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Zhao Y, Zhang L, Wang L, Zhang J, Shen W, Ma Y, Ding C, Wu G. Identification and Analysis of Genes Related to Testicular Size in 14-Day-Old Piglets. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:172. [PMID: 38200903 PMCID: PMC10778417 DOI: 10.3390/ani14010172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/29/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA-Seq technology was used to screen the key genes that affect the early development of the testes of Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets, to determine the regulatory pathway and provide reference for subsequent reproductive performance research, breeding, and other production practices. This study selected 14-day-old Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets as the trial animals. Testes from piglets with similar weights and no pathological changes were divided into small testis (ST) and large testis (LT) groups, and the RNA-Seq screening of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was performed to find candidate genes and regulatory pathways related to early testicular development. The results show that 570 DEGs were found in the ST and LT groups, with 281 upregulated and 289 downregulated. The DEGs were mainly enriched on 47 gene ontology (GO) functional items. The Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genotypes (KEGG) enrichment analysis found that there were 44 significantly enriched KEGG signal pathways, and the regulation of testicular development mainly focused on the arachidonic acid metabolism, Wnt signaling pathway and GnRH secretion pathways. The PTGES, SFRP1, SPP1, PLA2G4E, KCNJ5, PTGS2, and HCN1 genes were found to be as closely related to the testicular development of these Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire piglets, and the differential gene expression was consistent with the real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (real-time qRT-PCR) validation results. This study was validated by high-throughput sequencing analysis and real-time qRT-PCR, and showed that the PTGES, SFRP1, SPP1, PLA2G4E, KCNJ5, PTGS2, and HCN1 genes may be involved in the regulation of germ cell development, spermatogenesis and semen traits. These should be further studied as candidate genes for early testicular development and reproductive trait regulation in boars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjiao Zhao
- Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization Key Laboratory of Qinghai Province, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Liangzhi Zhang
- Qinghai Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Ecological Genomics, Northwest Institute of Plateau Biology, Xining 810008, China;
| | - Lei Wang
- Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization Key Laboratory of Qinghai Province, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Jianbo Zhang
- Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization Key Laboratory of Qinghai Province, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Wenjuan Shen
- Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization Key Laboratory of Qinghai Province, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Yuhong Ma
- Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization Key Laboratory of Qinghai Province, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Chengxiang Ding
- Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization Key Laboratory of Qinghai Province, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.M.); (C.D.)
| | - Guofang Wu
- Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization Key Laboratory of Qinghai Province, Qinghai Academy of Animal and Veterinary Medicine, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China; (Y.Z.); (L.W.); (J.Z.); (W.S.); (Y.M.); (C.D.)
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Liu Z, Zhang X, Huang L, Huo H, Wang P, Li W, Dai H, Yang F, Fu G, Zhao G, Sun YH, Huo J. Long- and short-read RNA sequencing from five reproductive organs of boar. Sci Data 2023; 10:678. [PMID: 37798273 PMCID: PMC10556096 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-023-02595-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The production of semen in boars involves multiple reproductive glands, including the testis (Tes), epididymis (Epi), vesicular gland (VG), prostate gland (PG), and bulbourethral gland (BG). However, previous studies on boar reproduction primarily focused on the testis, with little attention paid to the other glands. Here, we integrated single-molecule long-read sequencing with short-read sequencing to characterize the RNA landscape from five glands of Banna mini-pig inbred line (BMI) and Diannan small-ear pigs (DSE). We identified 110,996 full-length isoforms from 22,298 genes, and classified the alternative splicing (AS) events in these five glands. Transcriptome-wide variation analysis indicated that the number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in five tissues of BMI was significantly lower than that in the non-inbred pig, DSE, revealing the effect of inbreeding on BMI. Additionally, we performed small-RNA sequencing and identified 299 novel miRNAs across all glands. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive overview of the RNA landscape within these five glands, paving the path for future investigations on reproductive biology and the impact of inbreeding on pig transcriptome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhipeng Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Xia Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
- College of Life Science, Lyuliang University, Lvliang, 033001, Shanxi, China
| | - Libin Huang
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, 02115, USA
| | - Hailong Huo
- Yunnan Open University, Kunming, 650500, Yunnan, China
| | - Pei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Weizhen Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Hongmei Dai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Fuhua Yang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Guowen Fu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China
| | - Guiying Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
| | - Yu H Sun
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 14627, USA.
| | - Jinlong Huo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
- Department of Biology, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, 14627, USA.
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Li T, Wang H, Ma K, Wu Y, Qi X, Liu Z, Li Q, Zhang Y, Ma Y. Identification and functional characterization of developmental-stage-dependent piRNAs in Tibetan sheep testes. J Anim Sci 2023; 101:skad189. [PMID: 37282774 PMCID: PMC10321380 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skad189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The core function of the testes is to produce sperms, which is the prerequisite for maintaining male fertility. PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs) are a class of non-coding small RNAs that are mainly enriched in the reproductive organ and play a key role in germ cell development and spermatogenesis. However, the expression and function of piRNAs in the testes of Tibetan sheep, a domestic animal endemic to the Tibetan Plateau, remain unknown. In this study, we evaluated the sequence structure, expression profile, and potential function of piRNAs in testicular tissues from Tibetan sheep at different developmental stages (3 months, 1 year, and 3 years of age, respectively) by small RNA sequencing. Of the identified piRNAs, the sequence lengths of 24-26 nt and 29 nt dominate. Most piRNA sequences begin with uracil and have a distinct ping-pong structure which mainly distributes in exons, repeat regions, introns, and other unannotated regions of the genome. The piRNAs in the repeat region are primarily derived from the retrotransposons: long terminal repeats, long interspersed nuclear elements, and short interspersed elements. These piRNAs constitute 2,568 piRNA clusters, which mainly distribute on chromosomes 1, 2, 3, 5, 11, 13, 14, and 24, and of these clusters, a total of 529 piRNA clusters were differentially expressed in at least two age groups. Most of the piRNAs were expressed in a low abundance in the testes of developing Tibetan sheep. A total of 41,552 and 2,529 differential piRNAs were identified in testes from 3 months vs. 1 year, and 1 year vs. 3 years, respectively, presenting significantly increased abundance for most piRNAs in 1 year and 3 years compared with 3 months. The functional evaluation of the target genes showed that the differential piRNAs are mainly involved in regulating gene expression, transcription, protein modification, and cell development during spermatogenesis and testicular development. In conclusion, this study focused on the sequence structure and expression characteristics of piRNAs in the testis of Tibetan sheep and provided new insights into the functional mechanism of piRNAs in testicular development and spermatogenesis of sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taotao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Huihui Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Keyan Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yi Wu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Xingcai Qi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Zilong Liu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Qiao Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou 730070, China
| | - Youji Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
- Gansu Key Laboratory of Animal Generational Physiology and Reproductive Regulation, Lanzhou 730070, China
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Identification and Characterization of Sex-Biased miRNAs in the Golden Pompano ( Trachinotus blochii). Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233342. [PMID: 36496865 PMCID: PMC9739008 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
The golden pompano (Trachinotus blochii) is a marine fish of considerable commercial importance in China. It shows notable sexual size dimorphism; the growth rate of females is faster than that of males. Therefore, sex-biased research is of great importance in T. blochii breeding. However, there have been few studies on sex differentiation and mechanisms underlying sex determination in T. blochii. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in sex differentiation and determination in animals. However, limited miRNA data are available on fish. In this study, two small RNA libraries prepared from the gonads of T. blochii were constructed and sequenced. The RNA-seq analysis yielded 1366 known and 69 novel miRNAs with 289 significantly differentially expressed miRNAs (p < 0.05). Gene ontology (GO) analysis confirmed that the TFIIA transcription factor complex (GO: 0005672) was the most significantly enriched GO term. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis showed that the differentially expressed miRNAs and target genes were mainly related to sex determination and gonadal developmental signaling pathways, specifically the Wnt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and steroid biosynthetic pathway. MiRNA-mRNA co-expression network analysis strongly suggested a role for sex-biased miRNAs in sex determination/differentiation and gonadal development. For example, gata4, foxo3, wt1, and sf1 genes were found to be regulated by bta-miR-2898; esr2 and foxo3 by novel_176, and ar by oar-let-7b. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis of selected mRNAs and miRNAs validated the integrated analysis. This study established a set of sex-biased miRNAs that are potential regulatory factors in gonadal development in T. blochii. These results provide new insight into the function of miRNAs in sex differentiation and determination in T. blochii and highlight some key miRNAs for future studies.
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