Deciphering the transcriptome of prepubertal buffalo mammary glands using RNA sequencing

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Genomics
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Water buffaloes are crucial milk producers in the Indian subcontinent.
• Limited research exists on mammary gland gene regulatory networks in water buffaloes.
• Understanding these networks is vital for identifying disease signatures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the transcriptome of prepubertal buffalo mammary glands.
• To identify common genes and canonical pathways.
• To characterize the molecular signature of the prepubertal buffalo mammary gland.

Main Methods:

• RNA sequencing of three prepubertal buffalo mammary glands.
• Analysis of gene expression profiles (FPKM values).
• Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis.

Main Results:

• 14,678 out of 19,994 protein-coding genes were expressed.
• Ubiquitous transcriptome comprised 79% of expressed genes, with 51% lowly expressed.
• Key pathways identified include integrin signaling, inflammation, Wnt, and cancer-related pathways.
• Highly expressed genes include ACTB, B2M, caseins, collagens, and keratins.
• Prepubertal expression of milk protein genes suggests developmental roles.

Conclusions:

• The study provides the first comprehensive transcriptomic signature of the prepubertal buffalo mammary gland.
• The identified molecular signature shares similarities with cancer.
• These findings offer a foundation for future research into buffalo mammary gland biology and health.