Comprehensive analysis of miRNA profiles reveals the role of Schistosoma japonicum miRNAs at different developmental stages

Schistosomiasis is an important zoonotic disease affecting up to 40 kinds of animals and 250 million people. It has been reported that the miRNAs play a role in the metabolism, differentiation, development and reproduction in many organisms. However, the roles of miRNAs regulating the development, maturation and production in schistosome in both females and males remains unclear. Here we present the dynamic transcriptome analysis of all 79 known Schistosoma japonicum miRNAs from pairing to production, including 14 days post-infection (dpi), 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28 dpi female and male, by small RNA sequencing. The miRNA expression profiles showed time-related characteristics in male and female from paring to production, which could be clustered into three patterns, characterized by pairing stage highly expressed (cluster 1), maturating stage highly expressed (cluster 2), and egg producing stage highly expressed (cluster 3). The enrichment of miRNA cluster targeted genes in female and male were distinctly different. Network analysis of miRNAs and their target regulation showed that cluster 1 had 15 miRNAs involved in the regulation of interaction, communication, immune response in female–male and parasite–host. The other 11 miRNAs were involved in gender differentiation and the meiotic cell cycle process. In cluster 2, 11 miRNAs were involved in development and sexual maturation. In cluster 3, 45 miRNAs possibly regulate metabolism and synthesis of the substance for egg production. Analysis of the miRNA regulation network would contribute to understanding the molecular mechanism in S. japonicum development and egg production.