Variability of μ-Calpain and Calpastatin genes in cattle

A preliminary analysis on the variability of μ-Calpain (CAPN1) and Calpastatin (CAST) genes in six cattle breeds was carried out, focusing the attention on CAPN1 g.5709C>G, CAPN1 g.6545C>T, and CAST g.282C>G SNPs, which have been suggested to affect beef tenderness in cattle. The results indicate that the two genes are polymorphic in all the analysed breeds, with significant between-breed differences. On the basis of their variability, only CAPN1 g.6545C>T and CAST g.282C>G SNPs seem appropriate to be considered as potential markers for beef tenderness

Study on milk proteins loci in some decreasing Italian cattle breeds

International audienc

MC1R gene analysis applied to breed traceability of beef

Since the breed of origin highly affects the beef price, reliable methods are needed to detect incorrect declarations. As most breeds are standardised for coat colour, the Melanocortin 1 Receptor gene (MC1R), involved in the regulation of eu/pheomelanins synthesis, has been suggested as marker for breed traceability of products of animal origin. The aim of this investigation is to characterise the main breeds reared in the Piedmont Region by MC1R locus and to apply the analysis of the locus to breed traceability of beef cuts purchased in different outlets of the Region. A total of 168 DNA samples of four cattle breeds (Piemontese, Blonde d'Aquitaine, Italian Friesian and Aosta Red Pied) were analysed for MC1R locus by PCR-RFLP. In addition, 28 DNA samples from beef with breed indication were tested. Piemontese and Blonde d'Aquitaine were monomorphic for the E+and eallele, respectively. In the Friesian breed the EdEd genotype was the most frequent, but Edewas also observed (2%). Aosta Red Pied was the most variable breed, with the presence of the three alleles and five genotypes out of six. The comparison of the genotypic distribution in the four breeds clearly indicates that it is possible to distinguish among Piemontese, Blonde d'Aquitaine and Friesian breeds, but the same is not true for Aosta Red Pied, which has genotypes in common with the other breeds. The results on beef samples revealed a high percentage of mislabelling (about 18%), which concerned Friesian breed and crossbreds. These results indicate that MC1R locus is an effective marker in breed traceability of beef, when the involved breeds are characterised by different genotypes. Moreover, compared to other genetic markers, it has the great advantage of not requiring DNA reference sam- ples. This survey, though limited, has revealed a high percentage of incompatibilities. Therefore, the analysis of MC1R locus is recommended in the framework of product certification, at least for random controls within a system aimed at preventing fraud

Current Knowledge on River Buffalo Meat: A Critical Analysis

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Buffaloes are reared for different purposes, primarily for milk and dairy products. Meat is often a secondary product and mainly derives from old animals at the end of their productive or working life. However, in recent years buffalo meat has gained increased popularity due to its nutritional properties. Therefore, a huge economic potential might arise from the development of the meat sector in buffalo breeding. This review provides an overview of the recent advances in the knowledge on river buffalo meat, with a special focus on quality traits, and offers insights for future research aimed at improving the meat sector in this species. ABSTRACT: The estimated world population of water buffalo counts around 204 million head, mostly reared for milk production. However, buffaloes also largely contribute to the meat sector, with around 4.3 million tonnes produced in 2019, mainly derived from old animals at the end of their productive or working life and only to a small extent from young animals. Therefore, buffalo meat production has been generally considered unsatisfactory for both quantity and quality. In fact, the dressing percentage is generally lower than 50% and the meat is considered of poor quality mainly due to its dark colour and reduced tenderness. However, in recent years, the healthy properties highlighted by some studies have led to a renewed interest in buffalo meat, with a parallel increase in research. Therefore, this review aims at providing an updated picture on carcass and meat quality traits in river buffalo, with special attention to the intrinsic and extrinsic factors contributing to their variability. The research done so far has demonstrated that river buffaloes can efficiently contribute to the quanti-qualitative production of meat, provided that the meat supply chain is specifically organised for this purpose. The analysis of the available data also showed that further research is needed on the factors affecting meat production in order to gain greater knowledge essential for planning more targeted interventions

Molecular genetics in aquaculture

Great advances in molecular genetics have deeply changed the way of doing research in aquaculture, as it has already done in other fields. The molecular revolution started in the 1980’s, thanks to the widespread use of restriction enzymes and Polymerase Chain Reaction technology, which makes it possible to easily detect the genetic variability directly at the DNA level. In aquaculture, the molecular data are used for several purposes, which can be clustered into two main groups. The first one, focused on individuals, includes the sex identification and parentage assignment, while the second one, focused on populations, includes the wide area of the genetic characterization, aimed at solving taxonomic uncertainties, preserving genetic biodiversity and detecting genetic tags. For the future, the increase in the number of molecular markers and the construction of high density genetic maps, as well as the implementation of genomic resources (including genome sequencing), are expected to provide tools for the genetic improvement of aquaculture species through Marked Assisted Selection. In this review the characteristics of different types of molecular markers, along with their applications to a variety of aquaculture issues are presented