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Integrative WGBS and ATAC-seq profiling reveals epigenetic and chromatin accessibility signatures associated with clutch length in goose ovaries.

Hechuan Wang·Jiaxin Yin·Ke Jiang·Kexin Cong·Yunuo Liu·Weiran Yang·Xinyi Miao·Zhifeng Chen·Ying Zhang·Shengjun Liu
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Abstract

Clutch length is an important reproductive trait in geese, but its epigenetic basis remains poorly characterized. Daily egg production was recorded for 280 individually housed Zi geese, and clutch-related indices were calculated as described in our previous study. Based on these records, six geese with contrasting clutch-length phenotypes were selected and assigned to the long-clutch (LC) and short-clutch (SC) groups. Ovarian tissues from three geese per group were subjected to whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and assay for transposase-accessible chromatin using sequencing (ATAC-seq) to identify candidate epigenetic signatures associated with clutch length. WGBS identified 630,909 differentially methylated regions (DMRs), whereas ATAC-seq identified 902 differentially accessible regions (DARs). Integrated analysis revealed distinct patterns of ovarian DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility between the two groups, suggesting that clutch length variation may be accompanied by epigenomic differences in ovarian tissue. Genes associated with DMRs and/or DARs were enriched in biological processes related to granulosa cell differentiation and endocrine competence, follicular fate regulation, and periovulatory cytoskeletal and signaling remodeling. RERE was prioritized as a candidate locus because it was supported by changes in both DNA methylation and chromatin accessibility, whereas FOXL2, STAR, BAK1, FGF17, PRSS35, ACTR3, and AXIN1 were supported mainly by evidence from a single omics layer. RT-qPCR analysis of selected genes showed expression trends broadly consistent with the corresponding epigenomic differences, providing additional supportive evidence for these candidate associations. Collectively, this study provides an exploratory ovarian epigenomic resource and identifies candidate epigenetic signatures, genes, and biological processes associated with clutch length variation in geese.

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DNA methylationDomestic geeseFollicle selectionLaying persistenceSteroidogenesisJournal Article

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Hechuan Wang, Jiaxin Yin, Ke Jiang, Kexin Cong, Yunuo Liu, Weiran Yang, Xinyi Miao, Zhifeng Chen, Ying Zhang, Shengjun Liu. 2026-07-27. Integrative WGBS and ATAC-seq profiling reveals epigenetic and chromatin accessibility signatures associated with clutch length in goose ovaries.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2026.107512

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