Tissue Expression and Variation of the DGAT2 Gene and Its Effect on Carcass and Meat Quality Traits in Yak

摘要

Simple SummaryYaks (Bos grunniens) inhabit the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and adjacent highlands at elevations between 2000 and 5000 m, where they are important domestic animals, as they provide meat, milk, fuel, and other necessities for Tibetans and nomads in China. Yak meat is fine in texture and high in protein, yet poor in muscular marbling and tenderness. Diacylglycerol acyltransferase-2 (DGAT2), which regulates fat deposition in animals, is a candidate gene for meat quality and quantity traits. However, there have been few reports on the effects of the DGAT2 gene on the meat quality of yak. Our study elucidated tissue expression of the yak DGAT2 gene and association of variation in the gene with Warner–Bratzler shear force of longissimus muscle. The results provide guidance for the molecular-assisted selection of meat tenderness in yak.