Expression of genes and proteins related to meat quality in Bos indicus cattle

• Grant number: 17/50024-4
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: July 01, 2017
• End date: December 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Genetics and Improvement of Domestic Animals
• Agreement: University of Queensland
• Mobility Program: SPRINT - Projetos de pesquisa - Mobilidade
• Principal Investigator: Lucia Galvão de Albuquerque
• Grantee: Lucia Galvão de Albuquerque
• Principal researcher abroad: Bem Hayes
• Institution abroad: University of Queensland, Brisbane (UQ), Australia
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 16/23937-6 - Expression of genes and proteins related to meet quality in Nelore cattle, AP.R

Abstract

Brazil has a herd of more than 150 million of Nellore (Bos indicus) cattle (about 72%), which despite being adapted to the Brazilian management conditions, present lower meat quality when compared to Bos taurus. In the international meat market, there is a trend towards the valorization of differentiated meat products in terms of meat organoleptic properties and concerns about the consequences of its consumption on human health. In spite of this, meat quality traits have not been considered in the genetic evaluation programs due to high cost and difficulty of measurement. As an alternative, the knowledge of the mechanisms of genetic action involved in these processes can help in the identification of animals with high genetic value for characteristics related to meat quality, and selection can be conducted in young animals, making possible the inclusion of meat quality traits in animal breeding programs. Thus, the objective of this work is to study genes and proteins related to meat quality through real time quantitative PCR and mass spectrometry techniques, respectively. The knowledge acquired through these studies could generate important tools for the development of strategies aiming to improve meat organoleptic traits. (AU)