Krüppel-like factor KLF9 inhibits chicken intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation

1. Poultry meat quality is affected by many factors, among which intramuscular fat (IMF) is predominant. IMF content affects tenderness, juiciness and flavour of meat. Krüppel-like transcriptional factors (KLFs) are important regulators of adipocyte differentiation. However, little is known about the KLF9 gene associated with poultry IMF deposition, especially intramuscular adipocyte differentiation.2. Previous work has shown that chicken KLF9 was differentially expressed during adipogenesis of intramuscular preadipocytes differentiation. In this study, the function of KLF9 in chicken intramuscular preadipocytes differentiation was investigated.3. In the chicken preadipocyte differentiation model, KLF9 expression showed a major increase with adipogenic induction. Overexpression of KLF9 down-regulated the expression of the adipogenic marker gene AP2, and impaired triglyceride accumulation. Knockdown of KLF9 in chicken intramuscular preadipocytes increased the expression of PPARG, CEBPA and AP2. In addition, it was proposed that KLF9 may regulate adipogenesis via lncRNAs NONGGAT002209.2, NONGGAT003346.2, NONGGAT000436.2 and NONGGAT006302.2 in chicken.4. The data supported a novel role of KLF9 in regulating chicken intramuscular preadipocyte differentiation. Such findings may contribute to a more thorough understanding of chicken IMF deposition and the improvement of poultry meat quality.