Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Gansu Key Laboratory of Herbivorous Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Animal Science and Technology, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China.
Domest Anim Endocrinol. 2021 Jan;74:106561. doi: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2020.106561. Epub 2020 Sep 13.
Micro ribonucleic acid (miRNA) is a type of noncoding RNA, and it has been revealed to play important roles in the activity of the mammary gland (MG) in some species. However, the function of miRNAs in MG of sheep is poorly understood. In the study, Gansu Alpine Merino (GAM; n = 9) and Small-tailed Han sheep (STH; n = 9) with different milk production traits were investigated. Microstructures and the expression profile of miRNAs of MG tissues at peak lactation were studied. Mature alveolar lumens of MG in appearance were larger in STH than GAM. The expression levels of CSN2 and the content of rough endoplasmic reticulum were also higher in STH ewes than GAM ewes. A total of 124 mature miRNAs were expressed, and 18 of these were differentially expressed between the 2 breeds. The KEGG analysis results showed that the targeted genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were mainly involved in some metabolic pathways and signaling pathways related to MG development, milk protein, and fat synthesis. The findings in the study can improve our understanding of the roles of miRNAs in the development and lactation of MG in sheep.
微小核糖核酸（miRNA）是一种非编码 RNA，已经被揭示在某些物种的乳腺（MG）活动中发挥重要作用。然而，miRNAs 在绵羊 MG 中的功能尚不清楚。在这项研究中，对具有不同产奶特性的甘肃高山美利奴羊（GAM；n=9）和小尾寒羊（STH；n=9）进行了研究。研究了泌乳高峰期 MG 组织的微观结构和 miRNA 表达谱。STH 的 MG 外观上的成熟肺泡腔比 GAM 更大。STH 母羊的 CSN2 表达水平和粗面内质网含量也高于 GAM 母羊。共表达了 124 种成熟 miRNA，其中 18 种在 2 个品种之间存在差异表达。KEGG 分析结果表明，差异表达 miRNA 的靶向基因主要涉及一些与 MG 发育、乳蛋白和脂肪合成相关的代谢途径和信号通路。该研究的结果可以提高我们对 miRNA 在绵羊 MG 发育和泌乳中的作用的理解。
