关键词: 高原适应性, 肺脏, 基因调控, 犏牛, 牦牛

Abstract:

This study aimed to investigate hypoxia adaptation mechanisms in plateau-dwelling mammals through transcriptomic comparisons of yak, dzho, and cattle, and identify genetic signatures associated with high-altitude hypoxic tolerance. Lung tissues were collected from healthy 3-4-year-old male yaks, dzhos (3 700 m altitude) of 330 kg, and cattle (500 m altitude) of 350 kg. All animals were grazed, with 3 replicates per species. RNA extraction and transcriptome sequencing were performed on the collected samples, followed by transcriptome difference comparison, GO and KEGG analysis and expression trend analysis among varieties. A total of 372.98 G of clean data were obtained. Differential expression analysis identified 2 318 DEGs between yaks and cattle, 1 487 DEGs between dzhos and cattle, and 1 064 DEGs shared by yaks and dzhos compared to cattle. These DEGs were enriched in biological processes like immune response, ion transport, and neuropeptide signaling, and pathways such as neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and cAMP signaling, etc. Expression trend analysis showed 275 genes in 1 064 DEGs with clear increasing or decreasing patterns across yaks, dzhos, and cattle, involving membrane, cytoplasmic, and nuclear functions, as well as nervous system and immune-related pathways. Hypoxia adaptation genes, including IL1B, CHRNA7, ALAS2, HIF3A, and CAMK2A, were also identified, linking hypoxia response to immunity, neural processes, and erythropoiesis. This study revealed key gene expression differences among yaks, dzhos, and cattle, highlighting pathways related to immunity, hypoxia adaptation, and neural signaling, and elucidated its unique physiological characteristics and environmental adaptability. These findings provide molecular insights into hybrid advantages and high-altitude adaptation, supporting genetic improvement and disease control in plateau animals.

Key words: plateau adaptation, lung, gene regulation, dzho, yak