Transcriptome analysis demonstrates that long noncoding RNA is involved in the hypoxic response in Larimichthys crocea

The large yellow croaker ( Larimichthys crocea ) has low hypoxia tolerance compared with other fish species, and the mRNA levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in its brain do not change markedly under hypoxic conditions. In this study, we investigated noncoding transcription in the hypoxic response mechanism of L . crocea . We generated a catalog of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) from the brain of L . crocea individuals under hypoxic stress, investigated lncRNA expression patterns, and analyzed the HIF signaling pathway by RNA sequencing. Prolyl hydroxylase domain 2 ( PHD2 ) expression significantly increased after 6 and 12 h of hypoxia, and a lncRNA (Linc_06633.1) was found in the upstream, antisense region of PHD2 . Linc_06633.1 may be an important regulator that promotes PDH2 expression under hypoxia in L . crocea , and we constructed a regulatory profile of L . crocea under hypoxic conditions. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study that has been conducted on hypoxia signaling pathway regulation by lncRNAs in L . crocea and elucidates the role played by lncRNAs in the regulation of the hypoxia stress response in teleost fish.