Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology and Disease Control and Prevention, College of Animal Science and Technology, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian 271018, China.
Liaocheng Research Institute of Donkey High-Efficiency Breeding and Ecological Feeding, Liaocheng University, Liaocheng 252059, China.
Genes (Basel). 2022 Dec 25;14(1):66. doi: 10.3390/genes14010066.
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs with a covalently closed loop. Studies have demonstrated that circRNA can function as microRNA (miRNA) sponges or competing endogenous RNAs. Although circRNA has been explored in some species and tissues, the genetic basis of testis development and spermatogenesis in donkeys remain unknown. We performed RNA-seq to detect circRNA expression profiles of adult donkey testes. Length distribution and other characteristics were shown a total of 1971 circRNAs were differentially expressed and 12,648 and 6261 circRNAs were detected from the testis and caput epididymis, respectively. Among these circRNAs, 1472 circRNAs were downregulated and 499 circRNAs were upregulated in the testis. Moreover, KEGG pathway analyses and Gene Ontology were performed for host genes of circRNAs. A total of 39 upregulated circRNA host genes were annotated in spermatogenesis terms, including , , , , and . Other host genes were annotated in the focal adhesion, Rap1 signaling pathway. Downregulated expressed circRNA host genes participated in the TGF-β signaling pathway, GnRH signaling pathway, estrogen signaling pathway, and calcium signaling pathway. Our discoveries provide a solid foundation for identifying and characterizing critical circRNAs involved in testis development or spermatogenesis.
环状 RNA（circRNA）是一类具有共价闭环的非编码 RNA。研究表明，circRNA 可以作为 microRNA（miRNA）海绵或竞争内源性 RNA。尽管在一些物种和组织中已经探索了 circRNA，但驴睾丸发育和精子发生的遗传基础仍不清楚。我们进行了 RNA-seq 检测成年驴睾丸的 circRNA 表达谱。长度分布和其他特征显示，总共检测到 1971 个差异表达的 circRNA，分别来自睾丸和附睾头部 12648 个和 6261 个 circRNA。在这些 circRNA 中，睾丸中有 1472 个 circRNA 下调，499 个 circRNA 上调。此外，对 circRNA 宿主基因进行了 KEGG 通路分析和基因本体分析。共有 39 个上调的 circRNA 宿主基因被注释为精子发生相关术语，包括、、、和。其他宿主基因被注释在粘着斑、Rap1 信号通路中。下调表达的 circRNA 宿主基因参与 TGF-β 信号通路、GnRH 信号通路、雌激素信号通路和钙信号通路。我们的发现为鉴定和表征参与睾丸发育或精子发生的关键 circRNA 提供了坚实的基础。
