Identification and Comparative Analysis of Long Non-coding RNAs in High- and Low-Fecundity Goat Ovaries During Estrus

The ovary is the most important reproductive organ in goats and directly affects the fecundity. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in the biological process of oocyte maturation. However, in the context of reproduction in goats, few studies have explored the regulation of lncRNAs. Therefore, we herein used the ovaries of high and low fecundity Leizhou black goats to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) by high-throughput RNA sequencing; moreover, we analyzed the target genes of lncRNAs by functional annotation to explore the role of DElncRNAs in ovarian development. Twenty DElncRNAs were identified, of which six were significantly upregulated and 14 were significantly downregulated in high fecundity goats. Gene Ontology analyses suggested that MSTRG.3782 positively influences the expression of the corresponding gene API5, exerting regulative effects on the development of follicles, through which litter size might show variations. The target gene KRR1 of ENSCHIT00000001883 is significantly enriched in cell components, and ENSCHIT00000001883 may regulate cell growth and thus affect follicular development. Further, as per Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analyses, MSTRG.2938 was found to be significantly enriched, and we speculate that MSTRG.2938 could regulate ribosomal biogenesis in the pre-snoRNP complex as well as cell transformation in eukaryotes. Quantitative real-time PCR results were consistent with sequencing data. To conclude, our research results indicate that some lncRNAs play a key role in regulating follicle development and cell growth during goat' s ovarian development.