Effect of FASN, SCD, and GH Genes on Carcass Fatness and Fatty Acid Composition of Intramuscular Lipids in F1 Holstein × Beef Breeds

Abstract

To improve beef quality, a selection of specific breeds for crossbreeding, genotyping, and selection of specific candidate genes in breeding animals can be some of the solutions. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of FASN, SCD, and GH genes on carcass fatness and fatty acid (FA) composition of intramuscular lipids of crossbred Holstein × beef breeds (Simmental, Belgian Blue, Limousin, and Piemontese). The allelic and genotypic distribution of polymorphisms in the FASN, SCD, and GH genes was studied in 80 crossbreed animals. Genomic DNA was isolated from musculus longissimus dorsi, whose chemical composition was determined by near infrared transmittance spectrophotometry, while the fatty acid composition was determined by gas chromatography. DNA polymorphism was analyzed by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The FASN (g. 17924A>G) polymorphism was significantly associated with C19:1 n-9 and C24:1 n-9, whereas GH (g.2141C>G) was significantly associated with C16:0 and C20:1 n-9. The SCD (g.8586C>T) polymorphism was significantly associated with C16:0, C18:0, C20:0, C14:1 n-5, C16:1, C18:1, C18:2 n-6, C18:3 n-3, C20:2 n-6, and C20:4 n-6, and analyzed the sum and ratios of fatty acids. Sex had significant effect on carcass fatness and fatty acid composition. This study provided useful results for the above candidate genes and their association with some FA, supporting their influence as genes associated with fats and fatty acid composition in beef meat.