Transcription Profiling Analysis of Follicles at Different Develop mental Stages in Duck Ovaries

Abstract

Abstract In poultry ovaries, the development of follicles is strictly and complex regulated by a series of factors such as genes, hormones, and cytokines. However, the specific molecular regulatory mechanism is still unclear. To identify the dominant genes controlling duck follicular development, the small white follicle (SWF), the small yellow follicle (SYF), the small yellow follicle (SYF), large yellow follicle (LYF), F6, F5, F4, F3 and F2 were collected for RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. There were 2530, 3893, and 168 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SWF and LWF, SWF and SYF, LWF and SYF, respectively. 1118, 3514 and 1034 DEGs were respectively identified between LYF and F6, LYF and F5, F6 and F5, 311, 1845, and 1601 DEGs were respectively identified between F4 and F3, F4 and F2, F3 and F2. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis indicated that cell adhesion, biological adhesion, DNA-binding transcription factor activity, transcription regulator activity, Focal adhesion, ECM-receptor interaction, cellular homeostasis, regulation of biological quality, homeostatic process, response to external stimulus, PPAR signaling pathway, Nitrogen metabolism, Arachidonic acid metabolism (P-adjust < 0.05). Protein–protein interaction analysis revealed that, SPP1, RUNX2, CARTPT, LOX, ITGA8, FABP7, SLC43A3 and GPX2 might be key candidate genes for follicular development in duck. The current study identified dominant genes and pathways contributing to our understanding of duck follicular development.