<i>De Novo</i>Transcriptome Assembly and Differential Gene Expression Profiling of Three<i>Capra hircus</i>Skin Types during Anagen of the Hair Growth Cycle

This study utilized Illumina/Solexa sequencing technology to de novo assemble 130 million mRNA-Seq reads into 49,115 contigs from goat skin during the anagen phase of the hair growth cycle. Approximately 45% of these contigs were annotated as known proteins, suggesting some may have uncharacterized functions. Functional classification indicated that metabolic activities were predominant, and several signaling pathways related to hair follicle and shaft formation were identified. Gene expression profiling across three skin types revealed about 6,300 differentially expressed contigs, primarily associated with cell cycle and division. The findings provided a substantial contig catalogue and identified genes for further exploration of their roles in hair biology.