Chicken skin transcriptome during embryonic development

Avian species have a unique integument covered with feathers during development. It''s morphogenesis is completed before hatching, which is a very complex process. So far, most studies focus on a single developmental point and stage. Fewer studies analyze the whole transcriptome based on the time-course of embryo skin and feather development. In order to global analyze the change of gene expression profiles, we have sequenced the transcriptome of skins from day 6 to day 21 of incubation. 5830 different expressed genes (DEGs) are identified during feather morphogenesis. Hierarchical clustering showed that E6 to E14 is the critical period of feather follicle morphogenesis. According the function analysis of DEGs and KEGG, two kinds of Wnt signaling pathways (a canonical pathway and a noncanonical pathway) were crucial to feather morphogenesis. These are regulated by different inhibitors and ligands during embryonic development. Specifically, the noncanonical pathway inhibits the canonical pathway by specific antagonists during different stages of embryonic development to control feather follicle and feather growth. These analyses shed light on the relationship between genetic basis of feather morphogenesis and feather morphology during embryonic development.

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