title: Systematic microRNAome profiling reveals the roles of microRNAs in milk protein metabolism and quality: insights on low-quality forage utilization.
abstract: In this study, we investigated the molecular regulatory mechanisms of milk protein production in dairy cows by studying the miRNAomes of five key metabolic tissues involved in protein synthesis and metabolism from dairy cows fed high- and low-quality diets. In total, 340, 338, 337, 330, and 328 miRNAs were expressed in the rumen, duodenum, jejunum, liver, and mammary gland tissues, respectively. Some miRNAs were highly correlated with feed and nitrogen efficiency, with target genes involved in transportation and phosphorylation of amino acid (AA). Additionally, low-quality forage diets (corn stover and rice straw) influenced the expression of feed and nitrogen efficiency-associated miRNAs such as miR-99b in rumen, miR-2336 in duodenum, miR-652 in jejunum, miR-1 in liver, and miR-181a in mammary gland. Ruminal miR-21-3p and liver miR-2285f were predicted to regulate AA transportation by targeting ATP1A2 and SLC7A8, respectively. Furthermore, bovine-specific miRNAs regulated the proliferation and morphology of rumen epithelium, as well as the metabolism of liver lipids and branched-chain AAs, revealing bovine-specific mechanisms. Our results suggest that miRNAs expressed in these five tissues play roles in regulating transportation of AA for downstream milk production, which is an important mechanism that may be associated with low milk protein under low-quality forage feed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dairy Sciences, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P R, China.|Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Diming
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Guanxiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dairy Sciences, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P R, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dairy Sciences, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P R, China.
authors.forename: Huizeng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Institute of Dairy Sciences, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, P R, China.
authors.forename: Jianxin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural, Food and Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada.
authors.forename: Le Luo
authors.initials: le L
authors.lastname: Guan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000592:standards; D009928:Organ Specificity / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D034622:RNA Interference; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D008894:Milk Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger