Transcriptome sequencing of sheep hypothalamus tissue reveals the regulatory role of lncRNA in the mechanism of pubertal estrus initiation

Improving the fertility of sheep is an important goal in sheep breeding as it greatly increases the productivity. Dolang sheep is a typical representative breed of lamb in Xinjiang and is the main local sheep breed and meat source in the region. To explore the genes associated with the initiation of puberty in Dolang sheep, the hypothalamic tissues of Dolang sheep prepubertal, pubertal, and postpubertal periods were collected for RNA-seq analysis on the Illumina platform. Dolang sheep maintained in the Tarim University experimental station were used as the model in this study. The ewes were observed at 10 o ‘clock, 14 o ‘clock, and 18 o ‘clock every day. The criteria for judging puberty in ewes were mental restlessness, the tendency to walk, the acceptance of ram riding, and the presence of mucus in the vulva. All sheep were in good health. Hypothalamus samples were collected from ewes that were first found to be undergoing puberty, immediately frozen in liquid nitrogen, and stored at −80°C for further analysis. The hypothalami were further collected from prepubertal and postpubertal ewes maintained in the same manner. A total of nine sheep’s hypothalamic tissues were collected. Three biological replicates were performed for each period and analyzed.