SNPS within the SLC27A6 gene are highly associated with Hu sheep fatty acid content

Fatty acids (FA) are an important factor affecting meat quality and human health, and the important role of the solute carrier family 27 member 6 (SLC27A6) in FA metabolism has been demonstrated in several species. However, the expression profile of the SLC27A6 in different tissues and the effect of its polymorphism on FA in sheep are currently unknown. This study aimed to explore the differences in FAs in the longissimus dorsi (LD) of 1,085 Hu sheep, the expression profile of SLC27A6, and confirm the effect of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on FA phenotypes. We found that many FA phenotypes differ significantly across different seasons, and winter promoted the deposition of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The mRNA expression level of SLC27A6 in the lung was significantly higher than that in the heart, testis, and LD. A total of 16 SNPs were detected in the SLC27A6, and 14 SNPs were successfully genotyped by improved multiplex ligase detection reaction (iMLDR) technology. Correlation analysis showed that 7 SNPs significantly affected at least one FA phenotype. Among them, SNP14 contributes to the selection of lamb with low saturated fatty acid content and high PUFA content. Combined genotypes also significantly affected a variety of beneficial FAs such as C18:3n3, C20:4n6, C22:6n3, and monounsaturated fatty acids. This study suggests that SLC27A6 plays an important role in FA metabolism and SNPs that are significantly associated with FA phenotype could be used as potential molecular markers for later targeted regulation of FA profiles in sheep.