Effect of divergence in fertility on miRNA profIling in spermatozoa of bulls

The aim of this study was to examine changes in the miRNA transcriptional profile of spermatozoa in Holstein-Friesian bulls. Spermatozoa from bulls divergent for feritlity status were used for this study with 10 High fertility bulls and 10 Low fertility bulls. RNA was extracted and subsequently subjected to miRNAseq analysis. 13 miRNA were identified as differentially expressed in the spermatozoa between bulls of high and low feritlity status. In total 20 spermatozoa RNA samples were analysed. 10 samples were derived from bulls which ranked for high fertility status (High, n=10) and 10 samples were derived from low fertility status bulls (Low, n=10). Total RNA was extracted from a pool of frozen-thawed semen from three different ejaculates per bull.