Analysis of lncRNA in the skeletal muscle of rabbits at different developmental stages

Abstract

It is universally acknowledged that lncRNA plays an important role in the regulation of animal skeletal muscle development regulation. However, there is a lack of relevant research on lncRNA in rabbit skeletal muscle development. Thus, we explored the expression profiles of lncRNA in rabbits at three growth stages (2-week-old fetus, 6-week-old post-weaning, and 6-month-old adult) using RNA-seq. A total of 554 differentially expressed lncRNAs (235 up- and 319 down-regulated) were found between the post-weaning and fetus groups and 19 (7 up- and 12 down-regulated) between the post-weaning and adult groups and 429 (115 up- and 314 down-regulated) between the fetus and adult. The enrichment pathways in the post-weaning and fetus groups were mainly concentrated at AMPK and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, and the co-expression results revealed that LINC-2903, LINC-2374, LINC-8591 plays a role in early maintenance of skeletal muscle development. The enriched pathways in the fetus and adult groups were mainly involved in PI3K-Akt signaling pathways with a strong association found in mTOR signaling pathways. Analysis of the co-expression results suggests that LINC-5617 may be involved in the proliferation of embryonic skeletal muscle cells, and that LINC-8613 and LINC-8705 may provide energy for postnatal skeletal muscle development. The specific roles of different lncRNAs in different developmental stages of New Zealand White rabbits obtained. This will contribute to the subsequent study on the regulatory mechanism of muscle development in New Zealand White rabbits.

Transcriptome analysis revealed differences in gene expression in sheep muscle tissue at different developmental stages

“…This study found that the expression of CDKN1A was significantly increased at 2 days of age, suggesting that CDKN1A could promote muscle fiber transformation. After birth, muscle development is mainly dependent on muscle fiber hypertrophy, which is limited by inadequate oxygen supply [9]. Glycolysis plays essential role in stabilizing ATP synthesis and provides energy for muscle contraction and exercise [32].…”

“…Studies have shown that the diameter of myofibers reached its maximum at 150 days and identified six genes involved in the development of skeletal muscle fibers, including MSTN (Myostatin) and MYF6 (myogenic factor 6), through the analysis of the whole transcript sequence of the longissimus dorsi muscle of Ningxiang pigs at four different stages of postnatal life (Yu et al, 2023) [8]. It has been shown that using RNA-Seq to analyze the expression profiles of lncRNAs in three developmental stages of skeletal muscle in New Zealand rabbits and identified lncRNAs such as LINC-8613 and LINC-8705, which are involved in the proliferation and energy metabolism of skeletal muscle cells [9]. The whole transcriptome RNA-Seq analysis of goat dorsal muscles at four stages of prenatal and postnatal development have revealed that biological pathways such as Rap1 signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and AMPK signaling pathway are directly related to temporal changes of skeletal muscle development in goats [10].…”