黑龙江动物繁殖2025，Vol.33Issue(4)：1-10,10.DOI:10.19848/j.cnki.ISSN1005-2739.2025.08.0001
藏绵羊睾丸-附睾轴转录组区域化调控精子成熟的信号通路解析
Signaling pathways underlying region-specific transcriptomic regulation of sperm maturation along the testis-epididymis axis in Tibetan sheep
摘要
Abstract
This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the coordinated regulation of sperm development and maturation along the testis-epididymis axis in Tibetan sheep.Four healthy ram lambs at 3 months old and four healthy mature rams at 1 year old were used to collect the tissues from the testis and epididymal segments(caput,corpus,and cauda).Through transcriptome sequencing,differential gene expression analysis and functional enrichment analysis,we systematically compared gene expression profiles and potential functional differances of the testis-epididymis axis before and after sexual maturity.The results revealed that sexual maturity process significantly remodeled the transcriptomic landscape,leading to an increase in the number of differentially expressed(DE)mRNAs from 6 304 of ram lamb to 11 056 of mature ram between the testis and caput epididymidis,from 19 of ram lambs to 2 170 of mature rams between the caput and corpus epididymidis,and from 163 of ram lambs to 1 553 of mature rams between the corpus and cauda epididymidis,respectively,implying their roles in driving the functional partitioning of the epididymis.Functional enrichment analysis analyzedregion-specific regulatory signals:in the testis-to-caput epididymidis region,DE mRNAs were enriched in the AMPK/mTOR/HIF-1 signaling pathway,suggesting its role in coordinating energy metabolism reprogramming and hypoxic adaptation;in the caput-to-corpus epididymidis region,DE mRNAs were primarily enriched in sphingolipid metabolism,retinol metabolism and the Wnt signaling pathway,indicating their leading roles in sperm membrane maturation and epididymal microenvironment reshaping;in the corpus-to-cauda epididymidis region,DE mRNAs were enriched in pathways related to lipid metabolism,immune privilege and ion homeostasis,synergistically maintaining sperm in a quiescent storage state.These findings demonstrate that sexual maturity process induces regionally divergent transcriptomic expression along the testis-epididymis axis,thereby precisely regulating and ensuring sperm development,maturation,and storage in Tibetan sheep.关键词
藏绵羊/睾丸/附睾/转录组/精子成熟Key words
Tibetan sheep/testis/epididymis/transcriptome/sperm maturation分类
农业科技引用本文复制引用
李讨讨,王慧慧,刘子龙,李旭杰,施小丹,马友记..藏绵羊睾丸-附睾轴转录组区域化调控精子成熟的信号通路解析[J].黑龙江动物繁殖,2025,33(4):1-10,10.基金项目
国家自然科学基金项目(32202675) （32202675）
甘肃农业大学"伏羲青年英才培养计划"项目(Gaufx-05Y04) （Gaufx-05Y04）
甘肃农业大学学科团队项目(GAU-XKTD-2022-20) （GAU-XKTD-2022-20）
