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Consensus module analysis of abdominal fat deposition across multiple broiler lines
1College of Animal Science and Technology, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, 150030, Heilongjiang, China. huiyuan@neau.edu.cn.
BMC Genomics
|February 11, 2021
Summary
This study identifies eight gene coexpression modules linked to abdominal fat deposition in broilers. These modules highlight pathways in lipid metabolism and autophagy, offering insights into fat accumulation mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Animal Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Systems Biology
Background:
- Previous studies focused on differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in broiler abdominal fat.
- Gene coexpression analysis across multiple broiler lines for abdominal fat deposition is underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To construct a consensus gene coexpression network to identify modules associated with abdominal fat deposition across multiple broiler lines.
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying abdominal fat deposition in broilers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized two public RNA-Seq datasets (GSE42980 and GSE49121) to build a consensus gene coexpression network.
- Applied weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) to identify consensus modules correlated with abdominal fat deposition.
- Analyzed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathway enrichment.
Main Results:
- Identified eight consensus modules significantly correlated with abdominal fat deposition across four broiler lines.
- These modules showed moderate to strong preservation in an independent broiler line dataset.
- Enriched pathways included pyruvate metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, steroid biosynthesis, PPAR signaling, adipocytokine signaling, autophagy, mitophagy, and lysosome functions.
Conclusions:
- Hypothesize increased synthesis of fatty acids, triacylglycerols, and cholesterol in broilers with high abdominal fat.
- Infer that autophagy may play a role in broiler abdominal fat deposition.
- Eight consensus modules are associated with abdominal fat deposition, providing a basis for further mechanistic studies.
