Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircus

BackgroundTransposable elements (TEs, or transposons) are repetitive genomic sequences, accounting for half of a mammal genome. Most TEs are transcriptionally silenced, whereas some TEs, especially endogenous retroviruses (ERVs, long terminal repeat retrotransposons), are physiologically expressed i...

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Main Authors: Ming-Di Li, Hu-Rong Li, Shao-Hui Ye
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-03-01
Series:Frontiers in Genetics
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1544330/full
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author Ming-Di Li
Ming-Di Li
Hu-Rong Li
Shao-Hui Ye
author_facet Ming-Di Li
Ming-Di Li
Hu-Rong Li
Shao-Hui Ye
author_sort Ming-Di Li
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundTransposable elements (TEs, or transposons) are repetitive genomic sequences, accounting for half of a mammal genome. Most TEs are transcriptionally silenced, whereas some TEs, especially endogenous retroviruses (ERVs, long terminal repeat retrotransposons), are physiologically expressed in certain conditions. However, the expression pattern of TEs in those less studied species, like goat (Capra hircus), remains unclear. To obtain an overview of the genomic and transcriptomic features of TEs and ERVs in goat, an important farm species, we herein analyzed transcriptomes of ten C. hircus tissues and cells under various physiological and pathological conditions.MethodDistribution of classes, families, and subfamilies of TEs in the C. hircus genome were systematically annotated. The expression patterns of TE-derived transcripts in multiple tissues were investigated at subfamily and location levels. Differential expression of ERV-derived reads was measured under various physiological and pathological conditions, such as embryo development and virus infection challenges. Co-expression between ERV-reads and their proximal genes was also explored to decipher the expression regulation of ERV-derived transcripts.ResultsThere are around 800 TE subfamilies in the goat genome, accounting for 49.1% of the goat genome sequence. TE-derived reads account for 10% of the transcriptome and their abundance are comparable in various goat tissues, while expression of ERVs are variable among tissues. We further characterized expression pattern of ERV reads in various tissues. Differential expression analysis showed that ERVs are highly active in 16-cell embryos, when the genome of the zygote begins to transcribe its own genes. We also recognized numerous activated ERV reads in response to RNA virus infection in lung, spleen, caecum, and immune cells. CapAeg_1.233:ERVK in chromosome 1 and 17 are dysregulated under endometrium development and infection conditions. They showed strong co-expression with their proximal gene OAS1 and TMPRSS2, indicating the impact of activated proximal gene expression on nearby ERVs.ConclusionWe generated ERV transcriptomes across goat tissues, and identified ERVs activated in response to different physiological and pathological conditions.
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spelling doaj-art-707f1cbd9c40439bb84c04e095f66b5b2025-08-20T03:42:39ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genetics1664-80212025-03-011610.3389/fgene.2025.15443301544330Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircusMing-Di Li0Ming-Di Li1Hu-Rong Li2Shao-Hui Ye3Department of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, ChinaKunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, ChinaDepartment of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, ChinaDepartment of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, ChinaBackgroundTransposable elements (TEs, or transposons) are repetitive genomic sequences, accounting for half of a mammal genome. Most TEs are transcriptionally silenced, whereas some TEs, especially endogenous retroviruses (ERVs, long terminal repeat retrotransposons), are physiologically expressed in certain conditions. However, the expression pattern of TEs in those less studied species, like goat (Capra hircus), remains unclear. To obtain an overview of the genomic and transcriptomic features of TEs and ERVs in goat, an important farm species, we herein analyzed transcriptomes of ten C. hircus tissues and cells under various physiological and pathological conditions.MethodDistribution of classes, families, and subfamilies of TEs in the C. hircus genome were systematically annotated. The expression patterns of TE-derived transcripts in multiple tissues were investigated at subfamily and location levels. Differential expression of ERV-derived reads was measured under various physiological and pathological conditions, such as embryo development and virus infection challenges. Co-expression between ERV-reads and their proximal genes was also explored to decipher the expression regulation of ERV-derived transcripts.ResultsThere are around 800 TE subfamilies in the goat genome, accounting for 49.1% of the goat genome sequence. TE-derived reads account for 10% of the transcriptome and their abundance are comparable in various goat tissues, while expression of ERVs are variable among tissues. We further characterized expression pattern of ERV reads in various tissues. Differential expression analysis showed that ERVs are highly active in 16-cell embryos, when the genome of the zygote begins to transcribe its own genes. We also recognized numerous activated ERV reads in response to RNA virus infection in lung, spleen, caecum, and immune cells. CapAeg_1.233:ERVK in chromosome 1 and 17 are dysregulated under endometrium development and infection conditions. They showed strong co-expression with their proximal gene OAS1 and TMPRSS2, indicating the impact of activated proximal gene expression on nearby ERVs.ConclusionWe generated ERV transcriptomes across goat tissues, and identified ERVs activated in response to different physiological and pathological conditions.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1544330/fulltransposable elementendogenous retrovirusCapra hircusgoattranscriptome
spellingShingle Ming-Di Li
Ming-Di Li
Hu-Rong Li
Shao-Hui Ye
Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircus
Frontiers in Genetics
transposable element
endogenous retrovirus
Capra hircus
goat
transcriptome
title Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircus
title_full Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircus
title_fullStr Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircus
title_full_unstemmed Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircus
title_short Multi-tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus-derived transcripts in Capra hircus
title_sort multi tissue transcriptomic characterization of endogenous retrovirus derived transcripts in capra hircus
topic transposable element
endogenous retrovirus
Capra hircus
goat
transcriptome
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2025.1544330/full
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AT hurongli multitissuetranscriptomiccharacterizationofendogenousretrovirusderivedtranscriptsincaprahircus
AT shaohuiye multitissuetranscriptomiccharacterizationofendogenousretrovirusderivedtranscriptsincaprahircus