In addition, FADS1 is also associated with metabolic diseases (obesity, metabolic syndrome) and cardiovascular diseases (arterial hypertension, coronary heart disease)48,49, In this study, FADS1 was up-regulated in Duolang sheep, which was consistent with previous study showing that FADS1 was highly expressed in subcutaneous adipose tissue of other species. Here, FADS1 is linked to obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.