Incidence in diverse pig populations of an IGF2 mutation with potential influence on meat quality and quantity: An assay based on real time PCR (RT-PCR)

• Published in: Meat science Vol. 71; no. 3; pp. 577 - 582
• Main Authors: Carrodeguas, José Alberto, Burgos, Carmen, Moreno, Carlos, Sánchez, Ana Cristina, Ventanas, Sonia, Tarrafeta, Luis, Barcelona, José Antonio, López, Maria Otilia, Oria, Rosa, López-Buesa, Pascual
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2005; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; crossbreds; cured meats; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Iberian pigs; IGF2; insulin-like growth factor II; Meat and meat product industries; meat quality; mutation; penetrance; pork; Real time PCR; Selection; selection criteria; swine breeds; Terrestrial animal productions; Vertebrates; wild boars; IGF2; Iberian pigs; Real time PCR; Selection; Farming animal; Meat product; Pig; Meat; Vertebrata; Meat animals; Mammalia; Quality; Artiodactyla; Ungulata
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2005.05.002

IGF2, insulin-like growth factor 2, is implicated in myogenesis and lean meat content. A mutation in a single base (A for G substitution) of the gene for IGF2 (position 3072 in intron 3) has been recently described as the cause of a major QTL effect on muscle growth in pigs [Van Laere, A. S, Nguyen, M., Braunschweig, M., Nezer, C., Collete, C., & Moreau, L. et al. (2003). Nature, 425, 832–836]. We describe here a rapid assay based on real time PCR (RT-PCR) to detect this mutation. We have evaluated the incidence of the mutation in commercial pig crosses, in three populations of purebred Iberian or Iberian × Duroc crosses, and in cured meat products and wild boars. The incidence of the mutation varies among these groups. Penetrance of the A mutation is about 80% in the commercial population. Purebred Iberian pigs were all homozygous G/G whereas crosses of Iberian pigs were heterozygous (90%) or homozygous A/A (10%). The implications of this gene for the selection of Iberian pigs are discussed.