miR-181a-5p can inhibit the proliferation and promote the differentiation of chicken primary myoblasts

1. Myoblast proliferation and differentiation is one of the most important biological processes in the development of skeletal muscle. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in this process. 2. In this study, the expression level of miR-181a-5p was detected, which found that miR-181a-5p was expressed differently in different tissues, different embryonic ages, and different differentiation stages of primary myoblasts in Gushi chickens. 3. The effect of miR-181a-5p was further investigated on chicken primary myoblasts (CPMs). The results of cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2’-deoxyuridine (EdU) and cell cycle showed that miR-181a-5p could inhibit the proliferation of CPM. The miR-181a-5p promoted the expression of <i>MYOD, MYOG</i>, and <i>MYHC</i>. MYHC protein immunofluorescence experiments showed that miR-181a-5p increased the area of myotubes. 4. In total, 63 potential target genes of miR-181a-5p in <i>mRNA</i> transcriptome data analysis were identified. Functional enrichment analysis was performed on these target genes, and <i>ASNS, SMYD1</i>, and <i>FOS</i> were found to play regulatory roles in biological processes such as muscle development. It was speculated that miR-181a-5p played a role in myoblast development through these genes. 5. In conclusion, miR-181a-5p can inhibit the proliferation of chicken myoblasts and promote the differentiation of chicken myoblasts. This study laid the foundation for further research on the regulatory mechanism of miR-181a-5p in the development of skeletal muscle and the formation of excellent meat quality traits in Gushi chicken.