Different expression patterns of heart and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein gene during porcine skeletal muscle development

Abstract

The pig FABP3 (heart Fatty Acid-Binding Protein) and FABP4 (adipocyte Fatty Acid-Binding Protein) genes play an important role in intracellular fatty acid transport and considered to be candidate genes for Intramuscular Fat content (IMF) trait in pigs. In this study, the expression profiling of FABP3 and FABP4 genes was investigated in two pig breeds differing in muscularity (Yorkshire and Meishan) at four stages (fetal 65 days and postnatal 3, 60 and 120 days). The expression of FABP3 and FABP4 was significantly different in porcine skeletal muscle among different developmental stages and between the two breeds. This result suggests that the pig FABP3 and FABP4 may be important genes for meat quality and provides useful information for further studies on their roles in skeletal muscle intramuscular fat deposit. © Medwell Journals, 2012.