Effects of three active components inEucommia ulmoideson growth and flesh quality of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) based on transcriptomics

The study investigated the effects of three active components inEucommia ulmoideson growth, flesh quality and muscle transcriptomics of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Quercetin (QC), chlorogenic acid (CGA) and geniposide (GP) were individually supplemented into basal diet (control) at 400 mg/kg, and then, the four diets were fed to grass carp (18.50 +/- 0.40 g) for 60 days. The results indicated that dietary CGA rather than QC and GP significantly improved growth performance. Compared to the control, dietary QC decreased the flesh centrifugal loss and thawing loss, and increased hardness and free amino acid level (p < .05), while dietary CGA only increased the free amino acids in flesh (p < .05). Dietary QC and CGA also increased the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid level and n-3/n-6 ratio in flesh (p < .05). Transcriptome profiling of muscle, the changes of genes and pathways in the QC group are speculated to be involved in energy production and myofibril composition and contraction, which may affect the flesh quality. The changes of fatty acid composition and free amino acid content induced by dietary QC and CGA may be realized by lipid and energy metabolism. In conclusion, dietary CGA improved the growth and flesh nutritional value, and QC improved the flesh quality of grass carp.