Deep sequencing-based expression analysis shows major advances in robustness, resolution and inter-lab portability over five microarray platforms

Comprehensive analysis of microRNA expression in lumbar facet joint capsules and synovium of patients with osteoarthritis: Comparison between early-stage and late-stage osteoarthritis samples from a single individual

BACKGROUND

MicroRNA is attracting attention as a therapeutic target for osteoarthritis. We focused on joint capsules and synovium in lumbar facet joint osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to identify microRNAs that are upregulated in lumbar facet joint capsules and synovium with osteoarthritis.

METHODS

We included patients who underwent spinal fusion for degenerative lumbar spine diseases. We selected patients who had both early-stage and late-stage facet joint osteoarthritis in a single individual. We extracted joint capsule and synovium samples from these patients and isolated microRNAs. During the screening phase, we compared early-stage and late-stage osteoarthritis samples from the same individual. We identified microRNAs with >2-fold change in expression in 75% or more of patients with late-stage osteoarthritis using next generation sequencing. During the technical validation phase, the same samples were used for real-time polymerase chain reaction. We identified microRNAs with >2-fold change in expression in 62.5% or more of patients with late-stage osteoarthritis.

RESULTS

Of 40 patients who underwent spinal fusion, we selected eight patients with both early-stage and late-stage facet joint osteoarthritis. During the screening phase, we identified eight upregulated microRNAs out of 2274 microRNAs in late-stage OA. In late-stage OA, two microRNAs (miR-133a-5p and miR-144-3p) were upregulated in seven patients and six microRNAs (miR-133a-3p, miR-133b, miR-206, miR-20a-5p, miR-301a-3p, and miR-32-5p) were upregulated in six patients. During the technical validation phase, we found significant upregulation of miR-144-3p expression in late-stage osteoarthritis compared with early-stage osteoarthritis. Expression of the other microRNAs was not significantly different according to the paired-t test. However, miR-133a-3p, miR-133b, and miR-206 were upregulated >2-fold in 62.5% or more of patients with late-stage osteoarthritis.

CONCLUSIONS

Some of the microRNAs identified in this study might be involved in joint capsule degeneration or synovitis.

Effects and mechanisms of glyphosate as phosphorus nutrient on element stoichiometry and metabolism in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

The ability to utilize dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) gives phytoplankton competitive advantages in P-limited environments. Our previous research indicates that the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum could grow on glyphosate, a DOP with carbon-phosphorus (C-P) bond and an herbicide, as sole P source. However, direct evidence and mechanism of glyphosate utilization are still lacking. In this study, using physiological and isotopic analysis, combined with transcriptomic profiling, we demonstrated the uptake of glyphosate by P. tricornutum and revealed the candidate responsible genes. Our data showed a low efficiency of glyphosate utilization by P. tricornutum, suggesting that glyphosate utilization costs energy and that the alga possessed an herbicide-resistant type of 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase. Compared to the P-limited cultures, the glyphosate-grown P. tricornutum cells up-regulated genes involved in DNA replication, cell growth, transcription, translation, carbon metabolism, and many genes encoding antioxidants. Additionally, cellular C and silicon (Si) increased remarkably while cellular nitrogen (N) declined in the glyphosate-grown P. tricornutum, leading to higher Si:C and Si:N ratios, which corresponded to the up-regulation of genes involved in the C metabolism and Si uptake and the down-regulation of those encoding N uptake. This has the potential to enhance C and Si export to the deep sea when P is limited but phosphonate is available. In sum, our study documented how P. tricornutum could utilize the herbicide glyphosate as P nutrient and how glyphosate utilization may affect the element content and stoichiometry in this diatom, which have important ecological implications in the future ocean.IMPORTANCEGlyphosate is the most widely used herbicide in the world and could be utilized as phosphorus (P) source by some bacteria. Our study first revealed that glyphosate could be transported into Phaeodactylum tricornutum cells for utilization and identified putative genes responsible for glyphosate uptake. This uncovers an alternative strategy of phytoplankton to cope with P deficiency considering phosphonate accounts for about 25% of the total dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP) in the ocean. Additionally, accumulation of carbon (C) and silicon (Si), as well as elevation of Si:C ratio in P. tricornutum cells when grown on glyphosate indicates glyphosate as the source of P nutrient has the potential to result in more C and Si export into the deep ocean. This, along with the differential ability to utilize glyphosate among different species, glyphosate supply in dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP)-depleted ecosystems may cause changes in phytoplankton community structure. These insights have implications in evaluating the effects of human activities (use of Roundup) and climate change (potentially reducing DIP supply in sunlit layer) on phytoplankton in the future ocean.

Enabling biomedical technologies for chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) biomarkers detection

Chronic myelogenous/myeloid leukemia (CML) is a type of cancer of bone marrow that arises from hematopoietic stem cells and affects millions of people worldwide. Eighty-five percent of the CML cases are diagnosed during chronic phase, most of which are detected through routine tests. Leukocytes, micro-Ribonucleic Acids, and myeloid markers are the primary biomarkers for CML diagnosis and are mainly detected using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, flow cytometry, and genetic testing. Though multiple therapies have been developed to treat CML, early detection still plays a pivotal role in the overall patient survival rate. The current technologies used for CML diagnosis are costly and are confined to laboratory settings which impede their application in the point-of-care settings for early-stage detection of CML. This study provides detailed analysis and insights into the significance of CML, patient symptoms, biomarkers used for testing, and best possible detection techniques responsible for the enhancement in survival rates. A critical and detailed review is provided around potential microfluidic devices that can be adapted to detect the biomarkers associated with CML while enabling point-of-care testing for early diagnosis of CML to improve patient survival rates.

Preparation and processing of dried blood spots for microRNA sequencing

Dried blood spots (DBS) are biological samples commonly collected from newborns and in geographic areas distanced from laboratory settings for the purposes of disease testing and identification. MicroRNAs (miRNAs)-small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene activity at the post-transcriptional level-are emerging as critical markers and mediators of disease, including cancer, infectious diseases, and mental disorders. This protocol describes optimized procedural steps for utilizing DBS as a reliable source of biological material for obtaining peripheral miRNA expression profiles. We outline key practices, such as the method of DBS rehydration that maximizes RNA extraction yield, and the use of degenerate oligonucleotide adapters to mitigate ligase-dependent biases that are associated with small RNA sequencing. The standardization of miRNA readout from DBS offers numerous benefits: cost-effectiveness in sample collection and processing, enhanced reliability and consistency of miRNA profiling, and minimal invasiveness that facilitates repeated testing and retention of participants. The use of DBS-based miRNA sequencing is a promising method to investigate disease mechanisms and to advance personalized medicine.

Combination of RCA and DNAzyme for Dual-Signal Isothermal Amplification of Exosome RNA

The RNA contained in exosomes plays a crucial role in information transfer between cells in various life activities. The accurate detection of low-abundance exosome RNA (exRNA) is of great significance for cell function studies and the early diagnosis of diseases. However, their intrinsic properties, such as their short length and high sequence homology, represent great challenges for exRNA detection. In this paper, we developed a dual-signal isothermal amplification method based on rolling circle amplification (RCA) coupled with DNAzyme (RCA-DNAzyme). The sensitive detection of low-abundance exRNA, the specific recognition of their targets and the amplification of the detection signal were studied and explored. By designing padlock probes to specifically bind to the target exRNA, while relying on the ligation reaction to enhance recognition, the precise targeting of exosome RNA was realized. The combination of RCA and DNAzyme could achieve a twice-as-large isothermal amplification of the signal compared to RCA alone. This RCA-DNAzyme assay could sensitively detect a target exRNA at a concentration as low as 527 fM and could effectively distinguish the target from other miRNA sequences. In addition, this technology was successfully proven to be effective for the quantitative detection of miR-21 by spike recovery, providing a new research approach for the accurate detection of low-abundance exRNA and the exploration of unknown exRNA functions.

Characterizations of microRNAs involved in the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) fruit juice on hyperuricemia in mice

Background

Hyperuricemia is generally defined as the high level of serum uric acid and is well known as an important risk factor for the development of various medical disorders. However, the medicinal treatment of hyperuricemia is frequently associated with multiple side-effects.

Methods

The therapeutic effect of noni (Morinda citrifolia L.) fruit juice on hyperuricemia and the underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated in mouse model of hyperuricemia induced by potassium oxonate using biochemical and high-throughput RNA sequencing analyses.

Results

The levels of serum uric acid (UA) and xanthine oxidase (XOD) in mice treated with noni fruit juice were significantly decreased, suggesting that the noni fruit juice could alleviate hyperuricemia by inhibiting the XOD activity and reducing the level of serum UA. The contents of both serum creatinine and blood urine nitrogen of the noni fruit juice group were significantly lower than those of the model group, suggesting that noni fruit juice promoted the excretion of UA without causing deleterious effect on the renal functions in mice. The differentially expressed microRNAs involved in the pathogenesis of hyperuricemia in mice were identified by RNA sequencing with their target genes further annotated based on both Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases to explore the metabolic pathways and molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect on hyperuricemia by noni fruit juice.

Conclusion

Our study provided strong experimental evidence to support the further investigations of the potential application of noni fruit juice in the treatment of hyperuricemia.

A comparative analysis of small RNA sequencing data in tubers of purple potato and its red mutant reveals small RNA regulation in anthocyanin biosynthesis

Anthocyanins are a group of natural pigments acting as stress protectants induced by biotic/abiotic stress in plants. Although the metabolic pathway of anthocyanin has been studied in potato, the roles of miRNAs on the metabolic pathway remain unclear. In this study, a purple tetraploid potato of SD92 and its red mutant of SD140 were selected to explore the regulation mechanism of miRNA in anthocyanin biosynthesis. A comparative analysis of small RNAs between SD92 and SD140 revealed that there were 179 differentially expressed miRNAs, including 65 up- and 114 down-regulated miRNAs. Furthermore, 31 differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted to potentially regulate 305 target genes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis for these target genes showed that plant hormone signal transduction pathway and plant-pathogen interaction pathway were significantly enriched. The correlation analysis of miRNA sequencing data and transcriptome data showed that there were 140 negative regulatory miRNA-mRNA pairs. The miRNAs included miR171 family, miR172 family, miR530b_4 and novel_mir170. The mRNAs encoded transcription factors, hormone response factors and protein kinases. All these results indicated that miRNAs might regulate anthocyanin biosynthesis through transcription factors, hormone response factors and protein kinase.

miRNA transcriptome reveals key miRNAs and their targets contributing to the difference in Cd tolerance of two contrasting maize genotypes

Soil cadmium (Cd) contamination is a global environmental and food safety production issue. microRNAs (miRNAs) are proven to be involved in plant growth and development, and abiotic/biotic stress response, but their role in Cd tolerance is largely unknown in maize. To understand the genetic basis of Cd tolerance, two maize genotypes differing in Cd tolerance (L42, a sensitive genotype and L63, a tolerant genotype) were selected, and miRNA sequencing was carried out at nine-day-old seedlings exposed to 24 h Cd stress (5 μM CdCl₂). A total of 151 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified, including 20 known miRNAs and 131 novel miRNAs. The results revealed that 90 and 22 miRNAs were up-regulated and down-regulated by Cd in Cd-tolerant genotype L63, and there were 23 and 43 miRNAs in Cd-sensitive genotype L42, respectively. Twenty-six miRNAs were up-regulated in L42 and unchanged or down-regulated in L63, or unchanged in L42 and down-regulated in L63. There were 108 miRNAs that were up-regulated in L63 and unchanged or down-regulated in L42, or unchanged in L63 and down-regulated in L42. Their target genes were enriched mainly in peroxisomes, glutathione (GSH) metabolism, ABC transporter, and ubiquitin-protease system. Among them, target genes involved in the peroxisome pathway and GSH metabolism might play key roles in Cd tolerance in L63. Besides, several ABC transporters which might involve in Cd uptake and transport were identified. The differentially expressed miRNAs or target genes could be used for breeding low grain Cd accumulation and high Cd tolerance cultivars in maize.

Transcriptomic profiling and differential analysis reveal the renal toxicity mechanisms of mice under cantharidin exposure

Cantharidin (CTD), extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine mylabris, has shown significant curative effects against a variety of tumors, but its clinical application is limited by its high toxicity. Studies have revealed that CTD can cause toxicity in the kidneys; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the toxic effects in mouse kidneys following CTD treatment by pathological and ultrastructure observations, biochemical index detection, and transcriptomics, and explored the underlying molecular mechanisms by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). The results showed that after CTD exposure, the kidneys had different degrees of pathological damage, altered uric acid and creatinine levels in serum, and the antioxidant indexes in tissues were significantly increased. These changes were more pronounced at medium and high doses of CTD. RNA-seq analysis revealed 674 differentially expressed genes compared with the control group, of which 131 were upregulated and 543 were downregulated. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses showed that many differentially expressed genes were closely related to the stress response, the CIDE protein family, and the transporter superfamily, as well as the MAPK, AMPK, and HIF-1 pathways. The reliability of the RNA-seq results was verified by qRT-PCR of the six target genes. These findings offer insight into the molecular mechanisms of renal toxicity caused by CTD and provide an important theoretical basis for the clinical treatment of CTD-induced nephrotoxicity.

Comparative Transcriptome Profiling Reveals Key MicroRNAs and Regulatory Mechanisms for Aluminum Tolerance in Olive

Aluminum toxicity (Al) is one of the major constraints to crop production in acidic soils. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as key regulatory molecules at post-transcriptional levels, playing crucial roles in modulating various stress responses in plants. However, miRNAs and their target genes conferring Al tolerance are poorly studied in olive (Olea europaea L.). Here, genome-wide expression changes in miRNAs of the roots from two contrasting olive genotypes Zhonglan (ZL, Al-tolerant) and Frantoio selezione (FS, Al-sensitive) were investigated by high-throughput sequencing approaches. A total of 352 miRNAs were discovered in our dataset, consisting of 196 conserved miRNAs and 156 novel miRNAs. Comparative analyses showed 11 miRNAs have significantly different expression patterns in response to Al stress between ZL and FS. In silico prediction identified 10 putative target gene of these miRNAs, including MYB transcription factors, homeobox-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) proteins, auxin response factors (ARF), ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and potassium efflux antiporter. Further functional classification and enrichment analysis revealed these Al-tolerance associated miRNA-mRNA pairs are mainly involved in transcriptional regulation, hormone signaling, transportation and metabolism. These findings provide new information and perspectives into the regulatory roles of miRNAs and their target for enhancing Al tolerance in olives.

Regulatory mechanisms and metabolic changes of miRNA during leaf color change in the bud mutation branches of Acer pictum subsp. mono

Acer pictum subsp. mono is a colorful tree species with considerable ornamental and economic value. However, little is known about the metabolism and regulatory mechanism of leaf color change in A. p. subsp. mono. To reveal the molecular mechanism of leaf color change in A. p. subsp. mono, the present study examined the bud mutation branches and compared the metabolites of the red leaves (AR) of the bud mutation branches of A. p. subsp. mono with those of the green leaves (AG) of the wild-type branches. It was found that the chlorophyll and carotenoids content of the red leaves decreased significantly, while anthocyanins, and various antioxidant enzymes increased significantly compared with the green leaves. The glycosides cyanidin, pelargonidin, malvidin, petunidin, delphinidin, and peonidin were detected in AR by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The cyanidin glycosides increased, and cyanidin 3-O-glycoside was significantly upregulated. We analyzed the transcriptome and small RNA of A. p. subsp. mono leaves and detected 4061 differentially expressed mRNAs and 116 differentially expressed miRNAs. Through miRNA-mRNA association analysis, five differentially expressed modules were found; one miRNA targeted three genes, and four miRNAs targeted a single gene. Among them, miR160b, miR6300, and miR396g were found to be the key miRNAs regulating stable anthocyanin accumulation in A. p. subsp. mono leaves. By revealing the physiological response of leaf color change and the molecular regulatory mechanism of the miRNA, this study provides new insight into the molecular regulatory mechanism of leaf color change, thereby offering a foundation for future studies.

Comparative transcriptome, digital gene expression and proteome profiling analyses provide insights into the brachyurization from the megalopa to the first juvenile in Eriocheir sinensis

Eriocheir sinensis larva normally experiences 11 stages. The reduced abdomen folded beneath the thorax is the most prominent characteristic of morphological alteration from megalopa to juvenile crab. Up to date, the molecular mechanisms of brachyurization remain a mystery. Here, transcriptome library, digital gene expression (DGE) libraries and proteome libraries at two developmental stages [the megalopa stage of E. sinensis (stage M) and the first stage of juvenile crab (stage J1)] of the Chinese mitten crab larva were constructed for RNA sequencing and iTRAQ approaches followed by bioinformatics analysis, respectively. In total, 1106 genes and 871 proteins were differentially expressed between the stage M and stage J1. Moreover, several important pathways were identified, including biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, metabolic pathways, focal adhesion, and some disease pathways. Besides, muscle contraction, oxidative phosphorylation, calcium signaling, PI3K-Akt, DNA replication pathway, and integrin signaling pathway also had important functions in brachyurization process. Furthermore, the components, actin, actin-related protein, collagens, filamin-A/B, laminin, integrins, paxillin, and fibronectin had up-regulated expression levels in M stage compared to J1 stage.

Identification and function of miRNA-mRNA interaction pairs during lateral root development of hemi-parasitic Santalum album L. seedlings

Sandalwood (Santalum album L.) is a hemi-parasitic tree species famous for its santalol and santalene, which are extracted from its heartwood and roots. The ability to understand root functionality within its branched root system would benefit the regulation of sandalwood growth and enhance the commercial value of sandalwood. Phenotypic and anatomical evidence in this study indicated that seed germination stage 4 (SG4) seemed pivotal for lateral root (LR) morphogenesis. Small RNA (sRNA) high-throughput sequencing of root tissues at three sub-stages of SG4 (lateral root primordia initiation (LRPI), lateral root primordia development (LRPD), and lateral root primordia emergence (LRPE)) was performed to identify microRNAs (miRNAs) associated with LR development. A total of 135 miRNAs, including 70 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs), were screened. Ten DEMs were selected to investigate transcript abundance in different organs or developmental stages. Among 100 negative DEM-mRNA interaction pairs, four targets (Sa-miR166m_2, 408d, 858a, and novel_Sa-miR8) were selected for studying cleavage sites by 5' RLM-RACE validation. The expression mode of the four miRNA-mRNA pairs was investigated after indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) treatment. IAA enhanced the abundance of homeobox-leucine-zipper protein 32 (HOX32), laccase 12 (LAC12), myeloblastosis86 (MYB86), and pectin methylesterase inhibitor6 (PMEI6) target transcripts by reducing the expression of Sa-miR166m_2, 408d, 858a, and novel_Sa-miR8 in the first 10 min. A schematic model of miRNA-regulated LR development is proposed for this hemi-parasitic species. This novel genetic information for improving sandalwood root growth and development may allow for the cultivation of fast-growing and high-yielding plantations.

MicroRNA-like RNA Functions Are Required for the Biosynthesis of Active Compounds in the Medicinal Fungus Sanghuangporus vaninii

miRNA-like RNAs (milRNAs) have been recognized as sequence-specific regulators of posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes. However, the functions of hundreds of fungal milRNAs in the biosynthesis of metabolic components are obscure. Sanghuangporus produces diverse bioactive compounds and is widely used in Asian countries. Here, genes encoding two Dicers, four Argonautes, and four RdRPs were identified and characterized in Sanghuangporus vanini. Due to the lack of an efficient gene manipulation system, the efficacy of spray-induced gene silencing (SIGS) was determined in S. vanini, which showed efficient double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) uptake and gene silencing efficiency. SIGS-mediated gene knockdown showed that SVRDRP-3, SVRDRP-4, SVDICER-1, and SVDICER-2 were critical for mycelial biomass, flavonoid, triterpenoid, and polysaccharide production. Illumina deep sequencing was performed to characterize the milRNAs from S. vanini mycelium and fruiting body. A total of 31 milRNAs were identified, out of which, SvmilR10, SvmilR17, and SvmilR33 were Svrdrp-4- and Svdicer-1-dependent milRNAs. Importantly, SIGS-mediated overexpression of SvmilR10 and SvmilR33 resulted in significant changes in the yields of flavonoids, triterpenoids, and polysaccharides. Further analysis showed that these milRNA target genes encoding the retrotransposon-derived protein PEG1 and histone-lysine N-methyltransferase were potentially downregulated in the milRNA overexpressing strain. Our results revealed that S. vanini has high external dsRNA and small RNA uptake efficiency and that milRNAs may play crucial regulatory roles in the biosynthesis of bioactive compounds. IMPORTANCE Fungi can take up environmental RNA that can silence fungal genes with RNA interference, which prompts the development of SIGS. Efficient dsRNA and milRNA uptake in S. vanini, successful dsRNA-targeted gene block, and the increase in intracellular miRNA abundance showed that SIGS technology is an effective and powerful tool for the functional dissection of fungal genes and millRNAs. We found that the RdRP, Dicer, and Argonaute genes are critical for mycelial biomass and bioactive compound production. Our study also demonstrated that overexpressed SVRDRP-4- and SVDICER-1-dependent milRNAs (SvmilR10 and SvmilR33) led to significant changes in the yields of the three active compounds. This study not only provides the first report on SIGS-based gene and milRNA function exploration, but also provides a theoretical platform for exploration of the functions of milRNAs involved in biosynthesis of metabolic compounds in fungi.

Endometriosis-associated infertility: From pathophysiology to tailored treatment

Despite the clinically recognized association between endometriosis and infertility, the mechanisms implicated in endometriosis-associated infertility are not fully understood. Endometriosis is a multifactorial and systemic disease that has pleiotropic direct and indirect effects on reproduction. A complex interaction between endometriosis subtype, pain, inflammation, altered pelvic anatomy, adhesions, disrupted ovarian reserve/function, and compromised endometrial receptivity as well as systemic effects of the disease define endometriosis-associated infertility. The population of infertile women with endometriosis is heterogeneous, and diverse patients' phenotypes can be observed in the clinical setting, thus making difficult to establish a precise diagnosis and a single mechanism of endometriosis related infertility. Moreover, clinical management of infertility associated with endometriosis can be challenging due to this heterogeneity. Innovative non-invasive diagnostic tools are on the horizon that may allow us to target the specific dysfunctional alteration in the reproduction process. Currently the treatment should be individualized according to the clinical situation and to the suspected level of impairment. Here we review the etiology of endometriosis related infertility as well as current treatment options, including the roles of surgery and assisted reproductive technologies.

A spontaneous thermo-sensitive female sterility mutation in rice enables fully mechanized hybrid breeding

Male sterility enables hybrid crop breeding to increase yields and has been extensively studied. But thermo-sensitive female sterility, which is an ideal property that may enable full mechanization in hybrid rice breeding, has rarely been investigated due to the absence of such germplasm. Here we identify the spontaneous thermo-sensitive female sterility 1 (tfs1) mutation that confers complete sterility under regular/high temperature and partial fertility under low temperature as a point mutation in ARGONAUTE7 (AGO7). AGO7 associates with miR390 to form an RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC), which triggers the biogenesis of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) from TRANS-ACTING3 (TAS3) loci by recruiting SUPPRESSOR OF GENE SILENCING (SGS3) and RNA-DEPENDENT RNA POLYMERASE6 (RDR6) to TAS3 transcripts. These siRNAs are known as tasiR-ARFs as they act in trans to repress auxin response factor genes. The mutant TFS1 (mTFS1) protein is compromised in its ability to load the miR390/miR390* duplex and eject miR390* during RISC formation. Furthermore, tasiR-ARF levels are reduced in tfs1 due to the deficiency in RDR6 but not SGS3 recruitment by mTFS1 RISC under regular/high temperature, while low temperature partially restores mTFS1 function in RDR6 recruitment and tasiR-ARF biogenesis. A miR390 mutant also exhibits female sterility, suggesting that female fertility is controlled by the miR390-AGO7 module. Notably, the tfs1 allele introduced into various elite rice cultivars endows thermo-sensitive female sterility. Moreover, field trials confirm the utility of tfs1 as a restorer line in fully mechanized hybrid rice breeding.

Vasorin Deletion in C57BL/6J Mice Induces Hepatocyte Autophagy through Glycogen-Mediated mTOR Regulation

Abnormal vasorin (Vasn) expression occurs in multiple diseases, particularly liver cancers. Vasn knockout (KO) in mice causes malnutrition, a shortened life span, and decreased physiological functions. However, the causes and underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we established Vasn KO C57BL/6J mice by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. The animals were weighed, and histology, immunohistochemistry, electronic microscopy, and liver function tests were used to examine any change in the livers. Autophagy markers were detected by Western blotting. MicroRNA (miRNA) sequencing was performed on liver samples and analyses to study the signaling pathway altered by Vasn KO. Significant reductions in mice body and liver weight, accompanied by abnormal liver function, liver injury, and reduced glycogen accumulation in hepatocytes, were observed in the Vasn KO mice. The deficiency of Vasn also significantly increased the number of autophagosomes and the expression of LC3A/B-II/I but decreased SQSTM1/p62 levels in hepatocytes, suggesting aberrant activation of autophagy. Vasn deficiency inhibited glycogen-mediated mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation and activated Unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) signaling, suggesting that Vasn deletion upregulates hepatocyte autophagy through the mTOR-ULK1 signaling pathway as a possible cause of diminished life span and health. Our results indicate that Vasn is required for the homeostasis of liver glycogen metabolism upstream of hepatocyte autophagy, suggesting research values for regulating Vasn in pathways related to liver physiology and functions. Overall, this study provides new insight into the role of Vasn in liver functionality.

Physiological and metabolic effects of glyphosate as the sole P source on a cosmopolitan phytoplankter and biogeochemical implications

Nutrient conditions influence the physiology and stoichiometry of marine phytoplankton. While extensive studies have documented the effects of abundances and types of nutrients such as nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), the effect of phosphonates as a P source is less understood and underexplored. Here, with the cosmopolitan coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi as a model phytoplankter, we investigated the effect of the phosphonate type of herbicide glyphosate as the sole P source in comparison with the P-depleted and P-replete (with 36 μM dissolved inorganic phosphate [DIP]) cultures. We measured changes in cellular C (carbon):P and N:P ratios and physiological performance and documented the corresponding transcriptomic and miRNAomic responses in E. huxleyi to glyphosate treatment. We found that glyphosate supported population growth but not to the full scale relative to DIP, and this was under the concerted regulation of DNA replication and cell cycle arrest genes as well as the growth-regulating miRNA. Furthermore, our data suggest that E. huxleyi took up glyphosate directly, bypassing extracellular hydrolysis, and this involved ABC transporters. Meanwhile, glyphosate-grown cultures displayed marked increases in cellular particulate organic C (POC) and PON contents, cell size, and transcription of genes for CO2 fixation and citrate cycle, nitrate transport, and protein biosynthesis. However, compared to DIP, the maximum absorption rate of glyphosate was only 33%, and glyphosate-grown E. huxleyi cells exhibited a mild P-stress symptom and elevated cellular C:P and N:P ratios. Interestingly, glyphosate-grown cells showed an increased sinking rate, suggesting that glyphosate as the sole P source might enhance the efficiency of C export by E. huxleyi, which would compensate for the expected decline in primary productivity (and hence carbon efflux) in the future more nutrient-depleted ocean. This biogeochemical implication needs to be further studied and verified, however.

Analysis of Tissue-Specific Defense Responses to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Brassica napus

Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum) is the main disease threat of oilseed rape (Brassica napus), resulting in huge economic losses every year. SSR resistance manifests as quantitative disease resistance (QDR), and no gene with complete SSR resistance has been cloned or reported so far. Transcriptome analysis has revealed a large number of defense-related genes and response processes. However, the similarities and differences in the defense responses of different tissues are rarely reported. In this study, we analyzed the similarities and differences of different tissues in response to S. sclerotiorum at 24 h post inoculation (hpi) by using the published transcriptome data for respective leaf and stem inoculation. At 24 hpi, large differences in gene expression exist in leaf and stem, and there are more differentially expressed genes and larger expression differences in leaf. The leaf is more sensitive to S. sclerotiorum and shows a stronger response than stem. Different defense responses appear in the leaf and stem, and the biosynthesis of lignin, callose, lectin, chitinase, PGIP, and PR protein is activated in leaf. In the stem, lipid metabolism-mediated defense responses are obviously enhanced. For the common defense responses in both leaf and stem, the chain reactions resulting from signal transduction and biological process take the primary responsibility. This research will be beneficial to exploit the potential of different tissues in plant defense and find higher resistance levels of genotypic variability in different environments. Our results are significant in the identification of resistance genes and analysis of defense mechanisms.

Key regulatory pathways, microRNAs, and target genes participate in adventitious root formation of Acer rubrum L

Red maple (Acer rubrum L.) is a type of colorful ornamental tree with great economic value. Because this tree is difficult to root under natural conditions and the seedling survival rate is low, vegetative propagation methods are often used. Because the formation of adventitious roots (ARs) is essential for the asexual propagation of A. rubrum, it is necessary to investigate the molecular regulatory mechanisms of AR formation in A. rubrum. To address this knowledge gap, we sequenced the transcriptome and small RNAs (sRNAs) of the A. rubrum variety ‘Autumn Fantasy’ using high-throughput sequencing and explored changes in gene and microRNA (miRNA) expression in response to exogenous auxin treatment. We identified 82,468 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the treated and untreated ARs, as well as 48 known and 95 novel miRNAs. We also identified 172 target genes of the known miRNAs using degradome sequencing. Two key regulatory pathways (ubiquitin mediated proteolysis and plant hormone signal transduction), Ar-miR160a and the target gene auxin response factor 10 (ArARF10) were selected based on KEGG pathway and cluster analyses. We further investigated the expression patterns and regulatory roles of ArARF10 through subcellular localization, transcriptional activation, plant transformation, qRT-PCR analysis, and GUS staining. Experiments overexpressing ArARF10 and Ar-miR160a, indicated that ArARF10 promoted AR formation, while Ar-miR160a inhibited AR formation. Transcription factors (TFs) and miRNAs related to auxin regulation that promote AR formation in A. rubrum were identified. Differential expression patterns indicated the Ar-miR160a-ArARF10 interaction might play a significant role in the regulation of AR formation in A. rubrum. Our study provided new insights into mechanisms underlying the regulation of AR formation in A. rubrum.

MicroRNome analysis generates a blood-based signature for endometriosis

Endometriosis, characterized by endometrial-like tissue outside the uterus, is thought to affect 2–10% of women of reproductive age: representing about 190 million women worldwide. Numerous studies have evaluated the diagnostic value of blood biomarkers but with disappointing results. Thus, the gold standard for diagnosing endometriosis remains laparoscopy. We performed a prospective trial, the ENDO-miRNA study, using both Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), to analyze the current human miRNome to differentiate between patients with and without endometriosis, and to develop a blood-based microRNA (miRNA) diagnostic signature for endometriosis. Here, we present the first blood-based diagnostic signature obtained from a combination of two robust and disruptive technologies merging the intrinsic quality of miRNAs to condense the endometriosis phenotype (and its heterogeneity) with the modeling power of AI. The most accurate signature provides a sensitivity, specificity, and Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 96.8%, 100%, and 98.4%, respectively, and is sufficiently robust and reproducible to replace the gold standard of diagnostic surgery. Such a diagnostic approach for this debilitating disorder could impact recommendations from national and international learned societies.

Dual RNA Sequencing Reveals the Genome-Wide Expression Profiles During the Compatible and Incompatible Interactions Between Solanum tuberosum and Phytophthora infestans

Late blight, caused by Phytophthora infestans (P. infestans), is a devastating plant disease. P. infestans genome encodes hundreds of effectors, complicating the interaction between the pathogen and its host and making it difficult to understand the interaction mechanisms. In this study, the late blight-resistant potato cultivar Ziyun No.1 and the susceptible potato cultivar Favorita were infected with P. infestans isolate SCPZ16-3-1 to investigate the global expression profiles during the compatible and incompatible interactions using dual RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). Most of the expressed Arg-X-Leu-Arg (RXLR) effector genes were suppressed during the first 24 h of infection, but upregulated after 24 h. Moreover, P. infestans induced more specifically expressed genes (SEGs), including RXLR effectors and cell wall-degrading enzymes (CWDEs)-encoding genes, in the compatible interaction. The resistant potato activated a set of biotic stimulus responses and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis SEGs, including kirola-like protein, nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR), disease resistance, and kinase genes. Conversely, the susceptible potato cultivar upregulated more kinase, pathogenesis-related genes than the resistant cultivar. This study is the first study to characterize the compatible and incompatible interactions between P. infestans and different potato cultivars and provides the genome-wide expression profiles for RXLR effector, CWDEs, NBS-LRR protein, and kinase-encoding genes.

Importance of Extracellular Vesicle Derived RNAs as Critical Colorectal Cancer Biomarkers

Colorectal cancer typically begins from a nonmalignant polyp formation in the large intestine that, over time, develops into colorectal cancer. The growth of benign polyps can be checked if detected in the early stages of the disease. Doctors usually recommend colonoscopy to average and high-risk individuals for colorectal cancer screening. Elevated carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a broadly used biomarker for colorectal cancer. The genetic and epigenetic alteration of genes such as p53, BRAF, APC, and PIK3CA is also correlated with colorectal cancer in various clinical studies. In general, tissue biopsy is most frequently used for colorectal cancer diagnosis, but the whole tumor heterogeneity cannot be accessed by this technique. Furthermore, such a highly invasive technique is not suitable for repeated testing. Recently, extracellular vesicles (EVs), lipid bilayer enclosed sacs secreted from colorectal cancer cells, are emerging as a diagnostic tool for colon cancer detection. The major advantages of using EVs for colon cancer diagnosis are (i) EVs can be isolated in a noninvasive manner from the body fluid and (ii) EV incorporated cargoes (mostly RNAs) reveal various aspects of colorectal cancer. EV-RNAs are also implicated in tumor invasion and influence the immune system for the further spread of tumors. However, due to the lack of standardized EV detection strategies, diagnostic applicability is limited. Herein, we review the recent literature on the pathobiological dependence of colorectal cancer on EV-RNAs. Further, we present the advantages of identification and characterization of EV-RNAs to explore the connection between differential expression of extracellular vesicle incorporated RNAs and colorectal cancer. How this approach may potentially translate into point of care colorectal cancer diagnostics is also discussed.

Insights Into the Molecular Mechanisms of Late Flowering in Prunus sibirica by Whole-Genome and Transcriptome Analyses

Freezing during the flowering of Prunus sibirica is detrimental to fruit production. The late flowering (LF) type, which is delayed by 7-15 days compared with the normal flowering (NF) type, avoids damages at low temperature, but the molecular mechanism of LF remains unclear. Therefore, this study was conducted to comprehensively characterize floral bud differentiation. A histological analysis showed that initial floral bud differentiation was delayed in the LF type compared to the NF type. Genome-wide associated studies (GWAS) showed that a candidate gene (PaF106G0600023738.01) was significantly associated with LF type. It was identified as trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase (PsTPPF), which is involved in trehalose-6-phosphate (Tre6P) signaling pathway and acts on floral transition. A whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing analysis was conducted, and a total of 6,110 differential expression (DE) mRNAs, 1,351 DE lncRNAs, and 148 DE miRNAs were identified. In addition, 24 DE mRNAs related with floral transition were predicted, and these involved the following: three interactions between DE lncRNAs and DE mRNAs of photoperiod pathway with two mRNAs (COP1, PaF106G0400018289.01 and CO3, MXLOC_025744) and three lncRNAs (CCLR, LTCONS_00031803, COCLR1, LTCONS_00046726, and COCLR2, LTCONS_00046731); one interaction between DE miRNAs and DE mRNAs with one mRNA, encoding trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (PsTPS1, PaF106G0100001132.01), and one miRNA (miRNA167h). Combined with the expression profiles and Tre6P levels, functions of PsTPPF and PsTPS1 in Tre6P regulation were considered to be associated with flowering time. A new network of ceRNAs correlated with LF was constructed, and it consisted of one mRNA (PsTPS1), one lncRNA (TCLR, LTCONS_00034157), and one miRNA (miR167h). This study provided insight into the molecular regulatory mechanism of LF in Prunus sibirica.

Clues for Improving the Pathophysiology Knowledge for Endometriosis Using Plasma Micro-RNA Expression

The pathophysiology of endometriosis remains poorly understood. The aim of the present study was to investigate functions and pathways associated with the various miRNAs differentially expressed in patients with endometriosis. Plasma samples of the 200 patients from the prospective "ENDO-miRNA" study were analyzed and all known human miRNAs were sequenced. For each miRNA, sensitivity, specificity, and ROC AUC values were calculated for the diagnosis of endometriosis. miRNAs with an AUC ≥ 0.6 were selected for further analysis. A comprehensive review of recent articles from the PubMed, Clinical Trials.gov, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases was performed to identify functions and pathways associated with the selected miRNAs. In total, 2633 miRNAs were found in the patients with endometriosis. Among the 57 miRNAs with an AUC ≥ 0.6: 20 had never been reported before; one (miR-124-3p) had previously been observed in endometriosis; and the remaining 36 had been reported in benign and malignant disorders. miR-124-3p is involved in ectopic endometrial cell proliferation and invasion and plays a role in the following pathways: mTOR, STAT3, PI3K/Akt, NF-κB, ERK, PLGF-ROS, FGF2-FGFR, MAPK, GSK3B/β-catenin. Most of the remaining 36 miRNAs are involved in carcinogenesis through cell proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion. The three main pathways involved are Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/Akt, and NF-KB. Our results provide evidence of the relation between the miRNA profiles of patients with endometriosis and various signaling pathways implicated in its pathophysiology.

Transcriptional profiling of the chick retina identifies down-regulation of VIP and UTS2B genes during early lens-induced myopia

Gene expression of the chick retina was examined during the early development of lens-induced myopia (LIM) using whole transcriptome sequencing. Monocular treatment of the right eyes with −10 diopter (D)...

Study of microRNA Expression Profile in Different Regions of Ram Epididymis

The regional expression of epididymal genes provides a guarantee for sperm maturation. As a class of endogenous non-coding small RNAs, microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in spermatogenesis, maturation and fertilization. Currently, the regulatory role of miRNA in the epididymis is poorly understood. Here, transcriptome sequencing was used to analyse miRNA expression profiles in three regions of the epididymis of rams, including caput, corpus and cauda. The results showed that there were 13 known miRNAs between the caput and corpus controls, 29 between the caput and cauda and 22 differences between the corpus and cauda. Based on the analysis of miRNA target genes by GO and KEGG, a negative regulation network of miRNA-mRNA was constructed in which let-7, miR-541-5p, miR-133b and miR-150 may play an important regulatory role in the maturation regulation of ram epididymal sperm. This research provides a reference for studying the regulation mechanism of sperm maturation in male epididymis and improving semen quality and male reproductive performance.

Aberrant microRNA expression in B lymphocytes from patients with primary warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia

OBJECTIVE

To screen and analyze the micro-Ribonucleic Acid (miRNA) expression profile in B lymphocytes from patients with autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) using high-throughput sequencing.

METHODS

Twelve patients with warm autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (wAIHA) and twelve healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. CD19⁺ B lymphocytes were isolated and purified using magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS). RNA was subsequently extracted from these cells and a small RNA library was created. The miRNA expression profile was analyzed using Beijing Genomics Institute Sequencing 500 (BGISEQ-500), and stem-loop real-time quantitative PCR (stem-loop qRT-PCR) was used to verify the sequencing results. Downstream target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted using miRanda and TargetScan online software, and GO functional enrichment and pathway enrichment analyses were performed on these genes.

RESULTS

Compared with HCs, 178 upregulated and 143 downregulated miRNAs were identified in wAIHA patients, and stem-loop qRT-PCR of four randomly selected differentially expressed miRNAs verified the sequencing results. Ninety-five significantly enriched GO terms and eighty-five significantly enriched pathways were identified. Genes targeted by differentially expressed miRNAs were found to be mainly involved in the regulation of signal transduction, metabolic processes, immune reactions, and neoplastic disease development.

CONCLUSION

The expression of miRNAs in B lymphocytes from patients with primary wAIHA was deregulated, and this phenomenon may be involved in the pathogenesis of wAIHA.

A novel diagnostic signature based on three circulating exosomal mircoRNAs for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Exosomal microRNAs (exo-miRNAs or miRs) have demonstrated diagnostic value in various diseases. However, their diagnostic value in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has yet to be fully established. The purpose of the present study was to screen differentially expressed exo-miRNAs in the plasma of patients with COPD and healthy individuals and to evaluate their potential diagnostic value in COPD. Differentially expressed exo-miRNAs in the plasma of patients with COPD and controls were identified using high-throughput sequencing and confirmed using reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Bioinformatics analysis was then performed to predict the function of the selected exo-miRNAs and their target genes in COPD. After a network model was constructed, linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between exo-miRNA expression and the clinical characteristics of subjects in a validated cohort (46 COPD cases; 34 matched healthy controls). Receiver operating characteristic curve was subsequently plotted to test the diagnostic value of the candidate biomarkers. The top 20 significantly aberrantly expressed COPD-associated exo-miRNAs were verified using RT-qPCR. Of these, nine were then selected for subsequent analysis, five of which were found to be upregulated (miR-23a, miR-1, miR-574, miR-152 and miR-221) and four of which were downregulated (miR-3158, miR-7706, miR-685 and miR-144). The results of Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that these miRNAs were mainly involved in certain biological functions, such as metabolic processes, such as galactose metabolism and signaling pathways (PI3K-AKT) associated with COPD. The expression levels of three exo-miRNAs (miR-23a, miR-221 and miR-574) were found to be negatively associated with the forced expiratory volume in the 1st second/forced vital capacity. Furthermore, the area under the curve values of the three exo-miRNAs (miR-23a, miR-221 and miR-574) for COPD diagnosis were 0.776 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.669-0.882], 0.688 (95% CI, 0.563-0.812) and 0.842 (95% CI, 0.752-0.931), respectively. In conclusion, the three circulating exosomal miRNAs (miR-23a, miR-221 and miR-574) may serve as novel circulating biomarkers for the diagnosis of COPD. These results may also enhance our understanding and provide novel potential treatment options for patients with COPD.

miRNA-mRNA Regulatory Network Reveals miRNAs in HCT116 in Response to Folic Acid Deficiency via Regulating Vital Genes of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway

Moderate folic acid (FA) intake is an effective strategy that slows colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. However, high consumption of FA may trigger the transition of precancerous tissue towards malignancy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are considered to be potential biomarkers of CRC. Thus, identification of miRNAs of dysregulated genes in CRC cells by detailed analysis of mRNA and miRNA expression profile in the context of FA deficiency could substantially increase our understanding of its oncogenesis. mRNA-seq and miRNA-seq analyses were utilized to investigate the expression of miRNAs in FA-deficient CRC cell line–HCT116 through massive parallel sequencing technology. A total of 38 mRNAs and 168 miRNAs were identified to be differentially expressed between CRC groups with or without FA deficiency. We constructed an miRNA-mRNA network for the vital regulatory miRNAs altered in FA-deficient CRC cells. The mRNAs and miRNAs validated by Western blotting and RT-qPCR were consistent with the sequencing results. Results showed that FA deficiency upregulated some miRNAs thereby inhibiting the expression of critical genes in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress pathway. Dysregulated miRNAs in our miRNA-mRNA network could contribute to CRC cell in response to deficient FA. This work reveals novel molecular targets that are likely to provide therapeutic interventions for CRC.

Stress responses in expressions of microRNAs in mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to cadmium

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to have complicated functions in aquatic species, but little is known about the role of miRNAs in mollusk species under environmental stress. In this study, we performed small RNA sequencing to characterize the differentially expressed miRNAs in different tissues (whole tissues, digestive glands, gills, and gonads) of blue mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) exposed to cadmium (Cd). In summary, 107 known miRNAs and 32 novel miRNAs were significantly (p < 0.01) differentially expressed after Cd exposure. The peak size of miRNAs was 22 nucleotides. Target genes of these differentially expressions of miRNAs related to immune defense, apoptosis, lipid and xenobiotic metabolism showed significant changes under Cd stress. These findings provide the first characterization of miRNAs in mussel M. galloprovincialis and expressions of many target genes in response to Cd stress.

Two novel qualitative transcriptional signatures robustly applicable to non-research-oriented colorectal cancer samples with low-quality RNA

Currently, due to the low quality of RNA caused by degradation or low abundance, the accuracy of gene expression measurements by transcriptome sequencing (RNA‐seq) is very challenging for non‐research‐oriented clinical samples, majority of which are preserved in hospitals or tissue banks worldwide with complete pathological information and follow‐up data. Molecular signatures consisting of several genes are rarely applied to such samples. To utilize these resources effectively, 45 stage II non‐research‐oriented samples which were formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) colorectal carcinoma samples (CRC) using RNA‐seq have been analysed. Our results showed that although gene expression measurements were significantly affected, most cancer features, based on the relative expression orderings (REOs) of gene pairs, were well preserved. We then developed two REO‐based signatures, which consisted of 136 gene pairs for early diagnosis of CRC, and 4500 gene pairs for predicting post‐surgery relapse risk of stage II and III CRC. The performance of our signatures, which included hundreds or thousands of gene pairs, was more robust for non‐research‐oriented clinical samples, compared to that of two published concise REO‐based signatures. In conclusion, REO‐based signatures with relatively more gene pairs could be robustly applied to non‐research‐oriented CRC samples.

Human mesenchymal stem cells promote ischemic repairment and angiogenesis of diabetic foot through exosome miRNA-21-5p

BACKGROUND

Diabetic foot is caused by ischemic disease of lower extremities of diabetic patients, and the effective therapy is very limited. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) based cell therapy had been developed into a new treatment strategy for diabetic foot clinically. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains to be fully addressed. Exosomes (extracellular vesicles) secreted by MSCs may play crucial role in the processes of MSCs mediated inhibition of inflammatory microenvironment as well as pro-angiogenesis of ischemic tissue of diabetic foot.

METHODS

Exosomes were isolated from MSCs using ultracentrifugation, and further characterized by the nanoparticle tracking analyzer and flow cytometry. Moreover, RNA sequencing, Western Blot, in vitro cell proliferation, in vivo pro-angiogenesis, as well as ischemic repairment of diabetic foot through rat model were performed to evaluate exosome physiological functions.

RESULTS

We found that inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6) and vascularcelladhesion molecule-1 induced MSCs to secrete exosomes heterogeneously, including exosome size and quantity. Through RNA sequencing, we defined a new proangiogenic miRNA, miRNA-21-5p. Further knockdown and overexpression of miRNA-21-5p by manipulating MSCs validated the biological activity of exosome miRNA-21-5p, including in vitro cell proliferation, in vivo pro-angiogenesis in Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane (CAM) assay, and in vivo pro-angiogenesis experiments (tissue injury and repair) in diabetic rat models. Furthermore, we discovered that exosome^miRNA-21-5p promoted angiogenesis through upregulations of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) as well as activations of serine/threonine kinase (AKT) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Together, our work suggested miRNA-21-5p could be a novel mechanism by which exosomes promote ischemic tissue repair and angiogenesis. Meanwhile, miRNA-21-5p could be potentially developed into a new biomarker for exosomes of MSCs to treat diabetic foot.

CONCLUSIONS

miRNA-21-5p is a new biomarker and a novel mechanism by which exosomes promote ischemic tissue repair and angiogenesis of diabetic foot. Our work could not only provide new scientific evidences for revealing pro-angiogenesis mechanism of MSCs, but also eventually benefit MSCs-based clinical therapy for diabetic foot of diabetes patients.

MicroRNA expression profiles analysis of apheresis platelets treated with vitamin B2 and ultraviolet-B during storage

Whether platelet (PLT) microRNA (miRNA) profiles are affected by pathogen reduction technology (PRT) using vitamin B₂ and ultraviolet-B (VB₂-PRT) remains unclear. Samples from VB₂-PRT-treated (experimental group, E_) and untreated (control group, C_) apheresis PLTs were taken on days 1, 3 and 5 of storage, designated as E_1, E_3, E_5, C_1, C_3 and C_5, respectively. The miRNA expression profiles were assessed by DNA Nano Ball (DNB) sequencing technology, and verified by quantitive real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR). Compared with the expression profiles of PLT miRNAs, 3895 miRNAs were identified in the E_ groups while 4106 were in the C_ groups. There were 487 significant differentially expressed miRNAs in E_1 vs C_1 group, including 220 upregulated and 287 downregulated, such as miR-146a-5p and let-7b-5p. There were 908 significant differentially expressed miRNAs in E_3 vs C_3 group, including 297 upregulated and 611 downregulated, such as miR-142-5p and miR-7-5p. There were 229 significant differentially expressed miRNAs in E_5 vs C_5 group, including 80 upregulated and 149 downregulated, such as miR-3529-3p and miR-451a. These differentially expressed miRNAs had been suggested to have functional roles in energy homeostasis, cell communication, proliferation, migration and apoptosis. GO analysis showed a significant enrichmen in relevant biological process categories as receptor activity, signal transduction, cell transport, motility and chemotaxis. The significantly enriched KEGG pathway of predicted target genes was Glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis in E_ vs C_ groups. These new observation could provide insights on the understanding of change of miRNA profiles of PLT treated with VB₂-PRT.

Identifications of immune-responsive genes for adaptative traits by comparative transcriptome analysis of spleen tissue from Kazakh and Suffolk sheep

Aridity and heat are significant environmental stressors that affect sheep adaptation and adaptability, thus influencing immunity, growth, reproduction, production performance, and profitability. The aim of this study was to profile mRNA expression levels in the spleen of indigenous Kazakh sheep breed for comparative analysis with the exotic Suffolk breed. Spleen histomorphology was observed in indigenous Kazakh sheep and exotic Suffolk sheep raised in Xinjiang China. Transcriptome sequencing of spleen tissue from the two breeds were performed via Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology and validated by RT-qPCR. Blood cytokine and IgG levels differed between the two breeds and IgG and IL-1β were significantly higher in Kazakh sheep than in Suffolk sheep (p < 0.05), though spleen tissue morphology was the same. A total of 52.04 Gb clean reads were obtained and the clean reads were assembled into 67,271 unigenes using bioinformatics analysis. Profiling analysis of differential gene expression showed that 1158 differentially expressed genes were found when comparing Suffolk with Kazakh sheep, including 246 up-regulated genes and 912 down-regulated genes. Utilizing gene ontology annotation and pathway analysis, 21 immune- responsive genes were identified as spleen-specific genes associated with adaptive traits and were significantly enriched in hematopoietic cell lineage, natural killer cell-mediated cytotoxicity, complement and coagulation cascades, and in the intestinal immune network for IgA production. Four pathways and up-regulated genes associated with immune responses in indigenous sheep played indispensable and promoting roles in arid and hot environments. Overall, this study provides valuable transcriptome data on the immunological mechanisms related to adaptive traits in indigenous and exotic sheep and offers a foundation for research into adaptive evolution.

Circular RNA expression profile in human primary multiple intracranial aneurysm

Primary multiple intracranial aneurysm (MIA) is a vascular disease that frequently leads to fatal vascular rupture and subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, the epigenetic regulation associated with MIA has remained largely elusive. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) serve important roles in cardiovascular diseases; however, their association with MIA has remained to be investigated. The present study initially aimed to explore novel mechanisms of MIA through examining circRNA expression profiles. Comprehensive circRNA expression profiles were detected by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The RNA-Seq results were validated by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses suggested the functions of these circRNAs. A competing endogenous RNA network was constructed to reveal the circRNA-microRNA-mRNA relationship. Among the 3,328 differentially expressed circRNAs between the MIA and matched control groups, 60 exhibited significant expression changes (|log2 fold change|≥2; P<0.05). Among these 60 circRNAs, 20 were upregulated, while the other 40 were downregulated. A number of downregulated circRNAs were involved in inflammation. The most significant KEGG pathway was ‘leukocyte transendothelial migration’. The circRNAs Homo sapiens (hsa)_circ_0135895, hsa_circ_0000682 and hsa_circ_0000690, which were also associated with the above-mentioned pathway, were indicated to be able to regulate protein tyrosine kinase 2, protein kinase Cβ and integrin subunit αL, respectively. To the best of our knowledge, the present study was the first to perform a circRNA sequencing analysis of MIA. The results specifically predicted the regulatory role of circRNAs in the pathogenesis of MIA. ‘Leukocyte transendothelial migration’ may be critical for the pathogenesis of MIA.

Integration of Small RNA and Transcriptome Sequencing Reveal the Roles of miR395 and ATP Sulfurylase in Developing Seeds of Chinese Kale

Seed development is closely related to plant production and reproduction, and MicroRNAs (miRNA) is widely involved in plant development including seed development. Chinese kale, as a Brassicaceae vegetable, mainly depends on seed for proper reproduction. In the present study, Chinese kale seed and silique at different stages were selected to establish small RNA (sRNA) libraries including silique wall sRNA libraries at torpedo-embryo stage (PC), silique wall sRNA libraries at cotyledonary-embryo stage (PD), seed sRNA libraries at torpedo-embryo stage (SC), and seed sRNA libraries at cotyledonary-embryo stage (SD). The results showed that miRNA expressed differentially in the seeds and corresponding siliques at different stages. To further clarify the functional mode of miRNA in the process of seed development, Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis was performed on target genes of the differentially expressed miRNAs, and these target genes were mainly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction, primary and secondary metabolic pathways. After joint analysis with the transcriptome change of the corresponding period, miR156-SPL10/SPL11, miR395-APS3, and miR397-LAC2/LAC11 modules were identified to be directly involved in the development of Chinese kale seeds. What's more, modified 5'RLM-RACE and Agrobacteria-mediated Chinese kale transient transformation suggest miR395b_2 is involved in sulfur metabolism during seed development by regulating its target gene APS3.

Statistical method for modeling sequencing data from different technologies in longitudinal studies with application to Huntington disease

Advancement of gene expression measurements in longitudinal studies enables the identification of genes associated with disease severity over time. However, problems arise when the technology used to measure gene expression differs between time points. Observed differences between the results obtained at different time points can be caused by technical differences. Modeling the two measurements jointly over time might provide insight into the causes of these different results. Our work is motivated by a study of gene expression data of blood samples from Huntington disease patients, which were obtained using two different sequencing technologies. At time point 1, DeepSAGE technology was used to measure the gene expression, with a subsample also measured using RNA‐Seq technology. At time point 2, all samples were measured using RNA‐Seq technology. Significant associations between gene expression measured by DeepSAGE and disease severity using data from the first time point could not be replicated by the RNA‐Seq data from the second time point. We modeled the relationship between the two sequencing technologies using the data from the overlapping samples. We used linear mixed models with either DeepSAGE or RNA‐Seq measurements as the dependent variable and disease severity as the independent variable. In conclusion, (1) for one out of 14 genes, the initial significant result could be replicated with both technologies using data from both time points; (2) statistical efficiency is lost due to disagreement between the two technologies, measurement error when predicting gene expressions, and the need to include additional parameters to account for possible differences.

Liquid profiling in plants: identification and analysis of extracellular metabolites and miRNAs in pollination drops of Ginkgo biloba

The pollination drop (PD), also known as an ovular secretion, is a critical feature of most wind-pollinated gymnosperms and function as an essential component of pollination systems. However, the metabolome and small RNAs of gymnosperm PDs are largely unknown. We employed gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify a total of 101 metabolites in Ginkgo biloba L. PDs. The most abundant metabolites were sugars (45.70%), followed by organic acids (15.94%) and alcohols (15.39%) involved in carbohydrate metabolism, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism. Through pollen culture of the PDs, we further demonstrated that the metabolic components of PDs are indispensable for pollen germination and growth; in particular, organic acids and fatty acids play defensive roles against microbial activity. In addition, we successfully constructed a small RNA library and detected 45 known and 550 novel miRNAs in G. biloba PDs. Interestingly, in a comparative analysis of miRNA expression between PDs and ovules, we found that most of the known miRNAs identified in PDs were also expressed in the ovules, implying that miRNAs in PDs may originate from ovules. Further, combining with potential target prediction, degradome validation and transcriptome sequencing, we identified that the interactions of several known miRNAs and their targets in PDs are involved in carbohydrate metabolism, hormone signaling and defense response pathways, consistent with the metabolomics results. Our results broaden the knowledge of metabolite profiling and potential functional roles in gymnosperm PDs and provide the first evidence of extracellular miRNA functions in ovular secretions from gymnosperms.

Comprehensive analysis of microRNAs in the mantle central and mantle edge provide insights into shell formation in pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of non-coding RNA molecules with post-transcriptional regulatory activity in various biological processes. Pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii is one of the main species cultured for marine pearl production in China and Japan. In this study, we constructed two small RNA libraries of mantle central (MC) and mantle edge (ME) from P. f. martensii and obtained 24,175,537 and 21,593,898 clean reads, respectively. A total of 258 miRNAs of P. f. martensii (Pm-miRNA) were identified, and 93 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) including 49 known Pm-miRNAs and 44 novel Pm-miRNAs were obtained from the MC and ME. The target transcripts of these DEMs were obviously enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction pathway, and others. After over-expression of Pm-miR-124 and Pm-miR-9a-5p in the MC by mimic injection into the muscle of P. f. martensii, nacre exhibited a disorderly growth as detected by scanning electron microscopy. Pm-nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit, Pm-neuropeptide Y and Pm-chitin synthase were investigated as the targets of Pm-miR-124; and Pm-tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2 and Pm-chitin synthase were investigated as the targets of Pm-miR-9a-5p. These predicted target transcripts were down-regulated after the over-expression of Pm-miR-124 and Pm-miR-9a-5p in MC. This study comprehensively analyzed the miRNAs in mantle tissues to enhance our understanding of the regulatory mechanism underlying shell formation.

Comprehensive Transcriptome Profiling of Dairy Goat Mammary Gland Identifies Genes and Networks Crucial for Lactation and Fatty Acid Metabolism

Milk fatty acids secreted by the mammary gland are one of the most important determinants of the nutritional value of goat milk. Unlike cow milk, limited data are available on the transcriptome-wide changes across stages of lactation in dairy goats. In this study, goat mammary gland tissue collected at peak lactation, cessation of milking, and involution were analyzed with digital gene expression (DGE) sequencing to generate longitudinal transcript profiles. A total of 51,299 unigenes were identified and further annotated to 12,763 genes, of which 9,131 were differentially expressed across various stages of lactation. Most abundant genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were functionally classified through clusters of euKaryotic Orthologous Groups (KOG), Gene Ontology (GO), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) databases. A total of 16 possible expression patterns were uncovered, and 13 genes were deemed novel candidates for regulation of lactation in the goat: POLG, SPTA1, KLC, GIT2, COPS3, PDP, CD31, USP16/29/37, TLL1, NCAPH, ABI2, DNAJC4, and MAPK8IP3. In addition, PLA2, CPT1, PLD, GGA, SRPRB, and AP4S1 are proposed as novel and promising candidates regulating mammary fatty acid metabolism. “Butirosin and neomycin biosynthesis” and “Glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism” were the most impacted pathways, and revealed novel metabolic alterations in lipid metabolism as lactation progressed. Overall, the present study provides new insights into the synthesis and metabolism of fatty acids and lipid species in the mammary gland along with more detailed information on molecular regulation of lactogenesis. The major findings will benefit efforts to further improve milk quality in dairy goats.

Fulvic acid increases forage legume growth inducing preferential up-regulation of nodulation and signalling-related genes

The use of potential biostimulants is of broad interest in plant science for improving yields. The application of a humic derivative called fulvic acid (FA) may improve forage crop production. FA is an uncharacterized mixture of chemicals and, although it has been reported to increase growth parameters in many species including legumes, its mode of action remains unclear. Previous studies of the action of FA have lacked appropriate controls, and few have included field trials. Here we report yield increases due to FA application in three European Medicago sativa cultivars, in studies which include the appropriate nutritional controls which hitherto have not been used. No significant growth stimulation was seen after FA treatment in grass species in this study at the treatment rate tested. Direct application to bacteria increased Rhizobium growth and, in M. sativa trials, root nodulation was stimulated. RNA transcriptional analysis of FA-treated plants revealed up-regulation of many important early nodulation signalling genes after only 3 d. Experiments in plate, glasshouse, and field environments showed yield increases, providing substantial evidence for the use of FA to benefit M. sativa forage production.

What Happened in the Hippocampal Axon in a Rat Model of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Studies from postmortem and animal models have revealed altered synapse morphology and function in the brain of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). And the effects of PTSD on dendrites and spines have been reported, however, the effection on axon include microtubule (MT) and synaptic vesicles of presynaptic elements remains unknown. Hippocampus is involved in abnormal memory in PTSD. In the present study, we used the single prolonged stress (SPS) model to mimic PTSD. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and high-throughput sequencing (GSE153081) were utilized to analyze differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the hippocampus of control and SPS rats. Immunofluorescence and western blotting were performed to examine change in axon-related proteins. Synaptic function was evaluated by measuring miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs). RNA-sequencing analysis revealed 230 significantly DEGs between the control and SPS groups. Gene Ontology analysis revealed upregulation in axonemal assembly, MT formation, or movement, but downregulation in axon initial segment and synaptic vesicles fusion in the hippocampus of SPS rats. Increased expression in tau, β-tubulin MAP1B, KIF9, CCDC40, DNAH12 and decreased expression in p-tau, stathmin suggested SPS induced axon extension. Increased protein expression in VAMP, STX1A, Munc18-1 and decreased expression in synaptotagmin-1 suggested SPS induced more SNARE complex formation but decreased ability in synaptic vesicle fusion to presynaptic active zone membrane in the hippocampus of SPS rats. Further, low mEPSC frequency in SPS rats indicated dysfunction in presynaptic membrane. These results suggest that axon extension and synaptic vesicles fusion abnormality are involved in dysfunction of PTSD.

Serum exosomal microRNA transcriptome profiling in subacute spinal cord injured rats

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in a series of pathology of spinal cord injury (SCI). Although, locally expressed miRNAs have advantages in studying the pathological mechanism, they cannot be used as biomarkers. The "free circulation" miRNAs can be used as biomarkers, but they have low concentration and poor stability in body fluids. Exosomal miRNAs in body fluids have many advantages comparing with free miRNAs. Therefore, we hypothesized that the specific miRNAs in the central nervous system might be transported to the peripheral circulation and concentrated in exosomes after injury. Using next-generation sequencing, miRNA profiles in serum exosomes of sham and subactue SCI rats were analyzed. The results showed that SCI can lead to changes of serum exosomal miRNAs. These changed miRNAs and their associated signaling pathways may explain the pathological mechanism of suacute SCI. More importantly, we found some valuable serum exosomal miRNAs for diagnosis and prognosis of SCI.

Down-regulation of the insulin signaling pathway by SHC may correlate with congenital heart disease in Chinese populations

BACKGROUND/AIMS

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common and severe congenital defects. The incidence of fetal cardiac malformation is increased in the context of maternal gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Therefore, we wanted to determine whether abnormalities in the insulin signaling pathway are associated with the occurrence of nonsyndromic CHD (ns-CHD).

METHODS

We used digital gene expression profiling (DGE) of right atrial myocardial tissue samples from eight ns-CHD patients and four controls. The genes potentially associated with CHD were validated by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR analysis of right atrial myocardial tissues from 37 patients and 10 controls and the H9C2 cell line.

RESULTS

The results showed that the insulin signaling pathway, which is mediated by the SHC gene family, was inhibited in the ns-CHD patients. The expression levels of five genes (PTPRF, SHC4, MAP2K2, MKNK2, and ELK1) in the pathway were significantly down-regulated in the patients' atrial tissues (P<0.05 for all). In vitro, the H9C2 cells cultured in high glucose (33 mmol/l) expressed less SHC4, MAP2K2, and Elk-1 than those cultured in low glucose (25 mmol/l). Furthermore, the high glucose concentration down-regulated the 25 genes associated with blood vessel development based on Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analyses of RNA-seq data.

CONCLUSION

We considered that changes in the insulin signaling pathway mediated by SHC might be involved in the heart development process. This mechanism might account for the increase in the incidence of fetal cardiac malformations in the context of GDM.

A de novo transcriptome analysis revealed that photomorphogenic genes are required for carotenoid synthesis in the dark-grown carrot taproot

Carotenoids are terpenoid pigments synthesized by all photosynthetic and some non-photosynthetic organisms. In plants, these lipophilic compounds are involved in photosynthesis, photoprotection, and phytohormone synthesis. In plants, carotenoid biosynthesis is induced by several environmental factors such as light including photoreceptors, such as phytochromes (PHYs) and negatively regulated by phytochrome interacting factors (PIFs). Daucus carota (carrot) is one of the few plant species that synthesize and accumulate carotenoids in the storage root that grows in darkness. Contrary to other plants, light inhibits secondary root growth and carotenoid accumulation suggesting the existence of new mechanisms repressed by light that regulate both processes. To identify genes induced by dark and repressed by light that regulate carotenoid synthesis and carrot root development, in this work an RNA-Seq analysis was performed from dark- and light-grown carrot roots. Using this high-throughput sequencing methodology, a de novo transcriptome model with 63,164 contigs was obtained, from which 18,488 were differentially expressed (DEG) between the two experimental conditions. Interestingly, light-regulated genes are preferably expressed in dark-grown roots. Enrichment analysis of GO terms with DEGs genes, validation of the transcriptome model and DEG analysis through qPCR allow us to hypothesize that genes involved in photomorphogenesis and light perception such as PHYA, PHYB, PIF3, PAR1, CRY2, FYH3, FAR1 and COP1 participate in the synthesis of carotenoids and carrot storage root development.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Extracellular RNA Governed by the Endocytic Adaptor Protein Cin1 of Cryptococcus deneoformans

Membrane vesicles are considered virulence cargoes as they carry capsular and melanin components whose secretory transport is critical for the virulence of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus species. However, other components of the vesicles and their function in the growth and virulence of the fungus remain unclear. We have previously found that the cryptococcal intersectin protein Cin1 governs a unique Cin1-Wsp1-Cdc42 endocytic pathway required for intracellular transport and virulence. Using RNA sequencing, we compared the profiles of extracellular RNA (exRNA), including microRNA (miRNA), small interference RNA (siRNA), long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), and messenger RNA (mRNA) between the wild-type (WT), and derived Δcin1 mutant strains of Cryptococcus deneoformans. Seven hundred twelve miRNAs and 88 siRNAs were identified from WT, whereas 799 miRNAs and 66 siRNAs were found in Δcin1. Also, 572 lncRNAs and 7,721 mRNAs were identified from WT and 584 lncRNAs and 7,703 mRNAs from Δcin1. Differential expression analysis revealed that the disruption of CIN1 results in many important cellular changes, including those in exRNA expression, transport, and function. First, for miRNA target genes, Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis revealed that cellular processes, components, and macromolecular functions are the most affected pathways. A higher number of genes were involved in the intracellular transport of endocytosis. Second, the results of GO term and KEGG analysis of differentially expressed lncRNA target genes and mRNA genes were consistent with those of miRNA targets. In particular, protein export is the topmost affected pathway among lncRNA target genes and one of the affected pathways among mRNA genes. The result of quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) from 12 mRNAs tested is largely agreeable with that of RNA-Seq. Taken together, our studies provide a comprehensive reference that Cryptococcus secretes abundant RNAs and that Cin1 plays a critical role in regulating their secretion. Given the growing clinical importance of exRNAs, our studies illuminate the significance of exploring this cutting-edge technology in studies of cryptococcal pathogenesis for the discovery of novel therapeutic strategies.

Validated limited gene predictor for cervical cancer lymph node metastases

Purpose: Recognizing the prognostic significance of lymph node (LN) involvement for cervical cancer, we aimed to identify genes that are differentially expressed in LN+ versus LN- cervical cancer and to potentially create a validated predictive gene signature for LN involvement.

Materials and Methods: Primary tumor biopsies were collected from 74 cervical cancer patients. RNA was extracted and RNA sequencing was performed. The samples were divided by institution into a training set (n = 57) and a testing set (n = 17). Differentially expressed genes were identified among the training cohort and used to train a Random Forest classifier.

Results: 22 genes showed > 1.5 fold difference in expression between the LN+ and LN- groups. Using forward selection 5 genes were identified and, based on the clinical knowledge of these genes and testing of the different combinations, a 2-gene Random Forest model of BIRC3 and CD300LG was developed. The classification accuracy of lymph node (LN) status on the test set was 88.2%, with an Area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic curve (ROC-AUC) of 98.6%.

Conclusions: We identified a 2 gene Random Forest model of BIRC3 and CD300LG that predicted lymph node involvement in a validation cohort. This validated model, following testing in additional cohorts, could be used to create a reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) tool that would be useful for helping to identify patients with LN involvement in resource-limited settings.

The functions of ocu-miR-205 in regulating hair follicle development in Rex rabbits

BACKGROUND

Hair follicles are an appendage of the vertebrate epithelium in the skin that arise from the embryonic ectoderm and regenerate cyclically during adulthood. Dermal papilla cells (DPCs) are the key dermal component of the hair follicle that directly regulate hair follicle development, growth and regeneration. According to recent studies, miRNAs play an important role in regulating hair follicle morphogenesis and the proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis of hair follicle stem cells.

RESULTS

The miRNA expression profile of the DPCs from Rex rabbits with different hair densities revealed 240 differentially expressed miRNAs (|log2(HD/LD)| > 1.00 and Q-value≤0.001). Among them, ocu-miR-205-5p was expressed at higher levels in DPCs from rabbits with low hair densities (LD) than in rabbits with high hair densities (HD), and it was expressed at high levels in the skin tissue from Rex rabbits (P < 0.05). Notably, ocu-miR-205 increased cell proliferation and the cell apoptosis rate, altered the progression of the cell cycle (P < 0.05), and modulated the expression of genes involved in the PI3K/Akt, Wnt, Notch and BMP signalling pathways in DPCs and skin tissue from Rex rabbits. It also inhibited the phosphorylation of the CTNNB1 and GSK-3β proteins, decreased the level of the noggin (NOG) protein, and increased the level of phosphorylated Akt (P < 0.05). A significant change in the primary follicle density was not observed (P > 0.05), but the secondary follicle density and total follicle density (P < 0.05) were altered upon interference with ocu-miR-205-5p expression, and the secondary/primary ratio (S/P) in the ocu-miR-205-5p interfered expression group increased 14 days after the injection (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In the present study, ocu-miR-205 promoted the apoptosis of DPCs, altered the expression of genes and proteins involved in the PI3K/Akt, Wnt, Notch and BMP signalling pathways in DPCs and skin from Rex rabbits, promoted the transition of hair follicles from the growth phase to the regression and resting phase, and altered the hair density of Rex rabbits.

Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Drought Stress Responsive microRNAs in Tibetan Wild Barley

Drought stress is a major obstacle to agricultural production. Tibetan wild barley with rich genetic diversity is useful for drought-tolerant improvement of cereals. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in controlling gene expression in response to various environment perturbations in plants. However, the genome-wide expression profiles of miRNAs and their targets in response to drought stress are largely unknown in wild barley. In this study, a polyethylene glycol (PEG) induced drought stress hydroponic experiment was performed, and the expression profiles of miRNAs from the roots of two contrasting Tibetan wild barley genotypes XZ5 (drought-tolerant) and XZ54 (drought-sensitive), and one cultivated barley Tadmor (drought-tolerant) generated by high-throughput sequencing were compared. There were 69 conserved miRNAs and 1574 novel miRNAs in the dataset of three genotypes under control and drought conditions. Among them, seven conserved miRNAs and 36 novel miRNAs showed significantly genotype-specific expression patterns in response to drought stress. And 12 miRNAs were further regarded as drought tolerant associated miRNAs in XZ5, which mostly participate in gene expression, metabolism, signaling and transportation, suggesting that they and their target genes play important roles in plant drought tolerance. This is the first comparation study on the miRNA transcriptome in the roots of two Tibetan wild barley genotypes differing in drought tolerance and one drought tolerant cultivar in response to PEG treatment. Further results revealed the candidate drought tolerant miRNAs and target genes in the miRNA regulation mechanism in wild barley under drought stress. Our findings provide valuable understandings for the functional characterization of miRNAs in drought tolerance.