Animals

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser

Molecular Genetics and Reproduction

Special Issue Editors
Special Issue Information
Keywords
Published Papers

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Reproduction".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 5402

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Reproduction is essential to the maintenance of the species; accordingly, ensuring high levels of reproductive efficiency is crucial to all modern livestock production. Several reproductive traits such as no-seasonal mating, fertility rate, embryo survival, number of newborns, number of weaned offspring, age at puberty in the female, and libido in the male are important in all the farmed species. Genetics play an essential role in the control of these reproductive traits. The study and knowledge of the reproductive processes that are under genetic control and the discussion about molecular and quantitative genetic techniques which aim to genetically improve reproductive efficiency play a pivotal role in the scientific elaboration of zootechnical problems. The challenge for the research is to find real associations among genes and optimal reproductive performance and to measure the extent of these associations as well as providing a greater understanding of how these genes interacts with each other.

The purpose of this Special Issue is therefore to provide and discuss recent evidence of the underlying genetic control on the improvement of reproductive traits, collecting research on the theme of “Molecular Genetics and Reproduction” to demonstrate both current progress and future perspectives.

Original manuscripts that address any aspects of the genetic basis of reproduction traits are invited for this Special Issue, with particular interest in the links between genes and a whole host of desirable traits such as optimal fertility rate, best embryo survival, increased litter size, greatest possible growth at weaning, reduced or annulled seasonality in reproductive activity, advanced age at puberty, increased libido in males.

Dr. Maria Consuelo Mura
Dr. Sebastiano Luridiana
Dr. Giovanni Cosso
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

Livestock
Genetics
Reproductive traits
Efficiency
Molecular genetics

Published Papers (2 papers)

Download All Papers

Order results

Result details

Show export options Show export options

Select all

Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 2546 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Detection of Novel Variations Related to Litter Size in BMP15 Gene of Luzhong Mutton Sheep (Ovis aries)

by Ran Di, Fengyan Wang, Ping Yu, Xiangyu Wang, Xiaoyun He, Joram Mwashigadi Mwacharo, Linxiang Pan and Mingxing Chu

Animals 2021, 11(12), 3528; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123528 - 10 Dec 2021

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 2203

Abstract

Litter size is an important economic trait in the mutton sheep industry. BMP15 is one of the key candidate genes for litter size in sheep. In this study, the entire ORF region of BMP15 was sequenced in 154 Luzhong mutton ewes, and the novel variations were determined. The association between polymorphism in BMP15 and litter size was analyzed using a general linear model. Six out of a total of thirteen variations were identified to be novel. Association analysis indicated that four (SNPs ENSOART00000010201.1:c.352+342C>A, c.352+1232T>C, c.352+1165A>G and c.353-2036T>A) were significantly associated with litter size. The joint analysis among three major genes (BMP15, BMPR1B and GDF9) exhibited significant interaction effects in three combinations (FecB and c.352+1232T>C of BMP15; FecB and c.352+1165A>G of BMP15; c.352+342C>A of BMP15 and ENSOART00000014382.1:c.994G>A of GDF9). For the SNPs c.352+1232T>C and c.352+342C>A, the global distribution of allele frequencies showed that the highest variation frequency occurs in Western Europe. In conclusion, the results demonstrated that BMP15 is a major gene for litter size in Luzhong mutton sheep and candidate SNPs associated with litter size were identified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Genetics and Reproduction)

► Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 1536 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Association Study Demonstrates the Role Played by the CD226 Gene in Rasa Aragonesa Sheep Reproductive Seasonality

by Kenza Lakhssassi, Belén Lahoz, Pilar Sarto, Laura Pilar Iguácel, José Folch, José Luis Alabart, Malena Serrano and Jorge Hugo Calvo

Animals 2021, 11(4), 1171; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041171 - 19 Apr 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2385

Abstract

A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to identify genomic regions influencing seasonality reproduction traits in Rasa Aragonesa sheep. Three traits associated with either ovarian function based on blood progesterone levels (total days of anoestrus and progesterone cycling months) or behavioral signs of oestrous (oestrous cycling months) were studied. The GWAS included 205 ewes genotyped using the 50k and 680k Illumina Ovine Beadchips. Only one SNP associated with the progesterone cycling months overcame the genome-wide significance level (rs404991855). Nine SNPs exhibited significant associations at the chromosome level, being the SNPs rs404991855 and rs418191944, that are located in the CD226 molecule (CD226) gene, associated with the three traits. This gene is related to reproductive diseases. Two other SNPs were located close to the neuropeptide Y (NPY) gene, which is involved in circadian rhythms. To validate the GWAS, partial characterization of both genes by Sanger sequencing, and genotyping of two synonymous and two nonsynonymous SNPs in the NPY and CD226 genes, respectively, were performed. SNP association analysis showed that only SNP rs404360094 in the exon 3 of the CD226 gene, which produces an amino acid substitution from asparagine (uncharged polar) to aspartic acid (acidic), was associated with the three seasonality traits. Our results suggest that the CD226 gene may be involved in the reproductive seasonality in Rasa Aragonesa. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Genetics and Reproduction)

► Show Figures

Journal Menu

Journal Browser

Molecular Genetics and Reproduction

Share This Special Issue

Special Issue Editors

Special Issue Information

Keywords

Published Papers (2 papers)

Research

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI