Expression and regulation of lncRNAs in the testes of Yili geese with high and low sperm motility

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important role in the regulation of sperm motility and are involved in maintaining sperm functions by influencing processes such as spermatogenesis, metabolism, motility, and the response to oxidative stress. In this study, transcriptome sequencing technology was used to perform lncRNA sequencing on the testes of Yili geese with high and low sperm motility. Combined with bioinformatics analysis, RT-qPCR and other detection techniques, this study deeply explored and identified the genes and lncRNA functions that affect the sperm motility of Yili geese. In this study, 5 male Yili geese with high sperm motility and 5 with low sperm motility were selected. High-throughput sequencing was then performed on the cDNA libraries constructed from their testicular tissues. A total of 41,308 novel lncRNAs were identified in Yili goose testicular tissues. Comparative analysis between the high sperm motility group and low sperm motility group revealed 2,760 differentially expressed lncRNAs, including 1,565 upregulated and 1,195 downregulated lncRNAs. The general characteristics of lncRNAs are as follows: The average length of lncRNAs was shorter than that of mRNAs, the lncRNAs had fewer exons on average compared to mRNAs., and the average open reading frame (ORF) length of lncRNAs was shorter than that of mRNAs. Prediction of target genes for lncRNAs with high and low sperm motility differences between testes, including 260 genes that are position related and 445 genes that are gene expression related. Enrichment analysis of predicted target genes revealed that they were mainly concentrated in biological processes such as ion channel activity, metabolic processes, and immune processes, with a total of 310 genes enriched in pathways related to spermatogenesis function and energy metabolism. Through constructing a differential lncRNA-mRNA regulatory network, it is suggested that seven core regulatory factors, including LINC23234-CCDC122, LINC19247-Grxcr1, and LINC1214-Cep83, may play important roles in testicular development and sperm motility traits. This study provides a preliminary dataset and identifies candidate lncRNAs and their potential target genes associated with sperm motility in Yili geese. These findings offer a basis for future functional studies aimed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying male reproductive performance in geese.