Interactions between genes involved in growth and muscularity in pigs: IGF-2, myostatin, ryanodine receptor 1, and melanocortin-4 receptor.

In the swine breeding industry, two economical traits are of particular importance in sires, namely, muscle growth and average daily gain (ADG). These traits are quantitative, which implies that they are under the control of multiple genes. Mutations in these genes, associated with either muscularity or growth, are useful quantitative trait nucleotides (QTN) for unraveling genetic variation of these traits and can be used in marker-assisted selection.

Role of proline and hydroxyproline in N-nitrosamine formation during heating in cured meat.

N-Nitrosamines are formed in a multi-step reaction of nitrite with free amino acids and amines in the meat products. The aim of this study was to determine the role of proline and hydroxyproline in N-nitrosamines formation during heating of cured meat. A lean meat model was used with different nitrite concentrations (0, 120, and 480mg/kg), and addition of proline and hydroxyproline (1000mg/kg), followed by heating at different temperatures.

Effect of the insulin-like growth factor-II and RYR1 genotype in pigs on carcass and meat quality traits.

Recently, a new QTN (quantitative trait nucleotide), which is located in the regulatory sequence of the imprinted IGF-II gene was discovered in the pig and is associated with a significant increase in IGF-II mRNA expression in skeletal muscle during postnatal growth. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of the IGF-II paternal allele (Apat and Gpat animals that inherited, respectively, the mutant and wild type paternal allele of interest) on carcass and meat quality traits in Nn and NN RYR1 genotypes. A total of 141 animals were measured, almost equally distributed over the IGF-II and RYR1 genotypes and gender.

Characterization of the complete porcine MSTN gene and expression levels in pig breeds differing in muscularity.

Myostatin (MSTN), a transforming growth factor beta superfamily member, is an essential factor for the growth and development of muscle mass. The protein functions as a negative regulator of muscle growth and is related to the so-called double-muscling phenotype in cattle, where a series of mutations renders the gene inactive. One particular breed of pigs, the Belgian Piétrain, also shows a heavily muscled phenotype.

The effect of mutations in the insulin-like growth factor-II and ryanodine receptor-1 genes on biochemical and histochemical muscle fibre characteristics in pigs.

Mutations in IGF-II (insulin-like growth factor-II) and RYR1 (ryanodine receptor-1) increase lean meat content in pigs but with different effects on meat quality. Differences in biochemical and histochemical muscle fibre characteristics between the two mutations can thus be suspected. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the IGF-II mutation (Apat vs.