DNA Demethylation of Myogenic Genes May Contribute to Embryonic Leg Muscle Development Differences between Wuzong and Shitou Geese

Abstract

Skeletal muscle development from embryonic stages to hatching is critical for poultry muscle growth, during which DNA methylation plays a vital role. However, it is not yet clear how DNA methylation affects early embryonic muscle development between goose breeds of different body size. In this study, whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) was conducted on leg muscle tissue from Wuzong (WZE) and Shitou (STE) geese on embryonic day 15 (E15), E23, and post-hatch day 1. It was found that at E23, the embryonic leg muscle development of STE was more intense than that of WZE. A negative correlation was found between gene expression and DNA methylation around transcription start sites (TSSs), while a positive correlation was observed in the gene body near TTSs. It was also possible that earlier demethylation of myogenic genes around TSSs contributes to their earlier expression in WZE. Using pyrosequencing to analyze DNA methylation patterns of promoter regions, we also found that earlier demethylation of the MyoD1 promoter in WZE contributed to its earlier expression. This study reveals that DNA demethylation of myogenic genes may contribute to embryonic leg muscle development differences between Wuzong and Shitou geese.

The Integration of Genome-Wide DNA Methylation and Transcriptomics Identifies the Potential Genes That Regulate the Development of Skeletal Muscles in Ducks

“…The production of meat and meat quality influenced by skeletal muscles are important economic traits in duck breeding [11,18]. The development of skeletal muscles during the embryonic period determines the number and type of muscle fibers in poultry [3,9,19]. The process of muscle fiber hypertrophy to maturity that occurs at the terminal stage of embryonic development is undoubtedly crucial [4].…”

“…DNA methylation has important effects on meat quality between Chinese indigenous pig breeds and Western commercial pig breeds, which provides a unique model for analyzing the regulation of DNA methylation in meat quality [8]. Muscle regulatory factors (MRFs) are responsible for myogenesis, including the directional differentiation of myoblast cells into myotubes, the formation of myofibers, and the regulation of the expression of musclespecific genes [9][10][11]. The growth, maintenance, and regeneration of skeletal muscles involve widespread epigenetic reprogramming, and the DNA methylation-mediated regulation of MRFs is required for myoblast cell differentiation [5].…”

“…A recent study revealed that DNA methylation plays a crucial role in porcine prenatal myogenesis and the postnatal growth of skeletal muscles [14]. An early study revealed that the DNA demethylation of myogenic genes contributed to the developmental differences in leg muscle (LM) between Wuzong and Shitou geese at the embryonic stage [9].…”

Transcriptome Data Revealed the circRNA–miRNA–mRNA Regulatory Network during the Proliferation and Differentiation of Myoblasts in Shitou Goose

“…For instance, two native goose breeds in Guangdong Province, the Shitou goose and the Wuzong goose, have attracted considerable attention due to substantial differences in body size. Specifically, at the marketable age, the weight of the Shitou goose can surpass four times that of the Wuzong goose [13,14]. It is noteworthy that recent studies have demonstrated the regulatory role of non-coding RNAs in various stages of skeletal muscle development [15,16].…”

Elucidating the Role of Transcriptomic Networks and DNA Methylation in Collagen Deposition of Dezhou Donkey Skin

“…For instance, studies by Zhang et al utilized DNA methylation and transcriptome sequencing technologies to identify differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and genes (DEGs) associated with intramuscular fat deposition in chickens [28]. Another study by Zhang et al integrated genome-wide methylation and transcriptome analysis to investigate the methylation and gene expression profiles in goose leg muscle tissues, revealing that DNA demethylation of myogenic genes may contribute to variations in leg muscle development among embryonic geese [29].…”