Genome-wide identification and prediction of long non-coding RNAs in the half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis)

Half-smooth tongue sole (Cynoglossus semilaevis) is a commercially valuable flatfish, ranking among the most valuable fishes in the coastal areas of China. It has an asymmetric body shape with lateralization of the eyes to the same side during metamorphosis as same as the other flatfish species. However, little is known about the function and profile of lncRNAs in the half-smooth tongue sole. In this study, we carry out a genome-wide review of lncRNAs in the fish by using large-scale deep sequencing. Gonad, liver, spleen, heart, kidney, gill, muscle, and brain tissues were collected individually. To determine the expression profiles of lncRNAs in half-smooth tongue sole, total RNA was isolated from the different tissues to form tissue pool. Three micrograms of RNA per sample were used as the input material for the RNA sample preparations. The expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs were determined by genome-wide large-scale next-generation deep sequencing by using the Illumina platforms.