Genetic characterisation of PPARG, CEBPA and RXRA, and their influence on meat quality traits in cattle

Background: Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG), CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (CEBPA) and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRA) are nuclear transcription factors that play important roles in regulation of adipogenesis and fat deposition. The objectives of this study were to characterise the variability of these three candidate genes in a mixed sample panel composed of several cattle breeds with different meat quality, validate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a local crossbred population (Angus - Hereford - Limousin) and evaluate their effects on meat quality traits (backfat thickness, intramuscular fat content and fatty acid composition), supporting the association tests with bioinformatic predictive studies. Results: Globally, nine SNPs were detected in the PPARG and CEBPA genes within our mixed panel, including a novel SNP in the latter. Three of these nine, along with seven other SNPs selected from the Single Nucleotide Polymorphism database (SNPdb), including SNPs in the RXRA gene, were validated in the crossbred population (N = 260). After validation, five of these SNPs were evaluated for genotype effects on fatty acid content and composition. Significant effects were observed on backfat thickness and different fatty acid contents (P < 0.05). Some of these SNPs caused slight differences in mRNA structure stability and/or putative binding sites for proteins. Conclusions: PPARG and CEBPA showed low to moderate variability in our sample panel. Variations in these genes, along with RXRA, may explain part of the genetic variation in fat content and composition. Our results may contribute to knowledge about genetic variation in meat quality traits in cattle and should be evaluated in larger independent populations.Instituto de Genética Veterinari

Genetic variation in FABP4 and evaluation of its effects on beef cattle fat content

FABP4 is a protein primarily expressed in adipocytes and macrophages that plays a key role in fatty acid trafficking and lipid hydrolysis. FABP4 gene polymorphisms have been associated with meat quality traits in cattle, mostly in Asian breeds under feedlot conditions. The objectives of this work were to characterize FABP4 genetic variation in several worldwide cattle breeds and evaluate possible genotype effects on fat content in a pasture-fed crossbred (Angus-Hereford-Limousin) population. We re-sequenced 43 unrelated animals from nine cattle breeds (Angus, Brahman, Creole, Hereford, Holstein, Limousin, Nelore, Shorthorn, and Wagyu) and obtained 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) over 3,164 bp, including four novel polymorphisms. Haplotypes and linkage disequilibrium analyses showed a high variability. Five SNPs were selected to perform validation and association studies in our crossbred population. Four SNPs showed well-balanced allele frequencies (minor frequency &gt; 0.159), and three showed no significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg proportions. SNPs showed significant effects on backfat thickness and fatty acid composition (P &lt; 0.05). The protein structure of one of the missense SNPs was analyzed to elucidate its possible effect on fat content in our studied population. Our results revealed a possible blockage of the fatty acid binding site by the missense mutation.Instituto de Genética Veterinari

Characterization of the bovine gene LIPE and possible influence on fatty acid composition of meat

LIPE is an intracellular neutral lipase, which is capable of hydrolyzing a variety of esters and plays a key role in the mobilization of fatty acids from diacylglycerols. The objectives of this study were to characterize the genetic polymorphism of bovine LIPE gene and to evaluate the possible association between three SNPs in the coding regions of this gene with the fatty acid composition of meat in a cattle population. Forty-three unrelated animals from different cattle breeds were re-sequenced and 21 SNPs were detected over approximately 2600. bp, five of these SNPs were novel. Three SNPs were selected, on the basis of evolutionary conservation, to perform validation and association studies in a crossbred cattle population. Our results may suggest a possible association of SNP1 with contents of oleic acid and total monounsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.01), and SNP2 and SNP3 with Heneicosylic acid content (p < 0.01), may be helpful to improve the quality of meat and improve health.Instituto de Genética Veterinari

Einfluss von drei Einzelnucleotidpolymorphismen im CAPN1 Gen auf die Zartheit von Rindfleisch

Meat tenderness is an important trait in beef cattle production, as consumers consider tenderness the most important attribute of beef palatability. There is ample evidence that post mortem proteolysis of myofibrillar proteins is responsible for the decline in shear force uring storage. The bovine micromolar calcium-activated neutral protease CAPN1) gene encodes the large subunit of μ-calpain, which is thought to be one of the most important enzymes involved in post mortem tenderization (KOOHMARAIE 1996). Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on the CAPN1 gene (316, 530 and 4 751 markers)have been associated with tenderness in different cattle breeds (PAGE et al. 2002, PAGE et al. 2004, WHITE et al. 2005). A more recent study confirmed that markers 316 and 4 751 had an effect on beef tenderness (VAN EENENNAAM et al. 2007). The objective of this research was to determine the existence of polymorphisms and to assess the effect of the reported SNP in the bovine CAPN1 gene on tenderness from a sample of Angus and Brangus steers fattened on pasture.Fil: Soria, Liliana A.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; ArgentinaFil: Corva, Pablo Marcelo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Sica, Andrea Branda. Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria; UruguayFil: Schor, Alejandro. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomia. Departamento de Producción Animal. Cátedra de Bovinos de Carne; ArgentinaFil: Melucci, Lilia Magdalena. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias; ArgentinaFil: Villarreal, Edgardo L.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Área de Investigación en Producción y Sanidad Animal; ArgentinaFil: Mezzadra, Carlos Alberto. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Buenos Aires Sur. Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce. Área de Investigación en Producción y Sanidad Animal; ArgentinaFil: Cantet, Rodolfo Juan Carlos. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario; ArgentinaFil: Miquel, Maria Cristina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias; Argentin

Evaluación genética de una majada de cabras Criollo en Los Llanos de La Rioja, Argentina

La raza caprina Criollo constituye un recurso genético para producción de carne en regiones áridas y semiáridas de Argentina. En 1989, la EEA (INTA) La Rioja inició una majada experimental para estudiar su potencial productivo. Para analizar la variabilidad genética de la majada se estimaron a) la tasa de inbreeding, tamaño efectivo de la población y parámetros basados en la teoría de probabilidad de origen de los genes: número efectivo de fundadores (fe) y número de ancestros (fa) y b) las tendencias en los componentes directos y maternos del peso al nacer (PNd y PNm) y peso al destete (PDd y PDm, respectivamente). En el primer caso se utilizó el programa ENDOG (v 4.0). Los valores de cría predichos de PN y PD se estimaron en forma unicarácter incluyendo los respectivos efectos fijos y los efectos genéticos directos, maternos y del ambiente permanente. La información correspondió a 1748 cabritos nacidos entre 1994 y 2005. La estructura genética de la población indicó 345 fundadores y 508 medio fundadores mostrando un tamaño efectivo de la población base de 66,32 reproductores, una endogamia esperada por generación de 0,75 % y una endogamia media calculada a partir del promedio de los coeficientes de consanguinidad estimados de 0,35%. La población de referencia correspondió a 1067 individuos con ambos padres conocidos, donde fa= 194 y fe= 23 individuos de los cuales solo 9 explicaron el 50 % de la variabilidad total. Las tendencias genéticas generacionales para PNd, PNm, PDd y PDm fueron: -0,00572 ± 0,00392 (P>0,05); -0,02532 ± 0,00383 (P>0,01); -0,18932 ± 0,02991 (P<0,01) y 0,06457 ± 0,01034 (P<0,01), respectivamente. Se considera necesario implementar estrategias de apareamientos para controlar el incremento de consanguinidad y aumentar el tamaño efectivo de la población. Las tendencias genéticas indicaron un leve incremento en el crecimiento predestete de los animales.The Criollo goat is a beef genetic recourse for arid region in Argentine. In 1989 an experimental flock was created in La Rioja, EEA (INTA) with the objective of to learn your productivity. The present study analyzes the genetic variation of flock through of a) inbreeding rate, effective population size and the estimation of parameters based on the theory of probabilities of gene origin: effective number of founders (fe) effective number of ancestors (fa) and b) genetic tends in direct and maternal components of birth (PNd y PNm) and weaning (PDd y PDm) weight, respectively. In the first case, it was performed using the ENDOG (v 4.0) program. Estimates of PN and PD breeding value were obtained by unitrait mixed model with corresponding fixed effect and direct, maternal and permanent genetic effects. The information available came from 1748 kid born between 1994 and 2005. On the base population there was 345 and 508 founder and half founder, respectively, with an effective population size of 66.32 and an expected inbreeding of 0,75 % by generation and a computed mean inbreeding from estimated inbreeding coefficients of 0,35% by generation. The reference population was performed by 1067 individual with both parents known, where fa=194 and fe= 23 but the 50 % of total variability was explained by only 9 individual. The genetic tends by generation were -0.00572 ± 0.00392 (P>0.05); -0.02532 ± 0.00383 (P>0.01); -0.18932 ± 0.02991 (P<0.01) and 0.06457 ± 0.01034 (P<0.01) for PNd, PNm, PDd and PDm, respectively. An optimum policy of mating needs to be established to control the inbreeding and increasing Ne. The genetic tends shown a slow increasing in preweaning growth of animals.EEA La RiojaFil: Vera, Tomas Anibal. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Rioja; ArgentinaFil: Melucci, Lilia Magdalena. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Balcarce; ArgentinaFil: Chagra Dib, Elsa Patricia. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Rioja; ArgentinaFil: Leguiza, Hector Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Rioja; Argentina.Fil: Dayenoff, Patricio Mario. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Rioja; Argentina.Fil: Ricarte, Ramon Armando. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria La Rioja; Argentina

The association of CAPN1 316 marker genotypes with growth and meat quality traits of steers finished on pasture

The objective of this paper was to determine the association of a SNP in the μ-calpain gene at position 316 with growth and quality of meat traits of steers grown on pasture. Fifty-nine Brangus and 20 Angus steers were genotyped for CAPN1 316. Warner Bratzler shear force was measured in l. lumborum samples after a 7-day aging period. A multivariate analysis of variance was performed, including shear force (WBSF), final weight (FW), average daily gain (ADG), backfat thickness (BFT), average monthly fat thickness gain (AMFTG), rib-eye area (REA), and beef rib-eye depth (RED) as dependent variables. The CAPN1 316 genotype was statistically significant. Univariate analyses were done with these variables. The marker genotype was statistically significant (p < 0.05) for WBSF (kg: CC: 4.41 ± 0.57; CG: 5.58 ± 0.20; GG: 6.29 ± 0.18), FW (kg: CC: 360.23 ± 14.71; CG: 381.34 ± 5.26; GG: 399.23 ± 4.68), and ADG (kg/d: CC: 0.675 ± 0.046; CG: 0.705 ± 0.016; GG: 0.765 ± 0.014) Shear force, final weight and average daily gain were significantly different according to the CAPN1 316 marker genotypes. The marker genotype was statistically significant in the multivariate analysis (p = 0.001). The first characteristic root explained 89% of the differences among genotypes. WBSF, FW and ADG were the most important traits in the first vector, indicating that animals with the marker genotype for lowest WBSF also have the lowest FW and ADG

Effects of cytoplasmic inheritance on preweaning traits of Hereford cattle

The influence of cytoplasmic inheritance on birth and weaning weight was evaluated in an experimental Hereford herd. Data on 1,720 records for birth and weaning weights from calves born between 1963 and 2002 were studied. Variance components were estimated using MTDFREML procedures and an animal model was fitted for each trait. Direct and maternal additive effects and permanent environment and maternal lineage effects were treated as random, while year and month of birth, age of dam and sex of the calf were treated as fixed. Identification of maternal lineages was based on pedigree information. The contribution to phenotypic variance of cytoplasmic lineages defined by pedigree information was negligible for both traits. Mitochondrial genotypes of cows present in the herd in 2002 were analyzed by single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis. Only five different genotypes were identified among 23 maternal lineages. All the animals with records were assigned to maternal genotypes based on pedigree information. The statistical analysis was repeated, removing maternal lineage from the model and including mitochondrial genotype as a fixed effect. No evidence of genotype effects was detected. These results suggest a negligible effect of the mitochondrial genome on the preweaning traits of this Hereford herd.Facultad de Ciencias Veterinaria

Characterization of the bovine gene LIPE and possible influence on fatty acid composition of meat

LIPE is an intracellular neutral lipase, which is capable of hydrolyzing a variety of esters and plays a key role in the mobilization of fatty acids from diacylglycerols. The objectives of this study were to characterize the genetic polymorphism of bovine LIPE gene and to evaluate the possible association between three SNPs in the coding regions of this gene with the fatty acid composition of meat in a cattle population. Forty-three unrelated animals from different cattle breeds were re-sequenced and 21 SNPs were detected over approximately 2600. bp, five of these SNPs were novel. Three SNPs were selected, on the basis of evolutionary conservation, to perform validation and association studies in a crossbred cattle population. Our results may suggest a possible association of SNP1 with contents of oleic acid and total monounsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.01), and SNP2 and SNP3 with Heneicosylic acid content (p < 0.01), may be helpful to improve the quality of meat and improve health.Instituto de Genética Veterinari

Genetic Footprints of Iberian Cattle in America 500 Years after the Arrival of Columbus

Background: American Creole cattle presumably descend from animals imported from the Iberian Peninsula during the period of colonization and settlement, through different migration routes, andmay have also suffered the influence of cattle directly imported from Africa. The introduction of European cattle, which began in the 18th century, and later of Zebu from India, has threatened the survival of Creole populations, some of which have nearly disappeared or were admixed with exotic breeds. Assessment of the genetic status of Creole cattle is essential for the establishment of conservation programs of these historical resources. Methodology/Principal Findings: We sampled 27 Creole populations, 39 Iberian, 9 European and 6 Zebu breeds. We used microsatellite markers to assess the origins of Creole cattle, and to investigate the influence of different breeds on their genetic make-up. The major ancestral contributions are from breeds of southern Spain and Portugal, in agreement with the historical ports of departure of ships sailing towards the Western Hemisphere. This Iberian contribution to Creoles may also include some African influence, given the influential role that African cattle have had in the development of Iberian breeds, but the possibility of a direct influence on Creoles of African cattle imported to America can not be discarded. In addition to the Iberian influence, the admixture with other European breeds was minor. The Creoles from tropical areas, especially those from the Caribbean, show clear signs of admixture with Zebu. Conclusions/Significance: Nearly five centuries since cattle were first brought to the Americas, Creoles still show a strong and predominant signature of their Iberian ancestors. Creole breeds differ widely from each other, both in genetic structure and influences from other breeds. Efforts are needed to avoid their extinction or further genetic erosion, which would compromise centuries of selective adaptation to a wide range of environmental condition