Abstract：The aim of this study is to detect the expression of microRNA(miR)-27b in skeletal muscle development in goats(Capra hircus), and explore the roles of miR-27b in muscle development. Real-time quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the miR-27b expression in the longissimus dorsi muscle from the skeletal muscle tissues of different stages (neonate, 6 and 12 months) in Anhui White and Boer goats(C.hircus). Meanwhile, the expression of miR-27b in various tissues of 6 months goats was detected. And the conservation of miR-27b in different varieties was analysed by MEGA3.1. The miR-27b differential expression in skeletal muscle development exhibited different expression patterns between Anhui White and Boer goats. The expression level in longissimus dorsi muscle from 12 months goats was the highest, while, the expression level in neonate was the lowest. In 6 months goats, miR-27b was abundantly expressed in longissimus dorsi muscle and heart, moderately in liver and kidney, and weakly in other collected tissues. The results indicated that miR-27b may be involved in myofibril proliferation and differentiation and further contribute to skeletal muscle development and muscle phenotype with different genotypes, and the miR-27b was conservative in 10 different species. The expression of miR-27b has tissue and time specific, and the present result provides the theory base for study of miR-27b function.
