Role of Sulfur Metabolism Gene and High-Sulfur Gene Expression in Wool Growth Regulation in the Cashmere Goat

The study investigated the role of sulfur metabolism genes and high-sulfur keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) in wool growth in Cashmere goats. Involving 120 goats, the research identified 16 sulfur metabolism genes and 9 high-sulfur KAPs that were differentially expressed during the wool growth cycle. The expression of these genes was found to be higher during the active growth phase of wool, suggesting a direct correlation between gene expression and wool growth. The study also revealed that melatonin may activate the sulfur metabolism process, providing sufficient sulfur-containing amino acids for wool growth. These findings provide valuable insights into the genetic factors influencing wool growth, which could potentially be applied to other areas of hair growth research.