长链非编码RNA基因NRON与肉鸡生长性状关联分析

Association analysis on a long non-coding RNA NRON with growth traits in broilers

近年发现长链非编码RNA参与调控多种生理活动及疾病发生。长链非编码RNA基因NRON可抑制活化T细胞核因子(NFAT),且与心肌发育、免疫反应等密切相关。文章检测东北农业大学肉鸡腹脂双向选择系和爱拔益加(AA)肉鸡群体中NRON基因单核苷多态性位点,并作关联分析。结果表明,两个群体中NRON与心脏重均极显著相关(P<0.01);NRON与AA肉鸡3周龄和5周龄体重显著相关,与高、低脂系肉鸡肌胃重、腺胃重、骨盆宽、胸角度和胸宽性状间也显著相关(P<0.05)。NRON基因表达水平在高、低脂系肉鸡心脏、胸肌、肌胃和腹部脂肪组织中均差异极显著(P<0.01)。NRON和NFAT在腹部脂肪组织中表达水平随周龄增加而显著升高。研究结果为进一步探讨NRON基因影响肉鸡肌肉和脂肪组织生长发育分子机制奠定基础。

Recently, long non-coding RNAs are found to regulate a variety of normal physiological activities and disease development. Previous studies found that NRON was a long non-coding RNA inhibitor of nuclear factor of activated T cells（NFAT）, and closely related to myocardium development and immune responses. The current study performed the association analyses of detected single nucleotide polymorphisms of NRON gene and association growth traits in two broiler populations, the Northeast Agricultural University High and Low Fat（NEAUHLF） chicken lines and a random Arbor Acres（AA） population. It was found that in both chicken populations, NRON was significantly associated with the heart weight（P〈0.01）; and also significantly associated with body weights at 3 and 5 weeks of age in AA population, weights of proventriculus and gizzard, pelvis width, breast angle and width traits in NEAUHLF Chickens（P〈0.05）. The NRON gene expression levels in heart, pectoral muscle, gizzard and abdominal adipose tissue were significantly different between the fat and lean chicken lines（P〈0.01）. In addition, the expression levels of NRON and NFAT in the abdominal fat tissues tended to increase with the age. The findings laid the foundation for further investigating the molecular mechanisms of how NRON affected the growth and development of muscle and adipose tissues in chickens.