AUTHOR=Chen Huan , Peng Tao , Shang Hanle , Shang Xianglong , Zhao Xianghui , Qu Mingren , Song Xiaozhen 

TITLE=RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals the Potential Molecular Mechanisms of Puerarin on Intramuscular Fat Deposition in Heat-Stressed Beef Cattle

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=9

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.817557

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.817557

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<p>To investigate the effect of <italic>Puerarin</italic> on intramuscular fat deposition in heat-stressed beef cattle and its underlying mechanism. Thirty-two healthy Jinjiang bulls were randomly divided into four groups and dietary with 0 (Control), 200 (Pue200), 400 (Pue400), and 800 (Pue800) mg/kg <italic>Puerarin</italic> in the feed concentrate. The results showed that <italic>Puerarin</italic> treatment enhanced the concentration of crude fat, fatty acid (C14:1 and C17:1), and the activity of fatty acid synthase in <italic>Longissimus thoracis</italic> (LT), but decreased the levels of blood leptin (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05). High-throughput sequencing of mRNA technology (RNA-Seq) was used and the analysis showed that 492 genes were down-regulated and 341 genes were up-regulated in LT, and these genes were significantly enriched to the pathways related to lipid metabolism. These results indicated that dietary supplemental with <italic>Puerarin</italic> enhanced intramuscular fat deposition by regulating lipid metabolism of heat-stressed beef cattle.</p>