Comparison of Microbial Community and Metabolites in Four Stomach Compartments of Myostatin-Gene-Edited and Non-edited Cattle

Abstract

Myostatin (MSTN), a major negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass and an endocrine factor, can regulate the metabolism of various organisms. Inhibition of the MSTN gene can improve meat production from livestock. Rumen microorganisms are associated with production and health traits of cattle, but changes in the microbial composition and metabolome in the four stomach compartments of MSTN gene–edited cattle have not previously been studied. Our results indicated that microbial diversity and dominant bacteria in the four stomach compartments were very similar between MSTN gene–edited and wild-type (WT) cattle. The microbiota composition was significantly different between MSTN gene–edited and WT cattle. Our results show that the relative abundance of the phylum Proteobacteria in the reticulum of MSTN gene–edited cattle was lower than that of WT cattle, whereas the relative abundance of the genus Prevotella in the omasum of MSTN gene–edited cattle was significantly higher than that of WT cattle. Metabolomics analysis revealed that the intensity of L-proline and acetic acid was significantly different in the rumen, reticulum, and abomasum between the two types of cattle. Meanwhile, pathway topology analysis indicated that the differential metabolites were predominantly involved in arginine biosynthesis and glutamate metabolism in the rumen, reticulum, and omasum but were mainly involved in pyruvate metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis in the abomasum. Spearman correlation network analysis further demonstrated that there was a significant correlation between microflora composition and metabolic pathways. These findings provide clues for studying nutrient digestion and absorption ability of MSTN gene–edited cattle.

Growth Traits and Sperm Proteomics Analyses of Myostatin Gene-Edited Chinese Yellow Cattle

“…The glucose level of MT cattle was significantly lower than that of WT cattle, while the lipase, urea, lactic acid, and amylase activity of MT cattle were significantly higher, which suggests that mutation of the MSTN gene changed the metabolism of glucose, lipids, and proteins. Our most recent reports showed that MSTN gene mutation in cattle induced complex and elaborate mechanisms to skeletal muscle, heart muscle, stomach microbe, and bile acid metabolism [ 19 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. The biological significances of the changes in biochemical parameters need further investigation.…”

“…Our previous reports have shown that the glycolysis, glycogen metabolism, and fatty acid β-oxidation was significantly changed in MT cattle [ 37 , 46 , 47 , 48 ]. Meanwhile, various effects of MSTN gene mutation on cattle and the related molecule mechanism have been investigated, including bile acid metabolism [ 19 ], enhanced glycolysis in the heart [ 37 ], and microbial community of stomach [ 36 ]. The energy metabolism was changed in MT cattle, so the sperm mitochondria should be also affected.…”

When Less Is More: Targeting the Myostatin Gene in Livestock for Augmenting Meat Production

“…The generated MSTN -edited cattle were employed in further comparative investigations, including transcriptomic, , proteomic, ,− metabolomic, , and microbial , analyses. These comparative analyses provided lists of genes and pathways that potentially contribute to the emergence of the double-muscling phenotype in MSTN -edited cattle.…”

“…36 This could likely contribute to the generation of improved muscle mass by targeting the MSTN gene and potential resistance to prion infection by editing the PRNP gene. 37 The generated MSTN-edited cattle were employed in further comparative investigations, including transcriptomic, 38,39 proteomic, 35,40−42 metabolomic, 43,44 and microbial 45,46 analyses. These comparative analyses provided lists of genes and pathways that potentially contribute to the emergence of the double-muscling phenotype in MSTN-edited cattle.…”

Gut fungal community composition analysis of myostatin mutant cattle prepared by CRISPR/Cas9

“…Luxi cattle with the MSTN gene mutations prepared by the Inner Mongolia University through the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/CAS9) technology have more developed muscles and a higher lean meat yield ( 9 ). Previous studies had analyzed the changes in gut bacteria composition in MSTN -mutated cattle and found that the MSTN mutation affects the metabolism of the body by regulating the composition of gut bacteria, thereby affecting the growth traits of beef cattle ( 10 , 11 ). However, there are no reports on the changes in MSTN mutant bovine gut fungi and their correlation with host metabolism.…”