The mechanisms underlying yak adaptation to high-altitude environments have been investigated using various methods, but no report has focused on long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). In the present study, lncRNAs were screened from the gluteus transcriptomes of yak and their transcriptional levels were compared with those in Sanjiang cattle, Holstein cattle and Tibetan cattle. The potential target genes of the differentially expressed lncRNAs between species/strains were predicted using cis and trans models. Based on cis-regulated target genes, no KEGG pathway was significantly enriched. Based on trans-regulated target genes, 11 KEGG pathways in relation to energy metabolism and three KEGG pathways associated with muscle contraction were significantly enriched. Compared with cattle strains, transcriptional levels of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, acyl-CoA-binding protein, 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase were relatively higher and those of glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, phosphoglycerate mutase 1, pyruvate kinase and lactate/malate dehydrogenase were relatively lower in yak, suggesting that yaks activated fatty acid oxidation but inhibited glucose oxidation and glycolysis. Besides, NADH dehydrogenase and ATP synthase showed lower transcriptional levels in yak than in cattle, which might protect muscle tissues from deterioration caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Compared with cattle strains, the higher transcriptional level of glyoxalase in yak might contribute to dicarbonyl stress resistance. Voltage-dependent calcium channel/calcium release channel showed a lower level in yak than in cattle strains, which could reduce the Ca²⁺ influx and subsequently decrease the risk of hypertension. However, levels of EF-hand and myosin were higher in yak than in cattle strains, which might enhance the negative effects of reduced Ca²⁺ on muscle contraction. Overall, the present study identified lncRNAs and proposed their potential regulatory functions in yak.

已经使用多种方法研究了牛适应高海拔环境的机制，但是没有报道集中在长的非编码RNA（lncRNA）上。在本研究中，从of牛的谷氨酸转录组中筛选了lncRNA，并将其转录水平与三江牛，荷斯坦牛和藏牛的转录水平进行了比较。使用顺式和反式模型预测物种/菌株之间差异表达的lncRNA的潜在靶基因。基于顺式调节的靶基因，没有KEGG途径被显着富集。基于反式调控的靶基因，与能量代谢有关的11条KEGG途径和与肌肉收缩相关的3条KEGG途径被显着丰富。与牛品系相比，酰基辅酶A脱氢酶，酰基辅酶A结合蛋白，3-羟酰基辅酶A脱氢酶的转录水平相对较高，而甘油醛3-磷酸脱氢酶，磷酸甘油酸突变酶1，丙酮酸激酶和乳酸/苹果酸脱氢酶的转录水平较高。 in牛相对较低，表明lower牛可以激活脂肪酸氧化，但可以抑制葡萄糖氧化和糖酵解。此外，NA牛的NADH脱氢酶和ATP合酶的转录水平低于牛，这可能保护肌肉组织免受活性氧（ROS）引起的退化。与牛株相比 牛中乙二醛酶的较高转录水平可能有助于抗二羰基胁迫。电压依赖性钙通道/钙释放通道的牛水平低于牛品系，这可能会降低钙²⁺大量涌入，从而降低患高血压的风险。然而，牛的EF-手和肌球蛋白水平高于牛品系，这可能会增强Ca ²⁺减少对肌肉收缩的负面影响。总的来说，本研究鉴定了lncRNA，并提出了其在牛中的潜在调控功能。