title: miR-488 determines coat pigmentation by down-regulating the pigment-producing gene pro-opiomelanocortin.
abstract: Coat color is a key economic trait in wool- and fur-producing animals. Coat color is controlled by complex mechanisms. Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) is a gene involved in pigment formation. Previous studies suggested that miR-488 might target the POMC mRNA. This study aimed to determine whether miR-488 could affect coat color by regulating POMC and to explore the regulatory roles of miR-488 on coat color in mammals. A dual fluorescence report vector containing the 3'-UTR of POMC was built to determine whether miR-488 could post-transcriptionally regulate POMC expression. Then, a eukaryotic vector expressing miR-488 was built and transfected into mouse keratinocytes to confirm the regulatory mechanism in vitro. Compared with gray mice, the expression of POMC mRNA was 3.36-fold higher in black mice and 1.29-fold higher in brown mice. The results showed that miR-488 could control mice coat color by combining with the 3'-UTR seed sequence of POMC mRNA to achieve the degradation of POMC mRNA, therefore playing a role in POMC expression. This study revealed the roles of miR-488 in animal coat color and enriches our knowledge about the determination of coat color in mammals.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 264670, China.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: College of Information, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030800, China.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Geriatric, Tongji Hospital of Shanghai affiliated to Tongji university, Shanghai 20065, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, Shanxi 030801, China. 13623541993@163.com.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dong
mesh_terms: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D015153:Blotting, Western; D015536:Down-Regulation; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D057809:HEK293 Cells; D018859:Hair Follicle / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D015603:Keratinocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics*; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D020413:3' Untranslated Regions; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin