Differentiating Sarcoplasmic Proteomes of Color-Stable and Color-Labile Beef Muscles

This seed grant proposal addresses USDA CSREES's strategic goal # 2, "To enhance the competitiveness and sustainability of rural and farm economies", via the 71.1 Improving Food Quality and Value program's priority for research "Basic mechanisms involved in the interaction of micro- and macro-molecules in the food matrix". We propose to test the hypothesis that the sarcoplasmic proteomes of beef color-stable (Longissimus lumborum) and color-labile (Psoas major) muscles are different and influence the color/color stability traits. Our preliminary work provided evidence that sarcoplasmic proteome components are differentially abundant in beef Longissimus lumborum and Psoas major muscles. The objectives of this proposal are: (1) To differentiate sarcoplasmic proteomes of color-stable (Longissimus lumborum) and color-labile (Psoas major) beef muscles, employing two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, mass spectrometry, and peptide mass fingerprinting; (2) To determine the correlation between differential abundance of sarcoplasmic proteome and color/color stability attributes in beef Longissimus lumborum and Psoas major muscles. Identifying the sarcoplasmic proteome components contributing to differential color stability will allow us to understand the proteome basis of meat color stability, and will generate preliminary data for a standard research proposal to USDA CSREES NRI competitive grants program, tentatively entitled 'Profiling sarcoplasmic proteome of economically important muscles in beef carcass '. Characterizing differential abundance of sarcoplasmic proteome in color-stable and color-labile beef muscles will aid developing musclespecific strategies (antioxidant and packaging) to maximize the color shelf-life of individual whole-muscle cuts. Furthermore, our multi-disciplinary approach will identify proteins that can be utilized as reliable markers of color attributes in beef.