Repressive epigenetic mechanisms, such as the H3K27me3 histone modification, were predicted to affect muscle gene expression and its mineral content in Nelore cattle

Author(s):Show less -

Afonso, Juliana ; Shim, Woo Jun ; Boden, Mikael ; Fortes, Marina Rufino Salinas ; Diniz, Wellison Jarles da Silva ; de Lima, Andressa Oliveira ; Rocha, Marina Ibelli Pereira ; Cardoso, Taina Figueiredo ; Bruscadin, Jennifer Jessica ; Gromboni, Caio Fernando ; Nogueira, Ana Rita Araujo ; Mourao, Gerson Barreto ; Zerlotini, Adhemar ; Coutinho, Luiz Lehmann ; Regitano, Luciana Correia de Almeida

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: BIOCHEMISTRY AND BIOPHYSICS REPORTS; v. 33, p. 9-pg., 2023-01-05.

Abstract

Epigenetic repression has been linked to the regulation of different cell states. In this study, we focus on the influence of this repression, mainly by H3K27me3, over gene expression in muscle cells, which may affect mineral content, a phenotype that is relevant to muscle function and beef quality. Based on the inverse relationship between H3K27me3 and gene expression (i.e., epigenetic repression) and on contrasting sample groups, we computationally predicted regulatory genes that affect muscle mineral content. To this end, we applied the TRIAGE predictive method followed by a rank product analysis. This methodology can predict regulatory genes that might be affected by repressive epigenetic regulation related to mineral concentration. Annotation of orthologous genes, between human and bovine, enabled our investigation of gene expression in the Longissimus thoracis muscle of Bos indicus cattle. The animals under study had a contrasting mineral content in their muscle cells. We identified candidate regulatory genes influenced by repressive epigenetic mechanisms, linking histone modification to mineral content in beef samples. The discovered candidate genes take part in multiple biological pathways, i.e., impulse transmission, cell signalling, immunological, and developmental pathways. Some of these genes were previously associated with mineral content or regulatory mechanisms. Our findings indicate that epigenetic repression can partially explain the gene expression profiles observed in muscle samples with contrasting mineral content through the candidate regulators here identified. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/25639-0 - Predicted state of H3K27me3 histone modification in Nellore cattle muscle as an indicator of gene modulation associated with mineral amount and meat quality traits
• Grantee: Juliana Afonso
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 19/04089-2 - The Nelore hologenome: implications in beef quality and feed efficiency
• Grantee: Luciana Correia de Almeida Regitano
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - eScience and Data Science Program - Thematic Grants