Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA expression profiles in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars
Haisheng Ding,
Min Liu,
Changfan Zhou,
Xiangbin You,
Tao Su,
Youbing Yang,
Dequan Xu
Affiliations
Haisheng Ding
Key Laboratory of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University
Min Liu
Key Laboratory of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University
Changfan Zhou
Key Laboratory of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University
Xiangbin You
Key Laboratory of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University
Tao Su
Key Laboratory of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University
Youbing Yang
College of Animal Science and Technology, Henan University of Science & Technology
Dequan Xu
Key Laboratory of Swine Genetics and Breeding of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, and Key Lab of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction of Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University
Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs playing vital roles in regulating posttranscriptional gene expression. Elucidating the expression regulation of miRNAs underlying pig testis development will contribute to a better understanding of boar fertility and spermatogenesis. Results In this study, miRNA expression profile was investigated in testes of Duroc and Meishan boars at 20, 75, and 270 days of age by high-throughput sequencing. Forty-five differentially expressed miRNAs were identified from testes of Duroc and Meishan boars before and after puberty. Integrated analysis of miRNA and mRNA profiles predicted many miRNA-mRNA pairs. Gene ontology and biological pathway analyses revealed that predicted target genes of ssc-mir-423-5p, ssc-mir-34c, ssc-mir-107, ssc-mir-196b-5p, ssc-mir-92a, ssc-mir-320, ssc-mir-10a-5p, and ssc-mir-181b were involved in sexual reproduction, male gamete generation, and spermatogenesis, and GnRH, Wnt, and MAPK signaling pathway. Four significantly differentially expressed miRNAs and their predicted target genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and phospholipase C beta 1 (PLCβ1) gene was verified to be a target of ssc-mir-423-5p. Conclusions This study provides an insight into the functional roles of miRNAs in testis development and spermatogenesis and offers useful resources for understanding differences in sexual function development caused by the change in miRNAs expression between Duroc and Meishan boars.
