Comparison of Postmortem Proteolysis between Breast and Leg Muscles in Chiayi Native Chickens

Cha, Shih-Ting; Tseng, Tsai-Fuh; Ho, Sy-Shyan; Chou, Rong-Ghi R.

doi:2002.15.5.721

Article

Animal Breeding and Genetics

Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences 2002;15(5): 721-724.
https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2002.721 Published online January 1, 2002.

Comparison of Postmortem Proteolysis between Breast and Leg Muscles in Chiayi Native Chickens

Shih-Ting Cha, Tsai-Fuh Tseng, Sy-Shyan Ho, Rong-Ghi R. Chou

Abstract

Postmortem Proteolysis of breast (BM) and leg (LM) muscles in Chiayi native chickens at 5 C were compared. Myofibrils were purified from BM and LM samples that were randomly taken from carcasses after 0, 1, 3, 7 and 14 days of storage at 5 C. Fragmentation of myofibrils were determined, and degradation of myofibrillar proteins were analyzed by the SDS-PAGE and western blots. The results showed that myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) was significantly (p<0.05) higher in BM than in LM samples. Disappearance of titin and nebulin and appearance of the 30 kDa component were more rapidly as seen on SDS-PAGE in BM than in LM samples. Western blots labeled with a monoclonal antibody to desmin also demonstrated that desmin degraded more quickly in BM samples. Our data suggested that postmortem proteolysis occurred more rapidly in breast muscles in Chiayi native chickens.

Keywords: Postmortem Proteolysis; Myofibrillar Protein; Breast Muscle; Leg Muscle