Feeding strategies alter gene expression of the calpain system and meat quality in the longissimus muscle of Braford steers.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of supplementing pasture-finished steers with corn silage on the expression level of the calpain system proteins and beef tenderization.

Methods: Thirty Braford steers grazing on summer pasture were used for the study. For 120 days fifteen animals were supplemented with corn silage at 1% of body weight per head per day (Suppl) whereas the remaining 15 steers only received pasture (Contr).

Two different vestigial like 4 genes are differentially expressed during Xenopus laevis development.

The vestigial gene (vg) was first characterized in Drosophila and several homologues were identified in vertebrates and called vestigial like 1-4 (vgll1-4). Vgll proteins interact with the transcription factors TEF-1 and MEF-2 through a conserved region called TONDU (TDU). Vgll4s are characterized by two tandem TDU domains which differentiate them from other members of the vestigial family.

ΔNp63 is regulated by BMP4 signaling and is required for early epidermal development in Xenopus.

Background: It has been established in several models that the p63 gene has an important role in the development of the epidermis and its derivatives. In Xenopus, only the ΔNp63 isoform of this gene has been cloned and its role during epidermal development remains unknown.

Results: In this work, we showed that ΔNp63 is expressed in the nonneural ectoderm since the gastrula stage and that it is regulated by the bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) signaling pathway.