Comparative analysis of differentially abundant proteins between high and low intramuscular fat content groups in donkeys

Abstract

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is an important regulator that determines meat quality, and its content is closely related to flavor, tenderness, and juiciness. Many studies have used quantitative proteomic analysis to identify proteins associated with meat quality traits in livestock, however, the potential candidate proteins that influence IMF in donkey muscle are not fully understood. In this study, we performed quantitative proteomic analysis, with tandem-mass-tagged (TMT) labeling, with samples from the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of the donkey. A total of 585,555 spectra were identified from the six muscle samples used in this study. In total, 20,583 peptides were detected, including 15,279 unique peptides, and 2,540 proteins were identified. We analyzed differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) between LD muscles of donkeys with high (H) and low (L) IMF content. We identified 30 DAPs between the H and L IMF content groups, of which 17 were upregulated and 13 downregulated in the H IMF group. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis of these DAPs revealed many GO terms (e.g., bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor binding) and pathways (e.g., Wnt signaling pathway and Hippo signaling pathway) involved in lipid metabolism and adipogenesis. The construction of protein–protein interaction networks identified 16 DAPs involved in these networks. Our data provide a basis for future investigations into candidate proteins involved in IMF deposition and potential new approaches to improve meat quality in the donkey.

Exploring Genetic Markers: Mitochondrial DNA and Genomic Screening for Biodiversity and Production Traits in Donkeys

“…The study identifies several candidate genes (MPD4, RPS6KA6, LPAR4, GLP2R, BRWD3, MAGT1, ZDHHC15, and CYSLTR1) and signaling pathways (P13K-Akt signaling pathway, Rap1 signaling pathway, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, calcium signaling pathway, phospholipase D signaling pathway, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions) associated with these traits and provides insights into the genetic basis of body size in donkeys. Along the same lines, a study launched a comparative analysis of differentially abundant proteins in high-and lowintramuscular-fat-content groups in donkeys to identify proteins associated with meat quality traits [72]. They found several proteins (RPL27A, SPAG8, RPL27A, TPM1, MBP, and PRMT3) to be associated with intramuscular fat content and provided insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying meat quality traits in donkeys.…”