Estimation of the proteome affecting changes in tenderness of yak meat during storage by label-free mass spectrometry.

BACKGROUND

Tenderness is the main quality of meat products. However, the meat tenderness formation is a complex biological process, and pathways and proteins that affect the tenderness of yak meat are unknown.

METHODS

Label-free proteomics method was used to explore the effects of differentially expressed proteins on the tenderness of yak skeletal muscle (tenderloin) during post-mortem storage (0, 3, and 7 days) at 3 ± 1°C.

RESULTS

The tenderness of yak skeletal muscle improved significantly during storage. A total of 91 differentially expressed proteins of yak skeletal muscle during post-mortem storage were identified by the following comparisons: day 3 versus 0, day 7 versus 0, and day 7 versus 3. NDUFS6, CYCS, COX6A2, LDB3, HSPB7, TPM4, TAGLN, COL1A1, LUM, MYH11, ACTC1, and MYOZ1 proteins showed a significant difference during yak skeletal muscle post-mortem storage. Furthermore, bioinformatics analyses revealed that the identified proteins were related to carbon metabolism, citrate cycle, glycolysis, oxidative phosphorylation, and RNA degradation.

CONCLUSION

The results of the present study could provide proteomic insights into changes in yak skeletal muscle tenderness during storage and may be a valuable resource for future investigations.