Integrated Transcriptomic Analysis of Liver and Muscle Tissues Reveals Candidate Genes and Pathways Regulating Intramuscular Fat Deposition in Beef Cattle

作者：Siwei Wang, Tingting Liu, Peng Peng, Yurong Fu, Shaoqing Shi, Shuang Liang, Xi Chen, Kun Wang, Rongyan Zhou · 发表于：Animals · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.3390/ani15091306 · 被引用次数：14 · 研究领域：Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock、Adipose Tissue and Metabolism、Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content in beef cattle is a critical determinant of beef meat quality, as it positively influences juiciness, tenderness, and palatability. In China, the crossbreeding of Wagyu and Angus is a prevalent method for achieving a better marbling level. However, the molecular mechanisms governing IMF regulation in these crossbreeds remain poorly understood. To elucidate the mechanism of IMF deposition in these crossbred cattle, we conducted a comparative transcriptomic analysis of longissimus dorsi muscles and livers from cattle with divergent IMF content. RNA-seq revealed 940 and 429 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the liver and muscle, respectively, with 60 genes co-differentially expressed (co-DEGs) in both tissues. Functional enrichment highlighted lipid metabolism pathways including fatty acid β-oxidation, PPAR signaling, and glycerolipid metabolism. A total of eleven genes including ACAA2, ACADL, ACOX2, CPT1B, CPT2, LPL, SLC27A1, ACAT1, GK, ACOX3, and ACSM5, were screened as key candidate genes for IMF deposition. A “liver–muscle” regulatory network of IMF deposition was built to illustrate the tissues’ interaction. The reliability of the transcriptomic data was verified by quantitative reverse real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Our findings provide novel molecular markers for increasing the IMF content and accelerating the genetic improvement of beef quality traits in crossbred cattle.