title: Iron Content Affects Lipogenic Gene Expression in the Muscle of Nelore Beef Cattle.
abstract: Iron (Fe) is an essential mineral for metabolism and plays a central role in a range of biochemical processes. Therefore, this study aimed to identify differentially expressed (DE) genes and metabolic pathways in Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle from cattle with divergent iron content, as well as to investigate the likely role of these DE genes in biological processes underlying beef quality parameters. Samples for RNA extraction for sequencing and iron, copper, manganese, and zinc determination were collected from LD muscles at slaughter. Eight Nelore steers, with extreme genomic estimated breeding values for iron content (Fe-GEBV), were selected from a reference population of 373 animals. From the 49 annotated DE genes (FDR<0.05) found between the two groups, 18 were up-regulated and 31 down-regulated for the animals in the low Fe-GEBV group. The functional enrichment analyses identified several biological processes, such as lipid transport and metabolism, and cell growth. Lipid metabolism was the main pathway observed in the analysis of metabolic and canonical signaling pathways for the genes identified as DE, including the genes FASN, FABP4, and THRSP, which are functional candidates for beef quality, suggesting reduced lipogenic activities with lower iron content. Our results indicate metabolic pathways that are partially influenced by iron, contributing to a better understanding of its participation in skeletal muscle physiology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Wellison Jarles da Silva
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of São Paulo/ESALQ, Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Lehmann
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Polyana Cristine
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Tizioto
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of São Paulo/ESALQ, Piracicaba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline Silva Mello
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Cesar
authors.affiliation: Bahia Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology, Ilhéus, Brazil.
authors.forename: Caio Fernando
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Gromboni
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Rita Araújo
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Priscila Silva Neubern
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetic and Evolution, Federal University of São Carlos, São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcela Maria de
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luciana Correia de Almeida
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9242-8351
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Regitano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D054890:Fatty Acid Synthase, Type I / Q000235:genetics; D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis*; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D050155:Lipogenesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D012313:RNA / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D050556:Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins; D014157:Transcription Factors; D008345:Manganese; D012313:RNA; D003300:Copper; D007501:Iron; D054890:Fatty Acid Synthase, Type I; D015032:Zinc