Genome-wide analysis of circular RNA-mediated ceRNA regulation in porcine skeletal muscle development

BackgroundAs a diverse and abundant class of endogenous RNAs, circular RNAs (circRNAs) participate in various biological processes including cell proliferation and apoptosis. Nevertheless, few researchers have investigated the role of circRNAs in muscle development in cultivated pigs.ResultsIn this study, we used RNA-seq to construct circRNA expression profiles in skeletal muscle of Jinfen White pigs at the age of 1, 90, and 180 days. Among the 16,990 identified circRNAs, 584 circRNAs were differentially expressed. Moreover, the enrichment analysis of DE circRNA host genes showed that they were mainly involved in muscle contraction, muscle organ development and muscle system processes, as well as AMPK and cAMP-related signal pathways. We also constructed a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA co-expression network to find key circRNAs which many involved in the regulation of porcine skeletal muscle development through the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism. It is noteworthy that circ_0018595/miR-1343/PGM1 axis may play a regulatory role in the development of porcine skeletal muscle.ConclusionsThis study identified the circRNAs and present the circRNA expression profile in the development of pigs, revealed that DE circRNA host genes participate in different cell fates and enriched the porcine ceRNA network. Thus, this work will become a valuable resource for further in-depth study of the regulatory mechanism of circRNA in the development of porcine skeletal muscle.

Automated summary

In this study, circRNA expression profiles in the skeletal muscle of Jinfen White pigs at different stages of development were constructed using RNA-seq. Among the identified circRNAs, 584 circRNAs showed differential expression. Enrichment analysis revealed that the host genes of these differentially expressed circRNAs were mainly involved in muscle contraction, muscle organ development, muscle system processes, as well as AMPK and cAMP-related signal pathways. A circRNA-miRNA-mRNA co-expression network was also constructed to identify key circRNAs involved in the regulation of porcine skeletal muscle development through the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanism. Notably, the circ_0018595/miR-1343/PGM1 axis may play a regulatory role in the development of porcine skeletal muscle.