Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Profiling Reveals the Mechanisms Underlying Meat Quality in Taihang Yun Cattle

To assess the meat quality of high-quality beef cattle population Taihang Yun cattle, we compared meat traits in the longissimus dorsi muscle among three breeds: Chinese Simmental cattle (n = 6), Taihang Yun cattle (n = 6), and Charolais cattle (n = 6). The molecular underpinnings were investigated using an integrated multi-omics approach. The results showed that Taihang Yun cattle exhibited significantly higher intramuscular fat content, lower shear force, and a higher content of total unsaturated fatty acids. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed co-enrichment of differentially expressed genes and metabolites in key lipid metabolism pathways, such as PPAR and AMPK signaling. Notably, the expression of key genes, lipoprotein lipase ( LPL ) and fatty acid-binding protein 3 ( FABP3 ), was significantly upregulated. Furthermore, piperidine was identified as a key differential metabolite and inhibited bovine adipocyte differentiation in vitro. Collectively, this work characterizes the superior meat quality of Taihang Yun cattle and reveals candidate molecular mechanisms, providing a scientific basis for its genetic improvement.