Modification of gene expression involved in muscle growth and energy metabolism according to growth capacity in young Charolais bulls

摘要

In cattle, genetic selection in France has been directed in favour of high muscle development at the expense of fat in order to produce leaner carcass and to quantitatively increase meat production. However, it has influenced muscle characteristics, and therefore can have a significant impact on meat quality. Indeed, some studies performed on two lines of Charolais young bulls, divergently selected on muscle growth capacity, showed that the muscle modifications driven by selection may be favourable to tenderness thanks to the strengthening of the fast-glycolytic muscle properties (which favour meat ageing) but detrimental to flavour due to a reduction in intramuscular fat deposition (Renand et al., 1994, Sudre et al., 2005).