Abstract
The mechanisms underlying yak adaptation to high-altitude environments have been investigated using various methods, but no report has focused on long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). In the present study, lncRNAs were screened from the gluteus transcriptomes of yak and their transcriptional levels were compared with those in Sanjiang cattle, Holstein cattle and Tibetan cattle. The potential target genes of the differentially expressed lncRNAs between species/strains were predicted using cis and trans models. Based on cis-regulated target genes, no KEGG pathway was significantly enriched. Based on trans-regulated target genes, 11 KEGG pathways in relation to energy metabolism and three KEGG pathways associated with muscle contraction were significantly enriched. Compared with cattle strains, transcriptional levels of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, acyl-CoA-binding protein, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase were relatively higher and those of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate mutase 1, pyruvate kinase and lactate/malate dehydrogenase were relatively lower in yak, suggesting that yaks activated fatty acid oxidation but inhibited glucose oxidation and glycolysis. Besides, NADH dehydrogenase and ATP synthase showed lower transcriptional levels in yak than in cattle, which might protect muscle tissues from deterioration caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Compared with cattle strains, the higher transcriptional level of glyoxalase in yak might contribute to dicarbonyl stress resistance. Voltage-dependent calcium channel/calcium release channel showed a lower level in yak than in cattle strains, which could reduce the Ca2+ influx and subsequently decrease the risk of hypertension. However, levels of EF-hand and myosin were higher in yak than in cattle strains, which might enhance the negative effects of reduced Ca2+ on muscle contraction. Overall, the present study identified lncRNAs and proposed their potential regulatory functions in yak.
Highlights
The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, the highest plateau worldwide, has an extremely harsh environment
Yak’s muscle shows higher activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and β-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase (HOAD), displaying a higher anaerobic potential in carbohydrate metabolism and a higher oxidative capacity [24]. These results indicated that yak might develop special metabolism mechanisms in muscle tissues to adapt to high-altitude conditions
The results showed that yak differentially regulated mRNA expression of genes associated with immunity and blood coagulation in gluteus, which might facilitate their adaptation to high-altitude conditions [17]
Summary
The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, the highest plateau worldwide, has an extremely harsh environment It is cold with low oxygen content and strong ultraviolet radiation [1]. The molecular mechanisms underlying yak adaptation to high-altitude environments have been explored extensively in recent years. Kong et al [11] investigated changes in Jersey cattle in response to high-altitude hypoxia (HAH) compared with HAH-free condition. Our transcriptome analysis [17] indicated that the transcriptional level of BMPR2 was upregulated in yak heart and lung compared with in cattle, which might inhibit the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle [18,19] and suppress hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction. CHRNA3 and SNCA were upregulated in yak compared with cattle [17], which might promote the cardiac contractility of yak via neural and humoral regulation [20,21]
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