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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Nutrition, Growth and Physiology » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #325030
Title: Ruminal expression of the NQO1, RGS5, and ACAT1 genes may be indicators of feed efficiency in beef steers

Author
item KERN, REBECCA - University Of Wyoming
item ZAREK, CHRISTINA - Hastings College
item Lindholm-Perry, Amanda
item Kuehn, Larry
item Snelling, Warren
item Freetly, Harvey
item CUNNINGHAM, HANNAH - University Of Wyoming
item MEYER, ALLISON - University Of Missouri

Submitted to: Animal Genetics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/8/2016
Publication Date: 2/1/2017
Citation: Kern, R.J., Zarek, C.M., Lindholm-Perry, A.K., Kuehn, L.A., Snelling, W.M., Freetly, H.C., Cunningham, H.C., Meyer, A.M. 2017. Ruminal expression of the NQO1, RGS5, and ACAT1 genes may be indicators of feed efficiency in beef steers. Animal Genetics. 48:90-92. doi: 10.1111/age.12490.

Interpretive Summary: The ability to identify animals that consume less feed yet perform well in terms of weight gain could benefit producers. A previous study of the genes transcribed by the rumen papillae tissue in beef steers produced genes that were differentially expressed in animals with variation in weight gain and feed intake. Some of the genes identified as differing between animals with high gain-low feed intake and those with low gain-high feed intake were examined for association with a related trait, residual feed intake (RFI), in a separate population of Angus x Hereford steers. Seventeen genes were tested and two were differentially expressed by RFI class in the Angus x Hereford animals. These genes included NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1 (NQO1; P=0.0009), regulator of G-protein signaling 5 (RGS5; P=0.01). A third gene, acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 1 (ACAT1; P=0.06), displayed a trend towards association with RFI. This suggests that some of the genes identified in a previous rumen transcriptome study may have utility for identifying or selecting for animals with superior feed efficiency phenotypes across cattle breeds and populations.

Technical Abstract: Ruminal genes differentially expressed in crossbred beef steers with variation in gain and feed intake were identified in a previous study. Genes identified with expression patterns differing between animals with high gain-low feed intake and low gain-high feed intake were evaluated in a separate population of Angus x Hereford beef steers that was classified to differ in residual feed intake (RFI). Of the seventeen genes tested, two were differentially expressed by RFI class in the Angus x Hereford animals. These genes included NAD(P)H dehydrogenase, quinone 1 (NQO1; P=0.0009), regulator of G-protein signaling 5 (RGS5; P=0.01). A third gene, acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 1 (ACAT1; P=0.06), displayed a trend towards association with RFI. These data suggest that some of the genes identified in a previous rumen transcriptome discovery study may have utility for identifying or selecting for animals with superior feed efficiency phenotypes across cattle breeds and populations.