Identification of long non-coding RNAs in the chalkbrood disease pathogen Ascospheara apis

• Published in: Journal of invertebrate pathology Vol. 156; pp. 1 - 5
• Main Authors: Guo, Rui, Chen, Dafu, Xiong, Cuiling, Hou, Chunsheng, Zheng, Yanzhen, Fu, Zhongmin, Diao, Qingyun, Zhang, Lu, Wang, Hongquan, Hou, Zhixian, Li, Wendong, Kumar, Dhiraj, Liang, Qin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-07-2018
• Subjects: Ascospheara apis; Chalkbrood; Honeybee larvae; Long non-coding RNA; Chalkbrood; Honeybee larvae; Ascospheara apis; Long non-coding RNA
• ISSN: 0022-2011; 1096-0805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2018.06.001

•We predicted 379 lncRNAs using RNA sequencing and bioinformatic methods.•The existence of 15 lncRNAs was validated via RT-PCR.•These lncRNAs had lower expression levels than adjacent protein-coding genes.
Ascospheara apis is a widespread fungal pathogen that exclusively invades honeybee larvae. Thus far, non-coding RNA in A. apis has not yet been documented. In this study, we sequenced A. apis using strand specific cDNA library construction and Illumina RNA sequencing methods, and identified 379 lncRNAs, including antisense lncRNAs, lincRNAs, intronic lncRNAs and sense lncRNAs. Additionally, these lncRNAs were found to be shorter in length and have fewer exons and transcript isoforms than protein-coding genes, similar to those identified in mammals and plants. Furthermore, the existence of 15 predicted lncRNAs of A. apis was confirmed using RT-PCR and expression levels of 11 were lower than those of adjacent protein-coding genes. Our findings not only enlarge the lncRNA database for fungi, but also lay a foundation for further investigation of potential lncRNA-mediated regulation of genes in A. apis.