Exploring the transcriptomic pattern in two kind of sheep skin with remarkable phenotype differences on wool. Ovis aries

We report the application of High throughout sequencing to explore the differences of skin between Super Merino sheep(SM) and Small Tail Han sheep, which have remarkable phenotype differences on wool and hair follicle traits. We analysed the expression data by CLC genomic workbench 9.0 software. We find there are 435 differential expressional genes (DEGs) (127 were up-regulated and 308 were down-regulated) when STH sheep as control group. Some hair follicle KRTs, KAPs genes and hair follicle stem cells marker genes, were up-regulated in SM sheep. However, some of mammalian epidermal development complex (EDC) family genes were up-regulated in STH sheep. The GO and gene network analysis shown high expression genes in SM sheep enriched on type I interferon, lipid/fatty acid synthesis metabolism. This study provide more details in skin which control the development of follicle and wool in sheep. Overall design: Examination of 2 different transcript profiles of skin.