Phylogenetic and expression analysis of the angiopoietin-like gene family and their role in lipid metabolism in pigs

Zheng, Zibin; Lyu, Wentao; Hong, Qihua; Yang, Hua; Li, Ying; Zhao, Shengjun; Ren, Ying; Xiao, Yingping

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Anim Biosci > Accepted Articles

Article

https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.23.0057 [Accepted] Published online May 4, 2023.

Phylogenetic and expression analysis of the angiopoietin-like gene family and their role in lipid metabolism in pigs

Zibin Zheng^1,2

, Ying Li⁵

¹State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Threats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Agro-product Safety and Nutrition, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou 310021, China
²State Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
³Hubei Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition and Feed Science, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, China
⁴College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
⁵Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Molecular Design and Precise Breeding, College of Life Science and Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China

Correspondence: Yingping Xiao, Tel: +86-15888807664, Fax: +86-057186404015, Email: xiaoyp@zaas.ac.cn

Received: 20 February 2023 • Revised: 12 March 2023 • Accepted: 19 April 2023

Abstract

Objective
The objective of this study was to investigate the phylogenetic and expression analysis of the angiopoietin-like (ANGPTL) gene family and their role in lipid metabolism in pigs.
Methods
In this study, the amino acid sequence analysis, phylogenetic analysis, and chromosome adjacent gene analysis were performed to identify the ANGPTL gene family in pigs. According to the body weight data from 60 Jinhua pigs, different tissues of 6 pigs with average body weight were used to determine the expression profile of ANGPTL1-8. The ileum, subcutaneous fat, and liver of 8 pigs with distinct fatness were selected to analyze the gene expression of ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4, and ANGPTL8.
Results
The sequence length of ANGPTLs in pigs was between 1186 and 1991 bp, and the pig ANGPTL family members shared common features with human homologous genes, including the high similarity of the amino acid sequence and chromosome flanking genes. Amino acid sequence analysis showed that ANGPTL1-7 had a highly conserved domain except for ANGPTL8. Phylogenetic analysis showed that each ANGPTL homologous gene shared a common origin. RT-qPCR analysis showed that ANGPTL family members had different expression patterns in different tissues. ANGPTL3 and ANGPTL8 were mainly expressed in the liver, while ANGPTL4 was expressed in many other tissues, such as the intestine and subcutaneous fat. The expression levels of ANGPTL3 in the liver and ANGPTL4 in the liver, intestine and subcutaneous fat of Jinhua pigs with low propensity for adipogenesis were significantly higher than those of high propensity for adipogenesis.
Conclusion
These results increase our knowledge about the biological role of the ANGPTL family in this important economic species, it will also help to better understand the role of ANGPTL3, ANGPTL4 and ANGPTL8 in lipid metabolism of pigs, and provide innovative ideas for developing strategies to improve meat quality of pigs.

Keywords: Angiopoietin-like Protein; Evolution; Expression; Fat Metabolize; Jinhua Pig