Polymorphisms of FST gene and their association with wool quality traits in Chinese Merino sheep

Abstract

Follistatin (FST) is involved in hair follicle morphogenesis. However, its effects on hair traits are not clear. This study was designed to investigate the effects of FST gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) on wool quality traits in Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type). We performed gene expression analysis, SNP detection, and association analysis of FST gene with sheep wool quality traits. The real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that FST gene was differentially expressed in adult skin between Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type) and Suffolk sheep. Immunostaining showed that FST was localized in inner root sheath (IRS) and matrix of hair follicle (HF) in both SF and Suffolk sheep. Sequencing analysis identified a total of seven SNPs (termed SNPs 1–7) in the FST gene in Chinese Merino sheep (Junken Type). Association analysis showed that SNP2 (Chr 16. 25,633,662 G>A) was significantly associated with average wool fiber diameter, wool fineness SD, and wool crimp (P < 0.05). SNP4 (Chr 16. 25,633,569 C>T) was significantly associated with wool fineness SD and CV of fiber diameter (P < 0.05). Similarly, the haplotypes derived from these seven identified SNPs were also significantly associated with average wool fiber diameter, wool fineness SD, CV of fiber diameter, and wool crimp (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that FST influences wool quality traits and its SNPs 2 and 4 might be useful markers for marker-assisted selection and sheep breeding.

Review on Genomic Regions and Candidate Genes Associated with Economically Important Production and Reproduction Traits in Sheep (Ovies aries)

“…Ovine FST is a relatively small gene consisting of six exons located on chromosome 16. It is a single chain glycoprotein structurally unrelated with inhibin and activin [68]. In the same sheep breed, PCR-SSCP study was also found genetic variants in keratin-associated protein genes (KAP6.1, KAP8.1, KAP8.2, KRTAP9-2, and KAP16.4) related with wool quality.…”

“…The keratin gene family regulates the function of wool, and development of hair follicles. Both KAP and FST genes can be used for marker assisted selection and sheep breeding program [68,69].…”

A Combined Multi-Cohort Approach Reveals Novel and Known Genome-Wide Selection Signatures for Wool Traits in Merino and Merino-Derived Sheep Breeds

“…As such, deciphering the genetic basis underlying the peculiar Merino phenotype is a fundamental aim, and it may further contribute improving wool performances of Merino and Merino-derived breeds. A number of papers have addressed this issue, looking at the genome in search for QTLs (quantitative trait loci) related to wool traits, by using STR markers in Merino (Beh et al, 2001; Bidinost et al, 2008; Roldan et al, 2010), Merino crosses (Rogers et al, 1994; Henry et al, 1998;Zhai et al, 2019), and non-Merino (Allain et al, 1998; Ponz et al, 2001; Allain et al, 2006) sheep populations, or looking at candidate genes (Ling et al, 2014; Rong et al, 2015; Ma et al, 2017; Mu et al, 2017), with keratin genes being among the most studied targets (Parsons et al, 1994; Phuaa et al, 2015; Chai et al, 2017; Li et al, 2017a; Li et al, 2017b; Sulayman et al, 2018; Gong et al, 2019). With the advent of SNP array genotyping technologies, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using bi-allelic markers have become feasible, and they have been performed in the ovine species to investigate, among others, wool traits (Wang et al, 2014; Bolormaa et al, 2017).…”

Global Repigmentation Strategy of Grey Hair Follicles by Targeting Oxidative Stress and Stem Cells Protection

“…Melanosome formation and autophagy were also reactivated. The induction of FST and KRT19 expressions, both involved in hair morphogenesis [31], suggests a renewal and protection of the stem cell reservoirs [13,17]. Moreover, the expressions of antioxidant enzymes were up-regulated.…”