Seasonal variation of urinary microRNA expression in male goats (Capra hircus) as assessed by next generation sequencing.
Testosterone plays a key role in preparation of a male domesticated goat (Capra hircus) to breeding season including changes in the urogenital tract of a male goat (buck). microRNAs are important regulators of cellular metabolism, differentiation and function. They are powerful intermediaries of hormonal activity in the body, including the urogenital tract. We investigated seasonal changes in expression of microRNAs in goat buck urine and their potential consequences using next generation sequencing (microRNA-Seq). We determined the location of each microRNA gene in the goat genome. Testosterone was measured by radioimmunoassay and the androgen receptor binding sites (ARBS) in the promoters of the microRNA genes were determined by MatInspector. The overall impact of regulated microRNAs on cellular physiology was assessed by mirPath. We observed high testosterone levels during the breeding season and changes in the expression of forty microRNAs. Nineteen microRNAs were upregulated, while twenty-one were downregulated. We identified several ARBS in the promoters of regulated microRNAs. Notably, the mostly inhibited microRNA, miR-1246, has a unique set of several gene copy variants associated with a cluster of androgen receptor binding sites. Concomitant changes in regulated microRNA expression could promote transcription, proliferation and differentiation of urogenital tract cells. Together, these findings indicate that in a domesticated goat (Capra hircus), there are specific changes in the microRNA expression profile in buck urine during breeding season, which could be attributable to high testosterone levels during breeding, and could help in preparation of the urogenital tract for high metabolic demands of that season.
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Kristy M
KM
Longpre
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Noah S
NS
Kinstlinger
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Edward A
EA
Mead
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Yongping
Y
Wang
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Austin P
AP
Thekkumthala
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Katherine A
KA
Carreno
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Azra
A
Hot
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Jennifer M
JM
Keefer
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Luke
L
Tully
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA.
Larry S
LS
Katz
Rutgers University, Department of Animal Sciences, 67 Poultry Farm Lane, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. Electronic address: andrepi@aesop.rutgers.edu.
Andrzej Z
AZ
Pietrzykowski
D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D001947:Breeding; D033481:Chromosomes, Mammalian / Q000235:genetics; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D019295:Computational Biology; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016678:Genome; D006041:Goats / Q000235:genetics*; D059014:High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000652:urine*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics; D012621:Seasons; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics
D035683:MicroRNAs
Androgen receptor binding site; Breeding; Deep sequencing; Male domestic goat; MicroRNA; Testosterone