China Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine ›› 2022, Vol. 49 ›› Issue (6): 2022-2032.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2022.06.002

• Biotechnology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Identification of Immune-Related circRNA of Thymus in Chickens

LIU Rui1,2, LI Jiangling1,2, DU Huarui1,2,3, YANG Chaowu1,2,3, CHEN Jialei1,2, ZHAO Sujun1,2, WANG Qiushi1,2   

  1. 1. Sichuan Animal Sciences Academy, Chengdu 610066, China;
    2. Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Chengdu 610066, China;
    3. Sichuan Daheng Poultry Breeding Co., Ltd., Chengdu 610066, China
  • Received:2021-12-13 Online:2022-06-05 Published:2022-05-27

Abstract: 【Objective】 This study was aimed to identify immune-related circRNA of thymus in chickens, and investigate the role of circRNA in immune regulation of chickens.【Method】 The transcriptome of thymus in Yellow-feather broilers and mountain Black-bone chickens was sequenced by high-throughput sequencing platform Illumina PE150.Bioinformatics software find_circ and CIRI were used to identify circRNA molecules and analysis their basic structural characteristics.Difference significant analysis was performed to screen differenttially expressed circRNA, GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis conducted to reveal the immune-related circRNAs, and the potential translation ability were predicted by IRESfinder and PFAM softwares, and it was verified by Real-time quantitative PCR.【Result】 There was abundant expression of circRNA in thymus of chickens.A total of 8 015 circRNAs were identified, and 115 circRNAs were significant differentially expressed in thymus of chickens (log2|FoldChange|>1, P<0.05), 54 circRNAs upregulated and 61 circRNAs downregulated in Yellow-feather broilers(mountain Black-bone chickens was used as control).The GO function enrichment showed that there were 104 GO terms related to immune, involved 23 differential expression circRNAs, up to 20%(23/115).KEGG pathway analysis showed that there were 7 immune related pathways, including cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, RIG-Ⅰ-like receptor signal pathway and Toll-like receptor signal pathway, which covered 7 differentially expressed circRNAs.5 circRNAs came out of GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were identical:circ_0002478(IL-1R1), circ_0003208(MAPK11), circ_0001674(STX8), circ_0005105(RIPK2) and circ_0003590(BRAF), which might play an important role in the regulation of immune system.Real-time quantitative PCR results showed that 5 circRNAs difference expression trend in thymus of two chicken breeds were consistent with the sequencing.circ_0002478(IL-1R1) not only had extremely significant difference between the two varieties (P<0.01), but also had the potential to encode peptides, it might participate in immune regulation in many ways.【Conclusion】 circRNA was rich in thymus of chickens, the immune-related circRNA circ_0002478(IL-1R1) might affect immune regulation in many ways, and could be a key target gene in immunity research of chickens.

Key words: chickens; thymus; circRNA; immune regulation; immune

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