Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 54 ›› Issue (11): 4605-4614.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2023.11.016

• ANIMAL GENETICS AND BREEDING • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Transcriptome Analysis of the Cerebral Cortex in Newborn and Adult Yaks (Bos grunniens)

ZHANG Qian, CUI Yan*, YU Sijiu, HE Junfeng, PAN Yangyang, WANG Meng   

  1. College of Veterinary Medicine, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou 730070, China
  • Received:2023-05-18 Online:2023-11-23 Published:2023-11-26

Abstract: The aim of this study was to analyze the transcriptomic expression profile of the cerebral cortex in newborn and adult yaks, and screen the candidate genes affecting cerebral cortex development. The newborn yaks (1-7 days of age (NYB), n=3) and adult yaks (3-4 years of age (AYB), n=3) were selected and slaughtered, then the cerebral cortex was collected. Moreover, transcriptome sequencing and analysis were performed using Illumina HiSeq platform, and differen-tially expressed genes (DEGs)were screened. On this basis, the differential genes were performed by GO functional annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis, and verified by real-time fluorescence quantification PCR (qRT-PCR). The results showed 4 790 DEGs (P<0.05), including 2 670 up-regulated DEGs and 2 120 down-regulated DEGs. Nine differentially expressed genes were randomly selected for qRT-PCR verification, and their expression trend was consistent with the transcriptome sequencing results, indicating that the sequencing results were reliable. GO analysis showed that the most DEGs were enriched in regulation of transcription, positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II, protein binding and ATP binding, which were related to protein synthesis and ATP utilization. Moreover, the most DEGs according to analysis based on KEGG database were mainly enriched in the axon guidance signaling pathway that regulate axon development and remodeling; MAPK signaling pathway which related to glial cell proliferation; in addition neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, PI3K-AKT, calcium signaling and phospholipase D signaling pathways were related to synaptic transmission; and Toll-like receptor pathways were related to immune defense, and HIF signaling pathways related to hypoxic adaptive regulation. From the enrichment pathway, Slit2, SEMA5A, BDNF, Rab3a, FGF18, HIF1α, HIF, NGF, VEGFA, CaMK2A, PLD1, TLR1 and TLR4 might be candidate genes affecting the cerebral cortex development in yaks. These results suggest that synapse development, plasticity, transmission, immune defense may be more active in the cerebral cortex of adult yaks. And hypoxic adaptation of the cerebral cortex in adult yaks might be more perfect. It provided the reference for further exploring the potential molecular mechanism of brain development in yaks.

Key words: yak, cerebral cortex, newborn, adult, transcriptome

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