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High‐ and Low‐Protein Maternal Diet During Pregnancy Alter the Offspring Skeletal Muscle Transcriptome and miRNAome in Lamb

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Maternal nutrition during gestation is a crucial factor affecting offspring development. This study explores the impact of maternal dietary protein levels on the transcriptome and miRNAome of skeletal muscle in lambs. Twelve Akkaraman breed ewes were assigned to three dietary groups—standard (SP, 119–198 g/day), high (HP, 160–270 g/day), and low (LP, 73–112 g/day) protein diets—during pregnancy. Skeletal muscle samples from singleton lambs were collected at 60 days postnatal for transcriptome analysis using microarrays. Differential expression analysis revealed significant changes in mRNA and miRNA expression patterns across dietary groups. Gene ontology and pathway enrichment analyses identified key biological processes and pathways, including muscle contraction, hypertrophy, and Rho GTPase signaling, linking maternal diet to skeletal muscle development. In addition, miRNA analysis highlighted miR‐410‐5p as a regulator of developmental processes influenced by maternal protein intake. This study demonstrates that maternal protein intake during pregnancy induces epigenetic and transcriptomic alterations in offspring, potentially influencing postnatal growth and compensatory mechanisms. These findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms of developmental programming and suggest potential strategies for optimizing livestock nutrition and management practices.

Source: New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research

DOI: 10.1002/jag2.70015