Evidence from ileum and liver transcriptomes of resistance to high-salt and water-deprivation conditions in camel

Abstract

Camels have evolved various resistance characteristics adaptive to their desert habitats. In the present study, we used high-throughput sequencing to investigate stress-induced alternative splicing events as well as different genes involved in resistance to water deprivation and salt absorption in the ileum and liver in Camelus bactrianus. Through association analyses of mRNA, miRNA and lncRNA, we sought to explicate how camels respond to high salt and water scarcity conditions. There were two modes by which genes driven by alternative splicing were enriched to molecular functions, invoking of which was potentially fixed by organ and stress types. With qRT-PCR detection, the differentially expressed MUC6, AQP5, LOC105076960, PKP4, CDH11, TENM1, SDS, LOC105061856, PLIN2 and UPP2 were screened as functionally important genes, along with miR-29b, miR-484, miR-362-5p, miR-96, miR-195, miR-128 and miR-148a. These genes contributed to cellular stress resistance, for instance by reducing water loss, inhibiting excessive import of sodium, improving protective barriers and sodium ion homeostasis, and maintaining uridine content. The underlying competing endogenous RNAs referred to LNC001664, let-7e and LOC105076960 mRNA in ileum, and LNC001438, LNC003417, LNC001770, miR-199c and TENM1 mRNA in liver. Besides competent interpretation to resistance, there may be inspirations for curing human diseases triggered by high-salt intake.