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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #294132
Title: A genome scan for meat quality in Nelore beef cattle

Author
item TIZIOTO, POLYANA - University Of Missouri
item DECKER, JARED - Columbia College
item TAYLOR, JERRY - Columbia College
item SCHNABEL, ROBERT - Columbia College
item MUDADU, MAURICIO - Embrapa
item SILVA, FABIANE - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item MOURAO, GERSON - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item COUTINHO, LUIZ - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item THOLON, PATRICIA - Embrapa
item Sonstegard, Tad
item ROSA, ANTONIO - Embrapa
item ALENCAR, MAURICIO - Embrapa
item TULLIO, RYMER - Embrapa
item MEDEIROS, SERGIO - Embrapa
item NASSU, RENATA - Embrapa
item FEIJO, GELSON L.D. - Embrapa
item SILVA, LUIZ O.C - Embrapa
item TORRES, ROBERTO - Embrapa
item SIQUEIRA, FABIANE - Embrapa
item HIGA, ROBERTO - Embrapa
item REGITANO, LUCIANA C.A. - Embrapa

Submitted to: Physiological Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/3/2013
Publication Date: 11/1/2013
Citation: Tizioto, P.C., Decker, J.E., Taylor, J.F., Schnabel, R.D., Mudadu, M.A., Silva, F.L., Mourao, G.B., Coutinho, L.L., Tholon, P., Sonstegard, T.S., Rosa, A.N., Alencar, M.M., Tullio, R.R., Medeiros, S.R., Nassu, R.T., Feijo, G., Silva, L., Torres, R.A., Siqueira, F., Higa, R.H., Regitano, L. 2013. A genome scan for meat quality in Nelore beef cattle. Physiological Genomics. 45(21):1012-1020.

Interpretive Summary: It is possible to analyze high density DNA marker (single nucleotide polymorphism or SNP-based data) to find regions of the genome that affect meat quality traits. This study is the first high density (700,000 markers) scan of a Bos indicus cattle from Brazil for more than 10 meat quality traits. The results provide the first step towards applying genomic selection for meat quality traits in Nelore cattle. Important metabolic pathways related to meat quality traits were identified which have not been previously reported in Bos taurus cattle. Studies with other populations from the Nelore breed will be required to validate the results of this study and also will be helpful in the development of models for the prediction of genetic merit to implement genomic selection for meat quality in Nelore cattle.

Technical Abstract: Meat quality traits are economically important because they impact consumers’ acceptance which, in turn, influences the demand for beef. However, selection to improve meat quality is limited by the small numbers of animals on which meat tenderness can be evaluated due to the cost of performing shear force analysis and the resultant damage to the carcass. Genome wide-association studies (GWAS) for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) measured at different times of meat aging, backfat thickness (BFT), ribeye muscle area (REA), scanning parameters (lightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*)) to ascertain color characteristics of meat and fat, water-holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL) and muscle pH, were conducted using genotype data from the Illumina BovineHD BeadChip Array to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) in Nelore cattle. Meat quality traits in Nelore are controlled by numerous QTL of small effect, except for a small number of large-effect QTL identified for a*fat, CL and pH. Genomic regions harboring these QTL and the pathways in which genes from these regions act appear to differ from those identified in taurine cattle for meat quality traits. These results will guide future QTL mapping studies and the development of models for the prediction of genetic merit to implement genomic selection for meat quality in Nelore cattle.