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The Transcriptomic Signature of Donkey Ovarian Tissue Revealed by Cross-Species Comparative Analysis at Single-Cell
Yu Tian1,2, Yilin Niu3, Xinhao Zhang3
1State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock (R2BGL), College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot 010070, China.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|June 26, 2025
Summary
Researchers mapped donkey ovarian cells using single-cell RNA sequencing. They discovered conserved cell types across species but unique donkey gene expressions, offering insights into reproductive efficiency differences.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Genomics
- Comparative Medicine
Background:
- Donkeys (Equus asinus) are agriculturally important in China, but their reproductive efficiency is suboptimal.
- Ovarian function is critical for fertility, yet molecular mechanisms in donkeys are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To create a high-resolution transcriptomic atlas of donkey ovaries.
- To investigate evolutionary conservation and species-specific adaptations in ovarian cell types.
- To identify key genes influencing donkey reproductive efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Single-cell RNA sequencing of 17,423 donkey ovarian cells.
- Cross-species comparative transcriptomic analysis.
- In vitro cumulus-oocyte complex modeling.
Main Results:
- Identified conserved core ovarian cell types (endothelial, epithelial, immune, smooth muscle) across vertebrates.
- Revealed distinct transcriptional profiles in granulosa and theca cells between species.
- Discovered donkey-specific gene expression patterns (e.g., NR3C1, LIPE, DHRS9).
- Demonstrated the role of GATM in mammalian oocyte maturation.
Conclusions:
- Provides a comprehensive characterization of donkey ovarian cell types and their conservation.
- Highlights species-specific adaptations in ovarian cell biology.
- Offers molecular insights into reproductive efficiency variations across species.
