Effect of rate of pH decline on muscle enzyme activities in two pig lines

Muscle enzyme activities were measured in In. transversus abdominis (TA) samples of two pig lines, differing in stress sensitivity and in breeding objectives. Animals of line one were stress sensitive and selected for a high carcass lean content (LEAN), those of line two were homozygous stress resistant and selected for maximum live weight gain (GROWTH). Muscle samples of 16 pigs per line were excised at 1 h and sampled at 3 h post mortem. Boars, gilts and barrows were almost equally represented. Pigs of line GROWTH had a higher fat and lean tissue gain (P < 0.01) and a lower carcass lean content (P < 0.001) than those of line LEAN. Lower activities of mu -calpain, m-calpain, pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase I, acid lipase and neutral phospholipase were measured in TA muscle samples of line LEAN compared with line GROWTH (P < 0.05). Activities of dipeptidyl peptidase IV and acid phospholipase tended to be somewhat lower for line LEAN, whereas activities of calpastatin, cathepsin (B + L) and cathepsin D were not different. Sex-class effects were analogous to line effects. Significant correlation coefficients between activities of several enzymes and pH values 1 h post mortem, both within and across lines, suggest that lower enzyme activities are a consequence of a more pronounced denaturation due to a faster post mortem pH decline. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.