Gene expression profiling for meat quality in swine.

The Suppressive Subctractive Hybridisation (SSH) technique was used to identify candidate genes for meat quality in pig. SSH libraries (forward and reverse) were created from skeletal muscle tissue obtained by pools of Landrace and Large White pigs. Pools were obtained by selecting individuals with extreme adjusted phenotypes. At the same time a control experiment was carried out to check that each step of the library construction was successfully taken. A total of 310 positive clones were identified. So far two-hundred seven clones with inserts ranging between 150-1200 bp, have been analysed. Sequences were alligned and analysed with the MAP program. The estimated libraries redundancy is 16% (forwad) and 24% (reverse) respectively. Sequences present in both libraries and thus considered as background represent only 3% of the overall positive clones. Around 25% of the analysed sequences shows significant homology to previously described swine ESTs or known genes related to muscle metabolic pathways. Comparative mapping in silico analyses were carried out by comparing the sequences with positive hits to the results of previous QTL studies and the ESTs produced in the present study confirmed as candidate genes.