Prkra Mutation Alters Long Noncoding RNA Expression During Embryonic External Ear Development

Point mutations in the Prkra gene result in abnormalities in mouse external ear development; however, the regulatory mechanisms underlying this phenotype are unclear. This study evaluated long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) expression profiles in the outer ear tissues of embryos at E15.5 and E17.5 from the Prkra little ear mouse model using transcriptome sequencing. Differentially expressed lncRNAs between the experimental and control groups were identified and evaluated by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analyses. The results revealed various lncRNAs that contribute to the external ear development in Prkra mutant mice, some of which were involved in multiple developmental signaling pathways. There were expression changes in some key regulatory lncRNAs after point mutations in the Prkra gene, some of which were involved in multiple developmental signaling pathways, such as the Hippo, MAPK, and ErbB signaling pathways. These results provide insight into the regulatory mechanism underlying external ear embryonic development and reveal candidate lncRNAs.