Identification of potential key genes and pathways associated with the Pashmina fiber initiation using RNA-Seq and integrated bioinformatics analysis

In the present study transcriptomic profiling of skin biopsies containing secondary hair follicles were utilized to identify key genes and signaling pathways involved in hair follicle transition from no-growth phase (telogen) to growth phase (anagen). Ten unrelated Pashmina goats of the same age (24 months) and sex (males) were repeatedly sampled during anagen (October active growth phase) and telogen (March – resting phase, before combing). The skin samples containing Pashmina follicles were collected from the flanking region of each goat. A total of 19 (10 anagen and 9 telogen) samples were obtained for RNA-sequencing as one of the samples from telogen did not qualify the minimum quality criteria for RNA-sequencing.