Proteomics Comparison of Longissimus Muscle between Hanwoo and Holstein Cattle

This study was conducted to compare proteins expressed in M. longissimus from Hanwoo and Holstein steers immediately after slaughter. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2DE)/LC-MS/MS analysis revealed that the total number of detectable protein spots from longissimus muscle tissues was slightly higher in Hanwoo (575±65) than Holstein (534±13) steers, but that these numbers were not statistically significant due to large variation between replicates. A total of twelve protein spots did not match between sample groups, eight of which were expressed in the Hanwoo sample and four that were expressed in the Holstein sample. The protein spots detected in the Hanwoo sample included smooth muscle and non-muscle myosin alkali light chain 6B isomers, αB crystallin isomers, hemoglobin β-A chains, slow myosin heavy chains, and slow skeletal muscle troponin T chains. Collectively, these proteins are a class of slow-twitch muscle fiber and mirror that Hanwoo muscle tissue sampled for the current study contained more slow-twitch muscle fibers than Holstein one. Conversely, proteins detected from the Holstein sample included ankyrin repeat domain 2 and creatin kinase isomers. Given that creatin kinase isomers are related to the fast-twitch muscle, these results likely indicate that Holstein muscle tissue sampled for the current study contained more fast-twitch muscle fibers than Hanwoo beef.