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Frontiers in veterinary science2025; 12; 1633786; doi: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1633786

Transcriptomic sequencing and differential analysis of Kazakh horse muscles from various anatomical locations.

Abstract: Kazakh horses, a distinguished breed in China known for their dual-purpose use in milk and meat production, exhibit early maturation, tolerance to coarse feeding, and strong resistance to environmental stress. However, the gene expression differences across various muscle tissues of Kazakh horses have yet to be elucidated. In this study, transcriptomic sequencing was performed on muscle tissues from three anatomical regions of Kazakh horses, including the longissimus dorsi (Gb), external oblique (Gf), and diaphragm (Gg) muscles. In the Gb and Gf groups, 426 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including , and , of which 147 were upregulated and 279 downregulated. In the Gf and Gg groups, 1,762 DEGs were detected, including , and , with 1,391 upregulated and 371 downregulated. Additionally, 644 DEGs were identified between the Gg and Gb groups, including , and , with 172 upregulated and 472 downregulated. GO annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs, such as , and , were primarily involved in System Development, Extracellular Space, and Protein-Arginine Deiminase Activity. Furthermore, pathways related to skeletal muscle growth, including Cytoskeleton in Muscle Cells, Cytokine-Cytokine Receptor Interaction, and Motor Proteins, were significantly enriched. RT-qPCR analysis validated the accuracy of the transcriptomic sequencing data. This study provides valuable insights into the differential expression of genes and related signaling pathways in various muscle tissues of Kazakh horses, rendering a theoretical foundation and data references for understanding skeletal muscle growth and improving meat production in equines.
Copyright © 2025 Wubulikasimu, Liu, Yao, Meng, Wang, Zeng, Li and Ren.
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Publication Date: 2025-07-24 PubMed ID: 40777832PubMed Central: PMC12330291DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2025.1633786Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The study explores the differences in gene expressions across various muscle tissues in Kazakh horses, a unique breed from China known for its dual-purpose use in milk and meat production. Researchers used transcriptomic sequencing on muscle tissues from three different regions, identifying numerous differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The study provides valuable new perspectives on gene expression and associated pathways in various muscle tissues of Kazakh horses, offering a theoretical basis for understanding skeletal muscle growth and improving meat production in equines.

Method and Analysis

  • Researchers carried out transcriptomic sequencing on muscle tissues from three diverse anatomical areas in Kazakh horses — the longissimus dorsi (Gb), external oblique (Gf), and diaphragm (Gg) muscles.
  • they identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using bioinformatic tools between the groups mentioned above. The number of identified DEGs varied greatly between the groups, indicating distinct gene expression patterns in different muscle tissues.
  • Gene Ontology (GO) annotation and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis allowed researchers to categorize these DEGs into various biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions. This process helped identify the primary roles these DEGs had like System Development, Extracellular Space, and Protein-Arginine Deiminase Activity.
  • Real-Time Quantitative Reverse Transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) was implemented to validate the accuracy of the transcriptomic sequencing data.

Findings and Significance

  • Various differentially expressed genes were identified across the different muscle tissues, providing a more in-depth understanding of the gene expression diversity in various muscle tissues of Kazakh horses.
  • The study revealed critical pathways significant in skeletal muscle growth, such as Cytoskeleton in Muscle Cells, Cytokine-Cytokine Receptor Interaction, and Motor Proteins.
  • The insights gathered in this study lay a theoretical foundation for understanding the growth of skeletal muscle.
  • The research also offers valuable data references to potentially improve meat production in equines, contributing to more efficient and sustainable farming practices.

Final Thoughts

  • This study marks a critical step in better understanding the intricate genetic architecture linked to the growth and quality of equine muscle tissue.
  • Further studies expanding on these results could lead to enhanced farming practices, and potentially, the production of higher quality equine meat.

Cite This Article

APA
Wubulikasimu M, Liu J, Yao X, Meng J, Wang J, Zeng Y, Li L, Ren W. (2025). Transcriptomic sequencing and differential analysis of Kazakh horse muscles from various anatomical locations. Front Vet Sci, 12, 1633786. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1633786

Publication

Frontiers in veterinary science
ISSN: 2297-1769
NlmUniqueID: 101666658
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 12
Pages: 1633786
PII: 1633786

Researcher Affiliations

Wubulikasimu, Mierkadina
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
Liu, Jiahao
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
Yao, Xinkui
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
  • Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
Meng, Jun
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
  • Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
Wang, Jianwen
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
  • Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
Zeng, Yaqi
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
  • Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
Li, Linling
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
Ren, Wanlu
  • College of Animal Science, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.
  • Xinjiang Key Laboratory of Equine Breeding and Exercise Physiology, Xinjiang Agricultural University, Urumqi, China.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

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Citations

This article has been cited 2 times.
  1. Liu J, Yang Y, Wen L, Wen M, Zeng Y, Ren W, Yao X. Transcriptome Sequencing and Differential Analysis of Testes of 1-Year-Old and 3-Year-Old Kazakh Horses. Biology (Basel) 2026 Jan 4;15(1).
    doi: 10.3390/biology15010100pubmed: 41514941google scholar: lookup
  2. Wang J, Li Z, Li L, Wang R, Ma S, Su Y, Shan D, Huang Q. Single-Cell Transcriptomic Profiling of Longissimus Dorsi and Biceps Femoris Muscles in Kazakh Horses Reveals Cellular Heterogeneity and Myogenic Regulation. Animals (Basel) 2025 Sep 23;15(19).
    doi: 10.3390/ani15192778pubmed: 41096374google scholar: lookup
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