长非编码RNA（lncRNAs）在脊椎动物的器官发育中扮演着重要角色，但其功能尚不清晰。文昌鱼是开展脊椎动物器官胚胎发育分子机制研究的理想模式动物。在本项目中，我们将在前期研究基础上，以文昌鱼胚胎为研究载体，围绕脊椎动物神经系统胚胎发育中lncRNAs的作用这一重要科学问题，结合新一代测序技术及生物信息学技术，绘制出10个文昌鱼胚胎发育关键时期的非编码RNA（ncRNAs）表达图谱；发现和鉴定文昌鱼胚胎发育过程中的lncRNA基因及其表达模式；构建和分析lncRNA-编码基因相互作用网络；发现与神经系统胚胎发育关联的lncRNAs；选取若干关键lncRNAs，开展理论分析和动物实验验证。本项目将：（1）为深入探索lncRNAs在脊椎动物器官，尤其是神经系统，胚胎发育的分子基础研究提供数据支持及线索；（2）发表3-5篇高水平研究论文；（3）培养一批研究生。

The long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are acknowledged to play crucial role in tissue/organ development. However, their exact functions in development have not been fully and dynamically explored yet. Amphioxus is the idea invertibrate animal model for exploring vertibrate organ development. Previously, we have realized laboratory culture of amphioxus and tempature-control of their spawn. As well, computational work flows were built to assemble and annotate RNA-seq based transcriptomes. Here, we propose to determine amphioxus transcriptomes under 10 key embryonic development stages using next generation sequencing (NGS). Upon these development-serial transcriptome data, computational strategies will be introduced to identify the lncRNAs and their expression patterns in different development stages. Furthermore, lncRNA-gene interaction network will be constructed for extracting key lncRNAs that are associated with development of nerve system. Experimental validation will be carried out on selected lncRNAs. It is expected that the outcome of our project will: (1) provide a global and dynamic view of lncRNA expression profiles during amphioxus embryo nerve system development; and (2) offer molecular clues for further investigation of lncRNA roles in vertebrate nerve system development.