Molecular Characterization and Functional Insights into Goose IGF2BP2 During Skeletal Muscle Development

Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 2 (IGF2BP2) is an RNA-binding protein known to play critical roles in metabolism, cell proliferation, and tumorigenesis. Although its involvement in muscle development has been documented in several species, the function of goose IGF2BP2 remains largely unexplored. In this study, we cloned and characterized the full-length cDNA and genomic DNA sequences of goose IGF2BP2. The cDNA is 2957 bp in length and contains a 1662 bp open reading frame encoding a 553-amino acid protein with five conserved RNA-binding domains. The genomic sequence spans 12,183 bp and consists of 12 exons and 11 introns. A total of 60 genetic variants were identified, including a deletion of a G base at position 2299 (g.2299delG) that results in a frameshift mutation. Expression analysis revealed high levels of IGF2BP2 mRNA in the liver, heart, and muscle tissues of female geese across embryonic (E25d), growing (A70d), and laying (L270d) stages, consistent with a potential role in muscle development (<i>p</i> < 0.05). Functionally, overexpression of IGF2BP2 in skeletal muscle satellite cells (SMSCs) was associated with significant changes in the expression of several genes linked to muscle development and signaling pathways, including upregulation of IGF1, EGFR, FGF19, BMP6, BMP2, ACVR1C and WNT5A and downregulation of MYBPC3, NODAL, HOXD13, TNXB, and ADD2 (<i>Padj</i> < 0.01). Furthermore, protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of these genes suggests that IGF2BP2 may coordinate key genes, contributing to its potential role in skeletal muscle development in geese.