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Title: miRNA-dysregulation associated with tenderness variation induced by acute stress in angus cattle

Author
item ZHAO, CHUNPING - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item TIAN, FEI - University Of Maryland
item YU, YING - China Agricultural University
item Liu, Ge - George
item ZAN, LINSEN - Northwest Agricultural & Forestry University
item UPDIKE, M. SCOTT - University Of Maryland
item SONG, JIUZHOU - University Of Maryland

Submitted to: Comparative and Functional Genomics
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/9/2012
Publication Date: 6/1/2012
Citation: Zhao, C., Tian, F., Yu, Y., Liu, G., Zan, L., Updike, M., Song, J. 2012. miRNA-dysregulation associated with tenderness variation induced by acute stress in angus cattle. Animal Science Biotechnol. 3(1):12.

Interpretive Summary: Beef tenderness is important for its deliciousness, consumer expectation and meat quality. Using microRNA microarray, qPCR and bioinformatics analysis, we identified a variety of microRNA and genes induced by an acute stress. Our results shed lights into the mechanisms that miRNA regulations control meat quality and beef tenderness. Farmers, scientist, consumers and policy planners who need improve beef quality and production will benefit from this research.

Technical Abstract: miRNAs are a class of small, single-stranded, non-coding RNAs that perform post-transcriptional repression of target genes by binding to 3 untranslated regions. Research has found that miRNAs involved in the regulation of many metabolic processes. Here we uncovered that the beef quality of Angus cattle sharply diversified after an acute stress. By performing miRNA microarray analysis, 13 miRNAs were significantly differentially expressed in stress group compared to control group. Using a bioinformatics method, 135 protein-coding genes were predicted as the targets of significant differentially expressed miRNAs. GO term and IPA analysis mined that these target genes involve some important pathways, which may have impacts on meat quality and beef tenderness.