Effects of the terminal sire type and sex on pork muscle cathepsins (B, B+L and H), cysteine proteinase inhibitors and lipolytic enzyme activities.

ABSTRACT

Pork muscle cathepsins (B, B+L, and H), cysteine proteinase inhibitors and lipolytic enzyme activities were measured in the offspring of five different genetic sire types Danish Duroc (DU), Dutch Large White (LW(D)), English Large White (LW(E)), Belgian Landrace × Landrace (BL×LR) and Belgian Landrace (BL). Cathepsin B and B+L activities were higher for LW(E) and LW(D) sires than for BL×LR and BL. Cathepsin H activity showed an opposite evolution, being higher for BL and BL×LR sires than for DU, LW(D) and LW(E). Cysteine proteinase inhibitor activity was higher for LW(E) sires than for DU and BL. In lipolytic enzymes, BL sires had a lower acid lipase activity than DU and LW(E) sires and also a lower neutral esterase activity than LW(E) and LW(D) sires. Significant differences between sexes were found for cathepsin H activity only, being higher for females.