AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays an important role in the regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism in skeletal muscle. Many pigs of Hampshire origin have a naturally occurring mutation situated in the PRKAG3 gene which encodes a muscle-specific isoform of the AMPK γ3-subunit. This mutation results in excessive glycogen storage mainly in white glycolytic skeletal muscle and an increas...

This study aimed to determine whether training aids (side reins and a Pessoa) increased the use of the longissimus dorsi when horses are being lunged. Horses were lunged on a circle under four different conditions on the left and right reins in walk and trot, and electromyographic (EMG) and speed measurements were taken using surface EMG at T16 and GPS, respectively. The EMG intensity was subst...

Glucose transporter proteins 2 and 4 (GLUT2 and GLUT4) play important roles in glucose transport and energy metabolism. Changes in the levels of GLUT2 and GLUT4 mRNA were measured in longissimus dorsi muscle from the lean Yorkshire and fat Tibetan pig breeds at six different time points (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 months) with quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions. The results showed that...

We isolated and cultured satellite cells (SCs) from the longissimus dorsi muscles of 1-day-old male Landrace and Lantang piglets to compare the SC differentiation capacity in the two breeds. Lantang piglets yielded more (P < 0.05) SCs per gram of muscle than Landrace piglets (5.2 ± 0.9×104 vs. 2.4 ± 0.2×104). Transcription of the differentiation markers myogenin and myosin heavy chain I (MyHC I...

Protein synthesis and eukaryotic initiation factor (eIF) activation are increased in skeletal muscle of neonatal pigs parenterally infused with amino acids. Leucine appears to be the most effective single amino acid to trigger these effects. To examine the response to enteral leucine supplementation, overnight food-deprived 5-d-old pigs were gavage fed at 0 and 60 min a: 1) low-protein diet (LP...

Maternal diet during pregnancy is a major determinant of the fetal developmental competence and may induce long-lasting epigenetic changes to the offspring. Imprinted genes have important roles in fetal programming, growth, and development. There are, however, limited data available on the influence of maternal diet on the expression of imprinted genes in beef cattle. Therefore, the objective o...

Solute carrier family 13 (sodium-dependent citrate transporter member 5, SLC13A5) gene has been recently found to play an important role in intramuscular fat content in pigs. In this study, the full-length cDNA of porcine SLC13A5 was obtained from the longissimus dorsi muscle of Shaziling pigs, using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends technique. Full-length porcine SLC13A5 cDNA was 2118 bp, w...

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aqueous extract from Sarcodon aspratus on tenderization of the bovine longissimus dorsi muscles in comparison with commercial proteolytic enzymes. Furthermore, meat quality and muscle protein degradation were examined. We marinated meat with 2% Sarcodon aspratus extract, 2% kiwi extract, and 0.2% papain. Beef chunks (3×3×3 cm(3)) were mari...

Synchronized electromyography and cinematography were used to determine the muscle activity of colubroid snakes during sidewinding and concertina locomotion. The primary muscles studied were the three largest, most superficial epaxial muscles: the Mm. semispinalis-spinalis, longissimus dorsi and iliocostalis. Sidewinding locomotion of Nerodia fasciata and Crotalus cerastes was the result of con...