title: Identification and characterization of microRNAs in the ovaries of multiple and uniparous goats (Capra hircus) during follicular phase.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Superior kidding rate is an important economic trait in production of meat goat, and ovulation rate is the precondition of kidding rate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play critical roles in almost all ovarian biological processes, including folliculogenesis, follicle development, follicle atresia, luteal development and regression. To find out the different ovarian activity and follicle recruitment with miRNA-mediated posttranscriptional regulation, the small RNAs expressed pattern in the ovarian tissues of multiple and uniparous Anhui White goats during follicular phase was analyzed using Solexa sequencing data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  1008 miRNAs co-expressed, 309 and 433 miRNAs specifically expressed in the ovaries of multiple and uniparous goats during follicular phase were identified. The 10 most highly expressed miRNAs in the multiple library were also the highest expressed in the uniparous library, and there were no significantly different between each other. The highest specific expressed miRNA in the multiple library was miR-29c, and the one in the uniparous library was miR-6406. 35 novel miRNAs were predicted in total. GO annotation and KEGG Pathway analyses were implemented on target genes of all miRNA in two libraries. RT-PCR was applied to detect the expression level of 5 randomly selected miRNAs in multiple and uniparous hircine ovaries, and the results were consistent with the Solexa sequencing data.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the present study, the different expression of miRNAs in the ovaries of multiple and uniparous goats during follicular phase were characterized and investigated using deep sequencing technology. The result will help to further understand the role of miRNAs in kidding rate regulation and also may help to identify miRNAs which could be potentially used to increase hircine ovulation rate and kidding rate in the future.
authors.forename: Ying-Hui
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Chun-Huan
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Xiao-Fei
authors.initials: XF
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ya-Feng
authors.initials: YF
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Jian-Chuan
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Yun-Hai
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, No, 130 Changjiang west road, Hefei 230036, P,R, China. zhangxiaorong01@163.com.
authors.forename: Xiao-Rong
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zi-Jun
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D005498:Follicular Phase; D006041:Goats / Q000235:genetics*; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012323:RNA Processing, Post-Transcriptional
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs