Abstract
Testis development and spermatogenesis are strictly regulated by numbers of genes and non-coding genes. However, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as key regulators in multitudinous biological processes have not been systematically identified in bovine testes during sexual maturation. In this study, we comprehensively analyzed lncRNA and mRNA expression profiling of six bovine testes at 3 days after birth and 13 months by RNA sequencing. 23,735 lncRNAs and 22,118 mRNAs were identified, in which 540 lncRNAs (P-value < 0.05) and 3,525 mRNAs (P-adjust < 0.05) were significantly differentially expressed (DE) between two stages. Correspondingly, the results of RT-qPCR analysis showed well correlation with the transcriptome data. Moreover, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that DE genes and target genes of DE lncRNAs were enriched in spermatogenesis. Furthermore, we constructed lncRNA–gene interaction networks; consequently, 15 DE lncRNAs and 12 cis-target genes were involved. The target genes (SPATA16, TCF21, ZPBP, PACRG, ATP8B3, COMP, ACE, and OSBP2) were found associated with bovine sexual maturation. In addition, the expression of lncRNAs and cis-target genes was detected in bovine Leydig cells, Sertoli cells, and spermatogonia. Our study identified and analyzed lncRNAs and mRNAs in testis tissues, suggesting that lncRNAs may regulate testis development and spermatogenesis. Our findings provided new insights for further investigation of biological function in bovine lncRNA.
Highlights
The mammalian testis has crucial effects on male reproduction since is the site where spermatogenesis occurs (Griswold, 2016)
LncRNAs as key regulators in multitudinous biological processes have not been systematically identified in bovine testes during sexual maturation
Testis development and spermatogenesis are complex biological processes that are controlled by well-coordinated gene regulation, including coding genes and non-coding RNAs (Card et al, 2013; Djureinovic et al, 2014)
Summary
The mammalian testis has crucial effects on male reproduction since is the site where spermatogenesis occurs (Griswold, 2016). LncRNA and mRNA Expression in Bovine Testes post-meiotic differentiation of haploid spermatids (Hecht, 1998). These three distinguishable events are under strict regulation by stage- expressed genes at transcription and post-transcription process (Card et al, 2013; Djureinovic et al, 2014). More than 15,000 genes are expressed in the testis (Ramskold et al, 2009). Rapid advancement has demonstrated that non-coding RNAs were emerging as important regulators of gene expression at post-transcription in spermatogenesis, such as microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNAs) (Mukherjee et al, 2014; Robles et al, 2017; Gao et al, 2018; Qiu et al, 2018)
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