Construction and Functional Analysis of the ceRNA Regulatory Network Associated with Muscle Development in Shaanbei White Cashmere Goats

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are known to play regulatory roles in various biological processes, including muscle growth and development. However, their specific roles in the myogenesis of cashmere goats have not been well understood. To address this gap, our study aimed to explore the transcriptomic features of lncRNAs during muscle formation in cashmere goats and identify key lncRNAs involved in this process. We utilized RNA-seq technology to profile lncRNAs at four distinct stages of longissimus dorsi muscle development in cashmere goats: 120 days of fetal age, 1 month, 3 months, and 10 months. Our analysis detected a total of 3480 lncRNAs, including 1141 novel ones. Through a bioinformatics analysis and experimental validation, we focused on a novel lncRNA, designated MSTRG.5182.1, which appears to have significant regulatory functions in cashmere goat myogenesis. We found that downregulating MSTRG.5182.1 inhibits myocyte proliferation and promotes myocyte differentiation. Moreover, knocking down MSTRG.5182.1 affects muscle growth and development by modulating the chi-miR-424-5p/<i>IKBKG</i> signaling pathway. Our study provides an expression profile of lncRNAs during cashmere goat muscle formation and highlights the key role of MSTRG.5182.1 in myogenesis via the chi-miR-424-5p/<i>IKBKG</i> pathway. These findings are crucial for elucidating the molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying muscle development in cashmere goats and hold significant implications for molecular breeding and meat quality improvement in this species.