中国农业科学 ›› 2025, Vol. 58 ›› Issue (13): 2682-2692.doi: 10.3864/j.issn.0578-1752.2025.13.014

• 畜牧·兽医 • 上一篇    下一篇

牛甲状腺基因的功能及其与环境适应性的相关研究进展

李昊1(), 田雨阳1, 张子铭1, 曹一凡1, 次仁罗布2, 尼玛仓决2, 旦增洛桑2, 雷初朝1, 巴桑珠扎2(), 陈宁博1()   

  1. 1 西北农林科技大学动物科技学院,陕西杨凌 712100
    2 西藏自治区农牧科学院畜牧兽医研究所,拉萨 850009
  • 收稿日期:2025-01-20 接受日期:2025-05-29 出版日期:2025-07-01 发布日期:2025-07-05
  • 通信作者:
    陈宁博,E-mail:
    巴桑珠扎,E-mail:
  • 联系方式: 李昊,E-mail:li_hao_1999@126.com。
  • 基金资助:
    国家自然科学基金(32102523); 国家自然科学基金(32341054); 西藏自治区重点研发项目(XZ202301ZY0008N)

Research Progress on the Function of Bovine Thyroid Gene and Its Correlation with Environmental Adaptability

LI Hao1(), TIAN YuYang1, ZHANG ZiMing1, CAO YiFan1, CIREN LuoBu2, NIMA CangJue2, DANZENG LuoSang2, LEI ChuZhao1, BASANG ZhuZha2(), CHEN NingBo1()   

  1. 1 College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100 Shaanxi
    2 Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary, Xizang Academy of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Sciences Medicine, Lhasa 850009
  • Received:2025-01-20 Accepted:2025-05-29 Published:2025-07-01 Online:2025-07-05

摘要:

甲状腺是牛重要的内分泌器官,通过分泌甲状腺激素(thyroid hormone,TH)发挥生物学作用,具有促进营养代谢、生长发育、完善神经功能和调控生理机能等功能。甲状腺的多功能性对动物维持健康机体必不可缺,在动物的生长发育和环境适应过程中影响深远。中国地方黄牛的遗传背景复杂,又经过各地长期杂交选育,形成了至少58个地方品种。为适应多样化的地理生态环境,中国黄牛基因组在扩散过程中产生不断的微进化,其中甲状腺相关基因可能在适应性方面发挥了重要作用。本文从动物生理学和基因组学角度,综述了近年来甲状腺调控功能与相关基因组遗传变异的研究进展。首先介绍甲状腺调控功能,甲状腺通过负反馈调节的方式动态调控体内的TH水平,进而调控动物的发育、代谢、节律和繁殖功能。甲状腺信号对于环境影响十分敏感,可对环境刺激做出相应的反应,主要体现在低温时增加产热、高温时减少内源性产热、调控免疫和神经细胞等抵抗疾病及其他不利因素。其次介绍目前甲状腺相关基因组遗传变异的研究进展,TH合成到发挥作用是一个复杂的过程,大量的基因参与了该过程的调控,部分基因的遗传变异对动物的健康与家畜的生产性能产生影响。近年来牛基因组相关研究发展迅速,对牛的起源、生产和抗逆性状相关基因的研究均有深入探讨。随着对牛基因组研究的深入,更多的牛甲状腺相关基因的新功能被挖掘出来。甲状腺相关基因对牛生长、代谢、环境适应等的关键性状均有影响,例如:DUOXA2参与了奶牛的细胞钙调节和西藏牛的高原适应性,其Leu20Pro变异对青藏高原黄牛具有潜在影响;TG是肉牛生产性状相关的关键调控基因之一,存在3个与公牛性成熟相关的SNPs,可显著降低公牛性成熟年龄。最后,本文展望了基因组重组测序技术和单细胞核转录组与染色质可及性测序技术在牛甲状腺相关基因遗传变异研究中的巨大潜力,从成本、作用以及应用实例等角度论证两种技术的可行性。基因组重测序可鉴定多种类型的变异位点,根据选择信号鉴定关键变异。单细胞核转录组与染色质可及性测序技术可直接研究在不同环境和发育阶段每个细胞内基因的表达差异,可用于验证关键调控基因的作用机理。探究牛甲状腺相关基因的功能及其与生长性能和环境适应性相关遗传变异,有利于进一步挖掘牛重要经济性状和抗逆性状新基因。本文介绍了甲状腺的调控机制和甲状腺相关基因对家畜生长、代谢、生物节律调控、繁殖功能以及环境适应的多方面影响,并对未来可用于甲状腺研究的新技术进行展望,以期为未来的甲状腺功能探究和牛生物育种提供参考。

关键词: 甲状腺, 牛, 基因, 生长性状, 环境适应

Abstract:

The thyroid gland is an important endocrine organ in cattle that plays a biological role by secreting thyroid hormone (TH), which promotes nutrient metabolism, growth and development, improves neural function; and regulates physiological functions. The multifunctionality of the thyroid gland is indispensable for maintaining a healthy body in animals and has a profound impact on their growth, development and environmental adaptation. The genetic background of Chinese yellow cattle is complex, and after long-term hybridization and selection in various regions, at least 58 local breeds have been formed. During the spread of Chinese yellow cattle, they faced diverse geographical and ecological environments, and their genomes continuously microevolved to adapt to different environments. Among these genes, thyroid-related genes may play important roles in adaptation. This article reviews the research progress on the regulatory functions of the thyroid and related genetic variations from the perspectives of animal physiology and genomics. First, the thyroid gland dynamically regulates TH levels through negative feedback regulation and then regulates animal development, metabolism, rhythm and reproductive function. The thyroid signal is highly sensitive to environmental influences and can respond accordingly, such as increasing heat production under cold conditions, reducing heat production under hot conditions, and regulating immunity and nerve cells to resist diseases and other adverse factors. The process from TH synthesis to its function is complex. Many genes are involved in the regulation of this process, and the genetic variation of some genes has an impact on the health and performance of animals. In recent years, research on the bovine genome has developed rapidly, with in-depth discussions on the origin, production, and stress resistance traits of cattle. With increasing research on the bovine genome, more new functions of bovine thyroid-related genes have been discovered. Thyroid-related genes affect key traits such as growth, metabolism, and environmental adaptation in cattle. For example, the DUOXA2 gene is involved in calcium regulation in dairy cows and in the high-altitude adaptation of Tibetan cattle, and its Leu20Pro variation has a potential impact on yellow cattle in the Qinghai‒Tibet Plateau. The TG gene is one of the key regulatory genes related to beef cattle production traits, with three SNPs associated with sexual maturity in bulls, which can significantly reduce the age of sexual maturity in bulls. Finally, this paper highlights the potential of genome resequencing technology and single-nucleus RNA and chromatin accessibility sequencing technology for exploring the genetic variations of thyroid related genes. The feasibility of these two technologies is demonstrated from aspects such as cost, functionality, and application examples. Genome resequencing can identify various types of variant sites and pinpoint key variants on the basis of selection signals. Single-nucleus RNA and chromatin accessibility sequencing technology can be used to investigate the gene expression differences within each cell under different environmental conditions and at various developmental stages, facilitating the verification of the mechanisms of action of key regulatory genes. Hence, delving into the functions of bovine thyroid-related genes and their genetic variations linked to growth and environmental adaptability is pivotal for revealing novel genes associated with important economic traits and stress resistance in cattle. This paper introduces the regulatory mechanism of the thyroid gland and the effects of thyroid-related genes on the growth, metabolism, biological rhythm regulation, reproductive function and environmental adaptation of livestock, and proposes new technologies that can be used for thyroid research in the future to provide a reference for future research on thyroid function and cattle breeding.

Key words: thyroid, cattle, genes, growth traits, environmental adaptation