Correlation between porcine CAST gene polymorphism with muscle fiber histological traits and carcass characteristics

Abstract

Three polymorphisms were identified in the sixth intron of the CAST gene by PCR-RFLP using enzymes Msp I, Hinf I and Rsa I in 45 Jinpi F2 pigs. However, only three genotypes AACCEE, BBDDFF, and ABCDEF were detected in those pigs and the genotype frequencies were 0.1778, 0.2222 and 0.6000, respectively. Longissimus dorsi muscles were moved for paraffin serial sections and stained with hematoxylin-eosin or myosin heavy chain (MHC) by immunohistochemistry respectively. Fiber cross-sectional area, fiber density, fiber diameter, the rate of MHC type I fiber and the carcass characteristics were recorded. Correlation analysis showed that the skeletal muscle fiber area and the eye muscle area of the BBDDFF individual were significantly higher than those of the ABCDEF individual (P < 0.05).

Development of Optimal Breeding Pigs Using DNA Marker Information

“…The CAST RsaI polymorphism was associated with moisture and crude protein levels (Table 4). The CAST FF genotype was associated with less moisture and more crude protein in the muscle, and these results were similar with results in the Chinese Jinpi breed, in which the FF genotype was significantly higher in the muscle area (Wu et al, 2007). We did not find an association of tenderness with the RsaI CAST polymorphism, but almost 900 polymorphisms were detected in pig CAST gene sequences, and causative mutation(s) affecting pork tenderness might exist within the CAST gene (Meyers and Beever, 2008).…”

“…Several CAST polymorphisms were studied in Chinese Jinpi pigs and found to be completely linked in the Jinpi pigs (Wu et al, 2007).…”