Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Adipose Tissues Reveals that ECM-Receptor Interaction Is Involved in the Depot-Specific Adipogenesis in Cattle

Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals potentially novel roles of Homeobox genes in adipose deposition in fat-tailed sheep

Adipose tissues are phenotypically, metabolically and functionally heterogeneous based on the sites of their deposition. Undesirable fat deposits in the body are often detrimental to animal and human health. To unravel the potential underlying mechanisms governing accumulation of adipose tissues in various regions of the body, i.e., subcutaneous (SAT), visceral (VAT) and tail (TAT), we profiled transcriptomes from Tan sheep, a Chinese indigenous breed with notable fat tail using RNA-seq. Upon comparison, we identified a total of 1,058 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the three adipose types (218, 324, and 795 in SAT/VAT, SAT/TAT, and VAT/TAT, respectively), from which several known key players were identified that are involved in lipid metabolic process, Wnt signals, Vitamin A metabolism, and transcriptional regulation of adipocyte differentiation. We also found that many elevated genes in VAT were notably enriched for key biological processes such as cytokine secretion, signaling molecule interaction and immune systems. Several developmental genes including HOXC11, HOXC12 and HOXC13, and adipose-expressed genes in the tail region, such as HOTAIR_2, HOTAIR_3 and SP9 were specially highlighted, indicating their strong associations with tail fat development in fat-tailed sheep. Our results provide new insight into exploring the specific fat deposition in tail, also contribute to the understanding of differences between adipose depots.

Uncovering the embryonic development-related proteome and metabolome signatures in breast muscle and intramuscular fat of fast-and slow-growing chickens

Background

Skeletal muscle development is closely linked to meat production and its quality. This study is the first to quantify the proteomes and metabolomes of breast muscle in two distinct chicken breeds at embryonic day 12 (ED 12), ED 17, post-hatch D 1 and D 14 using mass spectrometry-based approaches.

Results

Results found that intramuscular fat (IMF) accumulation increased from ED 17 to D 1 and that was exactly the opposite of when most obvious growth of muscle occurred (ED 12 - ED 17 and D 1 - D 14). For slow-growing Beijing-You chickens, Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of 77–99 differential abundance (DA) proteins and 63–72 metabolites, indicated significant enrichment of molecules and pathways related to protein processing and PPAR signaling. For fast-growing Cobb chickens, analysis of 68–95 DA proteins and 56–59 metabolites demonstrated that molecules and pathways related to ATP production were significantly enriched after ED12. For IMF, several rate-limiting enzymes for beta-oxidation of fatty acid (ACADL, ACAD9, HADHA and HADHB) were identified as candidate biomarkers for IMF deposition in both breeds.

Conclusions

This study found that ED 17 - D 1 was the earliest period for IMF accumulation. Pathways related to protein processing and PPAR signaling were enriched to support high capacity of embryonic IMF accumulation in Beijing-You. Pathways related to ATP production were enriched to support the fast muscle growth in Cobb. The beta-oxidation of fatty acid is identified as the key pathway regulating chicken IMF deposition at early stages.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-017-4150-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Deciphering signature of selection affecting beef quality traits in Angus cattle

Artificial selection towards a desired phenotype/trait has modified the genomes of livestock dramatically that generated breeds that greatly differ in morphology, production and environmental adaptation traits. Angus cattle are among the famous cattle breeds developed for superior beef quality. This paper aimed at exploring genomic regions under selection in Angus cattle that are associated with meat quality traits and other associated phenotypes. The whole genome of 10 Angus cattle was compared with 11 Hanwoo (A-H) and 9 Jersey (A-J) cattle breeds using a cross-population composite likelihood ratio (XP-CLR) statistical method. The top 1% of the empirical distribution was taken as significant and annotated using UMD3.1. As a result, 255 and 210 genes were revealed under selection from A-H and A-J comparisons, respectively. The WebGestalt gene ontology analysis resulted in sixteen (A-H) and five (A-J) significantly enriched KEGG pathways. Several pathways associated with meat quality traits (insulin signaling, type II diabetes mellitus pathway, focal adhesion pathway, and ECM-receptor interaction), and feeding efficiency (olfactory transduction, tight junction, and metabolic pathways) were enriched. Genes affecting beef quality traits (e.g., FABP3, FTO, DGAT2, ACS, ACAA2, CPE, TNNI1), stature and body size (e.g., PLAG1, LYN, CHCHD7, RPS20), fertility and dystocia (e.g., ESR1, RPS20, PPP2R1A, GHRL, PLAG1), feeding efficiency (e.g., PIK3CD, DNAJC28, DNAJC3, GHRL, PLAG1), coat color (e.g., MC1-R) and genetic disorders (e.g., ITGB6, PLAG1) were found to be under positive selection in Angus cattle. The study identified genes and pathways that are related to meat quality traits and other phenotypes of Angus cattle. The findings in this study, after validation using additional or independent dataset, will provide useful information for the study of Angus cattle in particular and beef cattle in general.

Bioinformatics method identifies potential biomarkers of dilated cardiomyopathy in a human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocyte model

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the most common type of cardiomyopathy that account for the majority of heart failure cases. The present study aimed to reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms of DCM and provide potential biomarkers for detection of this condition. The public dataset of GSE35108 was downloaded, and 4 normal induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes (N samples) and 4 DCM iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (DCM samples) were utilized. Raw data were preprocessed, followed by identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between N and DCM samples. Crucial functions and pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs were investigated, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was conducted. Furthermore, a module network was extracted from the PPI network, followed by enrichment analysis. A set of 363 DEGs were identified, including 253 upregulated and 110 downregulated genes. Several biological processes (BPs), such as blood vessel development and vasculature development (FLT1 and MMP2), cell adhesion (CDH1, ITGB6, COL6A3, COL6A1 and LAMC2) and extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction pathway (CDH1, ITGB6, COL6A3, COL6A1 and LAMC2), were significantly enriched by these DEGs. Among them, MMP2, CDH1 and FLT1 were hub nodes in the PPI network, while COL6A3, COL6A1, LAMC2 and ITGB6 were highlighted in module 3 network. In addition, PENK and APLNR were two crucial nodes in module 2, which were linked to each other. In conclusion, several potential biomarkers for DCM were identified, such as MMP2, FLT1, CDH1, ITGB6, COL6A3, COL6A1, LAMC2, PENK and APLNR. These genes may serve significant roles in DCM via involvement of various BPs, such as blood vessel and vasculature development and cell adhesion, and the ECM-receptor interaction pathway.

General regulatory effects of hypoxia on human cartilage endplate‑derived stem cells: A genome‑wide analysis of differential gene expression and alternative splicing events

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration of is considered to be initiated by the degeneration of the cartilage endplate (CEP). CEP‑derived stem cells (CESCs) with the capacity for osteochondrogenic differentiation may be responsible for CEP cartilage restoration. As CEP is avascular and hypoxic, and hypoxia can greatly influence biological activities of stem cells, physiological hypoxia may serve important roles in regulating the physiological functions of CESCs. The aim of the present study was to investigate the mechanisms of hypoxia‑regulated CESCs fate by using the Human Transcriptome Array 2.0 system to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and alternatively spliced genes (ASGs) in CESCs cultured under hypoxic and normoxic conditions. The high‑throughput analysis of both DEGs and ASGs were notably enriched in the immune response signal, which so far has not been investigated in IVD cells, due to their avascular nature and low immunogenicity. The present results provided a referential study direction of the mechanisms of hypoxia‑regulated CESC fate at the level of gene expression and alternative splicing, which may aid in our understanding of the processes of CEP degeneration.

Genetic variation and genetic structure of five Chinese indigenous pig populations in Jiangsu Province revealed by sequencing data

In this study, we investigated the genetic variants, including SNPs and indels (short insertions or deletions, less than 50 bp in length), in the genomes and genetic structures of five pig populations (in the northern Taihu Lake region, Jiangsu Province) using the genotyping by genome reducing and sequencing (GGRS) approach. A total of 581 million good reads with an average depth of 11× and an average coverage of 2.16% were used to call variants. In general, 202 106 SNPs and 34 415 indels were obtained, of which 2690 SNPs and 224 indels were capable of inducing protein‐coding changes. The genes containing these variants were extracted for functional annotation. The results of gene enrichment analysis revealed that the SNPs under investigation may be associated with reproduction, disease resistance, meat quality and adipose tissue traits, whereas the indels were associated mainly with adipose tissue and disease. Analysis of the genetic structure showed that each population displayed comparable, large differentiations from the others, indicating their uniqueness. In conclusion, the results of our study provide the first genomic overview of the genetic variants and population structures of five Chinese indigenous pig populations.

Bioinformatics analysis of gene expression alterations in microRNA‑122 knockout mice with hepatocellular carcinoma

Reduced microRNA (miR)‑122 expression levels are frequently observed in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study was conducted to investigate potential targets of miR‑122 and determine the underlying regulatory mechanisms of miR‑122 in HCC development. The public dataset GSE31731 was utilized, consisting of 8 miR‑122 knockout (KO) mice (miR‑122 KO) and 8 age‑matched wild‑type mice (WT group). Following data preprocessing, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were selected, followed by enrichment analysis. A protein‑protein interaction (PPI) network was established, and a module network was further extracted. Combining the DEGs with microRNA targeting databases permitted the screening of the overlapping targets of miR‑122. Furthermore, previously reported genes were screened out by literature mining. Transcription factors (TFs) of the targets were subsequently investigated. DEGs between miR‑122 KO and WT groups were selected, including 713 upregulated and 395 downregulated genes. Of these, upregulated genes were enriched in cell cycle‑associated processes [including nucleolar and spindle associated protein 1 (NUSAP1)], the cytokine‑cytokine receptor interaction pathway [including C‑X‑C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) and C‑C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2)], and the extracellular matrix‑receptor interaction pathway [including integrin subunit alpha V (ITGAV)]. In addition, multiple overlapping targets were highlighted in the PPI network, including NUSAP1, CXCR4, CCR2 and ITGAV. Notably, CXCR4 and CCR2 were linked in module C, enriched in the cytokine‑cytokine receptor interaction pathway. Furthermore, upregulated sex determining region Y‑box 4 (SOX4) was identified as a TF. The results of the present study may provide a theoretical basis for further studies on the mechanisms of miR‑122 in the development of HCC.

Single nucleotide variants and InDels identified from whole-genome re-sequencing of Guzerat, Gyr, Girolando and Holstein cattle breeds

Whole-genome re-sequencing, alignment and annotation analyses were undertaken for 12 sires representing four important cattle breeds in Brazil: Guzerat (multi-purpose), Gyr, Girolando and Holstein (dairy production). A total of approximately 4.3 billion reads from an Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencer generated for each animal 10.7 to 16.4-fold genome coverage. A total of 27,441,279 single nucleotide variations (SNVs) and 3,828,041 insertions/deletions (InDels) were detected in the samples, of which 2,557,670 SNVs and 883,219 InDels were novel. The submission of these genetic variants to the dbSNP database significantly increased the number of known variants, particularly for the indicine genome. The concordance rate between genotypes obtained using the Bovine HD BeadChip array and the same variants identified by sequencing was about 99.05%. The annotation of variants identified numerous non-synonymous SNVs and frameshift InDels which could affect phenotypic variation. Functional enrichment analysis was performed and revealed that variants in the olfactory transduction pathway was over represented in all four cattle breeds, while the ECM-receptor interaction pathway was over represented in Girolando and Guzerat breeds, the ABC transporters pathway was over represented only in Holstein breed, and the metabolic pathways was over represented only in Gyr breed. The genetic variants discovered here provide a rich resource to help identify potential genomic markers and their associated molecular mechanisms that impact economically important traits for Gyr, Girolando, Guzerat and Holstein breeding programs.

A potential regulatory network underlying distinct fate commitment of myogenic and adipogenic cells in skeletal muscle

Mechanism controlling myo-adipogenic balance in skeletal muscle is of great significance for human skeletal muscle dysfunction and myopathies as well as livestock meat quality. In the present study, two cell subpopulations with particular potency of adipogenic or myogenic differentiation were isolated from neonatal porcine longissimus dorsi using the preplate method to detect mechanisms underlying distinct fate commitment of myogenic and adipogenic cells in skeletal muscle. Both cells share a common surface expression profile of CD29⁺CD31⁻CD34⁻CD90⁺CD105⁺, verifying their mesenchymal origin. A total of 448 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (FDR < 0.05 and |log₂ FC| ≥ 1) between two distinct cells were identified via RNA-seq, including 358 up-regulated and 90 down-regulated genes in myogenic cells compared with adipogenic cells. The results of functional annotation and enrichment showed that 42 DEGs were implicated in cell differentiation, among them PDGFRα, ITGA3, ITGB6, MLCK and MLC acted as hubs between environment information processing and cellular process, indicating that the interaction of the two categories exerts an important role in distinct fate commitment of myogenic and adipogenic cells. Particularly, we are first to show that up-regulation of intracellular Ca²⁺-MLCK and Rho-DMPK, and subsequently elevated MLC, may contribute to the distinct commitment of myogenic and adipogenic lineages via mediating cytoskeleton dynamics.

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

Background

Fatty 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.

Results

Differential 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.

Conclusion

Several 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 material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-016-3232-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Whole genome sequencing of Guzerá cattle reveals genetic variants in candidate genes for production, disease resistance, and heat tolerance

In bovines, artificial selection has produced a large number of breeds which differ in production, environmental adaptation, and health characteristics. To investigate the genetic basis of these phenotypical differences, several bovine breeds have been sequenced. Millions of new SNVs were described at every new breed sequenced, suggesting that every breed should be sequenced. Guzerat or Guzerá is an indicine breed resistant to drought and parasites that has been the base for some important breeds such as Brahman. Here, we describe the sequence of the Guzerá genome and the in silico functional analyses of intragenic breed-specific variations. Mate-paired libraries were generated using the ABI SOLiD system. Sequences were mapped to the Bos taurus reference genome (UMD 3.1) and 87% of the reference genome was covered at a 26X. Among the variants identified, 2,676,067 SNVs and 463,158 INDELs were homozygous, not found in any database searched, and may represent true differences between Guzerá and B. taurus. Functional analyses investigated with the NGS-SNP package focused on 1069 new, non-synonymous SNVs, splice-site variants (including acceptor and donor sites, and the conserved regions at both intron borders, referred to here as splice regions) and coding INDELs (NS/SS/I). These NS/SS/I map to 935 genes belonging to cell communication, environmental adaptation, signal transduction, sensory, and immune systems pathways. These pathways have been involved in phenotypes related to health, adaptation to the environment and behavior, and particularly, disease resistance and heat tolerance. Indeed, 105 of these genes are known QTLs for milk, meat and carcass, production, reproduction, and health traits. Therefore, in addition to describing new genetic variants, our approach provided groundwork for unraveling key candidate genes and mutations.

Transcriptomic Analyses of Adipocyte Differentiation From Human Mesenchymal Stromal-Cells (MSC)

Adipogenesis is a physiological process required for fat-tissue development, mainly involved in regulating the organism energetic-state. Abnormal distribution-changes and dysfunctions in such tissue are associated to different pathologies. Adipocytes are generated from progenitor cells, via a complex differentiating process not yet well understood. Therefore, we investigated differential mRNA and miRNA expression patterns of human mesenchymal stromal-cells (MSC) induced and not induced to differentiate into adipocytes by next (second)-generation sequencing. A total of 2,866 differentially expressed genes (101 encoding miRNA) were identified, with 705 (46 encoding miRNA) being upregulated in adipogenesis. They were related to different pathways, including PPARG, lipid, carbohydrate and energy metabolism, redox, membrane-organelle biosynthesis, and endocrine system. Downregulated genes were related to extracellular matrix and cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation. Analyses of mRNA-miRNA interaction showed that repressed miRNA-encoding genes can act downregulating PPARG-related genes; mostly the PPARG activator (PPARGC1A). Induced miRNA-encoding genes regulate downregulated genes related to TGFB1. These results shed new light to understand adipose-tissue differentiation and physiology, increasing our knowledge about pathologies like obesity, type-2 diabetes and osteoporosis. J. Cell. Physiol. 232: 771-784, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genomic Footprints in Selected and Unselected Beef Cattle Breeds in Korea

Korean Hanwoo cattle have been subjected to intensive artificial selection over the past four decades to improve meat production traits. Another three cattle varieties very closely related to Hanwoo reside in Korea (Jeju Black and Brindle) and in China (Yanbian). These breeds have not been part of a breeding scheme to improve production traits. Here, we compare the selected Hanwoo against these similar but presumed to be unselected populations to identify genomic regions that have been under recent selection pressure due to the breeding program. Rsb statistics were used to contrast the genomes of Hanwoo versus a pooled sample of the three unselected population (UN). We identified 37 significant SNPs (FDR corrected) in the HW/UN comparison and 21 known protein coding genes were within 1 MB to the identified SNPs. These genes were previously reported to affect traits important for meat production (14 genes), reproduction including mammary gland development (3 genes), coat color (2 genes), and genes affecting behavioral traits in a broader sense (2 genes). We subsequently sequenced (Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform) 10 individuals of the brown Hanwoo and the Chinese Yanbian to identify SNPs within the candidate genomic regions. Based on allele frequency differences, haplotype structures, and literature research, we singled out one non-synonymous SNP in the APP gene (APP: c.569C>T, Ala199Val) and predicted the mutational effect on the protein structure. We found that protein-protein interactions might be impaired due to increased exposed hydrophobic surfaces of the mutated protein. The APP gene has also been reported to affect meat tenderness in pigs and obesity in humans. Meat tenderness has been linked to intramuscular fat content, which is one of the main breeding goals for brown Hanwoo, potentially supporting a causal influence of the herein described nsSNP in the APP gene.

Integrated data mining of transcriptomic and proteomic datasets to predict the secretome of adipose tissue and muscle in ruminants

Adipose tissue and muscle are endocrine organs releasing signalling and mediator proteins termed adipokines and myokines. The identification of the complete set of proteins secreted by adipose tissue and muscle is a challenge to understand the molecular cross-talk between these tissues and to reveal potential targets to control body or muscle composition and metabolism.

The transcriptomic response to copper exposure in the digestive gland of Japanese scallops (Mizuhopecten yessoensis)

The present study was conducted to elucidate the effects of copper exposure on the immune system and lipid metabolism of the Japanese scallop, Mizuhopecten yessoensis. Transcriptional levels of differentially expressed genes (DEGs)in M. yessoensis digestive gland tissue were analyzed using the deep-sequencing platform Illumina HiSeq™ 2000. In total, 841 and 877 genes were identified as significantly up- or down-regulated, respectively. In addition, significant enrichment analysis identified 3 gene ontology terms and 15 pathways involved in the response to copper exposure. Analysis of transcripts related to the immune response revealed a complex pattern of innate recognition receptors, including toll-like receptors, NOD-like receptors and downstream pathway effectors, including those involved in apoptosis. Furthermore, genomic analysis revealed that genes involved in extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interactions were enriched in Cu-exposed scallop glands. These results will provide a resource for subsequent gene expression studies regarding heavy metal exposure and the identification of copper-sensitive biomarkers for the aquaculture of M. yessoensis.

Genomic Variants Revealed by Invariably Missing Genotypes in Nelore Cattle

High density genotyping panels have been used in a wide range of applications. From population genetics to genome-wide association studies, this technology still offers the lowest cost and the most consistent solution for generating SNP data. However, in spite of the application, part of the generated data is always discarded from final datasets based on quality control criteria used to remove unreliable markers. Some discarded data consists of markers that failed to generate genotypes, labeled as missing genotypes. A subset of missing genotypes that occur in the whole population under study may be caused by technical issues but can also be explained by the presence of genomic variations that are in the vicinity of the assayed SNP and that prevent genotyping probes from annealing. The latter case may contain relevant information because these missing genotypes might be used to identify population-specific genomic variants. In order to assess which case is more prevalent, we used Illumina HD Bovine chip genotypes from 1,709 Nelore (Bos indicus) samples. We found 3,200 missing genotypes among the whole population. NGS re-sequencing data from 8 sires were used to verify the presence of genomic variations within their flanking regions in 81.56% of these missing genotypes. Furthermore, we discovered 3,300 novel SNPs/Indels, 31% of which are located in genes that may affect traits of importance for the genetic improvement of cattle production.

Putative regulatory factors associated with intramuscular fat content

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content is related to insulin resistance, which is an important prediction factor for disorders, such as cardiovascular disease, obesity and type 2 diabetes in human. At the same time, it is an economically important trait, which influences the sensorial and nutritional value of meat. The deposition of IMF is influenced by many factors such as sex, age, nutrition, and genetics. In this study Nellore steers (Bos taurus indicus subspecies) were used to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in IMF content. This was accomplished by identifying differentially expressed genes (DEG), biological pathways and putative regulatory factors. Animals included in this study had extreme genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) for IMF. RNA-seq analysis, gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) and co-expression network methods, such as partial correlation coefficient with information theory (PCIT), regulatory impact factor (RIF) and phenotypic impact factor (PIF) were utilized to better understand intramuscular adipogenesis. A total of 16,101 genes were analyzed in both groups (high (H) and low (L) GEBV) and 77 DEG (FDR 10%) were identified between the two groups. Pathway Studio software identified 13 significantly over-represented pathways, functional classes and small molecule signaling pathways within the DEG list. PCIT analyses identified genes with a difference in the number of gene-gene correlations between H and L group and detected putative regulatory factors involved in IMF content. Candidate genes identified by PCIT include: ANKRD26, HOXC5 and PPAPDC2. RIF and PIF analyses identified several candidate genes: GLI2 and IGF2 (RIF1), MPC1 and UBL5 (RIF2) and a host of small RNAs, including miR-1281 (PIF). These findings contribute to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that underlie fat content and energy balance in muscle and provide important information for the production of healthier beef for human consumption.

An interpretive review of selective sweep studies in Bos taurus cattle populations: identification of unique and shared selection signals across breeds

This review compiles the results of 21 genomic studies of European Bos taurus breeds and thus provides a general picture of the selection signatures in taurine cattle identified by genome-wide selection-mapping scans. By performing a comprehensive summary of the results reported in the literature, we compiled a list of 1049 selection sweeps described across 37 cattle breeds (17 beef breeds, 14 dairy breeds, and 6 dual-purpose breeds), and four different beef-vs.-dairy comparisons, which we subsequently grouped into core selective sweep (CSS) regions, defined as consecutive signals within 1 Mb of each other. We defined a total of 409 CSSs across the 29 bovine autosomes, 232 (57%) of which were associated with a single-breed (Single-breed CSSs), 134 CSSs (33%) were associated with a limited number of breeds (Two-to-Four-breed CSSs) and 39 CSSs (9%) were associated with five or more breeds (Multi-breed CSSs). For each CSS, we performed a candidate gene survey that identified 291 genes within the CSS intervals (from the total list of 5183 BioMart-extracted genes) linked to dairy and meat production, stature, and coat color traits. A complementary functional enrichment analysis of the CSS positional candidates highlighted other genes related to pathways underlying behavior, immune response, and reproductive traits. The Single-breed CSSs revealed an over-representation of genes related to dairy and beef production, this was further supported by over-representation of production-related pathway terms in these regions based on a functional enrichment analysis. Overall, this review provides a comparative map of the selection sweeps reported in European cattle breeds and presents for the first time a characterization of the selection sweeps that are found in individual breeds. Based on their uniqueness, these breed-specific signals could be considered as “divergence signals,” which may be useful in characterizing and protecting livestock genetic diversity.

MYC is an early response regulator of human adipogenesis in adipose stem cells

Adipose stem cell (ASC) differentiation is necessary for the proper maintenance and function of adipose tissue. The procurement and characterization of multipotent ASCs has enabled investigation into the molecular determinants driving human adipogenesis. Here, the transcription factor MYC was identified as a significant regulator of ASC differentiation. Expression of MYC transcript and protein was found to accumulate during the initial course of differentiation. Loss-of-function analysis using siRNA mediated knockdown of MYC demonstrated inhibition of hormonally stimulated adipogenesis. MYC exhibited an early and sustained expression pattern that preceded down regulation of key suppressor genes, as well as induction of transcriptional and functional effectors. Glucocorticoid stimulation was identified as a necessary component for MYC induction and was found to impact adipogenesis in a concentration-dependent manner. Global gene expression analysis of MYC knockdown in ASC enriched for functional pathways related to cell adhesion, cytoskeletal remodeling, and transcriptional components of adipogenesis. These results identify a functional role for MYC in promotion of multipotent ASC to the adipogenic lineage.

Comparison of Metabolic Network between Muscle and Intramuscular Adipose Tissues in Hanwoo Beef Cattle Using a Systems Biology Approach

The interrelationship between muscle and adipose tissues plays a major role in determining the quality of carcass traits. The objective of this study was to compare metabolic differences between muscle and intramuscular adipose (IMA) tissues in the longissimus dorsi (LD) of Hanwoo (Bos taurus coreanae) using the RNA-seq technology and a systems biology approach. The LD sections between the 6th and 7th ribs were removed from nine (each of three cows, steers, and bulls) Hanwoo beef cattle (carcass weight of 430.2 ± 40.66 kg) immediately after slaughter. The total mRNA from muscle, IMA, and subcutaneous adipose and omental adipose tissues were isolated and sequenced. The reads that passed quality control were mapped onto the bovine reference genome (build bosTau6), and differentially expressed genes across tissues were identified. The KEGG pathway enrichment tests revealed the opposite direction of metabolic regulation between muscle and IMA. Metabolic gene network analysis clearly indicated that oxidative metabolism was upregulated in muscle and downregulated in IMA. Interestingly, pathways for regulating cell adhesion, structure, and integrity and chemokine signaling pathway were upregulated in IMA and downregulated in muscle. It is thus inferred that IMA may play an important role in the regulation of development and structure of the LD tissues and muscle/adipose communication.

Transcriptome profile analysis of adipose tissues from fat and short-tailed sheep

Recent studies in domestic animals have used RNA-seq to explore the transcriptome of different tissues in a limited number of individuals. In the present study, de novo transcriptome sequencing was used to compare sheep adipose tissue transcriptome profiles between a fat-tailed breed (Kazak sheep; KS) and a short-tailed (Tibetan sheep; TS). The RNA-seq data from these two groups revealed that 646 genes were differentially expressed between the KS and TS groups, including 280 up-regulated and 366 down-regulated genes. We identified genes relevant to fat metabolism in adipose tissues, including two top genes with the largest fold change (NELL1 and FMO3). Pathway analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes between the KS and TS breeds belong to fatty acid metabolism relevant pathways (e.g. fat digestion and absorption, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism) and cell junction-related pathways (e.g. cell adhesion molecules) which contribute to fat deposition. This work highlighted potential genes and gene networks that affect fat deposition and meat quality in sheep.

Construction of pancreatic cancer double-factor regulatory network based on chip data on the transcriptional level

Transcription factor (TF) and microRNA (miRNA) have been discovered playing crucial roles in cancer development. However, the effect of TFs and miRNAs in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis remains vague. We attempted to reveal the possible mechanism of pancreatic cancer based on transcription level. Using GSE16515 datasets downloaded from gene expression omnibus database, we first identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in pancreatic cancer by the limma package in R. Then the DEGs were mapped into DAVID to conduct the kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. TFs and miRNAs that DEGs significantly enriched were identified by Fisher's test, and then the pancreatic cancer double-factor regulatory network was constructed. In our study, total 1117 DEGs were identified and they significantly enriched in 4 KEGG pathways. A double-factor regulatory network was established, including 29 DEGs, 24 TFs, 25 miRNAs. In the network, LAMC2, BRIP1 and miR155 were identified which may be involved in pancreatic cancer development. In conclusion, the double-factor regulatory network was found to play an important role in pancreatic cancer progression and our results shed new light on the molecular mechanism of pancreatic cancer.