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Review
. 2025 May 2:16:1566553.
doi: 10.3389/fgene.2025.1566553. eCollection 2025.

Integrative genetic and epigenetic control of skeletal muscle fiber traits in agricultural animals

Xiaolong Chang  1 , Junwu Ma  1
Affiliations
Review

Integrative genetic and epigenetic control of skeletal muscle fiber traits in agricultural animals

Xiaolong Chang et al. Front Genet. .

Abstract

Skeletal muscle fiber traits are fundamental to meat production and the meat quality of agricultural animals. The rich genetic resources and diverse phenotypic expression of muscle traits in agricultural animal species provide invaluable materials for investigating the genetic and molecular regulatory mechanisms underlying myofiber development and characteristics, optimizing breeding strategies, and developing models for human muscle-related diseases. This review presents an integrative perspective on the genetic and epigenetic regulation of skeletal muscle fiber development, incorporating evolutionary, genomic, epigenomic, and multi-omics insights. We focus on genetic architecture and causative or candidate genes for muscle fiber traits, as revealed by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and selective sweep signatures, underscoring their adaptive significance and potential for selective breeding. The role of epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs, in linking genetic variation and phenotypic expression is also discussed. By synthesizing multi-omic data, we provide a comprehensive understanding of the molecular networks driving muscle fiber growth and differentiation. This review aims to consolidate current knowledge and offer actionable insights to advance research, breeding strategies, and applications in agricultural and biomedical fields.

Keywords: agricultural animal; epigenetic; meat quality; myofiber development; regulation mechanism.

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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. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision.

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Enrichment analysis of biological pathways in quantitative trait loci (QTL)-associated genes for muscle fiber traits in agricultural animals.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The skeletal muscle developmental processes of pig, cattle, sheep, and chicken. Dpc: day postconception, E: Embryonic days, TFN: total fiber number.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
The network of candidate genes linked to muscle development in farm animals, specifically pigs (A) and cattle (B).
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Non-coding RNAs affecting growth and development of muscle fibers in agricultural animals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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