Skin proteomic screening and functional analysis of differential proteins associated with coat color in sheep (Ovis aries)

Yin, Zhihong; Hao, Shitong; Zhao, Yuanyuan; Li, Jinglong; Cui, Yunli; Ge, Yaming; Pang, Quanhai

doi:.0.0.0

Article

https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.24.0014 [Accepted] Published online May 7, 2024.

Skin proteomic screening and functional analysis of differential proteins associated with coat color in sheep (Ovis aries)

Zhihong Yin¹

, Quanhai Pang^2,*

¹College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, 453003, China
²College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, No. 1 Mingxian South Road, Taigu 030801, China
³Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Conservation and Utilization in the Fanjing Mountain Region, Tongren University, Guizhou 554300, China

Correspondence: Quanhai Pang, Tel: +86-0373-3040718, Fax: +86-0373-3040718, Email: pangquanhai@163.com

Received: 9 January 2024 • Revised: 25 February 2024 • Accepted: 15 April 2024

Abstract

Objective
Coat color is an important characteristic and economic trait in domestic sheep. In this study, we explored the potential mechanisms and the signaling pathways involved in coat color regulation for sheep.
Methods
Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technology was used to catalog global protein expression profiles in skin of sheep with black versus white coat color. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the expression localization of differential protein. Western blot and quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) were used to evaluate their role in the coat color formation of sheep.
Results
A total of 136 differential proteins were obtained in different coat colors, including 101 up-regulated and 35 down-regulated. Pigmentation function entries were enriched through GO annotation. Tyrosine metabolism and platelet activation signaling pathway were extracted by KEGG analysis. APOA1 (Apolipoprotein A-1) and FGA (Fibrinogen alpha chain) were found to be critical differential proteins by the interaction of differential proteins in the direct-interaction network diagram. Strikingly, twenty candidate differential proteins were screened, from which ACTB (Beta-actin) protein showed higher expression in white sheep skin, while ALB (albumin), APOA1 MAOA (Amine oxidase) and FGA proteins showed higher expression in black sheep skin, which validated by immunofluorescence, western blot and qRT-PCR.
Conclusion
Our studies identified several novel proteins that may involved in the coat color formation of sheep. The white and black sheep skin proteome profiles obtained provide a valuable resource for future research to understand the network of protein expression controlling skin physiology and melanogenesis in sheep.

Keywords: Coat Color; Pigmentation; Proteome; Sheep Skin