Regulatory Potential of Long Non-Coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in Boar Spermatozoa with Good and Poor Freezability

Abstract

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are suggested to play an important role in the sperm biological processes. We performed de novo transcriptome assembly to characterize lncRNAs in spermatozoa, and to investigate the role of the potential target genes of the differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in sperm freezability. We detected approximately 4007 DElncRNAs, which were differentially expressed in spermatozoa from boars classified as having good and poor semen freezability (GSF and PSF, respectively). Most of the DElncRNAs were upregulated in boars of the PSF group and appeared to significantly affect the sperm’s response to the cryopreservation conditions. Furthermore, we predicted that the potential target genes were regulated by DElncRNAs in cis or trans. It was found that DElncRNAs of both freezability groups had potential cis- and trans-regulatory effects on different protein-coding genes, such as COX7A2L, TXNDC8 and SOX-7. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment revealed that the DElncRNA target genes are associated with numerous biological processes, including signal transduction, response to stress, cell death (apoptosis), motility and embryo development. Significant differences in the de novo assembled transcriptome expression profiles of the DElncRNAs between the freezability groups were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR analysis. This study reveals the potential effects of protein-coding genes of DElncRNAs on sperm functions, which could contribute to further research on their relevance in semen freezability.

Genetic characterization of Mozambican Nguni cattle and their relationship with indigenous populations of South Africa

“…Other important genes in the selected regions are directly or indirectly involved in reproduction, including fertilization and calving ease in cattle. These genes were identified by both Rsb and F ST analyses and included KCNMB2 and MYLK3 in the MZ Nguni vs SA Nguni comparison (Buzanskas et al, 2017;Fraser et al, 2020).…”

Chemerin Impact on Alternative mRNA Transcription in the Porcine Luteal Cells

“…Interestingly, lncRNAs can modulate the activity of proteins by binding to them [ 30 ]. Long non-coding RNAs often exhibit tissue- or cell-specific expression [ 31 ]. There are increasing reports that lncRNAs are involved in the regulation of reproductive functions in mammals [ 32 , 33 ], including the proper functioning of CLs [ 34 ].…”

In Silico Identification of lncRNAs Regulating Sperm Motility in the Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo L.)

“…The formation and maturation of the sperm in testis, known as spermatogenesis, is a series of complex molecular processes and morphological changes, including mitotic and meiotic divisions and differentiation leading from germ cells to mature spermatozoa [ 1 , 2 ]. These processes are under multiple regulators, such as hormones [ 3 ], genetic factors [ 4 , 5 ], long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and epigenetics [ 6 , 7 ].…”

“…Semen quality, as well as sperm motility, is influenced by gene expression and regulatory factors such as lncRNAs [ 7 ]. LncRNA is the most abundant group of transcripts apart from coding sequences and may be crucial in regulating gene expression and protein activity in maintaining basic cell functions as well as spermatogenesis [ 6 , 36 ]. In the current research, we focused on the identification of lncRNAs in the whole transcriptome of three turkey tissues: testis (T), epididymis (E), and ductus deferens (DD).…”