Metalloproteomics Study of Bovine Longissimus dorsi Muscle Tissue in selected animals of the Nellore Breed (Bos indicus)

Abstract Text: The work describes a metalloproteomics study of bovine muscle tissue with different grades of meat tenderness from animals of the Nellore breed based on protein separation by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, the identification of calcium ions in protein spots by X-ray fluorescence (SR-XRF) and the characterization of proteins by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Forty (40) specimens were selected and divided into two experimental groups: animals with tough meat and animals with tender meat. A third group of Piedmontese breed animals was included to serve as a comparative model for the level of meat tenderness. The procedures were efficient and preserved the metal-protein structure, enabling calcium detection in protein spots by SR-XRF at a given molecular weight range of 14 to 97 kDa. The proteins pyruvate kinase and albumin were inferred to be related to the phenotypical differences found in animals from the different groups. Keywords: beef cattle, meat tenderness, proteomic