Module V: Developing biomarkers using omics technology to improve pork quality in the chain
By Marinus Te Pas, Co-authors: M. Benedicte and Niels Oksbjerg
Q-PorkChains aims to improve the quality of pork taking the whole pork production chain into account. Dedicated modules investigate defined parts of the chain such as farm management, chain management, etc. Module V is a high technology module using omics technology. Omics research helps to understand the expression of the genome in cells from various tissues or organs under various phy-siological situations. In Q-PorkChains, the omics technology is used to improve the quality of food products through a better understanding of its biological bases. Our research first aims to find out relationships be-tween genes expression level in muscle and fat tissues and subsequent pork eating and technological quality, and identify biomarkers of pork quality. Then, control tools (tests) will be developed to evaluate pig carcasses and pork quality in the industries.
Module V aims at relating gene expression at both RNA and protein levels to pork quality and using this knowledge to develop biomarkers that can be used to improve pork quality. Biomarkers may be used at any point in the pork production chain. Biomarkers may be specific for a single pork production chain or be useable in many chains.
What is a biomarker? A biomarker may be defined as a gene (mRNA or protein) with variation in expression that is related to variation in a trait (growth, pork quality, etc), and with a known relationship between expression and the phenotype of the trait: for example, pork drip loss, sensory tenderness etc.
The present status of the research in Module V
We started by taking samples from two experimental pork chains and several commercial pork chains. The experimental pork chains included one experiment aiming at investigating the effect and differential times of rest following stress on pork quality, and the other on different pig pro-duction systems in two contrasted genotypes on pork quality. The commercial pork chains included specific local and more conventional pork chains from Spain, Germany, Poland, and China. The mRNA or proteomics expression levels of these chains were investigated. These data resulted in several potential biomarkers.
What remains to be done to reach the goal
The biomarkers have been found (often) using one technology and one pork production chain. Thus, the results need first verification using another methodology, and then validation with more samples of the same and other pork production chains.
These experiments are ongoing.
Thus, if a biomarker is validated, a test need to be developed that can be used in an industrial setting. It needs to be fast and cheap, and the interpretation should be possible without specific scientific knowledge. It is important that we receive a pilot project enabling us to involve specific companies with specialized knowledge on this point. So, the final aim of Module V is that within two years the industry will have several tests to evaluate and thereby improve pork quality as the output of omics research.