title: Unraveling proteome changes of Holstein beef M. semitendinosus and its relationship to meat discoloration during post-mortem storage analyzed by label-free mass spectrometry.
abstract: Label-free proteomics was applied to characterize the effect of post-mortem storage time (0, 4, and 9days at 4°C±1°C) on the proteome changes of M. semitendinosus (SM) in Holstein cattle, and correlations between differentially abundant proteins and meat color traits were investigated. The redness (a*) value decreased significantly (P<0.05) during post-mortem storage, meanwhile, the relative proportion of metmyoglobin increased significantly (P<0.05) from 16.99% at day 0 to 40.26% at day 9. A total of 118 proteins with significant changes (fold change>1.5, P<0.05) was identified by comparisons of day 4 vs. day 0, day 9 vs. day 0, and day 9 vs. day 4. Principal component and hierarchical cluster analyses of these proteins were performed, and results exhibited clear distinctions among samples from different storage times. Eighteen differentially abundant proteins were correlated closely with the a* value of meat. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that most of these proteins were involved in glycolysis and energy metabolism, electron-transfer processes, and the antioxidation function, which implied an underlying connection between meat discoloration and these biological processes.
  
  
  
  It is always a challenge for scientists to improve the stability of meat color during post-mortem storage and retail display. However, the mechanism involved in meat discoloration has not been unraveled completely, and the application of label-free proteomics in studying meat discoloration has not been reported. Our work discovers some key proteins in SM muscle of Holstein cattle that were correlated with a* value of meat via label-free proteomics. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that some of these differentially abundant proteins were involved in glycolysis and energy metabolism, electron-transfer processes, and the antioxidation function, which implied an underlying connection between meat discoloration and these biological processes. These results provide the theoretic basis on understanding of complicated biochemical changes and underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for meat discoloration.
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China; Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Animal Product, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China.
authors.forename: Qianqian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China; Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Animal Product, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China; Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Animal Product, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaojing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China; Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Animal Product, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China.
authors.forename: Man
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China; Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Animal Product, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China. Electronic address: dairuitong@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Ruitong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Nutritional Engineering, China Agricultural University, 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China; Beijing Higher Institution Engineering Research Center of Animal Product, China Agricultural University, No. 17 Qinghua East Road, Haidian District, Beijing 100083, PR China.
authors.forename: Xingmin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003116:Color; D019295:Computational Biology; D013058:Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods; D008786:Metmyoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D011309:Preservation, Biological; D020543:Proteome / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D040901:Proteomics / Q000379:methods; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D013696:Temperature; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D020543:Proteome; D008786:Metmyoglobin
keywords: Label-free; M. semitendinosus; Meat color; Proteomics