Transcriptome Sequencing of Guilan Native Cow in Comparison with bosTau4 Reference Genome

RNA-sequencing is a new method of transcriptome characterization of organisms. Based on identity and relatedness, there are large genetic variations among different cattle breeds. The goal of the current study was to sequence the transcriptome of Guilan native cow and compare with available reference genome using RNA-sequencing method. Blood samples were collected from 14 Guilan native cows and then were pooled with same ratios of 3 micrograms per sample. Sequencing of the pooled sample was carried out using Illumina Hiseq 2000 from both end and 100 base pair of reading length. Tophat2 software was used to align the reads with reference genome and identify splice junctions and insertions and deletions. Cufflinks software was used to assemble transcripts and calculate their abundances. Total numbers of sequenced RNA fragments were 28434708 and the overall reading map was 87.4 percent. Total numbers of expressed genes were 24616 genes, which 19994 genes from these were protein coding genes and 3825 genes were non-coding. Adenosine triphosphate synthase 6 (ATP6) and ribosomal protein, large, P1 (RPLP1) genes showed the highest abundances of all expressed genes. The majority of highly expressed genes were involved in ribosomal structures and translational activities; moreover, they were belonging to housekeeping genes. The current study is a report of leukocytes transcriptome sequencing of Guilan native cow which have been not reported, so far. As Guilan native cow has the biggest population among all native populations in Iran, such studies could help to evaluate the genetic potential of this high precise genetic resource in Western Asia.