Altered fibrinogen level and fibrin clot structure in myostatin homozygous mutant pig

Identification of the FGB gene polymorphism and analysis of its association with fat deposition traits in Hu sheep

As a crucial economic trait, fat deposition is directly related to carcass quality and feed efficiency in sheep. The purpose of this study was to investigate the polymorphisms of the FGB gene related to fat deposition and detect the expression features of the FGB gene in different adipose tissues of sheep by using Sanger sequencing, MassARRAY® SNP technique, and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Results showed that in the intron region of the FGB gene, a SNP g. 3378953 A > T has been identified, and significant association was found between perirenal fat weight, perirenal fat relative weight, mesenteric fat weight, and mesenteric fat relative weight (P < 0.05). Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis showed that FGB was expressed in all three adipose tissues, and FGB gene expression level in the AA genotype was significantly lower than that in the AT or TT genotypes (P < 0.05). Therefore, the FGB gene can be used as a candidate gene to reduce fat deposition in Hu sheep breeding, and the selection of the AA genotype in Hu sheep in production practice is more conducive to improving production efficiency.

RNA sequencing analysis revealed differentially expressed genes and their functional annotation in porcine longissimus dorsi muscle affected by dietary lysine restriction

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary lysine restriction on the global gene expression profile of skeletal muscle in growing pigs. Twelve crossbred (Yorkshire × Landrace) barrows (initial BW 22.6 ± 2.04 kg) were randomly assigned to two dietary treatments (LDD: a lysine-deficient diet; LAD: a lysine-adequate diet) according to a completely randomized experiment design (n = 6). After feeding for 8 weeks, skeletal muscle was sampled from the longissimus dorsi of individual pigs. The muscle total RNA was isolated and cDNA libraries were prepared for RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis. The RNA-Seq data obtained was then analyzed using the CLC Genomics Workbench to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A total of 80 genes (padj ≤ 0.05) were differentially expressed in the longissimus dorsi muscle of the pigs fed LDD vs. LAD, of which 46 genes were downregulated and 34 genes were upregulated. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis of the DEGs (padj ≤ 0.05) for functional annotation identified those GO terms that are mostly associated with the molecular functions of structural molecules and metabolic enzymes (e.g., oxidoreductase and endopeptidase), biological process of acute-phase response, and amino acid metabolism including synthesis and degradation in the extracellular matrix region. Collectively, the results of this study have provided some novel insight regarding the molecular mechanisms of muscle growth that are associated with dietary lysine supply.

When Less Is More: Targeting the Myostatin Gene in Livestock for Augmenting Meat Production

How to increase meat production is one of the main questions in animal breeding. Selection for improved body weight has been made and, due to recent genomic advances, naturally occurring variants that are responsible for controlling economically relevant phenotypes have been revealed. The myostatin (MSTN) gene, a superstar gene in animal breeding, was discovered as a negative controller of muscle mass. In some livestock species, natural mutations in the MSTN gene could generate the agriculturally desirable double-muscling phenotype. However, some other livestock species or breeds lack these desirable variants. Genetic modification, particularly gene editing, offers an unprecedented opportunity to induce or mimic naturally occurring mutations in livestock genomes. To date, various MSTN-edited livestock species have been generated using different gene modification tools. These MSTN gene-edited models have higher growth rates and increased muscle mass, suggesting the high potential of utilizing MSTN gene editing in animal breeding. Additionally, post-editing investigations in most livestock species support the favorable influence of targeting the MSTN gene on meat quantity and quality. In this Review, we provide a collective discussion on targeting the MSTN gene in livestock to further encourage its utilization opportunities. It is expected that, shortly, MSTN gene-edited livestock will be commercialized, and MSTN-edited meat will be on the tables of ordinary customers.