Long Noncoding RNA and mRNA Expression Profiles in the Thyroid Gland of Two Phenotypically Extreme Pig Breeds Using Ribo-Zero RNA Sequencing

Abstract

The thyroid gland is an important endocrine organ modulating development, growth, and metabolism, mainly by controlling the synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormones (THs). However, little is known about the pig thyroid transcriptome. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate gene expression and play critical roles in many cellular processes. Yorkshire pigs have a higher growth rate but lower fat deposition than that of Jinhua pigs, and thus, these species are ideal models for studying growth and lipid metabolism. This study revealed higher levels of THs in the serum of Yorkshire pigs than in the serum of Jinhua pigs. By using Ribo-zero RNA sequencing—which can capture both polyA and non-polyA transcripts—the thyroid transcriptome of both breeds were analyzed and 22,435 known mRNAs were found to be expressed in the pig thyroid. In addition, 1189 novel mRNAs and 1018 candidate lncRNA transcripts were detected. Multiple TH-synthesis-related genes were identified among the 455 differentially-expressed known mRNAs, 37 novel mRNAs, and 52 lncRNA transcripts. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that differentially-expressed genes were enriched in the microtubule-based process, which contributes to THs secretion. Moreover, integrating analysis predicted 13 potential lncRNA-mRNA gene pairs. These data expanded the repertoire of porcine lncRNAs and mRNAs and contribute to understanding the possible molecular mechanisms involved in animal growth and lipid metabolism.

Genome-Wide Analysis of mRNAs and lncRNAs of Intramuscular Fat Related to Lipid Metabolism in Two Pig Breeds

“…1B). In addition, the amount of exons in lncRNAs in intramuscular adipose tissue was consistent with that in thyroid [45] and testicular tissue [46] of pig. Overall, the distribution of lncRNAs and mRNAs lengths were consistent, and the proportion of relatively long mRNA transcripts was higher than that of lncRNAs (Fig.…”

Identification of lncRNAs involved in biological regulation in early age-related macular degeneration

“…In a study on diabetic retinopathy (DR), the results indicated that lncRNA MIAT regulated apoptosis in DR. 23 Lipid metabolism was also regarded as a key process in AMD incidence, and a previous study demonstrated that 13 potential lncRNAmRNA gene pairs were associated with the dysregulation of lipid metabolism in thyroid gland. 24 In a study on myocardial infarction and lncRNA expression profiles, the functional analysis demonstrated that a total of 9 lncRNAs were involved in myocardial innate immune responses, and the dysregulation of these lncRNAs led to abnormalities of the immune system. 25 Knowledge on the regulatory effects of lncRNAs on AMD progression, and the detailed functions of lncRNAs on the incidence of early AMD, is quite limited.…”

Comparison of microRNAs in the intramuscular adipose tissue from Jinhua and Landrace pigs

“…It is characterized by early maturity, high intramuscular fat content, and prolificacy. 23,24 Landrace is another popular pig breed with fast growth but low profligacy. 25,26 On the basis of these distinct features of the two breeds, these animals were considered reproducible and relevant models to investigate the difference in profiles of miRNAs and their critical role in the process of adipogenesis.…”