MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a family of endogenous non-coding RNAs with a length of about 22 nucleotides, are widely found in eukaryotes. miRNAs can affect gene expression through specific bindings with mRNAs of target genes and participate in the regulation of a variety of biological processes. Giant panda is not only a unique rare animal in China, but also the focus of attention on wildlife preservation worldwide. In recent years, with the popularization of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology, miRNAs in giant panda have been discovered and identified one after another. In this review, we focus on the research progress on miRNAs in giant panda, involved in immune response, mammary gland development, sperm freezing tolerance and other biological processes, and then discuss future research directions of miRNAs in giant panda, and thus providing the scientific references and new ideas for studying the regulatory mechanisms of miRNAs and promoting the breeding and protection of giant panda.
MicroRNA (miRNA)是一类广泛存在于真核生物、长约22 nt的内源性非编码RNA。miRNA通过与靶基因mRNA特异性结合影响基因的表达,进而参与调控多种生物学过程。大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)是我国特有的珍稀动物,备受全世界的关注。近年来,随着二代测序技术(next-generation sequencing, NGS)的普及,大熊猫miRNA陆续被发现和鉴定。本文综述了miRNA在大熊猫免疫反应、乳腺发育、精子冷冻耐受及其他生物学过程的研究进展,并探讨了大熊猫miRNA的研究前景,以期为深入研究大熊猫miRNA的调控机制和促进大熊猫繁育与保护工作提供科学参考和新思路。.
Keywords: giant panda; immune response; mammary gland development; miRNA; sperm freezing tolerance.