Gene expression profile of intramuscular muscle in Nellore cattle with extreme values of fatty acid

Abstract

BackgroundFatty acid type in beef can be detrimental to human health and has received considerable attention in recent years. The aim of this study was to identify differentially expressed genes in longissimus thoracis muscle of 48 Nellore young bulls with extreme phenotypes for fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat by RNA-seq technique.ResultsDifferential expression analyses between animals with extreme phenotype for fatty acid composition showed a total of 13 differentially expressed genes for myristic (C14:0), 35 for palmitic (C16:0), 187 for stearic (C18:0), 371 for oleic (C18:1, cis-9), 24 for conjugated linoleic (C18:2 cis-9, trans11, CLA), 89 for linoleic (C18:2 cis-9,12 n6), and 110 genes for α-linolenic (C18:3 n3) fatty acids. For the respective sums of the individual fatty acids, 51 differentially expressed genes for saturated fatty acids (SFA), 336 for monounsaturated (MUFA), 131 for polyunsaturated (PUFA), 92 for PUFA/SFA ratio, 55 for ω3, 627 for ω6, and 22 for ω6/ω3 ratio were identified. Functional annotation analyses identified several genes associated with fatty acid metabolism, such as those involved in intra and extra-cellular transport of fatty acid synthesis precursors in intramuscular fat of longissimus thoracis muscle. Some of them must be highlighted, such as: ACSM3 and ACSS1 genes, which work as a precursor in fatty acid synthesis; DGAT2 gene that acts in the deposition of saturated fat in the adipose tissue; GPP and LPL genes that support the synthesis of insulin, stimulating both the glucose synthesis and the amino acids entry into the cells; and the BDH1 gene, which is responsible for the synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies used in the synthesis of ATP.ConclusionSeveral genes related to lipid metabolism and fatty acid composition were identified. These findings must contribute to the elucidation of the genetic basis to improve Nellore meat quality traits, with emphasis on human health. Additionally, it can also contribute to improve the knowledge of fatty acid biosynthesis and the selection of animals with better nutritional quality.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3232-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Identification of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism and Pathway Analysis of Apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5) Related to Fatty Acid Traits in Indonesian Sheep

“…PPAR gamma is related to cell cycle withdrawal and promotes myocyte/adipocyte differentiation to enhance blood glucose uptake (Ehrenborg et al, 2009;Kertsen et al, 2008;Berger et al, 2002). Berton et al (2016) studying RNA seq in Nellore cattle identified the PPAR signaling pathway as the most significantly overrepresented pathway involved in fatty acid composition, suggesting that PPAR would also play a key role in controlling fatty acid metabolism.…”

Genetic Factors that Determine the Meat Fatty Acids Composition

“…In a recent study, Berton et al [50] analyzed the gene expression proile of intramuscular muscle in Nelore catle with extreme values of faty acid and identiied several genes associated with faty acid metabolism, such as those involved in intra-and extra-cellular transport of faty acid synthesis precursors in intramuscular fat of longissimus thoracis muscle. The authors found some genes that play important traits on the metabolic pathways of faty acids, such as precursors in the synthesis of faty acids (CSM3 (Chromosome segregation in meiosis protein 3) and ACSS1); deposition of saturated fat in adipose tissue (DGAT2); support in insulin synthesis, stimulating both glucose synthesis and the entry of amino acids into cells (GPP and LPL); and synthesis and degradation of ketone bodies used in the synthesis of ATP (BDH1).…”

“…Some studies have been carried out to evaluate gene expression patern in catle for faty acid composition and also identiied genomic regions and metabolic pathways involved in those process, aiming to improve the beef faty acid proile. In this sense, Berton et al [50] studied the gene expression proile in Nelore catle with extreme phenotypes for intramuscular faty acid composition, found the ACSM3 (acyl-CoA synthetase medium-chain family member 3) gene as diferentially expressed for linoleic, monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, saturated, and omega-3 acids, participates in the metabolism of lipids and in metabolic pathways that involves the precursor acetyl-CoA metabolism. Also, the ACSS1 (acyl-CoA synthetase short-chain family member 1) gene acts in the transformation of acetyl-CoA into faty acids, through chemical reactions and metabolic pathways involving acetyl-CoA, being diferentially expressed (q < 0.05), for saturated faty acids such as palmitic, stearic, oleic, and total saturated acids.…”

Skeletal muscle and liver gene expression profiles in finishing steers supplemented with Amaize

“…This suggests that FABP1 plays a critical role in the biological actions of lipid metabolism and peroxisome proliferators. BDH1 , another gene in liver, catalyzes the final step of ketogenesis through utilization of acetoacetate for synthesis of d ‐3‐hydroxybutyrate, which provides a source of energy obtained from fatty acid oxidation in liver to peripheral tissues (Berton et al., ). Therefore, the downregulation of hepatic FABP1 and BDH1 genes in Amaize‐fed steers is suggestive of a reduction in lipid metabolism and ketogenesis in the liver.…”