Transcriptome profiling of developing testes in the horse [RNA-seq]

The mammalian testis is a highly heterogeneous tissue with a vast array of functional and regulatory RNA molecules that participate in the timely control of the spermatogenesis. This process remains largely unexplored in stallions. We utilized transcriptomic analysis to explore gene expression across various stages of testicular development in horses, from infancy to adulthood, including sperm. The analysis aimed to explore the regulatory networks involving messenger RNAs (mRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and microRNAs (miRNAs). High-throughout RNA sequencing revealed dynamic changes in gene expression. The study identified key genes complex interactions between mRNAs, lncRNAs, circRNAs and miRNAs, and biological pathways associated with each developmental stage that drive the spermatogenesis in stallions and provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of horse testis spermatogenesis. This could aid in the improvement of the reproductive health and fertility management in horses. Total RNA-seq from 5 stages of the spermatogenesis (adult)