title: Unraveling molecular mechanistic differences in liver metabolism between lean and fat lines of Pekin duck (Anas platyrhynchos domestica): a proteomic study.
abstract: Duck is one of the major poultry meat sources for human consumption. To satisfy different eating habits, lean and fat strains of Pekin ducks have been developed. The objective of this study was to determine the molecular mechanistic differences in liver metabolism between two duck strains. The liver proteome of the Pekin duck lines was compared on days 1, 14, 28, and 42 posthatching using 2-DE based proteomics. There was a different abundance of 76 proteins in the livers of the two duck lines. Fat ducks strongly expressed proteins related to pathways of glycolysis, ATP synthesis, and protein catabolism, suggesting enhanced fat deposition rather than protein retention. In contrast, highly expressed proteins in lean ducks improved protein anabolism and reduced protein catabolism, resulting in an enhancement of lean meat deposition. Along with the decrease in fat deposition, the immune system of the lean duck strain may be enhanced by enhanced expression of proteins involved in stress response, immune defense, and antioxidant functions. These results indicate that selection pressure has shaped the two duck lines differently resulting in different liver metabolic capacities. These observed variations between the two strains at the molecular level are matched with physiological changes in growth performance and meat production. This information may have beneficial impacts in areas such as genetic modification through the manipulation of target proteins or genes in specific pathways to improve the efficiency of duck meat production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The objective of this study was to unravel molecular mechanistic differences in liver metabolism between lean and fat Pekin duck (Anas platyrhynchos domestica) strains. There was a different abundance of 76 proteins in the livers of the two duck lines. Enhanced protein expression in the fat ducks related to pathways of glycolysis, ATP synthesis and protein catabolism suggesting increased fat deposition rather than protein retention. In contrast, highly expressed proteins in the lean ducks facilitated protein deposition by increasing protein anabolism and reducing protein catabolism to enhance the lean meat percentage. Along with the decrease of fat deposition, the immunity of lean duck appeared to be enhanced by increased expression of proteins involved in stress response, defense and antioxidant function. This study provides potential target proteins or genes for further functional analysis and genetic manipulation to increase the efficiency of duck meat production and help satisfy the global demand for poultry meat.
authors.affiliation: Feed Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Aijuan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.affiliation: Feed Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Wenhuan
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Animal Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China. Electronic address: houss@263.net.
authors.forename: Shuisheng
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Feed Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Shu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Feed Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Huiyi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cai
authors.affiliation: Feed Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Guilan
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Feed Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
authors.forename: Ruiying
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lou
authors.affiliation: Feed Research Institute, Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China. Electronic address: liuguohua@caas.cn.
authors.forename: Guohua
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D030161:Avian Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004372:Ducks / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D030161:Avian Proteins
keywords: 2-DE; Duck meat; Liver; Pekin duck; Proteome