Identifying insulin-responsive circRNAs in chicken pectoralis

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Genomics
• Animal Science

Background:

• Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are non-coding RNAs involved in metabolism.
• Their role in avian skeletal muscle insulin response is largely unknown.
• This study investigates circRNAs in poultry skeletal muscle insulin signaling.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify insulin-responsive circRNAs in avian skeletal muscle.
• To explore the temporal and breed-specific regulation of these circRNAs.
• To characterize the role of a specific circRNA, circINSR, in insulin signaling.

Main Methods:

• Strand-specific RNA sequencing (ssRNA-Seq) of pectoralis muscle from Arbor Acres broilers and Silky fowls.
• Insulin administration and sample collection at 15 and 120 minutes post-injection.
• Analysis of circRNA expression under various metabolic conditions (glucose, energy restriction).

Main Results:

• Identified 2,027 muscle circRNAs; found 29-45 insulin-responsive circRNAs depending on breed and time point.
• Discovered enriched pathways including exocrine pancreas development and intracellular signal transduction, likely via circRNA-miRNA networks.
• Characterized circINSR, showing distinct regulation from INSR under insulin, glucose, and energy restriction, suggesting a complex regulatory role.

Conclusions:

• Circular RNAs play dynamic and breed-specific roles in avian skeletal muscle insulin response.
• circINSR exhibits unique regulatory patterns compared to INSR, indicating complex molecular mechanisms in insulin signaling.
• These findings provide novel insights into avian metabolism and suggest circRNAs as potential biomarkers.