一、研究方向

　　1、肉羊多羔和常年发情形成的分子机理研究

　　当前我国羊肉需求急速攀升与国内羊肉产能低下的矛盾日益凸显，提高羊肉产量成为现阶段的重大社会需求。自然生理条件下，绝大部分羊品种一年产一胎、一胎产一羔，而且绝大部分品种季节性发情，因此单羔和季节性发情成为限制母羊生产力的两大瓶颈。揭示羊多羔和常年发情性状形成的分子机理成为现阶段本领域的重大科学命题。针对单羔和季节性发情这两个性状，本团队从实测的繁殖表型出发，以不同繁殖力羊品种及品种内繁殖力差异显著个体的基因组学、蛋白组学、代谢组学差异为突破口，综合多组学数据筛选肉羊下丘脑-垂体-性腺轴中与多羔和常年发情性状相关的关键基因、调控因子和通路，开展多层次功能验证，构建整合网络图，系统深入多层次解析多羔和常年发情性状形成的分子机理，为肉羊分子设计育种提供理论基础和新的靶点。

　　2、高繁殖力肉羊新品种选育

　　针对国产专门化肉羊品种缺乏的现状和高繁殖力肉羊新品种的选育需求，本团队充分发挥地方良种肉羊的资源优势，研发肉羊育种关键技术，加快研究成果的转化应用，创制有重大育种价值的高繁殖力肉羊新品种。以杜泊羊为父本和湖羊/小尾寒羊为母本，以波尔山羊为父本和黄淮山羊为母本，通过级进杂交和横交固定，结合分子标记辅助育种，充分利用进口羊肉用性能好和地方羊繁殖力高的种质特性，选育繁殖力高、生长速度快、屠宰率高、肉质好、耐粗饲、抗病、适合舍饲圈养的肉羊新品种，为发展肉羊规模化生产和产业化经营提供优质种源，从根本上扭转育种核心种源依赖进口的局面。

　　3、肉羊种质资源评价与利用

　　我国肉羊遗传资源丰富，种类繁多，特征明显，具有早期生长发育快、肉质鲜美、抗逆、耐粗饲等特性。本团队从全基因组水平揭示中国肉羊的驯化过程、自然与人工选择历程。从起源、毛色、生长、尾型、海拔、饲养方式等对我国丰富的地方肉羊资源进行全面深入分析，发现并鉴定影响生长发育的miRNA、lncRNA及蛋白分子，采用分子生物学和细胞生物学方法进一步研究这些核心分子在肉羊骨骼肌发育、脂肪沉积、抗逆性等重要经济性状发生过程中的生物学功能，标识具有育种可利用价值的基因或调节因子，为肉羊种质资源评价、保护和利用提供新的科学依据。

　　二、代表性成果

　　1、Tang J S^#, Hu W P^#, Chen S, Di R, Liu Q Y, Wang X Y, He X Y, Gan S Q, Zhang X S, Zhang J L, Chen W, Chu M X^*. The genetic mechanism of high prolificacy in Small Tail Han sheep by comparative proteomics of ovaries in the follicular and luteal stages. Journal of Proteomics , 2019, 204:103394.

　　2、Zhang Z B^#, Tang J S^#, Di R, Liu Q Y, Wang X Y, Gan S Q, Zhang X S, Zhang J L, Chen W, Hu W P^*, Chu M X^*. Identification of prolificacy-related differentially expressed proteins from sheep ( Ovis aries ) hypothalamus by comparative proteomics.  Proteomics , 2019, 19(14):e1900118.

　　3、La Y F^#, Tang J S^#, He X Y, Di R, Wang X Y, Liu Q Y, Zhang L P, Zhang X S, Zhang J L, Hu W P^*, Chu M X^*. Identification and characterization of mRNAs and lncRNAs in the uterus of polytocous and monotocous Small Tail Han sheep ( Ovis aries ). PeerJ,  2019, 7:e6938.

　　4、Pan Z Y^#, Li S D^#, Liu Q Y, Wang Z, Zhou Z K, Di R, An X J, Miao B P, Wang X Y, Hu W P, Guo X F, Lv S J, Li F K, Ding G H, Chu M X^*, Li Y X^*. Rapid evolution of a retro-transposable hotspot of ovine genome underlies the alteration of BMP2 expression and development of fat tails. BMC Genomics , 2019, 20(1):261.

　　5、He X Y, Zhang Z B, Liu Q Y, Chu M X^*. Polymorphisms of the melatonin receptor 1A gene that affect the reproductive seasonality and litter size in Small Tail Han sheep. Reproduction in Domestic Animals , 2019, 54(10):1400-1410.

　　6、Lu Z K, Chu M X, Li Q, Jin M L, Fei X J, Ma L, Zhang L Q, Wei C H. Transcriptomic analysis provides novel insights into heat stress responses in sheep. Animals ，2019，9(6):387.

　　7、Lu Z K, Ma Y J, Li Q, Liu E M, Jin M L, Zhang L P, Wei C H. The role of N⁶-methyladenosine RNA methylation in the heat stress response of sheep ( Ovis aries ). Cell Stress and Chaperones , 2019, 24(2):333-342.

　　8、Cao X H^#, Wang X Y^#, Lu L L, Li X Y, Di R, He X Y, Hu W P, Zeng X Y, Liu Q Y^*,Chu M X^*. Expression and functional analysis of the BCL2-associated agonist of cell death ( BAD ) gene in the sheep ovary during the reproductive cycle.  Frontiers in Endocrinology , 2018, 9:512.

　　9、He X Y^#, Liu Q Y^#, Li X Y, Guo X F, Wang X Y, Hu W P, Di R^*, Chu M X^*. Molecular cloning and epigenetic change detection of Kiss1 during seasonal reproduction in Chinese indigenous sheep. Reproduction, Fertility and Development , 2018, 30(5):734-743.

　　10、Guo X F^#, Wang X Y^#, Di R, Liu Q Y, Hu W P, He X Y, Yu J R, Zhang X S, Zhang J L, Broniowska K, Chen W, Wu C X^*, Chu M X^*. Metabolic effects of FecB gene on follicular fluid and ovarian vein serum in sheep ( Ovis aries ). International Journal of Molecular Sciences , 2018, 19(2):539.

　　11、Pan Z Y^#, Li S D^#, Liu Q Y^#, Wang Z, Zhou Z K, Di R, Miao B P, Hu W P, Wang X Y, Hu X X, Xu Z, Wei D K, He X Y, Yuan L Y, Guo X F, Liang B M, Wang R C, Li X Y, Cao X H, Dong X L, Xia Q, Shi H C, Hao G, Yang J, Luosang C C, Zhao Y Q, Jin M, Zhang Y J, Lv S J, Li F K, Ding G H, Chu M X^*, Li Y X^*. Whole-genome sequences of 89 Chinese sheep suggest role of RXFP2 in the development of unique horn phenotype as response to semi-feralization. GigaScience , 2018, 7(4):1-15.

　　12、Wei C H, Wu M M, Wang C D, Liu R Z, Zhao H J, Yang L, Liu J F, Wang Y Y, Zhang S Z, Yuan Z H, Liu Z, Hu S J, Chu M X, Wang X G, Du L X. Long noncoding RNA lnc-SEMT modulates IGF2 expression by sponging miR-125b to promote sheep muscle development and growth. Cellular Physiology and Biochemistry , 2018, 49(2):447-462.

　　13、Wei C H, Wang H H, Liu G, Zhao F P, Kijas J W, Ma Y J, Lu J, Zhang L, Cao J X, Wu M M, Wang G K, Liu R Z, Liu Z, Zhang S Z, Liu C S, Du L X. Genome-wide analysis reveals adaptation to high-altitude in Tibetan sheep. Scientific Reports , 2016, 6:26770.

　　14、Wei C H, Wang H H, Liu G, Wu M M, Cao J X, Liu Z, Liu R Z, Zhao F P, Zhang L, Lu J, Liu C S, Du L X. Genome-wide analysis reveals population structure and selection in Chinese indigenous sheep breeds. BMC Genomics , 2015, 16(1):194.

　　15、Di R^#, He J N^#, Song S H^#, Tian D M^#, Liu Q Y, Liang X J, Ma Q, Sun M, Wang J D, Zhao W M, Cao G L, Wang J X, Yang Z M, Ge Y, Chu M X^*. Characterization and comparative profiling of ovarian microRNAs during ovine anestrus and the breeding season. BMC Genomics , 2014, 15(1):899.

　　三、创新团队成员