EAPSI: Uncovering underlying causes of high fat meat marbling in Korean Hanwoo Cattle

韩国韩宇牛的脂肪大理石纹比例极高，这是其他品种所没有的现象，也是肉质非常理想的特征。虽然之前的研究旨在确定原因，但结果一直没有定论。该项目将调查这种大理石纹的原因，可能有助于通过选择性育种改善世界各地的养牛业和肉类质量。这项研究将与韩国首尔国立大学的Heebal Kim博士合作进行。这次合作提供了一个独特的机会，可以访问从韩国本土物种收集的数据，这将使人们对韩宇基因组有新的认识。该项目将利用rna测序来了解韩国本土牛肉中高脂肪大理石纹背后的潜在转录组组成和调节。从韩宇男女的皮下、肌肉内、网膜脂肪等各种组织和器官中获得80多个RNA-seq样本；肌肉;肝;大脑;脑下垂体也会被分析。通过将韩宇牛的脂肪和肌肉的rna谱与其他牛种的rna谱进行比对，有可能鉴定出与这一性状相关的差异表达基因。美国国家科学基金会EAPSI奖与韩国国家研究基金会合作资助。

Korean Hanwoo cattle display an extremely high percentage of fat marbling- a phenomenon not observed in other species and a much-desired trait in regards to meat quality. While previous studies have aimed to determine the cause, results have been inconclusive. This project will investigate the cause of this marbling, potentially assisting in the improvement of cattle farming and meat quality around the world through selective breeding. This research will be conducted in collaboration with Dr. Heebal Kim at Seoul National University in Seoul, South Korea. This collaboration affords a unique opportunity to have access to data gathered from a native Korean species that will enable new insights into the Hanwoo genome.This project will use RNA-sequencing to understand the underlying transcriptome make up and regulation behind high fat marbling in the meat of Korean native cattle. More than 80 RNA-seq samples obtained from various tissues and organs of both male and female Hanwoo, including subcutaneous, intramuscular, and omental fat; muscle; liver; brain; and pituitary gland will be analyzed. By aligning the RNA-profile of the fat and muscle of Hanwoo to that of other cattle species, it is possible to identify differentially expressed genes associated with this trait. This NSF EAPSI award is funded in collaboration with the National Research Foundation of Korea.