Effect of three single-nucleotide polymorphisms in CAPN1 gene on beef tenderness (Brief Report)

摘要

Meat tenderness is an important trait in beef cattle production, as consumers considertenderness the most important attribute of beef palatability. There is ample evidencethat post mortem proteolysis of myofibrillar proteins is responsible for the decline in shearforce during storage. The bovine gene encodes the large subunit of μ-calpain, which is thought to be one of the mostimportant enzymes involved in tenderization (KOOHMARAIE 1996). Threesingle-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the gene (316, 530 and 4 751 markers)have been associated with tenderness in different cattle breeds (PAGE et al. 2002, PAGE etal. 2004, WHITE et al. 2005). A more recent study confirmed that markers 316 and 4 751had an effect on beef tenderness (VAN EENENNAAM et al. 2007). The objective of thisresearch was to determine the existence of polymorphisms and to assess the effect of thereported SNP in the bovine gene on tenderness from a sample of Angus andBrangus steers fattened on pasture.