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In the current study, RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used to identify the changing patterns of Alligator sinesis DGs at different timepoints from the 31st embryonic day (E31) to the newly hatched 1st day (NH1). A comprehensive transcriptional changes of differentially expression gene (DEGs) involved in the melanogenesis, cholesterol metabolism, and cell apoptosis pathways suggested that the DG might serves as a functional secretory gland in formation, transport and deposition of pigment, and lipids secretion via lysosomal exocytosis. Furthermore, the remarkable immunohistochemical staining of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2)-positive signals in the basilar cells, in parallel with the immuno-reactive TdT-mediated dUTP nick-End labeling(TUNEL) within suprabasal cells, provided direct molecular evidence supporting for the speculation that DG serves as a holocrine secretion mode. Finally, subsequent phylogenetic and immunohistochemical analysis for the PITX2, the identified DEGs in the RNA-seq, was helpful to further elucidate the transcriptional regulatory mechanism of candidate genes. In conclusion, the current results are of considerable importance in enriching our understanding of the intrinsic relationship between the skin derivatives and lifestyles of newborn Alligator sinesis.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/life12111787","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,4]],"date-time":"2022-11-04T09:19:33Z","timestamp":1667553573000},"page":"1787","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":5,"title":["RNA-Sequencing Analysis of Gene-Expression Profiles in the Dorsal Gland of Alligator sinensis at Different Time Points of Embryonic and Neonatal Development"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"12","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-2332-6391","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Haitao","family":"Nie","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yuqian","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shulong","family":"Duan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ying","family":"Zhang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yunlu","family":"Xu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jixiang","family":"Zhan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yue","family":"Wen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Xiaobing","family":"Wu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of the Conservation and Exploitation of Biological Resources, College of Life Sciences, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,11,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"46","DOI":"10.1186\/s12983-018-0294-5","article-title":"Morphological and biochemical characterization of the cutaneous poison glands in toads (Rhinella marina group) from different environments","volume":"15","author":"Antoniazzi","year":"2018","journal-title":"Front. 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