The pigeon ovary is an ideal model for deciphering the molecular mechanism of folliculogenesis. While most analysis has focused on the influence of hormones and factors on ovarian follicle development in this model, changes occurring in the ovarian stroma can also be extremely informative. Here, we profiled the transcriptome of pigeon ovaries at pre-ovulation, post-ovulation, and 5-6 days after ovulation using RNA-sequencing to gain insights into the molecular and cellular events mediating ovary activity. We obtained 44,784,505 clean reads that aligned with 14,088 genes. Gene expression profile analysis identified 409 differentially expressed genes between pre- and post-ovulation; 96 genes were up-regulated genes while 313 genes were down-regulated. Gene ontology analysis of the down-regulated genes revealed significant enrichment in components of the immune response, immune system, antigen processing and presentation, receptor binding, and biological adhesion. Pathway analyses of the high-expression genes of the post-ovulation ovary identified enrichment in phagosomes, lysosomes, cytokine-cytokine receptor interactions, cell adhesion molecules, and the Toll-like receptor signaling. These data together suggest that post-ovulatory follicle regression and elimination occurs through an immune response. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 83: 640-648, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

No abstract

Xupu goose, a breed from Hunan province, produces high quality and quantity of meat and liver. However, its egg production rate is low, with poor reproductive traits but strong broody performance. These characteristics decrease the economic value of Xupu goose significantly. Here, RNA-seq was used to analyze the transcriptome changes of ovaries of Xupu goose at different stages to explore the molecular mechanism of reproduction from the pre-laying period to the broody period. A total of 258 genes were differentially expressed in the 3 stages. These genes are associated with inflammation, reproduction, mutual recognition and adhesion between cells, and cytoskeleton formation, and so on. In particular, we report, for the first time, the expression patterns of MRP126, serglycin, TXNIP, and FZD2 during the pre-laying, egg-laying, and broody periods of goose ovaries. Functional analysis by GO annotation revealed that GO terms were mainly involved in actin, cell signal transduction and regulation, and cellular components. Three pathways, including focal adhesion (gga04510), ECM-receptor interaction (gga04512), and N-Glycan biosynthesis (gga00510), were significantly enriched in the three groups. These findings provide a basis for further exploration of profiles of goose ovaries to improve egg production of Xupu goose.