Scans for signatures of selection in Russian cattle breed genomes reveal new candidate genes for environmental adaptation and acclimation

Domestication and selective breeding has resulted in over 1000 extant cattle breeds. Many of these breeds do not excel in important traits but are adapted to local environments. These adaptations are a valuable source of genetic material for efforts to improve commercial breeds. As a step toward this goal we identified candidate regions to be under selection in genomes of nine Russian native cattle breeds adapted to survive in harsh climates. After comparing our data to other breeds of European and Asian origins we found known and novel candidate genes that could potentially be related to domestication, economically important traits and environmental adaptations in cattle. The Russian cattle breed genomes contained regions under putative selection with genes that may be related to adaptations to harsh environments (e.g., AQP5, RAD50, and RETREG1). We found genomic signatures of selective sweeps near key genes related to economically important traits, such as the milk production (e.g., DGAT1, ABCG2), growth (e.g., XKR4), and reproduction (e.g., CSF2). Our data point to candidate genes which should be included in future studies attempting to identify genes to improve the extant breeds and facilitate generation of commercial breeds that fit better into the environments of Russia and other countries with similar climates

Technological and sensory quality of defective pork meat

Celem badań było porównanie wartości technologicznej i sensorycznej mięsa wieprzowego należącego do różnych klas jakościowych. Badania przeprowadzono selekcjonując materiał spośród 390 tuczników. W mięsie badanych tuczników oznaczono: pH, barwę, wyciek naturalny, wskaźnik RTN, wydajność po gotowaniu. Przeprowadzono również ocenę sensoryczną mięsa surowego i gotowanego. Na podstawie wartości pH (1, 3, 24 h) próby mięsa podzielono na: PSE, częściowo PSE, kwaśne, normalne i częściowo DFD. Wyniki przeprowadzonych badań wykazały stosunkowo dobrą jakość technologiczną i sensoryczną mięsa. Najniższą jakość technologiczną wykazywało mięso uznane za PSE, częściowo PSE i ASE. Mięso DFD charakteryzowało się najwyższą wydajnością po gotowaniu i peklowaniu, najmniejszym wyciekiem oraz najwyższą jakością sensoryczną mięsa gotowanego, która nie różnicowała go jednak istotnie od mięsa normalnego.The objective of the study was to compare the technological and sensory value of pork meat from different quality classes. The research was performed on the meat material selected from among 390 fatteners. The following meat parameters of the fatteners were analysed: pH value, meat colour, natural drip loss, Napole technological yield (RTN), and cooking yield. Moreover, both the raw and the cooked meat samples were sensory evaluated. Based on the pH values (1h, 3h, and 24h post mortem), the meat samples were divided into five quality classes: PSE, partially PSE, acidic, normal, and partially DFD. The results of the analyses performed showed a relatively good technological and sensory quality of the meat studied. The lowest technological value had the meat described as PSE, partially PSE, and ASE. The DFD meat was characterized by the highest cooking and curing yields, the lowest drip loss, and the highest sensory quality of cooked meat, which, however, was not significantly different than that of the normal meat