Gene expression differences in Longissimus muscle of Nelore steers genetically divergent for residual feed intake

Abstract

Residual feed intake (RFI), a measure of feed efficiency (FE), is defined as the difference between the observed and the predictable feed intake considering size and growth of the animal. It is extremely important to beef production systems due to its impact on the allocation of land areas to alternative agricultural production, animal methane emissions, food demand and cost of production. Global differential gene expression analysis between high and low RFI groups (HRFI and LRFI: less and more efficient, respectively) revealed 73 differentially expressed (DE) annotated genes in Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of Nelore steers. These genes are involved in the overrepresented pathways Metabolism of Xenobiotics by Cytochrome P450 and Butanoate and Tryptophan Metabolism. Among the DE transcripts were several proteins related to mitochondrial function and the metabolism of lipids. Our findings indicate that observed gene expression differences are primarily related to metabolic processes underlying oxidative stress. Genes involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics and antioxidant mechanisms were primarily down-regulated, while genes responsible for lipid oxidation and ketogenesis were up-regulated in HRFI group. By using LT muscle, this study reinforces our previous findings using liver tissue and reveals new genes and likely tissue-specific regulators playing key-roles in these processes.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase (scd1a) is epigenetically regulated by broodstock nutrition in gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata)

“…Collectively, these results point out that scd1a expression contributes to mitigate the signs of n-3 LC-PUFA deficiencies, but at the same time, that it is very important to limit its up-regulation to avoid the dysregulation of hepatic metabolism and the lipotoxic effects of excessive fat accumulation. In agreement with this notion, targeted disruption of the mice Scd1 gene reduced body adiposity and provide resistance to diet-induced weight gain [77], as well as reduced fat accumulation in liver [33], and among livestock, lower SCD1 expression have been associated with fed efficiency and lean growth in cattle [78]. However, the relationship between SCD1 expression and fat accumulation in humans remains controversial, as vary between obese and lean subjects [79], and between carbohydrate-rich [73] and high-fat diets [80].…”

Metabolomic networks and pathways associated with feed efficiency and related-traits in Duroc and Landrace pigs

“…Oxidative stress reprograms lipid metabolism increasing the mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation 31 . Butanoate metabolism was also found to be enriched for differentially expressed genes in Nelore cattle muscle for RFI 32 . In our study, we found acetoacetate as the hub metabolite responsible for butanoate metabolism related to TDG in Duroc TP2 ( Supplementary Table S3).…”

Genes associated with body weight gain and feed intake identified by meta-analysis of the mesenteric fat from crossbred beef steers

“…A specific example of this includes the UQCRQ gene, which was identified as differentially expressed in the muscle tissue from these animals and displayed the same direction of expression in all cohorts [5]. Oxidative stress has been proposed in many other studies as a factor that affects feed efficiency in swine, poultry, and beef cattle [25][26][27][28][29][30].…”