title: Comparative transcriptome profiling of dairy goat microRNAs from dry period and peak lactation mammary gland tissues.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNA molecules that serve as important post-transcriptional gene expression regulators by targeting messenger RNAs for post-transcriptional endonucleolytic cleavage or translational inhibition. miRNAs play important roles in many biological processes. Extensive high-throughput sequencing studies of miRNAs have been performed in several animal models. However, little is known about the diversity of these regulatory RNAs in goat (Capra hircus), which is one of the most important agricultural animals and the oldest domesticated species raised worldwide. Goats have long been used for their milk, meat, hair (including cashmere), and skins throughout much of the world.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, two small RNA libraries were constructed based on dry period and peak lactation dairy goat mammary gland tissues and sequenced using the Illumina-Solexa high-throughput sequencing technology. A total of 346 conserved and 95 novel miRNAs were identified in the dairy goat. miRNAs expression was confirmed by qRT-PCR in nine tissues and in the mammary gland during different stages of lactation. In addition, several candidate miRNAs that may be involved in mammary gland development and lactation were found by comparing the miRNA expression profiles in different tissues and developmental stages of the mammary gland.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study reveals the first miRNAs profile related to the biology of the mammary gland in the dairy goat. The characterization of these miRNAs could contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of lactation physiology and mammary gland development in the dairy goat.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Agriculture, Yangling, Shaanxi, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Zhuanjian
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xianyong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Wenjiao
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Jiajie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Yongzhen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tinghua
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chuozhao
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lei
authors.forename: Xingtang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006041:Goats / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; D055029:Inverted Repeat Sequences / Q000235:genetics; D007774:Lactation / Q000235:genetics*; D008321:Mammary Glands, Animal / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs