RNA-seq data of pig placenta and endometrium during late gestation

Area of Science:

• Reproductive biology
• Genomics
• Animal science

Background:

• Perinatal mortality in piglets is a significant issue, often linked to insufficient fetal maturity at the end of gestation.
• Optimal fetal development relies on a balanced nutrient exchange at the feto-maternal interface.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the transcriptome of the piglet feto-maternal interface to understand factors influencing fetal maturation and survival.
• To identify key genes and pathways involved in the dialog between the dam and fetus during late gestation.

Main Methods:

• RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on endometrial and placental tissues from Large White and Meishan pig breeds with differing neonatal mortality rates.
• Transcriptome data were processed using Nextflow nf-core/rnaseq and TAGADA pipelines for transcript and lncRNA quantification.
• Analysis included 224 endometrial and 224 placental samples from the PORCINET tissue collection.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive transcriptional profile of the feto-maternal interface during late gestation was generated.
• Gene expression data provides a foundation for further analyses, including differential expression and enrichment analyses.
• The study documented transcriptomes from purebred and crossbred fetuses, considering sow breed, gestation day, sex, and fetal maturity.

Conclusions:

• The generated transcriptomic datasets offer valuable insights into the feto-maternal interactions governing fetal maturation.
• This research serves as a starting point for understanding and potentially mitigating piglet perinatal mortality through improved management and breeding strategies.