METTL14 regulates proliferation and differentiation of duck myoblasts through targeting MiR-133b

Area of Science:

• Molecular Biology
• Developmental Biology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Duck pectoral muscle development is crucial for meat quality.
• MicroRNA (miRNA) and N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification are key regulators in this process.
• METTL14, a core m6A methyltransferase component, shows stage-specific expression during duck embryonic development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the role of METTL14 in duck pectoral muscle development.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying METTL14's function, including its interaction with miRNA.
• To identify potential targets for genetic improvement of duck meat quality.

Main Methods:

• MeRIP-seq and miRNA-seq were used to analyze duck embryo pectoral muscle at different developmental stages (E13, E19, E27).
• Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was employed to detect gene expression.
• Overexpression and interference vectors for METTL14 were constructed and utilized in experiments.

Main Results:

• METTL14 expression varied significantly across developmental stages, with the highest m6A levels at E13 and lowest METTL14 expression concurrently.
• METTL14 interference promoted myoblast proliferation and inhibited differentiation, while overexpression had opposite effects.
• Overexpression of METTL14 increased miR-133b expression, suggesting a regulatory link.

Conclusions:

• METTL14 plays a critical role in regulating duck pectoral muscle development by influencing myoblast proliferation and differentiation.
• METTL14 may mediate its effects through the regulation of miR-133b expression.
• These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of muscle development and offer targets for enhancing duck meat quality.