Multiomics analysis uncovers host-microbiota interactions regulate hybrid vigor traits in geese.

ABSTRACT: Economic hybridization represents a predominant breeding strategy for enhancing poultry quality. In this study, we bred hybrid geese (ZF) by crossing Xianghai Flying geese (FG) as paternal lines with Zi geese (ZG) as maternal lines. ZF exhibited integrated superior traits, including increased body weight and breast muscle index, reduced abdominal fat, and improved meat quality (enhanced tenderness, deeper red meat color), with notably higher ileal villus height than parental lines. Integrated phenotypic, transcriptomic, gut microbiome and metabolomic analyses systematically revealed regulatory mechanisms underlying heterosis. The analysis showed 87 differentially expressed genes common between ZF and both parents, mainly enriched in energy metabolism and cytoskeletal and cell adhesion-rela

SUBMITTER: Ni H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12149580 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature