Single-cell transcriptome sequencing of the skin in Silkie chickens
To investigate the causes of this phenotypic divergence in the Black-boned chicken population, this study used Chishui Black-boned chicken as a model and employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify genetic factors underlying skin color variation. Our objectives were to elucidate the molecular mechanisms governing skin color formation and to screen for key genes associated with dark and light skin phenotypes in Black-boned chicken.