Comparative Analysis of Meat Quality and Muscle Transcriptome between Landrace and Jeju Native Pig

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Genomics
• Meat Science

Background:

• Jeju native pig (JNP) is a Korean indigenous breed known for superior meat quality.
• Commercial breeds like Landrace are widely raised for pork production.
• Understanding genetic and phenotypic differences is crucial for breed improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare meat quality traits between JNP and Landrace pigs.
• To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the Longissimus dorsi muscle of both breeds.
• To elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying meat quality and growth differences.

Main Methods:

• Phenotypic analysis of meat quality traits (cooking loss, fat, moisture, color, texture, pH).
• RNA sequencing of Longissimus dorsi muscle samples from JNP and Landrace pigs.
• Bioinformatic analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathway enrichment (GO, KEGG).

Main Results:

• Significant differences in meat quality traits including intramuscular fat, CIE a*, cooking loss, and texture were observed (p<0.05).
• JNP exhibited higher intramuscular fat and CIE a* values, indicating enhanced meat quality.
• RNA sequencing identified 427 DEGs upregulated in JNP and 821 in Landrace, with key candidate genes identified (e.g., MYH2, IGF1).
• Enrichment analysis linked DEGs to cell cycle, extracellular space, and motor protein functions.

Conclusions:

• JNP possess superior meat quality traits, particularly higher intramuscular fat and desirable color characteristics.
• Transcriptome differences highlight key genes and biological pathways associated with economic traits in pigs.
• Findings provide foundational data for genetic improvement strategies to enhance meat quality in both JNP and Landrace breeds.