ACTA VETERINARIA ET ZOOTECHNICA SINICA ›› 2017, Vol. 48 ›› Issue (3): 403-415.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2017.03.003

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Effects of MC4R Gene Silencing on Gene Expression in Bovine Fibroblast Cells

HUANG Meng1# , XIAN Ming1# , SHI Ming-yan2, CHEN Yan1, ZHANG Lu-pei1, GAO Hui-jiang1, LI Jun-ya1, XU Shang-zhong1* , GAO Xue1*   

  1. (1.Institute of Animal Science, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China; 2. College of Life Science, Luoyang Normal University, Luoyang 471022, China)
  • Received:2016-06-20 Online:2017-03-23 Published:2017-03-23

Abstract:

The study aimed to investigate the effect of MC4R gene silencing on gene expression in bovine fibroblast,further reveal the relationship between MC4R gene and carcass quality, energy balance and energy metabolism in beef cattle. Bovine fibroblasts with MC4R-knockdown were used for this study. Differentially expressed genes between experimental group (MC4R knockdown) and control group (MC4R non-knockdown) were identified by deep sequencing. GO annotation cluster analysis and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis were performed to enrich the differentially expressed genes involving in energy metabolism, fat transport processes and their regulation pathway. For validating the reliability of RNA-sequencing, mRNA expression of 10 differentially expressed genes randomly selected were validated by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Moreover, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the targeted genes were tested by the bovine SNP microarray, and SNP-based genotypes were tested for the 136 Simmental cattle. On the basis of genotyped data, further association analysis between SNP and carcass traits were carried out using PLINK software. 7 799 differentially expressed genes in MC4R knockdown cells were detected using deep sequencing, including 1 703 up-regulated genes and 6 096 down-regulated genes. Significant GO annotation analysis identified 265 differentially expressed genes involving in energy metabolism and fat transport processes from 2 different MC4R knockdown level groups. Function cluster analysis further screened out 29 genes associated with the energy metabolism. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the 265 differentially expressed genes were involved in 40 different signaling pathways. Of which, MC4R gene and other 4 genes (Leptin, AGRP, NPY and POMC) closely associated with the energy metabolism regulation were all involved in the adiponectin signaling pathway. And, MC4R knockdown significantly influenced the expression of 22 genes in this pathway. As the qRT-PCR data, mRNA expression of the 10 genes (up-regulated genes: CFB, RSAD2, IFIT3, CHI3L1 and BOLA-N; down-regulated genes: UPK1B, IER2, LASS3, TGFβ3 and AXUD1) showed non-significant difference with the results of RNA-sequencing, which was proved that the results of deep sequencing were accurate and reliable. 16 SNPs were detected from 11 genes by the bovine 50 K SNP microarray. The association analysis between SNPs and carcass traits showed that TGFβ3 gene on chromosome 10 significant influenced the eye muscle area, carcass weight, thickness of the waist and thigh meat and striploin weight of Simmental cattle (P<0.05), while extremely significantly influenced the eye meat weight and tendorloin weight (P<0.01). The RHOJ gene on chromosome 10 also had a significant influence on the eye muscle area of Simmental cattle (P<0.05). The KRT17 gene on chromosome 19 and VCAN gene on chromosome 7 could significantly affect the meat shearing force of Simmental cattle (P<0.05 and P<0.01, respectively). Additionally, MASP1 gene on chromosome 1 significantly influenced the meat color (P<0.05).The results indicate that MC4R knockdown significantly influence the expression of genes involving in the processes of energy metabolism, protein metabolism, fat metabolism and energy homeostasis regulation, further MC4R gene regulate the energy balance, fat metabolism and carcass characteristics in beef cattle.

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