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Molecular Research in Avian Genetics
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Molecular Research in Avian Genetics

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Genetics and Genomics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025 | Viewed by 2882

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Michael N. Romanov

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
Interests: avian genetics; avian genomics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Here, we would like to introduce our special issue on molecular research in a broad spectrum of avian genetics. Everything from molecular evolution and adaptation to bioinformatic analysis to host–pathogen interaction, among others, this Special Issue will address every facet covering, but not limited to, molecular genetics, cytogenetics and genomics in wild and domesticated birds. Since the 1930s, when the molecular techniques were first introduced to study biochemical genetics and immunogenetics in birds, there has been substantial accumulation of methodology and knowledge that brought avian biology to the molecular research level. The molecular mechanisms underlying physiology and ecology of birds can now be thoroughly studied in order to create novel approaches for both understanding of these feathered creatures and management of their conservation, reproduction, illness and commercial utilization (as an important source of eggs and meat for human consumption). General and specific contributions into the genetic mechanisms and evolution of molecular biological processes in the avian body are invited. Reviews and research articles pertaining to the broad area of avian molecular genetics are also welcomed.

Dr. Michael N. Romanov
Guest Editor

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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

  • avian genetics
  • cytogenetics and genomics in wild and domesticated birds
  • bioinformatic analysis
  • molecular markers
  • molecular studies in birds
  • molecular mechanisms underlying physiology and ecology of birds
  • molecular insights into evolution, conservation, reproduction, illness and commercial utilization
  • host–pathogen interaction

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 1558 KiB  
Article
Genome of Russian Snow-White Chicken Reveals Genetic Features Associated with Adaptations to Cold and Diseases
by Ivan S. Yevshin, Elena I. Shagimardanova, Anna S. Ryabova, Sergey S. Pintus, Fedor A. Kolpakov and Oleg A. Gusev
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(20), 11066; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252011066 - 15 Oct 2024
Viewed by 577
Abstract
Russian Snow White (RSW) chickens are characterized by high egg production, extreme resistance to low temperatures, disease resistance, and by the snow-white color of the day-old chicks. Studying the genome of this unique chicken breed will reveal its evolutionary history and help to [...] Read more.
Russian Snow White (RSW) chickens are characterized by high egg production, extreme resistance to low temperatures, disease resistance, and by the snow-white color of the day-old chicks. Studying the genome of this unique chicken breed will reveal its evolutionary history and help to understand the molecular genetic mechanisms underlying the unique characteristics of this breed, which will open new breeding opportunities and support future studies. We have sequenced and made a de novo assembly of the whole RSW genome using deep sequencing (250×) by the short reads. The genome consists of 40 chromosomes with a total length of 1.1 billion nucleotide pairs. Phylogenetic analysis placed the RSW near the White Leghorn, Fayoumi, and Houdan breeds. Comparison with other chicken breeds revealed a wide pool of mutations unique to the RSW. The functional annotation of these mutations showed the adaptation of genes associated with the development of the nervous system, thermoreceptors, purine receptors, and the TGF-beta pathway, probably caused by selection for low temperatures. We also found adaptation of the immune system genes, likely driven by selection for resistance to viral diseases. Integration with previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) suggested several causal single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Specifically, we identified an RSW-specific missense mutation in the RALYL gene, presumably causing the snow-white color of the day-old chicks, and an RSW-specific missense mutation in the TLL1 gene, presumably affecting the egg weight. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Avian Genetics)
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13 pages, 2543 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Annotation and Expression Profiling of C2H2 Zinc Finger Transcription Factors across Chicken Tissues
by Shuai Chen, Jiayao Jiang, Wenxiu Liang, Yuchen Tang, Renzhe Lyu, Yun Hu, Demin Cai, Xugang Luo and Mingan Sun
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(19), 10525; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251910525 - 30 Sep 2024
Viewed by 613
Abstract
As the most abundant class of transcription factors in eukaryotes, C2H2-type zinc finger proteins (C2H2-ZFPs) play critical roles in various biological processes. Despite being extensively studied in mammals, C2H2-ZFPs remain poorly characterized in birds. Recent accumulation of multi-omics data for chicken enables the [...] Read more.
As the most abundant class of transcription factors in eukaryotes, C2H2-type zinc finger proteins (C2H2-ZFPs) play critical roles in various biological processes. Despite being extensively studied in mammals, C2H2-ZFPs remain poorly characterized in birds. Recent accumulation of multi-omics data for chicken enables the genome-wide investigation of C2H2-ZFPs in birds. The purpose of this study is to reveal the genomic occurrence and evolutionary signature of chicken C2H2-ZFPs, and further depict their expression profiles across diverse chicken tissues. Here, we annotated 301 C2H2-ZFPs in chicken genome, which are associated with different effector domains, including KRAB, BTB, HOMEO, PHD, SCAN, and SET. Among them, most KRAB-ZFPs lack orthologues in mammals and tend to form clusters by duplication, supporting their fast evolution in chicken. We also annotated a unique and previously unidentified SCAN-ZFP, which is lineage-specific and highly expressed in ovary and testis. By integrating 101 RNA-seq datasets for 32 tissues, we found that most C2H2-ZFPs have tissue-specific expression. Particularly, 74 C2H2-ZFPs—including 27 KRAB-ZFPs—show blastoderm-enriched expression, indicating their association with early embryo development. Overall, this study performs comprehensive annotation and expression profiling of C2H2 ZFPs in diverse chicken tissues, which gives new insights into the evolution and potential function of C2H2-ZFPs in avian species. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Avian Genetics)
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16 pages, 1717 KiB  
Article
Candidate Genes Associated with Survival Following Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Infection in Chickens
by Wioleta Drobik-Czwarno, Anna Wolc, Callie R. Petal, Katarzyna Miedzinska, Jack Dekkers, Janet E. Fulton and Jacqueline Smith
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(18), 10056; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms251810056 - 19 Sep 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1157
Abstract
Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza (HPAI) devastate poultry flocks and result in significant economic losses for farmers due to high mortality, reduced egg production, and mandated euthanization of infected flocks. Within recent years, HPAI outbreaks have affected egg production flocks across the [...] Read more.
Highly pathogenic strains of avian influenza (HPAI) devastate poultry flocks and result in significant economic losses for farmers due to high mortality, reduced egg production, and mandated euthanization of infected flocks. Within recent years, HPAI outbreaks have affected egg production flocks across the world. The H5N2 outbreak in the US in 2015 resulted in over 99% mortality. Here, we analyze sequence data from chickens that survived (42 cases) along with uninfected controls (28 samples) to find genomic regions that differ between these two groups and that, therefore, may encompass prime candidates that are resistant to HPAI. Blood samples were obtained from survivors of the 2015 HPAI outbreak plus age and genetics-matched non-affected controls. A whole-genome sequence was obtained, and genetic variants were characterized and used in a genome-wide association study to identify regions showing significant association with survival. Regions associated with HPAI resistance were observed on chromosomes 1, 2, 5, 8, 10, 11, 15, 20, and 28, with a number of candidate genes identified. We did not detect a specific locus which could fully explain the difference between survivors and controls. Influenza virus replication depends on multiple components of the host cellular machinery, with many genes involved in the host response. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Molecular Research in Avian Genetics)
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