Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic profiling deciphers breed-, age-, and rearing system-dependent regulation of muscle development and meat quality in chickens

Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences 2026 Open access

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Authors: Rongyang Li, Rui Cao, Ying Peng, Xiantong Gan, Ye Zhang, Tiantian Gu, Wenwu Xu, Jiayi Su, Yong Tian, Tao Zeng, Lizhi Lu, Jindong Ren
+1 more Li Chen
DOI: 10.1016/j.fochms.2026.100369
Cited by: 3
References: 21

Abstract

and lipids. Free-range rearing increased precursors of flavor, including glutamine and malvidin-3-glucoside, by activating glycolysis and fatty acid metabolism pathways. In Yandang chickens, leg muscle exhibited greater concentrations of flavor metabolites like serine and proline, along with elevated expression of lipid-related genes such as APOA1, compared to AA broilers. With age, BM accumulated oleic acid, while LM showed increases in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like docosapentaenoic acid. PPAR signaling was identified as a key pathway integrating metabolic responses with rearing conditions. These results improve our understanding of meat quality development and can inform breeding and management practices.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Animal Nutrition and Physiology Meat and Animal Product Quality Aquaculture Nutrition and Growth

Publication details

Journal / source
Food Chemistry Molecular Sciences
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
12
Pages
100369–100369
Publication date
5 February 2026
Language
EN