ArticleBMC genomics2026
Mining candidate genes for meat tenderness in Qinchuan cattle based on transcriptome analysis.
Article in BMC genomics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
8 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundQinchuan cattle, renowned for their distinctive meat quality, flavor, and exceptional environmental adaptability, represent a highly valuable genetic resource in beef cattle breeding. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the formation of its meat quality traits, especially the genetic regulatory network of the core indicator of tenderness that affects consumer experience, are not yet clear. This study aims to employ transcriptomic techniques to identify candidate genes associated with tenderness in Qinchuan cattle, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for molecular breeding in beef cattle.
resultsPhenotypic analysis of meat quality revealed that the average shear force of the longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) from 20 Qinchuan cattle was 115.43 ± 20.25 N, with significant differences among individuals (P < 0.01). Based on extreme tenderness differences, high shear force groups (HSF, n = 3) and low shear force groups (LSF, n = 3) were selected for transcriptome sequencing. A total of 286 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Compared with the low shear force group, 247 genes were up-regulated and 39 genes were down-regulated in the HSF. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that these genes were significantly enriched in processes such as collagen binding, collagen trimer assembly, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. Further protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis identified 5 hub genes associated with tenderness: POSTN, BGN, COL5A2, COL6A1 and COL6A2. Functional validation in cells showed that knockdown of POSTN expression significantly promoted bovine myoblast differentiation (up-regulation of MRF4, MYOG, and MYH3 expression, increase in MYH3 and MRF4 proteins), while inhibiting the expression of collagen deposition-related genes (CCN2 and LOX).
conclusionsThrough transcriptomic and bioinformatic analyses, this study identified 5 core genes closely associated with meat tenderness in Qinchuan cattle and demonstrated that POSTN modulates tenderness formation through its dual role in regulating myogenic differentiation and collagen metabolism. These findings provide critical molecular targets for meat quality improvement in Qinchuan cattle and establish a theoretical foundation for molecular breeding of high-quality beef cattle.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.