Integration of Long Non-Coding RNA and mRNA Profiling Reveals the Mechanisms of Different Dietary NFC/NDF Ratios Induced Rumen Development in Calves

• Published in: Animals (Basel) Vol. 12; no. 5; p. 650
• Main Authors: Li, Jichao, Xue, Mingming, Zhang, Liyang, Li, Lanjie, Lian, Hongxia, Li, Ming, Gao, Tengyun, Fu, Tong, Tu, Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 03.03.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Actin; Adhesion; Amine oxidase (flavin-containing); Body weight; Calves; Carbohydrates; Cell cycle; Cyclic GMP; Cytoskeleton; Epithelium; Fatty acids; Feeds; Gene expression; Genes; Genetic analysis; Genomes; Homology; long non-coding RNA; Morphology; mRNA; Network analysis; Non-coding RNA; non-fibrous carbohydrate to neutral detergent fiber; Papillae; Phosphoprotein phosphatase; Phylogenetics; Protein phosphatase; Rumen; rumen development; Signal transduction; Software; Thyroid; Transcription; Transcriptomics; Wnt protein; United States > US; rumen development; long non-coding RNA; mRNA; calves; non-fibrous carbohydrate to neutral detergent fiber
• ISSN: 2076-2615; 2076-2615
• DOI: 10.3390/ani12050650

The aim of the present study was to explore the effects of dietary non-fibrous carbohydrate to neutral detergent fiber (NFC/NDF) ratios on rumen development of calves, and to investigate the mechanisms by integrating of lncRNA and mRNA profiling. Forty-five weaned Charolais hybrid calves [body weight = 94.38 ± 2.50 kg; age = 70 ± 2.69 d] were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 treatment groups with different dietary NFC/NDF ratios: 1.10 (H group), 0.94 (M group) and 0.60 (L group), respectively. The ventral sac of the rumen was sampled for morphological observation and transcriptional sequencing. The average daily gain of calves in the high NFC/NDF ratio group was significantly higher than that in other groups (p < 0.05). Papillae width was largest in high NFC/NDF ratio group calves (p < 0.05). Identified differentially expressed genes that were significantly enriched in pathways closely related to rumen epithelial development included focal adhesion, Wingless-int signaling pathway, thyroid hormone signaling pathway, regulation of actin cytoskeleton and cGMP-PKG signaling pathway. The lncRNA-mRNA network included XLOC_068691 and MOAB, XLOC_023657 and DKK2, XLOC_064331 and PPP1R12A which we interpret to mean they have important regulatory roles in calve rumen development. These findings will serve as a theoretical basis for further analysis of the molecular genetic mechanism of dietary factors affecting rumen development in calves.