, respectively. The functional enrichment of these genes revealed several key signaling pathways, including those related to cGMP-PKG, cAMP, PI3K-Akt, and MAPK. Furthermore, important candidate genes involved in melanin biosynthesis, such as MITF, MC1R, TYR, TYRP1, and ABCB6, were identified. Notably, 107 genes were detected by both methods, and, among these, DGKI, GPRC5B, HMX1, STS, ADGRA1, PRKAR2B, and HOXB9 are suggested to play a role in melanin formation and potentially influence plumage traits. Through the integrative approach combining genomic selection signals and transcriptomic analyses, we identified several candidate genes directly associated with plumage color, including MITF, TYR, TYRP1, and MC1R, along with multiple signaling pathways linked to melanin formation. We hypothesize that the expression of DGKI, GPRC5B, HMX1, STS, ADGRA1, PRKAR2B, and HOXB9, detected by both methods, may be closely related to the regulation of plumage color traits. These findings provide a foundational basis for further research aimed at elucidating the genetic mechanisms governing plumage color variation in ducks.

Structural variations in the duck genome significantly impact the environmental adaptability and phenotypic diversity of duck populations. Characterizing these SVs in local domestic duck breeds from Shandong province offers valuable insights for breed selection and the development of new breeds. This study aimed to profile the genomic SVs in three local duck breeds (Matahu duck, Weishan partridge duck, and Wendeng black duck) and explore their differential distributions. A total of 21,673 SVs were detected using LUMPY (v0.2.13) and DELLY (v1.0.3) software, with 46% located in intergenic regions, 33% in intronic regions, and frameshift deletions being the most prevalent in exonic regions (3%). SVs distribution showed a decreasing trend with shorter chromosome lengths. Population structure analysis revealed distinct genetic profiles, with Matahu and Weishan partridge ducks showing closer affinities and the Wendeng black duck having a more homogeneous genetic background, likely due to geographic isolation. Functional annotation identified genes related to nervous system development, mitosis, spindle assembly, and energy metabolism. Notable genes included PLXNA4, NRP2, SEMA3A, PTEN, MYBL2, ADK, and COX4I1. Additionally, genes such as PRKG1, GABRA2, and FSHR were linked to energy metabolism and reproductive activity. The study provides a comprehensive analysis of SVs, revealing significant genetic differentiation and identifying genes associated with economically important traits, offering valuable resources for the genetic improvement and breeding of local duck breeds.

Donkeys (Equus asinus) are economically and ecologically important livestock species whose genetic potential remains underexplored. This review synthesizes recent advances in donkey genomics, tracing their evolutionary history while evaluating current applications in selective breeding, conservation genetics, and agricultural management. By integrating evidence from population genomics, functional genomics, and comparative evolutionary studies, we summarize major genomic discoveries and identify persistent knowledge gaps, with a focus on translating genomic information into practical breeding outcomes. High-quality reference genomes, population resequencing, and ancient DNA analyses have clarified the African origin, global dispersal history, and environmental adaptation of donkeys. Genome-wide approaches, including GWAS, QTL mapping, and multi-omics analyses, have further identified genes and regulatory pathways associated with thermotolerance, metabolism, reproduction, and milk production. Nevertheless, progress is still limited by small sample sizes, variable sequencing depth, and inconsistencies in phenotyping and bioinformatic pipelines, which constrain cross-population comparisons and practical applications. Addressing these challenges through standardized phenotyping, improved data integration, and collaborative research frameworks will lay the groundwork for effective conservation strategies and sustainable genomic breeding of global donkey populations.

The microbiota within crop milk not only participates in the physiological regulation of parent pigeons but also promotes the healthy growth of squabs. Consequently, microbial sequencing of both crop milk and the saliva through which it passes is essential to elucidate microbial changes in both compartments during the raising brooding period. This study sampled crop milk and saliva of Mimas at three distinct time points corresponding to Days 1, 4, and 7 of raising brooding, and collected samples from three pairs of healthy breeding pigeons with similar body weights at each time point. The results demonstrated that α diversity increased in both the crop milk and salivary microbiota over time, surpassing the levels observed at the initial secretion stage. Compared to R1, the Simpson index of the salivary microbiome was significantly higher at R7 (p < 0.05). Ligilactobacillus constituted the most abundant genus in crop milk, whereas saliva harbored a greater diversity of potentially pathogenic bacteria. Phylogenetic analysis revealed a close evolutionary relationship between Ligilactobacillus and Enterococcus in crop milk, suggesting potential functional synergy. Furthermore, functional prediction indicated that ABC transporter-related genes presented the lowest expression in the crop milk microbiota during its peak secretion period. Notably, Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between Ligilactobacillus abundance in crop milk and Psittacicella abundance in saliva. In summary, the crop milk and salivary microbiota exhibit distinct temporal dynamics, and their specific microbial compositions and functions can provide new research directions for the healthy breeding of squabs.