근내지방 축적이 왕성하게 진행되는 12개월 및 27개월령 사이에 유전자발현이 증가하는 inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) 유전자의 클로닝 및 유전자발현 특성을 규명하기 위하여 한우조직별, 근육 내 조지방 함량에 따라 마블링 high- 및 low 한우 각 4두와 3두씩을 공시하였다. ddRT-PCR 분석을 통하여 증폭된 300 bp PCR 산물 및 EST 서열을 중심으로 1.5 kb 한우 ICER cDNA를 염기서열 분석하였으며, 조직별 유전자발현분석결과, 식이지방이 흡수되는 소장 조직에서 ICER 유전자의 발현량이 가장 높았다. 아울러, 같은 근육타입인 등심 및 우둔조직 사이에서 ICER 유전자발현은 등심조직에서 2.5배 많이 발현하였다. 한우 마블링 high, low 두 그룹 간 유전자발현 분석 결과, high 그룹에서 ICER 유전자발현이 4배 이상 증가하는 것으로 분석되었다. 따라서, ICER 유전자는 가축의 마블링과 밀접한 관련이 있는 유전자임이 사료된다.
Marbling (intramuscular fat) is an important factor in determining meat quality in Korean beef market. A grain based finishing system for improving marbling leads to inefficient meat production due to an excessive fat production. Identification of intramuscular fat-specific gene might be achieved more targeted meat production through alternative genetic improvement program such as marker assisted selection (MAS). We carried out ddRT-PCR in 12 and 27 month old Hanwoo steers and detected 300 bp PCR product of the inducible cAMP early repressor (ICER) gene, showing highly gene expression in 27 months old. A 1.5 kb sequence was re-sequenced using primer designed base on the Hanwoo EST sequence. We then predicted the open reading frame (ORF) of ICER gene in ORF finder web program. Tissue distribution of ICER gene expression was analysed in eight Hanwoo tissue using realtime PCR analysis. The highest ICER gene expression showed in Small intestine followed by Longissimus dorsi. Interestingly, the ICER gene expressed 2.5 time higher in longissimus dorsi than in same muscle type, Rump. For gene expression analysis in high- and low marbled individuals, we selected 4 and 3 animal based on the muscle crude fat contents (high is 17-32%, low is 6-7% of crude fat contents). The ICER gene expression was analysed using ANOVA model. Marbling (muscle crude fat contents) was affected by ICER gene (P=0.012). Particularly, the ICER gene expression was 4 times higher in high group (n=4) than low group (n=3). Therefore, ICER gene might be a functional candidate gene related to marbling in Hanwoo.
