Abstract
RNA-Seq enables the generation of extensive transcriptome information providing the capability to characterize transcripts (including alternative isoforms and polymorphism), to quantify expression and to identify differential regulation in a single experiment. Our aim in this study was to take advantage of using RNA-Seq high-throughput technology to provide a comprehensive transcriptome profiling of the sheep lactating mammary gland. Eight ewes of two dairy sheep breeds with differences in milk production traits were used in this experiment (four Churra and four Assaf ewes). Milk samples from these animals were collected on days 10, 50, 120 and 150 after lambing to cover the various physiological stages of the mammary gland across the complete lactation. RNA samples were extracted from milk somatic cells. The RNA-Seq dataset was generated using an Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencer. The information reported here will be useful to understand the biology of lactation in sheep, providing also an opportunity to characterize their different patterns on milk production aptitude.
Highlights
Background & SummaryThe development of high-throughput whole-transcriptome sequencing technologies, ie, RNA-Seq, has induced a revolutionary impact on transcriptome analysis
The knowledge of the transcriptome profiling of the lactating mammary gland is of special interest since it allows the characterization of the genes implicated in the biology of lactation and the physiological and metabolic changes occurring in the mammary gland during this period
The principal aim of this study was to gain a better understanding of the sheep lactating mammary gland and to compare the mammary gland transcriptome of two sheep breeds with different dairy production characteristics, Spanish Churra and Assaf
Summary
Background & SummaryThe development of high-throughput whole-transcriptome sequencing technologies, ie, RNA-Seq, has induced a revolutionary impact on transcriptome analysis. RNA-Seq technology enables the generation of extensive transcriptome information providing advantages over previous microarray analyses due to its wide dynamic range and its capability to exhaustively quantify the studied samples transcripts and the targets present on the array[1]. The high sequencing depth and coverage of this technology provides structural information including alternative splice forms and transcriptome single nucleotide polymorphism[2]. RNA-Seq technology has been applied to the study of lactating mammary gland in several species[3,4,5,6,7,8]. In dairy livestock the knowledge of the transcripts expressed in lactating mammary gland enhances our understanding on the genes underlying dairy traits, including milk yield and composition, milk technological properties, lactation persistency, etc
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