Eggshell Quality Traits and Transcriptome Gene Screening Between Yunnong and Jingfen Chicken Breeds
by
, , , ,
Zijian Li
1,†
,
Hao Wu
1,†,
Jing Fu
2,
Maida Mushtaq
2,
Muhammad Khan
2,*,
Yong Liu
3,
Zobia Azeem
4,
Hongmei Shi
3,
Yang He
1,
Ru Zhang
2,
Muhammad Aziz Ur Rahman
5,
Jiajia Kang
1,
Changrong Ge
1 and
Kun Wang
1,* 1
College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China
2
Yunnan Animal Science and Veterinary Institute, Panlong District, Kunming 650201, China
3
Yunnan Rural Revitalization Education Institute, Yunnan Open University, Kunming 650101, China
4
Department of Zoology, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
5
Institute of Dairy Science, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad 03802, Pakistan
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Biology 2024, 13(12), 1048; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13121048
Submission received: 7 November 2024
/
Revised: 12 December 2024
/
Accepted: 12 December 2024
/
Published: 14 December 2024
Simple Summary
The Yunnong (YN) chicken is a local Chinese breed known for its egg-laying capabilities. This study aimed to identify genes associated with eggshell quality in YN chickens by comparing them with the commercially established Jingfen (JF) breed. The results showed that YN chicken eggs had superior eggshell thickness, strength, mammillary density, and effective layer thickness compared to JF eggs. RT-qPCR analysis identified five key genes—LSS, NSDHL, MSMO1, SQLE, and FDFT1—linked to eggshell quality. Pathway enrichment analysis revealed a complex interplay of metabolic, immune, and cellular processes potentially influencing eggshell traits in poultry.
Abstract
The eggshell quality traits in avian species, including Yunnong chickens (YN), are crucial for commercial and breeding purposes. The use of advanced biotechnologies, such as gene sequencing, has become increasingly common for identifying genetic markers and comparing specific traits in livestock. However, genetic markers related to eggshell traits in YN chickens remain unexplored. This study aimed to compare eggshell quality traits and identify genetic markers in YN chickens versus commercial Jingfen chickens (JF). A total of 400 chicks (200 per breed) were reared for 300 days under controlled conditions. At the end, 60 eggs from each breed were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy to examine eggshell cross-sections and mammillary layer structure. Tissue samples from kidneys and eggshell glands were collected from six hens per breed for RT-qPCR analysis to study gene expression profiles. Results showed that YN chickens had significantly higher eggshell strength, thickness, mammillary density, and effective layer thickness than JF chickens (p < 0.01). Despite this, YN chickens had a thinner mammillary layer. RT-qPCR analysis confirmed five candidate genes related to eggshells (LSS, NSDHL, MSMO1, SQLE, and FDFT1) that play an important role in this process. Pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment in several biological processes, including steroid biosynthesis, glycerolipid metabolism, purine metabolism, and thiamine metabolism. Based on these results, the YN chickens have strong eggshells with better thickness, mammillary density, and effective layer thickness. In addition, genomic and pathways analysis suggest a complex interaction of metabolic, immune, and cellular processes potentially influencing eggshell quality traits in poultry.
Keywords:
Yunnon chicken; Jingfen chicken; eggshell; gene sequencing; enriched pathways
