Quantitative proteomic analysis identified differentially expressed proteins with tail/rump fat deposition in Chinese thin- and fat-tailed lambs

Abstract

Tail adipose as one of the important functional tissues can enhance hazardous environments tolerance for sheep. The objective of this study was to gain insight into the underlying development mechanisms of this trait. A quantitative analysis of protein abundance in ovine tail/rump adipose tissue was performed between Chinese local fat- (Kazakh, Hu and Lanzhou) and thin-tailed (Alpine Merino, Tibetan) sheep in the present study by using lable-free approach. Results showed that 3400 proteins were identified in the five breeds, and 804 were differentially expressed proteins, including 638 up regulated proteins and 83 down regulated proteins in the tail adipose tissues between fat- and thin-tailed sheep, and 8 clusters were distinguished for all the DEPs’ expression patterns. The differentially expressed proteins are mainly associated with metabolism pathways and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor signaling pathway. Furthermore, the proteomics results were validated by quantitative real-time PCR and Western Blot. Our research has also suggested that the up-regulated proteins ACSL1, HSD17β4, FABP4 in the tail adipose tissue might contribute to tail fat deposition by facilitating the proliferation of adipocytes and fat accumulation in tail/rump of sheep. Particularly, FABP4 highly expressed in the fat-tail will play an important role for tail fat deposition. Our study might provide a novel view to understanding fat accumulation in special parts of the body in sheep and other animals.

Integrative analysis of Iso-Seq and RNA-seq data reveals transcriptome complexity and differentially expressed transcripts in sheep tail fat

“…Many studies have attempted to identify the candidate gene associated with tail fat and understand the underlying mechanisms of fat deposition ( Ahbara et al, 2018 ; Amane et al, 2020 ; Baazaoui et al, 2021 ; Bakhtiarizadeh & Alamouti, 2020 ; Dong et al, 2020 ; Han et al, 2021 ; Li et al, 2018a ; Mastrangelo et al, 2019a ; Mastrangelo et al, 2019b ; Moioli, Pilla & Ciani, 2015 ; Moradi et al, 2012 ; Wei et al, 2015 ; Xu et al, 2017 ; Yuan et al, 2017 ; Zhang et al, 2019 ; Zhao et al, 2020 ; Zhi et al, 2018 ; Zhu et al, 2016 ). Previous studies suggested that microRNAs ( Miao et al, 2015a ; Pan et al, 2018 ), lncRNAs ( Bakhtiarizadeh & Salami, 2019 ; He et al, 2020 ) and mRNAs ( Bakhtiarizadeh et al, 2019 ; Kang et al, 2017a ; Miao et al, 2015b ; Wang et al, 2014 ) may regulate tail fat deposition in sheep.…”

Genomic signatures of selection, local adaptation and production type characterisation of East Adriatic sheep breeds

“…Both genes belong to the leucine-rich proteoglycan ( SLRP ) family and play important roles in various functions such as collagen fibrillogenesis, cell growth, cell differentiation, and migration [ 48 ]. This was confirmed by a proteomics and gene expression approach [ 49 ], in which thin-tailed sheep had higher ASPN expression levels compared with thick-tailed sheep and was also validated as a protein within the collagen fibril organizing group. In the aforementioned QTL study in pigs [ 47 ], ASPN and OGN genes were identified to be significantly associated with carcass traits at a genome-wide level, specifically loin and neck meat weight, shoulder meat weight, and daily gain (110–210 d).…”

Integrative Meta-Analysis: Unveiling Genetic Factors in Meat Sheep Growth and Muscular Development through QTL and Transcriptome Studies

“…FASN is a fundamental enzyme in de novo fatty acid biosynthesis [ 40 ]. Studies in sheep have underscored its importance in governing fat deposition and composition, as it affects traits like marbling and adiposity [ 63 ]. ACSL1 performs a crucial role in fatty acid metabolism through the catalysis of acyl-CoA production, a pivotal process in fatty acid activation for various metabolic pathways, such as oxidation and complex lipid synthesis [ 64 ].…”