Molecular characterization of GTP binding protein overexpressed in skeletal muscle (GEM) and its role in promoting adipogenesis in goat intramuscular preadipocytes.

GTP binding protein overexpressed in skeletal muscle () is an important gene with many functions, such as regulating the rearrangement of cytoskeleton and the activity of voltage-dependent calcium channel, and was regarded as a candidate gene for obesity. However, little investigation has been carried out to explore whether affected the intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition of goat. To explore the role of gene in goat, this gene was cloned and its tissue and temporal expression profile were detected. Effect of on adipogenesis was examined by losing function of . Thereafter, several lipid metabolism-related genes were examined, including CCAAT/enhancing-binding protein α (α), CCAAT/enhancing-binding protein β (β), lipoprotein lipase (), preadipocyte factor 1 (-1), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor γ (γ) and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (1). We found that the goat gene consisted of 936 bp, which encoded a protein of 311 amino acids. The expression of was higher in spleen, lung and large intestine and it appeared sharp in the interim stage of differentiation. Furthermore, knockdown blocked adipogenesis and the expression of α, β, , γ and 1. These results indicated that might promote lipid accumulation and adipogenesis.