Jianping Li

Objective: This study revealed that miRNA-24 downregulates KLF6, regulating melanogenesis in the coat of Cashmere goats.Methods: The correlation between miRNA-24 and coat color was determined by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). GO/KEGG analysis and bioinformatics tools were used to screen for target genes. Targeted interactions were confirmed using the dual luciferase assay. The expressions of miRNA-24 and KLF6 on different colored skins of Cashmere goats, and the KLF6 expression in B16-F10 cells transfected with miRNA-24 mimics/inhibitors/NC were detected by RT-qPCR, Western Blot, and Immunofluorescence. To investigate the pathway that KLF6 influenced, KLF6 was silenced by RNA interference (RNAi), and the melanogenesis pathway’s gene expression was examined. The expression and phosphorylation of STAT3 protein in the pathway were inhibited. RNAi and Stattic were utilized to downregulate its protein expression and phosphorylation for detecting tyrosine expression. BALB/c mice were subcutaneously injected with antagomiRNA-24, a miRNA-24 inhibitor. The influence of miRNA-24 on the downregulation of KLF6 in relation to melanogenesis was examined.Results: MiRNA-24 is related to coat color. KLF6 was chosen as the target gene, and the targeted interaction was validated. The expression trends of miRNA-24 and KLF6 in the skin inversely correlated. The mRNA and protein expression of KLF6 were altered in B16-F10 cells after transfected. These suggested that miRNA-24 downregulates KLF6. Silencing of KLF6 resulted in the downregulation of genes linked to melanogenesis, including WNT1, WNT2, PRKACA, MAPK1, TYR, and STAT3. The suppression of protein and phosphorylation levels of STAT3 decreaseed the mRNA level of TYR, suggesting that KLF6 influences TYR expression by modulation of STAT3 expression and phosphorylation. BALB/c mice injected with antagomiRNA-24 showed increased melanin content and decreased KLF6 expression.Conclusion: MiRNA-24 regulates melanogenesis in the Cashmere goat coat by downregulation of KLF6, thus mediating STAT3 expression and phosphorylation

During winter and early spring, pasture supply is usually lower than the demand in New Zealand dairy farming systems and thus the ‘autumn saved pastures’ (stockpiling) are introduced to fill the gap. This study aimed to investigate the chemical, physical, and degradation characteristics of ryegrass pastures, the predominant forage in New Zealand, grown in autumn and winter. To serve as ‘autumn saved pasture’, nine ryegrass cultivars, comprising three types (three perennial, three hybrid, and three Italian), were grown in late autumn (Autumn) and early winter (Winter) and harvested after 7 and 9 weeks of regrowth, respectively. The experiment had two experimental factors: ryegrass type (or cultivar) and harvest season. These experimental factors were in a randomised block design with the forage plot as the experimental unit. The degradation characteristics were assessed in the rumen of fistulated cows using the in situ incubation technique. Perennial ryegrass had a greater neutral detergent fibre (NDF) concentration (468 g/kg dry matter (DM)) than the hybrid (435 g/kg DM) or Italian (414 g/kg DM) ryegrasses. Italian ryegrasses had the greatest soluble fraction of DM (64.2% vs. 46.7% and 40.7%) and the greatest degradation rate of an insoluble but degradable fraction of DM (0.221 vs. 0.189 and 0.145/h) than the hybrid and perennial ryegrasses. Compared with the Winter ryegrass, the Autumn ryegrass had a greater crude protein concentration (246 vs. 208 g/kg DM) and a greater NDF concentration (486 vs. 392 g/kg DM) but a lower calculated soluble carbohydrate concentration (152 vs. 263 g/kg DM). It is concluded that there are notable variations among the cultivars, highlighting distinctions in parameters, such as NDF concentration, soluble fractions, degradation rates, and nutrient content among the perennial, hybrid, and Italian ryegrasses, as well as the seasonal variations observed between autumn and winter growth. These findings will not only facilitate enhanced nutrition for dairy cows as they undergo the transition phase but also have practical implications for future research and dairy cow nutrition.

Five experiments were conducted to examine effects of lysophospholipids (LPL) on live weight gain, nutrient digestibility, ruminal fermentation parameters, serum biochemical parameters and rumen bacterial community profile in fattening lambs. Two dietary treatments (pelleted complete feed supplemented without (control diet; CON) or with 0.05% LPL on dry matter basis) were tested in these experiments. Feed and water were provided ad libitum to lambs. The results showed that average daily gain (ADG) tended to increase or was not affected by LPL supplementation. Compared with CON, the supplementation of LPL resulted in an increase in dry matter, crude protein and organic matter digestibilities, and a decrease in neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber digestibilities. Ruminal pH values did not change with LPL supplementation, but the concentrations of ammonia and total short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were increased. The molar proportion of major individual SCFAs and the ratio of acetate to propionate were not affected by LPL supplementation. While the activity of lipase was decreased with LPL supplementation, all other serum biochemical parameters did not change. Rumen bacterial community was altered by LPL supplementation with the relative abundance of fibrolytic bacteria in the total bacterial population, such as Prevotella, decreased. In conclusion, LPL supplementation can alter feed digestion, but may not result in consistent positive responses in animal growth performance.