Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 17, 2026
05:04
Separation of Avian Preovulatory Follicle Granulosa and Theca Cell Layers for Downstream Applications
Published on: October 25, 2024
Integrated Circular RNAs Analysis Across the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Ovarian Axis Identifies Regulatory Modules
Linhong Xie1, Zhonglong Zhao1, Yonghong Zhang1
1College of Animal Science, Jilin University, Changchun, China.
Animal Genetics
|June 15, 2026
Summary
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) regulate gene expression in geese. This study reveals their role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis, linking them to reproductive traits and breed differences through a ceRNA network.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Reproductive Biology
Background:
- Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are crucial post-transcriptional regulators with largely unknown functions in avian reproductive systems.
- The hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis controls reproduction, but the role of circRNAs within it is poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association of circRNAs with breed differentiation and reproductive traits in flying geese.
- To explore the function of circRNAs in the avian HPO axis by constructing cross-tissue expression profiles.
Main Methods:
- Whole-transcriptome sequencing of the HPO axis (hypothalamus, ovary, pituitary) in Zi and Xianghai flying geese.
- Identification and analysis of differentially expressed circRNAs (DE-circRNAs) and their host genes.
- Construction of a cross-tissue circRNA-mediated regulation of gene expression (ceRNA) network integrating circRNA, miRNA, and mRNA expression data.
Main Results:
- Identified hundreds of DE-circRNAs across the hypothalamus, ovary, and pituitary.
- Host genes of DE-circRNAs were enriched in key reproduction-related signaling pathways (e.g., cAMP, PI3K-Akt, GnRH).
- Constructed a cross-tissue ceRNA network, revealing potential regulatory modules involving circRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs, with key hubs like CYP19A1, FSHR, BMP15, and ESR1.
Conclusions:
- CircRNAs are implicated in a cross-tissue neuroendocrine-ovarian regulatory network in geese.
- These circRNAs may play a significant role in reproductive trait variation through ceRNA interactions.
- Provides novel molecular insights into avian reproductive biology and potential targets for trait improvement.
Related Concept Videos
00:51Energy Budgets and Reproductive Strategies
Organisms must balance energy intake with the energy required for growth, maintenance, and reproduction. These trade-offs result in a variety of survivorship and reproductive strategies, including semelparity and iteroparity. Semelparous species reproduce only once in their lifetime, often investing most available resources into that single reproductive event. Iteroparous species, by contrast, reproduce multiple times over their lifetimes, typically allocating fewer resources to any single...
01:17Understanding Species and Reproductive Barriers
A species is a group of organisms that interbreed and produce fertile offspring. Typically, individuals of the same species appear similar and share common characteristics due to their highly similar genomes. However, not all organisms that look alike are members of the same species. Various mechanisms keep most species discrete. While some mechanisms prevent reproductive behavior and fertilization (pre-zygotic isolation), others prevent the production of fertile offspring after mating has...
02:02Cis-regulatory Sequences
Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
02:02Cis-regulatory Sequences
Cis-regulatory sequences are short fragments of non-coding DNA that are present on the same chromosomes as the genes that they regulate. These fragments serve as binding sites for transcriptional regulators, proteins that are responsible for controlling gene transcription and differential gene expression across cell types in eukaryotes. Cis-regulatory sequences can be close to the gene of interest or thousands of bases away in the DNA sequence; however, those sequences that are further away are...
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
02:24Regulation of Expression Occurs at Multiple Steps
Gene expression can be regulated at almost every step from gene to protein. Transcription is the step that is most commonly regulated. This involves the binding of proteins to short regulatory sequences on the DNA. This association can either promote or inhibit the transcription of a gene associated with the respective sequence.
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...
Transcription results in the generation of precursor (pre-mRNA) that consists of both exons and introns, which needs further processing before being translated to a...