To investigate the associations between genes involved in fatty acid composition and volatile flavor compounds (VOCs), Dabieshan (DBS) cattle were selected and stratified into high (H: 0.018–0.024 g) and low (L: 0.007–0.012 g) groups according to the fatty acid content in the longissimus dorsi (LD). Integrated analysis using two-dimensional gas chromatography–time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC×GC-TOF-MS) and transcriptomics systematically revealed differences in VOCs and gene expression profiles, along with their associations with fatty acid composition. The relative contents of aldehydes, esters, and hydrocarbons were significantly higher in the group H, whereas the group L exhibited elevated levels of alcohols, acids, and heterocyclic compounds. Among 54 differentially abundant VOCs identified, (E)-2-Nonenal (ROAV = 100) was established as the key flavor contributor. Transcriptomic analysis identified 678 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with eight candidate genes implicated in fatty acid composition pinpointed through GO and KEGG enrichment analyses. Further correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of SGPL1, KLF15 and SLC27A6 were significantly correlated with the contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (C22:5n-3, C18:3n-3, C18:2n-6, C18:1n-9c). There was also a significant correlation between the above fatty acids and characteristic flavor compounds including 3-Hexanone, (E)-2-Nonenal, (E,E)-2,4-Octadienal and Butanal. This study suggested potential links among fatty acid composition, key genes and characteristic flavor compounds in Dabieshan cattle, providing new insights into the genetic improvement of flavor quality of local cattle breeds.
Zhang et al. (Sun,) studied this question.