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other·dermatology, endocrinology, veterinary_science, genomics, agricultural_science·PMC10022811

Transcriptomes reveal microRNAs and mRNAs in different photoperiods influencing cashmere growth in goat

PLOS ONE · 12 authors, 6 centres

AI SUMMARY

FIDELITY 100%

POPULATIONInner Mongolia Arbas cashmere goats (2-year-old female, twin pairs, n=18)

INTERVENTIONShort photoperiod (15h illumination/day) via light control technology from May 1st to July 30th, 2018

COMPARISONNormal/long photoperiod (7h limited illumination + natural light, ~30,000 lux)

This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.

AGENT 01 · STRUCTURED SUMMARY

TRACE TO SOURCE

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TL;DR

This study investigated how short photoperiods (reduced daylight) promote cashmere growth in Inner Mongolia Arbas cashmere goats by analyzing skin tissue RNA. Researchers identified 56 differentially expressed mRNAs and 14 differentially expressed miRNAs between goats under short versus long photoperiods, with miR-107 and miR-30 potentially targeting key genes (BSDC1, ARSA, RHBDF2, ALDH3A2) involved in hair follicle cycling. These findings provide a molecular basis for using light control technology to enhance cashmere production and reduce overgrazing pressure.

Full summary

3,917 CHARS

**Background:** Cashmere goats exhibit seasonal cashmere growth strongly influenced by photoperiod. Cashmere growth (secondary hair follicle) begins around the summer solstice when days shorten, peaks in November, and ceases after the winter solstice. The molecular mechanisms underlying photoperiod-driven cashmere growth remain unclear. This study aimed to elucidate mRNA-microRNA regulatory mechanisms in cashmere growth under different photoperiods using light control technology.

**Methods:** Nine pairs of twin Inner Mongolia Arbas cashmere goats (18 total, 2-year-old females) were randomly divided into test (T) and control (C) groups. The test group received 15h illumination/day (short photoperiod, ~0.1 lux at night) from May 1st to July 30th, 2018, while the control group had 7h limited illumination plus natural light (~30,000 lux). Skin samples (2.0 cm²) were collected from the backside on the last day of June. RNA was extracted using TRIzol reagent. mRNA sequencing (Illumina HiSeq 4000) yielded an average of 24,277,494 raw reads and 23,800,647 clean reads per sample. mRNA expression was normalized using RPKM, with differential expression defined as P<0.01 and |log₂ Fold Change| ≥ 1. miRNA sequencing used 18–35nt RNA fragments, with differential expression defined as q<0.05 (FDR adjusted) and |log₂(Fold Change)| ≥ 1. Target gene prediction used miRanda, Pita, and RNAhybrid. Dual luciferase reporter assays in 293T cells validated targeting relationships for 4 genes and 2 miRNAs.

**Key Results:** A total of 56 significantly differentially expressed mRNAs (P<0.01) were identified: 33 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated in the test (short photoperiod) group. Top differentially expressed genes included ITCH (log₂FC=1.06, P=0.00025), CAMSAP1 (log₂FC=-2.43, P=0.00035), SYNRG (log₂FC=1.69, P=0.00037), SF3B2 (log₂FC=-2.45, P=0.00038), BSDC1 (log₂FC=1.96, P=0.00038), TPD52 (log₂FC=-4.54, P=0.00044), FRMD4B (log₂FC=-9.74, P=0.00078), SAMD4A (log₂FC=-2.64, P=0.00081), MYO19 (log₂FC=-7.63, P=0.00082), and APBB3 (log₂FC=2.31, P=0.00083). Fourteen significantly differentially expressed miRNAs (P<0.05) were found: 8 up-regulated and 6 down-regulated in the light control group. Notable miRNAs included miR-216 (log₂FC=-1.18, P=0.0023), miR-215 (log₂FC=-1.26, P=0.0044), miR-3959 (log₂FC=1.00, P=0.0084), miR-140 (log₂FC=-0.96, P=0.016), miR-1 (log₂FC=-1.05, P=0.017), miR-143 (log₂FC=-0.82, P=0.025), miR-10 (log₂FC=0.80, P=0.026), miR-218 (log₂FC=-0.83, P=0.027), miR-107 (log₂FC=0.87, P=0.027), miR-133 (log₂FC=0.81, P=0.032), miR-410 (log₂FC=0.95, P=0.033), miR-3958 (log₂FC=0.70, P=0.040), miR-30 (log₂FC=0.89, P=0.047), and miR-199 (log₂FC=0.67, P=0.049). KEGG enrichment analysis of miRNA-targeted genes identified the prolactin signaling pathway as significantly enriched. Association analysis revealed that miR-107 potentially targeted BSDC1, ARSA, RHBDF2, and ADCK5, while miR-30 potentially targeted ALDH3A2 and MFAP4. Dual luciferase reporter assays confirmed that BSDC1, RHBDF2, and ARSA were targeted by miRNA-107-3p (all P<0.001), and ALDH3A2 was targeted by miRNA-30b-3p (P<0.01).

**Clinical Implications:** This study demonstrates that short photoperiod promotes cashmere growth through specific miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks, particularly involving miR-107 and miR-30 targeting genes (BSDC1, ARSA, RHBDF2, ALDH3A2) implicated in hair follicle cycling, keratinocyte differentiation, and epithelial regeneration. The prolactin signaling pathway appears central to this photoperiodic response. Light control technology represents a practical approach to enhance cashmere production while reducing overgrazing pressure on grasslands. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for genetic selection and light management strategies to improve cashmere yield, though further research is needed to fully elucidate the functional roles of these genes in cashmere development.

PICO

PPOPULATION

Inner Mongolia Arbas cashmere goats (2-year-old female, twin pairs, n=18)

IINTERVENTION

Short photoperiod (15h illumination/day) via light control technology from May 1st to July 30th, 2018

OOUTCOME

Differentially expressed mRNA and miRNA profiles in skin tissue; targeting relationships between miRNAs and mRNAs; dual luciferase validation of miRNA-mRNA binding

STUDY TYPE

other

SPECIALTY

dermatology

SUMMARISED BY

AI pipeline

FIDELITY CHECK

100% · A

ORIGINAL PAPER

PMC10022811

Transcriptomes reveal microRNAs and mRNAs in different photoperiods influencing cashmere growth in goat

PLOS ONE

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ABSTRACT

Cashmere goat has a typical characteristic in seasonal growth of cashmere. Studies have shown that one of the main factors affecting the cyclical growth of the cashmere is the photoperiod, however, its molecular mechanism remains unclear. Inner Mongolia Arbas cashmere goat was used to reveal the mRNA-microRNA regulatory mechanisms of cashmere growth in different photoperiod. Skin samples from cashmere goats under light control (short photoperiod) and normal conditions (long photoperiod) were collected. Sequencing was performed after RNA extraction. The differentially expressed miRNA and mRNA expression profiles were successfully constructed. We found 56 significantly differentially expressed known mRNAs (P<0.01) and 14 microRNAs (P<0.05). The association analysis of the microRNAs and mRNAs showed that two differentially expressed miRNAs might be targeted by six differentially expressed genes. Targeting relationships of these genes and miRNAs are revealed and verified. In all, the light control technology provides a new way to promote cashmere growth. Our results provide some references in the cashmere growth and development.

CITATION EXPORT

Bin Liu, Ruoyang Zhao, Tiecheng Wu et al.. Transcriptomes reveal microRNAs and mRNAs in different photoperiods influencing cashmere growth in goat. PLOS ONE. (2023). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0282772

AUTHORS

12 · 6 CENTRES

Bin Liu, Ruoyang Zhao, Tiecheng Wu, Yuejun Ma, Yulin Gao, Yahan Wu, Bayasihuliang Hao, Jun Yin, Yurong Li, Abdul Qadir Syed, Abdul Qadir Syed, Abdul Qadir Syed

1 Institute of Animal Husbandry, Academy of Agriculture and Stockbreeding Sciences, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
2 Wenzhou Institute, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Oujiang Laboratory, Wenzhou, Wenzhou, China
3 College of Life Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
4 College of Life Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
5 Etuokeqianqi Arctic God Research Institute of Cashmere and Livestock, Erdos, China
Northwest University, UNITED STATES

EDITOR / REVIEWER

Abdul Qadir Syed