MicroRNA-152 Promotes Slow-Twitch Myofiber Formation via Targeting Uncoupling Protein-3 Gene

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Animal Science
• Genetics

Background:

• Pork quality differences are linked to myofiber type composition.
• MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are crucial regulators of myofiber specification.
• The role of miR-152 in myogenesis and myofiber type transformation was unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the function of miR-152 in porcine skeletal muscle.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which miR-152 influences myofiber type and myogenesis.
• To determine the relationship between miR-152, uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3), and meat quality.

Main Methods:

• Overexpression and inhibition of miR-152 in porcine myotubes.
• Luciferase reporter assays to identify miR-152 targets.
• siRNA-mediated knockdown of uncoupling protein 3 (UCP3).
• Rescue experiments to validate the regulatory pathway.

Main Results:

• miR-152 is more abundant in slow-twitch myofiber-enriched muscles.
• Overexpression of miR-152 promoted slow-twitch myofiber formation and myogenesis.
• Inhibition of miR-152 had the opposite effect.
• miR-152 directly targets and inhibits UCP3 post-transcriptionally.
• UCP3 knockdown mimicked the effects of miR-152 inhibition.
• UCP3 mediates miR-152's action on slow-twitch myofiber formation.

Conclusions:

• miR-152 plays a key role in promoting slow-twitch myofiber formation and skeletal myogenesis in pigs.
• The miR-152/UCP3 axis is a novel molecular mechanism regulating meat quality.
• Epigenetic regulation by miR-152 influences pork characteristics through myogenesis.