Effects of tung oilseed FAD2 and DGAT2 genes on unsaturated fatty acid accumulation in Rhodotorula glutinis and Arabidopsis thaliana

Acyl-CoA-dependent and acyl-CoA-independent avocado acyltransferases positively influence oleic acid content in nonseed triacylglycerols

In higher plants, acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) and phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (PDAT) catalyze the terminal step of triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis in acyl-CoA-dependent and -independent pathways, respectively. Avocado (Persea americana) mesocarp, a nonseed tissue, accumulates significant amounts of TAG (~70% by dry weight) that is rich in heart-healthy oleic acid (18:1). The oil accumulation stages of avocado mesocarp development coincide with high expression levels for type-1 DGAT (DGAT1) and PDAT1, although type-2 DGAT (DGAT2) expression remains low. The strong preference for oleic acid demonstrated by the avocado mesocarp TAG biosynthetic machinery represents lucrative biotechnological opportunities, yet functional characterization of these three acyltransferases has not been explored to date. We expressed avocado PaDGAT1, PaDGAT2, and PaPDAT1 in bakers' yeast and leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana. PaDGAT1 complemented the TAG biosynthesis deficiency in the quadruple mutant yeast strain H1246, and substantially elevated total cellular lipid content. In vitro enzyme assays showed that PaDGAT1 prefers oleic acid compared to palmitic acid (16:0). Both PaDGAT1 and PaPDAT1 increased the lipid content and elevated oleic acid levels when expressed independently or together, transiently in N. benthamiana leaves. These results indicate that PaDGAT1 and PaPDAT1 prefer oleate-containing substrates, and their coordinated expression likely contributes to sustained TAG synthesis that is enriched in oleic acid. This study establishes a knowledge base for future metabolic engineering studies focused on exploitation of the biochemical properties of PaDGAT1 and PaPDAT1.

Genome-Wide Identification of Membrane-Bound Fatty Acid Desaturase Genes in Three Peanut Species and Their Expression in Arachis hypogaea during Drought Stress

As a crop irrigated primarily by rain, the quality and yield of peanuts are significantly limited by drought. To date, many studies have indicated that fatty acid desaturase (FAD) genes enhance plant tolerance to drought stresses. In this study, 16, 15, and 31 FADs were identified in Arachis duranensis, Arachis ipaensis, and Arachis hypogaea, respectively. All the FADs were divided into four subfamilies, which had relatively conserved gene structures, motifs, and domains. The synteny relationships and chromosomal position analysis showed that the FADs in subgenome pairs, A. duranensis-A. hypogaea (AA) and A. ipaensis-A. hypogaea (BB), were homologous, and their physical locations were consistent. The Ka/Ks results indicated that nine FAD genes underwent a purifying selection, and Ah|FAD3.2 experienced positive selection during tetraploid peanut speciation. Various cis-acting elements related to hormone signaling and stress responsiveness in promoters and the predicted miRNA targeting Ah|FADs suggested that these genes play crucial roles in drought tolerance. The expression profiles of Ah|FADs in 22 tissues and drought-tolerant and -sensitive cultivars under drought stress suggested that 4 and 6 FADs were putative genes related to oil accumulation and drought, respectively. These findings will help provide insight into the potential functional roles of the FAD genes, which may aid in dealing with plant drought stress.

24-Epibrassinolide Promotes Fatty Acid Accumulation and the Expression of Related Genes in Styrax tonkinensis Seeds

Styrax tonkinensis, whose seeds are rich in unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), is a high oil value tree species, and the seed oil has perfect biodiesel properties. Therefore, the elucidation of the effect of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) on fatty acid (FA) concentration and the expression of FA biosynthesis-related genes is critical for deeply studying the seed oil in S. tonkinensis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changing trend of FA concentration and composition and identify candidate genes involved in FA biosynthesis under EBL treatment using transcriptome sequencing and GC-MS. The results showed that 5 μmol/L of EBL (EBL5) boosted the accumulation of FA and had the hugest effect on FA concentration at 70 days after flowering (DAF). A total of 20 FAs were identified; among them, palmitic acid, oleic acid, linoleic acid, and linolenic acid were the main components. In total, 117,904 unigenes were detected, and the average length was 1120 bp. Among them, 1205 unigenes were assigned to ‘lipid translations and metabolism’ in COG categories, while 290 unigenes were assigned to ‘biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acid’ in KEGG categories. Twelve important genes related to FA biosynthesis were identified, and their expression levels were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. KAR, KASIII, and accA, encoding FA biosynthesis-related enzymes, all expressed the highest at 70 DAF, which was coincident with a rapid rise in FA concentration during seed development. FAD2 and FATB conduced to UFA and saturated fatty acids (SFA) accumulation, respectively. EBL5 induced the expression of FA biosynthesis-related genes. The concentration of FA was increased after EBL5 application, and EBL5 also enhanced the enzyme activity by promoting the expression of genes related to FA biosynthesis. Our research could provide a reference for understanding the FA biosynthesis of S. tonkinensis seeds at physiological and molecular levels.

Acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase: Properties, physiological roles, metabolic engineering and intentional control

Acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT, EC 2.3.1.20) catalyzes the last reaction in the acyl-CoA-dependent biosynthesis of triacylglycerol (TAG). DGAT activity resides mainly in membrane-bound DGAT1 and DGAT2 in eukaryotes and bifunctional wax ester synthase-diacylglycerol acyltransferase (WSD) in bacteria, which are all membrane-bound proteins but exhibit no sequence homology to each other. Recent studies also identified other DGAT enzymes such as the soluble DGAT3 and diacylglycerol acetyltransferase (EaDAcT), as well as enzymes with DGAT activities including defective in cuticular ridges (DCR) and steryl and phytyl ester synthases (PESs). This review comprehensively discusses research advances on DGATs in prokaryotes and eukaryotes with a focus on their biochemical properties, physiological roles, and biotechnological and therapeutic applications. The review begins with a discussion of DGAT assay methods, followed by a systematic discussion of TAG biosynthesis and the properties and physiological role of DGATs. Thereafter, the review discusses the three-dimensional structure and insights into mechanism of action of human DGAT1, and the modeled DGAT1 from Brassica napus. The review then examines metabolic engineering strategies involving manipulation of DGAT, followed by a discussion of its therapeutic applications. DGAT in relation to improvement of livestock traits is also discussed along with DGATs in various other eukaryotic organisms.

Genome-Wide Characterization of DGATs and Their Expression Diversity Analysis in Response to Abiotic Stresses in Brassica napus

Triacylglycerol (TAG) is the most important storage lipid for oil plant seeds. Diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGATs) are a key group of rate-limiting enzymes in the pathway of TAG biosynthesis. In plants, there are three types of DGATs, namely, DGAT1, DGAT2 and DGAT3. Brassica napus, an allotetraploid plant, is one of the most important oil plants in the world. Previous studies of Brassica napus DGATs (BnaDGATs) have mainly focused on BnaDGAT1s. In this study, four DGAT1s, four DGAT2s and two DGAT3s were identified and cloned from B. napus ZS11. The analyses of sequence identity, chromosomal location and collinearity, phylogenetic tree, exon/intron gene structures, conserved domains and motifs, and transmembrane domain (TMD) revealed that BnaDGAT1, BnaDGAT2 and BnaDGAT3 were derived from three different ancestors and shared little similarity in gene and protein structures. Overexpressing BnaDGATs showed that only four BnaDGAT1s can restore TAG synthesis in yeast H1246 and promote the accumulation of fatty acids in yeast H1246 and INVSc1, suggesting that the three BnaDGAT subfamilies had greater differentiation in function. Transcriptional analysis showed that the expression levels of BnaDGAT1s, BnaDGAT2s and BnaDGAT3s were different during plant development and under different stresses. In addition, analysis of fatty acid contents in roots, stems and leaves under abiotic stresses revealed that P starvation can promote the accumulation of fatty acids, but no obvious relationship was shown between the accumulation of fatty acids with the expression of BnaDGATs under P starvation. This study provides an extensive evaluation of BnaDGATs and a useful foundation for dissecting the functions of BnaDGATs in biochemical and physiological processes.

Lipid production by oleaginous yeasts

Microbial lipid production has been studied extensively for years; however, lipid metabolic engineering in many of the extraordinarily high lipid-accumulating yeasts was impeded by inadequate understanding of the metabolic pathways including regulatory mechanisms defining their oleaginicity and the limited genetic tools available. The aim of this review is to highlight the prominent oleaginous yeast genera, emphasizing their oleaginous characteristics, in conjunction with diverse other features such as cheap carbon source utilization, withstanding the effect of inhibitory compounds, commercially favorable fatty acid composition-all supporting their future development as economically viable lipid feedstock. The unique aspects of metabolism attributing to their oleaginicity are accentuated in the pretext of outlining the various strategies successfully implemented to improve the production of lipid and lipid-derived metabolites. A large number of in silico data generated on the lipid accumulation in certain oleaginous yeasts have been carefully curated, as suggestive evidences in line with the exceptional oleaginicity of these organisms. The different genetic elements developed in these yeasts to execute such strategies have been scrupulously inspected, underlining the major types of newly-found and synthetically constructed promoters, transcription terminators, and selection markers. Additionally, there is a plethora of advanced genetic toolboxes and techniques described, which have been successfully used in oleaginous yeasts in the recent years, promoting homologous recombination, genome editing, DNA assembly, and transformation at remarkable efficiencies. They can accelerate and effectively guide the rational designing of system-wide metabolic engineering approaches pinpointing the key targets for developing industrially suitable yeast strains.

Transcriptomic and Physiological Analysis Reveal That α-Linolenic Acid Biosynthesis Responds to Early Chilling Tolerance in Pumpkin Rootstock Varieties

Climate changes especially chilling stress affects cucurbit crops during winter seasonal production. Grafting to pumpkin rootstocks is widely used to improve the vigor of cucurbits, especially cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants, in the face of chilling stress. In our study, multi-disciplinary aspect approaches were used to investigate growth changes of pumpkin under chilling stress. Firstly, the morphological and physiological characteristics of 14 pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata) varieties following different periods of chilling stress was analyzed by using physiological means. Mathematical results of principal component analysis (PCA) with chlorophyll-a, chlorophyll-b, carotenoid contents, chilling injury index and relative electrolyte permeability indicated that relative electrolyte permeability as the primary judgment index was best associated with the comparison of chilling tolerance in pumpkin rootstock varieties. Then, transcriptomic and DCMU (Diuron) application and chlorophyll fluorescence examination analysis of pumpkin leaves revealed that 390 Cucurbita moschata differentially expressed genes (CmoDEGs) that affect photosynthesis were upregulated in leaves. 127 CmoDEGs both in leaves and roots were enriched for genes involved in unsaturated fatty acid metabolism, suggesting that plasma membrane lipids are involved in chilling perception. The results of increased composition of unsaturated fatty acid in leaves and qRT-PCR analysis of relative mRNA abundance confirmed that α-linolenic acid biosynthesis was responding to pumpkin chilling tolerance. The integration of physiological, mathematical bioinformatical and biological analysis results contributes to our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying chilling tolerance and its improvement in cucumber grafted on pumpkin rootstocks. It provided an important theoretical basis and reference for further understanding on the impact of climate change on plant physiological changes.

Recent advances in lipid metabolic engineering of oleaginous yeasts

With the increasing demand to develop a renewable and sustainable biolipid feedstock, several species of non-conventional oleaginous yeasts are being explored. Apart from the platform oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, the understanding of metabolic pathway and, therefore, exploiting the engineering prospects of most of the oleaginous species are still in infancy. However, in the past few years, enormous efforts have been invested in Rhodotorula, Rhodosporidium, Lipomyces, Trichosporon, and Candida genera of yeasts among others, with the rapid advancement of engineering strategies, significant improvement in genetic tools and techniques, generation of extensive bioinformatics and omics data. In this review, we have collated these recent progresses to make a detailed and insightful summary of the major developments in metabolic engineering of the prominent oleaginous yeast species. Such a comprehensive overview would be a useful resource for future strain improvement and metabolic engineering studies for enhanced production of lipid and lipid-derived chemicals in oleaginous yeasts.

Characterization of diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 from Idesia polycarpa and function analysis

Idesia polycarpa is an oil-producing tree native to China and Northeast Asia. The fruits of I. polycarpa which are named oil grape are unique in that they contain large amounts saturated and unsaturated lipids. Diacylglycerol acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) is a key enzyme catalyzing the final step of triacylglyceride (TAG) synthesis. However, expression and bioinformatics of DGAT2 in I. polycarpa are still blank. In order to further understand the lipogenesis of oil grape, we contrasted seven various growth periods fruits from seed formation to seed maturation. Lipid accumulation rates and final lipid content were significantly different among the different periods. We cloned and characterized the DGAT2 gene from fruits of I. polycarpa. A partial fragment of 239 bp of IpDGAT2 was amplified by PCR. We cloned the open-reading frame (ORF) of IpDGAT2 by RACE technique. The ORF of IpDGAT2 contains 984 bp and encodes 327 amino acids. The qPCR analysis manifested that IpDGAT2 was expressed in all oil grape growing periods and expression was highest on September 20 (seed maturation). In I. polycarpa fruits the expression of IpDGAT2 was positively correlated with the lipid accumulation rates. Rhodotorula glutinis expression analysis showed that IpDGAT2 have a diacylglycerol acyltransferase bio-functional. Heterologous expression of the 35S::IpDGAT2 in Arabidopsis thaliana confirmed that the isolated IpDGAT2 could catalyze lipid synthesis. The lipid content increased by 40 % in transgenic plants relative to the control. which suggests that high lipid content fruits can be created by the overexpression of IpDGAT2 in I. polycarpa.

Circ09863 Regulates Unsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolism by Adsorbing miR-27a-3p in Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells

Fatty acid composition plays a key role in regulating flavor and quality of milk. Therefore, in order to improve milk quality, it is particularly important to investigate regulatory mechanisms of milk fatty acid metabolism. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) regulate expression genes associated with several biological processes including fatty acid metabolism. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to detect differentially expressed genes in bovine mammary tissue at early lactation and peak lactation. Circ09863 profiles were influenced by the lactation stage. Functional studies in bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) revealed that circ09863 promotes triglyceride (TAG) synthesis together with increased content of unsaturated fatty acids (C16:1 and C18:1). These results suggested that circ09863 is partly responsible for modulating fatty acid metabolism. Additionally, software prediction identified a miR-27a-3p binding site in the circ09863 sequence. Overexpression of miR-27a-3p in BMECs led to decreased TAG synthesis. However, overexpression of circ09863 (pcDNA-circ09863) in BMECs significantly reduced expression of miR-27a-3p and enhanced gene expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN), a target of miR-27a-3p. Overall, data suggest that circ09863 relieves the inhibitory effect of miR-27a-3p on FASN expression by binding miR-27a-3p and subsequently regulating TAG synthesis and fatty acid composition. Together, these mechanisms provide new research avenues and theoretical bases to improve milk quality.

Transcriptome analysis of metabolic pathways associated with oil accumulation in developing seed kernels of Styrax tonkinensis, a woody biodiesel species

BACKGROUND

Styrax tonkinensis (Pierre) Craib ex Hartwich has great potential as a woody biodiesel species having seed kernels with high oil content, excellent fatty acid composition and good fuel properties. However, no transcriptome information is available on the molecular regulatory mechanism of oil accumulation in developing S. tonkinensis kernels.

RESULTS

The dynamic patterns of oil content and fatty acid composition at 11 time points from 50 to 150 days after flowering (DAF) were analyzed. The percent oil content showed an up-down-up pattern, with yield and degree of unsaturation peaking on or after 140 DAF. Four time points (50, 70, 100, and 130 DAF) were selected for Illumina transcriptome sequencing. Approximately 73 million high quality clean reads were generated, and then assembled into 168,207 unigenes with a mean length of 854 bp. There were 5916 genes that were differentially expressed between different time points. These differentially expressed genes were grouped into 9 clusters based on their expression patterns. Expression patterns of a subset of 12 unigenes were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Based on their functional annotation through the Basic Local Alignment Search Tool and publicly available protein databases, specific unigenes encoding key enzymes, transmembrane transporters, and transcription factors associated with oil accumulation were determined. Three main patterns of expression were evident. Most unigenes peaked at 70 DAF, coincident with a rapid increase in oil content during kernel development. Unigenes with high expression at 50 DAF were associated with plastid formation and earlier stages of oil synthesis, including pyruvate and acetyl-CoA formation. Unigenes associated with triacylglycerol biosynthesis and oil body development peaked at 100 or 130 DAF.

CONCLUSIONS

Transcriptome changes during oil accumulation show a distinct temporal trend with few abrupt transitions. Expression profiles suggest that acetyl-CoA formation for oil biosynthesis is both directly from pyruvate and indirectly via acetaldehyde, and indicate that the main carbon source for fatty acid biosynthesis is triosephosphate originating from phosphohexose outside the plastid. Different sn-glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases are implicated in diacylglycerol biosynthesis at early versus late stages of oil accumulation. Triacylglycerol biosynthesis may be accomplished by both diacylglycerol and by phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferases.

Comparative transcriptomic analysis of high- and low-oil Camellia oleifera reveals a coordinated mechanism for the regulation of upstream and downstream multigenes for high oleic acid accumulation

Tea oil camellia (Camellia oleifera) is an important woody oil tree in southern China. However, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms that contribute to high oleic acid accumulation in tea oil camellia. Herein, we measured the oil content and fatty acid compositions of high- and low-oil tea oil camellia seeds and investigated the global gene expression profiles by RNA-seq. The results showed that at the early, second and third seed developmental stages, a total of 64, 253, and 124 genes, respectively, were significantly differentially expressed between the high- and low-oil cultivars. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of the identified differentially expressed transcription factors (TFs; ABI3, FUS3, LEC1, WRI1, TTG2 and DOF4.6) revealed some critical GO terms associated with oil biosynthesis and fatty acid accumulation, including glycolysis, zinc ion binding, positive regulation of fatty acid biosynthetic process, triglyceride biosynthetic process, seed coat development, abscisic acid-mediated signaling pathway and embryo development. Comprehensive comparisons of transcriptomic profiles and expression analysis of multigenes based on qRT-PCR showed that coordinated high expression of the upstream genes HAD, EAR and KASI directly increased the relative levels of C16:0-ACP, which provided enough precursor resources for oleic acid biosynthesis. Continuous high expression of the SAD gene accelerated oleic acid synthesis and accumulation, and coordinated low expression of the downstream genes FAD2, FAD3, FAD7, FAD8 and FAE1 decreased the consumption of oleic acid for conversion. The coordinated regulation of these multigenes ensures the high accumulation of oleic acid in the seeds of tea oil camellia. Our data represent a comprehensive transcriptomic study of high- and low-oil tea oil camellia, not only increasing the number of sequences associated with lipid biosynthesis and fatty acid accumulation in public resource databases but also providing a scientific basis for genetic improvement of the oleic acid content in woody oil trees.

Identification and function analysis of a type 2 diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT2) from the endosperm of coconut (Cocos nucifera L.)

Coconut (Cocos nucifera L.) is one of the most characteristic plants of tropical areas. Coconut oil and its derivatives have been widely used in various industries. In this paper, a type 2 diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT2), which is one of the key enzymes involved in triacylglycerol (TAG) biosynthesis, was first characterized in coconut pulp (endosperm). The results indicated that CoDGAT2 was highly expressed in coconut pulp approximately 7 months after pollination. The heterologous expression of CoDGAT2 in the mutant yeast H1246 restored TAG biosynthesis in the yeast, which exhibited substrate preference for two unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), palmitoleic acid (C16:1) and oleic acid (C18:1). Moreover, the seed-specific overexpression of CoDGAT2 in Arabidopsis thaliana led to a significant increase in the linoleic acid (C18:2) content (approximately 6%) compared with that in the wild type. In contrast, the proportions of eicosadienoic acid (C20:1) and arachidic acid (C20:0) were decreased. These results offer new insights on the function of CoDGAT2 in coconut and provide a novel molecular target for lipid genetic modification to change the fatty acid (FA) composition of oils.

Research Progress in Membrane Lipid Metabolism and Molecular Mechanism in Peanut Cold Tolerance

Early sowing has been extensively used in high-latitude areas to avoid drought stress during sowing; however, cold damage has become the key limiting factor of early sowing. To relieve cold stress, plants develop a series of physiological and biochemical changes and sophisticated molecular regulatory mechanisms. The biomembrane is the barrier that protects cells from injury as well as the primary place for sensing cold signals. Chilling tolerance is closely related to the composition, structure, and metabolic process of membrane lipids. This review focuses on membrane lipid metabolism and its molecular mechanism, as well as lipid signal transduction in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) under cold stress to build a foundation for explicating lipid metabolism regulation patterns and physiological and molecular response mechanisms during cold stress and to promote the genetic improvement of peanut cold tolerance.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals an Efficient Mechanism of α-Linolenic Acid in Tree Peony Seeds

Tree peony (Paeonia section Moutan DC.) species are woody oil crops with high unsaturated fatty acid content, including α-linolenic acid (ALA/18:3; >40% of the total fatty acid). Comparative transcriptome analyses were carried out to uncover the underlying mechanisms responsible for high and low ALA content in the developing seeds of P. rockii and P. lutea, respectively. Expression analysis of acyl lipid metabolism genes revealed upregulation of select genes involved in plastidial fatty acid synthesis, acyl editing, desaturation, and triacylglycerol assembly in seeds of P. rockii relative to P. lutea. Also, in association with ALA content in seeds, transcript levels for fatty acid desaturases (SAD, FAD2, and FAD3), which encode enzymes necessary for polyunsaturated fatty acid synthesis, were higher in P. rockii compared to P. lutea. Furthermore, the overexpression of PrFAD2 and PrFAD3 in Arabidopsis increased linoleic and ALA content, respectively, and modulated the final ratio 18:2/18:3 in the seed oil. In conclusion, we identified the key steps and validated the necessary desaturases that contribute to efficient ALA synthesis in a woody oil crop. Together, these results will aid to increase essential fatty acid content in seeds of tree peonies and other crops of agronomic interest.

The FAD2 Gene in Plants: Occurrence, Regulation, and Role

Vegetable oils rich in oleic acid are more desirable than oils rich in polyunsaturated and saturated fatty acids. The biological switch of oleic acid to linoleic acid is facilitated by fatty acid desaturase 2 enzyme that is further classified into FAD2-1, FAD2-2, FAD2-3, and FAD2-4. The genes coding these enzymes have high sequence similarity, but differ mostly in their expression patterns. The seed-type FAD2 genes had evolved independently after segregation by duplication from constitutively expressed FAD2 genes. Temperature, light and wounding effectively regulate FAD2 expression in plants. FAD2 genes are expressed differently in different tissues of the plant, and the over-expression of FAD2 modifies physiological and vegetative characteristics. The activity of FAD2 leads to an increase in the content of dienoic fatty acids, and hence increases the resistance toward cold and salt stress. The thorough study of the FAD2 gene is important for understanding the expression, regulation and mechanism that will help in improving the quality of oil and stress resistance in plants.

Characterization of long non-coding RNA transcriptome in high-energy diet induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis minipigs

Today, obesity and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis are a worldwide epidemic, although how these syndromes are regulated with respect to lncRNAs remains largely unknown. Our previous studies have revealed important pathological features and molecular characteristics of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis in the minipig model, and in this study, we analyze the features of lncRNAs and their potential target genes. Minipig samples only from liver were analyzed using next-generation deep sequencing. In total, we obtained 585 million raw reads approximately 70.4 Gb of high quality data. After a strict five-step filtering process, 1,179 lncRNAs were identified, including 89 differentially expressed lncRNAs (P < 0.05) in the experiment group relative to the control group. The cis and trans analysis identified target genes that were enriched for specific GO terms (P < 0.01), including immune processes, chemokine activity, cytokine activity, and G-protein coupled receptor binding, which are closely related to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. The predicted protein-coding targets of the differentially expressed lncRNAs were further analyzed, such as PPAR, FADS2, DGAT2, ACAA2, CYP2E1, ADH4, and Fos. This study reveals a wealth of candidate lncRNAs involved in NASH and their regulated pathways, which should facilitate further research into the molecular mechanisms of this disorder.