title: Variation in myogenic differentiation 1 mRNA abundance is associated with beef tenderness in Nelore cattle.
abstract: The myogenic differentiation 1 gene (MYOD1) has a key role in skeletal muscle differentiation and composition through its regulation of the expression of several muscle-specific genes. We first used a general linear mixed model approach to evaluate the association of MYOD1 expression levels on individual beef tenderness phenotypes. MYOD1mRNA levels measured by quantitative polymerase chain reactions in 136 Nelore steers were significantly associated (P ≤ 0.01) with Warner-Bratzler shear force, measured on the longissimus dorsi muscle after 7 and 14 days of beef aging. Transcript abundance for the muscle regulatory gene MYOD1 was lower in animals with more tender beef. We also performed a co-expression network analysis using whole transcriptome sequence data generated from 30 samples of longissimus muscle tissue to identify genes that are potentially regulated by MYOD1. The effect of MYOD1 gene expression on beef tenderness may emerge from its function as an activator of muscle-specific gene transcription such as for the serum response factor (C-fos serum response element-binding transcription factor) gene (SRF), which determines muscle tissue development, composition, growth and maturation.
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Tizioto
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of São Paulo/ESALQ, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Coutinho
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of São Paulo/ESALQ, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Mourão
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, University of São Paulo/ESALQ, Piracicaba, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gasparin
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Malagó
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: F A
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Bressani
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Tullio
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: R T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Nassu
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.affiliation: Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: L C A
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Regitano
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism*; D017570:MyoD Protein / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D010641:Phenotype; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000069466:Red Meat; D017423:Sequence Analysis, RNA; D059467:Transcriptome
chemical_list: D017570:MyoD Protein; C057363:MyoD1 myogenic differentiation protein; D012333:RNA, Messenger
keywords: Bos indicus; MYOD1; SRF; gene expression; meat quality