This is an unedited manuscript accepted for publication and provided as an Article in Press for early access at the author’s request. The article will undergo copyediting, typesetting, and galley proof review before final publication. Please be aware that errors may be identified during production that could affect the content. All legal disclaimers of the journal apply.
Md. Emran Hossain,
- Professor, Department of Animal Science and Nutrition, Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Khulshi, Chattogram-4225, , Bangladesh
Abstract
Diet-gene interactions represent a central mechanism through which nutrition influences growth, health, and productivity in farm animals. Recent advances in molecular biology and genetics have revealed that nutrients act not only as metabolic substrates but also as signalling molecules capable of modulating gene expression, cellular pathways, and epigenetic regulation. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the molecular dynamics of nutrient utilization in farm animals, with emphasis on nutrigenomic responses, nutrient sensing mechanisms, and key signalling pathways involved in metabolism, immunity, and stress adaptation. Major regulatory pathways, including mTOR, AMPK, insulin, and insulin like growth factor signalling, are discussed in relation to dietary modulation and genetic variation among species and breeds. The role of epigenetic mechanisms and gut microbiome interactions in mediating diet induced genetic responses is also highlighted. Furthermore, the application of omics technologies in elucidating complex diet-gene networks and their relevance to precision nutrition strategies is critically evaluated. By integrating molecular, genetic, and nutritional perspectives, this review provides a comprehensive framework for understanding diet-gene interactions and identifies future research directions for improving efficiency, resilience, and sustainability in farm animal production systems.
Keywords: Epigenetics, farm animals, gene expression, molecular nutrition, nutrient signalling, nutrigenomics
Md. Emran Hossain. Diet-Gene Interactions in Farm Animals: Molecular Dynamics, Gene Expressions, Signalling Pathways and Precision Nutrition for Sustainable Productivity. International Journal of Genetic Modifications and Recombinations. 2026; 04(01):-.
Md. Emran Hossain. Diet-Gene Interactions in Farm Animals: Molecular Dynamics, Gene Expressions, Signalling Pathways and Precision Nutrition for Sustainable Productivity. International Journal of Genetic Modifications and Recombinations. 2026; 04(01):-. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/ijgmr/article=2026/view=236543
References
[1] Y. Liu, K. Mai, and W. Zhang, “mTOR Signaling in Aquaculture Animals: A Central Nutrient‐Sensing Hub Orchestrating Growth, Metabolism, Health and Quality,” Rev. Aquac., 2025, doi: 10.1111/raq.70068.
[2] J. Zhang et al., “Review on Omics Approaches in Aquatic Animal Nutrition: Current Status, Limitations, and Perspectives.,” J. Nutr., 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.08.019.
[3] M. Abdelrahman et al., “Nutritional Modulation, Gut, and Omics Crosstalk in Ruminants,” Animals, vol. 12, no. 8, p. 997, 2022, doi: 10.3390/ani12080997.
[4] J. Loor, “Nutrigenomics in livestock: potential role in physiological regulation and practical applications,” Anim. Prod. Sci., 2022, doi: 10.1071/an21512.
[5] Z. Haq et al., “Nutrigenomics in livestock sector and its human-animal interface-a review,” Vet. Anim. Sci., vol. 17, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.vas.2022.100262.
[6] M. Hasan, J. Feugang, and S. Liao, “A Nutrigenomics Approach Using RNA Sequencing Technology to Study Nutrient–Gene Interactions in Agricultural Animals,” Curr. Dev. Nutr., vol. 3, 2019, doi: 10.1093/cdn/nzz082.
[7] Z. Gao, C. Liu, K. Mai, and G. He, “Nutrient sensing for the future of land animal and aquaculture nutrition,” Engineering, 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.eng.2022.05.019.
[8] F. Hassan, M. Alagawany, and R. Jha, “Editorial: Interplay of nutrition and genomics: Potential for improving performance and health of poultry,” Front. Physiol., vol. 13, 2022, doi: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1030995.
[9] M. Alagawany, S. Elnesr, M. Farag, K. El-Naggar, and M. Madkour, “Nutrigenomics and nutrigenetics in poultry nutrition: An updated review,” Worlds. Poult. Sci. J., vol. 78, pp. 377–396, 2022, doi: 10.1080/00439339.2022.2014288.
[10] E. Griela and K. Mountzouris, “Nutrigenomic profiling of reduced specification diets and phytogenic inclusion effects on critical toll-like receptor signaling, mitogen-activated protein kinase-apoptosis, and PI3K-Akt-mTOR gene components along the broiler gut,” Poult. Sci., vol. 102, 2023, doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102675.
[11] H. Neibergs and K. Johnson, “Alpharma Beef Cattle Nutrition Symposium: nutrition and the genome.,” J. Anim. Sci., vol. 90 7, pp. 2308–2316, 2012, doi: 10.2527/jas.2011-4582.
[12] C. Goul, R. Peruzzo, and R. Zoncu, “The molecular basis of nutrient sensing and signalling by mTORC1 in metabolism regulation and disease,” Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol., vol. 24, pp. 857–875, 2023, doi: 10.1038/s41580-023-00641-8.
[13] N. Zhang, “Epigenetic modulation of DNA methylation by nutrition and its mechanisms in animals,” Anim. Nutr., vol. 1, pp. 144–151, 2015, doi: 10.1016/j.aninu.2015.09.002.
[14] N. Zhang, “Role of methionine on epigenetic modification of DNA methylation and gene expression in animals,” Anim. Nutr., vol. 4, pp. 11–16, 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.aninu.2017.08.009.
[15] S. R. Hashemi, H. Davoodi, and E. Arabiyan, “Nutrigenomics: A New Approach to Feed Formulation,” J. Qazvin Univ. Med. Sci., 2020, doi: 10.32598/jqums.23.5.8.
[16] C.-W. Wu and K. Storey, “mTOR Signaling in Metabolic Stress Adaptation,” Biomolecules, vol. 11, 2021, doi: 10.3390/biom11050681.
[17] R. Afruza, “Nutrigenomics: Unraveling the Gene-Diet,” Biotechnol. Adv. Heal., [Online]. Available: https://books.google.com/bookshl=en&lr=&id=y3ulEQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA261&dq=%22diet+gene%22+interactions+in+farm+animals+molecular+dynamics+of+nutrient+utilization+gene+expression+and+signalling+pathways&ots=7om1gjl1Wa&sig=erbAygiSW8MqAWXyvrJKPMb2b9I
[18] C. Wang et al., “… Hybrid Sturgeon (Acipenser baerii × A. schrenckii): Balancing Growth Performance, Serum Biochemistry, and Expression of Immune-Related Genes,” 2024, mdpi.com. [Online]. Available: https://www.mdpi.com/2079-7737/13/5/324
[19] S. B. Redmond, Genetic and dietary effects on chicken heterophil function and immune response to Salmonella enteritidis. search.proquest.com, 2010. [Online]. Available: https://search.proquest.com/openview/6eb0c890e96056dbec1da19600ce7ffd/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750
[20] J. B. LaValle, “Nutrition, Diabetes, and Cancer,” … Cancer Epidemiol. Evid. Mol. …, 2008, [Online]. Available: https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=4_83EQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA114&dq=%22diet+gene%22+interactions+in+farm+animals+molecular+dynamics+of+nutrient+utilization+gene+expression+and+signalling+pathways&ots=KAje0dOSBi&sig=Lk30rNAsis8iYeVFcsNl_viyqaA
[21] A. Lis, P. Maj, A. Świętek, and E. Romuk, “The Role of Various Types of Diets in the Treatments of Depressive Disorders,” 2025, mdpi.com. [Online]. Available: https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/61/10/1737
[22] M. A. Steele, J. C. Plaizier, O. AlZahal, L. Dionissopoulos, and …, A characterization of inflammatory and structural markers within the rumen epithelium during grain-induced ruminal acidosis in lactating dairy cattle. era.library.ualberta.ca, 2012. [Online]. Available: https://era.library.ualberta.ca/items/8cf97e80-b374-4888-a347-e118c0e7416e
[23] Y. Fan, M. Qin, J. Zhu, X. Chen, J. Luo, and …, “MicroRNA sensing and regulating microbiota-host crosstalk via diet motivation,” … Sci. Nutr., 2024, doi: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2139220.
[24] A. C. Fernandes et al., “Transcriptional response to an alternative diet on liver, muscle, and rumen of beef cattle,” Sci. Rep., vol. 14, 2024, doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-63619-2.
[25] A. Naeem, J. K. Drackley, J. S. Lanier, R. E. Everts, and …, “Ruminal epithelium transcriptome dynamics in response to plane of nutrition and age in young Holstein calves,” Funct. &integrative …, 2014, doi: 10.1007/s10142-013-0351-2.
[26] A. C. Fernandes, Integration of multi-tissue transcriptomics and microbiome data to assess the effects of alternative feed on methane production and other phenotypes in cattle. teses.usp.br, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.teses.usp.br/teses/disponiveis/11/11139/tde-10012025-081946/en.php
[27] B. Kwabi-Addo, “Gene-Environment Interactions in Health Disparities,” … A Role Epigenomic Environ. Interact., 2017, doi: 10.1007/978-3-319-55865-3_10.
[28] H. Han, An observational investigation of gene-diet interactions on obesity outcomes. escholarship.mcgill.ca, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://escholarship.mcgill.ca/concern/theses/2r36v422w
[29] B. Koletzko, E. Reischl, C. Tanjung, and …, “FADS1 and FADS2 Polymorphisms Modulate Fatty Acid Metabolism and Dietary Impact on Health,” … Rev. Nutr., 2019, doi: 10.1146/annurev-nutr-082018-124250.
[30] E. Reiche, A. P. Kallaur, F. V Reiche, and …, “Genetic Polymorphisms and Gene–Nutrient Interaction in Metabolic Syndrome,” 2015, CRC Press.
[31] A. Pal, “Nutrigenomics,” Protoc. Adv. genomics allied Tech., 2021, doi: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1818-9_23.
[32] D. M. Ruden, P. Rasouli, L. Wang, and …, “Nutrient-By-Genotype Interactions and Personalized Diet: What Can We Learn From Drosophila and Evolutionary Biology?,” Curr. …, 2009, [Online]. Available: https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/ben/cppm/2009/00000007/00000003/art00005
[33] K. Gvozdanović, Z. Kralik, Ž. Radišić, M. Košević, G. Kralik, and I. D. Kušec, “The Interaction between Feed Bioactive Compounds and Chicken Genome,” Anim. an Open Access J. from MDPI, vol. 13, 2023, doi: 10.3390/ani13111831.
[34] R. Afruza, “Nutrigenomics: Unraveling the Gene–Diet Interactions for Personalized Nutrition and Optimizing Health Outcomes,” Biotechnol. Adv. Heal., 2026, doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-3612-2_10.
[35] J. C. Mathers, “Candidate mechanisms for interactions between nutrients and genes,” Nutr. Interact. Cancer, 2006, doi: 10.1201/9780849332296-2.
[36] J. Kaput, “Diet–disease interactions at the molecular level. An experimental paradigm,” Phytochem. Nutr. Interact., 2006, [Online]. Available: https://books.google.com/books?hl=en&lr=&id=Lj_MBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PA23&dq=%22diet+gene%22+interactions+in+farm+animals+molecular+dynamics+of+nutrient+utilization+gene+expression+and+signalling+pathways&ots=esR2OnIkWy&sig=PB_Rz6_w3Hd1ORqGw0a8_wH2g0A
[37] M. S. Meskin, W. R. Bidlack, and R. K. Randolph, Phytochemicals: nutrient-gene interactions. taylorfrancis.com, 2006. doi: 10.1201/9781420005905.
[38] I. H. Malgwi, V. Halas, P. Grünvald, S. Schiavon, and I. Jócsák, “Genes related to fat metabolism in pigs and intramuscular fat content of pork: A focus on nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics,” 2022, mdpi.com. [Online]. Available: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/2/150
[39] F. Prasetya and L. Hananta, “Nutrigenomics and Jamu: Integrating Nutritional Genomics with Indonesian Traditional Medicine for Precision, Preventive, and Systems-Oriented Health,” J. Trop. Pharm. …, 2025, [Online]. Available: http://jtpc.ff.unmul.ac.id/index.php/jtpc/article/view/320
[40] A. Antonacci, Improving the nutrient composition of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to enhance the production of photosynthetic active metabolites: a molecular study on the …. dspace.unitus.it, 2010. [Online]. Available: https://dspace.unitus.it/handle/2067/1023
[41] S. Dwivedi, G. Chikara, S. Samdariya, and …, “Molecular biotechnology for diagnostics,” Appl. Mol. …, 2016, [Online]. Available: https://api.taylorfrancis.com/content/chapters/edit/download?identifierName=doi&identifierValue=10.1201/b19543-20&type=chapterpdf
[42] R. Saif and A. Iftikhar, “Bioinformatics: Multiomics Applications in Food Science,” 2022, researchgate.net. [Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ali-Iftikhar-8/publication/360545445_Bioinformatics_Multi-Omics_Applications_in_Food_Science/links/6631de1008aa54017acfc742/Bioinformatics-Multi-Omics-Applications-in-Food-Science.pdf
[43] Q. Xu et al., “Gut Microbiota and Their Role in Health and Metabolic Disease of Dairy Cow,” 2021, frontiersin.org. doi: 10.3389/fnut.2021.701511.
[44] Y. Singh, S. Sinha, J. Likhita, M. Arya, and V. Verma, “Nutrigenomics and Its Applications,” Adv. Omi. …, 2025, doi: 10.1007/978-981-95-0285-1_14.
[45] M. Wanapat et al., “The application of omics technologies for understanding tropical plants-based bioactive compounds in ruminants: a review,” J. Anim. Sci. Biotechnol., vol. 15, 2024, doi: 10.1186/s40104-024-01017-4.
[46] R. K. Tekade, N. Soni, S. Neetu, and …, “Omics-Driven Novel Technologies in Food and Nutrition Research,” Nutr. …, 2017, doi: 10.1201/9781315153711-2.
[47] M. S. Rahim, V. Sharma, P. Yadav, A. Parveen, A. Kumar, and …, “Rethinking underutilized cereal crops: pan-omics integration and green system biology,” Planta, 2023, doi: 10.1007/s00425-023-04242-9.
[48] S. Mall and A. Srivastava, “Foodomics: Integrated omics for the food and nutrition science,” Integr. Omi., 2024, [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780443160929000072
[49] K. P. Uvarajan, “Omics-Driven Insights into Nutrigenomics and Growth Optimization in Aquatic Species,” 2024, aasrresearch.com. [Online]. Available: https://www.aasrresearch.com/index.php/NJSFAI/article/download/307/329
[50] M. Kussmann, F. Raymond, and M. Affolter, “OMICS-driven biomarker discovery in nutrition and health,” J. Biotechnol., 2006, [Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0168165606001775
[51] S. H. Zeisel, “Precision (personalized) nutrition: understanding metabolic heterogeneity,” 2020, annualreviews.org. doi: 10.1146/annurev-food-032519-051736.
[52] F. H. Chilton, R. Dutta, L. M. Reynolds, S. Sergeant, and …, “Precision nutrition and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids: A case for personalized supplementation approaches for the prevention and management of …,” 2017, mdpi.com. [Online]. Available: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/11/1165
[53] I. M. Al Zamzami, A. A. Prihanto, and …, “Global Research Trends in Genome-Based Aquafeed for Pacific White Shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei): A Scientometrics Analysis (1976–2025).,” Egypt. J. …, 2025, [Online]. Available: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&profile=ehost&scope=site&authtype=crawler&jrnl=11106131&AN=189314229&h=FXL3pb1suZ7nCVrg3Va6JD%2BE9qVcYwIJH4q2%2FMX%2BqG9CCDbHEBQVBJHYNqXYF5oLG2maR1X3ydimXgmlXq0ffA%3D%3D&crl=c
| Volume | 04 |
| 01 | |
| Received | 19/01/2026 |
| Accepted | 31/01/2026 |
| Published | 03/02/2026 |
| Publication Time | 15 Days |
Login
PlumX Metrics