Metabolomic Profiles Associated With Difference in Muscle Protein Degradation Between Fast- and Slow-Growing Chicks...

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Metabolomics
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Muscle protein degradation significantly impacts broiler chick growth.
• Understanding neonatal metabolic differences is key to optimizing growth performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify metabolites and metabolic pathways linked to muscle protein degradation in broiler chicks.
• To investigate the relationship between neonatal growth rate and metabolic profiles.

Main Methods:

• Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomic analysis of plasma, muscle, and liver samples.
• Categorization of chicks into slow-, intermediate-, and fast-growing groups based on body weight gain.
• Correlation analysis of metabolite levels with body weight gain.

Main Results:

• Significant correlations found between specific metabolites in plasma, muscle, and liver and chick body weight gain.
• Plasma and muscle metabolic pathways were primarily associated with protein and amino acid metabolism.
• Liver metabolism was linked to the tricarboxylic acid cycle and carbohydrate metabolism.
• Higher expression of branched-chain amino acid (BCAA) catabolism-related genes in slow-growing chicks.

Conclusions:

• BCAA catabolism plays a vital role in regulating muscle protein degradation and overall body growth in neonatal broiler chicks.
• Metabolic profiling provides insights into the physiological basis of growth rate variations in poultry.