• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.9
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• pp.514-519
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• 2016

Korean cattle (Hanwoo) are categorized into three breeds based on color: brown, brindle, and black. Among these breeds, brown Hanwoo has been subjected to intensive selection to improve meat traits. To identify genetic traces driven by recent selection in brown Hanwoo, we scanned the genomes of brown and brindle Hanwoo using a bovine SNP chip. We identified 17 candidate selection signatures in brown Hanwoo and sequenced four candidate regions from 10 individuals each of brown and brindle Hanwoo. In particular, non-synonymous SNPs in the ADSL gene (K88M, L189H, and R302Q) might have had mutational effects on protein structure as a result of altering the purine pathway during nucleotide breakdown. The ADSL gene was previously reported to affect meat quality and yield in livestock. Meat quality and yield are main breeding goals for brown Hanwoo, and our results support a potential causal influence of non-synonymous SNPs in the ADSL gene.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.744-751
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• 2011

Meat production and quality traits in beef cattle are largely affected by genetic factors. Acetyl-Coenzyme A carboxylase-${\alpha}$ (ACACA) plays a key role in the regulation and metabolism of fatty acid biosynthesis in mammalian animals. The gene encoding ACACA enzyme was chosen as a candidate gene for carcass and meat traits. In this study, we investigated effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the ACACA gene on beef carcass and meat traits in Hanwoo (Korean cattle) populations. We have sequenced a fragment of intron I region of the Hanwoo ACACA gene and identified two SNPs. Genotyping of the two SNP markers (g.2344T>C and g.2447C>A) was carried out using PCR-SSCP analysis in 309 Hanwoo steers to evaluate their association with carcass and meat production traits. The g.2344C SNP marker showed a significant increasing effect on LW (p = 0.009) and CW (p = 0.017). Animals with the CC genotype had higher CW and LW compared with TT and TC genotypes (p<0.05). The g.2447A SNP marker was associated with higher MC (p = 0.019). Animals with the AA genotype had higher MC than animals with CC and CA genotypes (p<0.05). Although the degree of linkage disequilibrium (LD) was not strong between g.2344T>C and g.2447C>A in the LD analysis, four major haplotype classes were formed with two SNP information within the ACACA gene. We constructed haplotypes using the HaploView software package program and analyzed association between haplotypes and carcass traits. The haplotype of ACACA gene significantly affected the LW (p = 0.027), CW (p = 0.041) and MC (p = 0.036). The effect of h1 haplotype on LW and CW was larger than that of h3 haplotype. Animals with the h1 haplotype also had greater MC than did animals with h2 haplotype. Consequently, the ACACA gene could be useful as a DNA marker for meat production traits such as carcass yield and meat contents in Hanwoo.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.25-28
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• 2008

In order to distinguish Korean cattle (Hanwoo) beef from the imported beef from Australia in Korean markets, DNA markers based on PCR-RFLP from mitochondrial genes and SRY gene were applied. A total of 2,826 beef samples comprising 1,495 Hanwoo and 1,331 foreign cattle breeds were obtained in Korea. An 801 bp fragment of the SRY gene on the bovine Y chromosome, a 343 bp fragment of ND4 gene and a 528 bp fragment of ND5 gene in the bovine mtDNA were amplified by PCR and digested with three restriction enzymes, MseI, HpyCH4III and Tsp509I, respectively. The results showed that Bos taurus (T) type was the majority in Hanwoo by combining three markers (99.5%). However, 78.2% of Bos indicus (I) type was observed in the imported beef samples. These results indicated that three markers used in this study will be used as valuable markers for discriminating imported beef against Hanwoo.

• Genes and Genomics
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• v.40 no.12
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• pp.1373-1382
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• 2018

Hanwoo and Chikso are classified as Korean native cattle breeds that are currently registered with the Food and Agriculture Organization. However, there is still a lack of genomic studies to compare Hanwoo to Chikso populations. The objective of this study was to perform genome-wide analysis of Hanwoo and Chikso populations, investigating the genetic relationships between these two populations. We genotyped a total of 319 cattle including 214 Hanwoo and 105 Chikso sampled from Gangwon Province Livestock Technology Research Institute, using the Illumina Bovine SNP50K Beadchip. After performing quality control on the initially generated datasets, we assessed linkage disequilibrium patterns for all the possible SNP pairs within 1 Mb apart. Overall, average $r^2$ values in Hanwoo (0.048) were lower than Chikso (0.074) population. The genetic relationship between the populations was further assured by the principal component analysis, exhibiting clear clusters in each of the Hanwoo and Chikso populations, respectively. Overall heterozygosity for Hanwoo (0.359) was slightly higher than Chikso (0.345) and inbreeding coefficient was also a bit higher in Hanwoo (-0.015) than Chikso (-0.035). The average $F_{ST}$ value was 0.036 between Hanwoo and Chikso, indicating little genetic differentiation between those two breeds. Furthermore, we found potential selection signatures including LRP1B and NTRK2 genes that might be implicated with meat and reproductive traits in cattle. In this study, the results showed that both Hanwoo and Chikso populations were not under severe level of inbreeding. Although the principal component analysis exhibited clear clusters in each of the populations, we did not see any clear evidence that those two populations are highly differentiated each other.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.369-374
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• 2015

This study was conducted to compare the glucose, lactate, and nucleotide degradation products content of cooked beef steaks from Korean Hanwoo (quality grade: 1) and Australian cattle (Bos indicus, grain-fed for 100 d) by internal temperature. The loins (M. longissimus dorsi) and top rounds (M. semimembranosus) from two cattle breeds were cut into about 2 cm thickness and then cooked in a $180^{\circ}C$ electronic oven until internal temperature attained to 50, 70, or $90^{\circ}C$. Regardless of internal temperature, glucose content was higher (P<0.05) in cooked loin and top round steaks from Hanwoo compared to those from Australian cattle. Lactate content was shown to be lower (P<0.05) in cooked steaks from Hanwoo than in those from Australian cattle. Lower (P<0.05) hypoxanthine and higher (P<0.05) guanosine 5'-monophosphate, inosine 5'-monophosphate, inosine contents were observed in cooked steaks from Hanwoo. Furthermore, glucose content tended to be decreased by internal temperature but nucleotide degradation products content was not changed by internal temperature. Therefore, these findings suggest that cooked Hanwoo beef steaks had higher flavor precursors related to sweet and umami tastes than cooked Australian beef steaks

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1328-1335
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• 2014

Significant SNPs associated with Warner-Bratzler (WB) shear force and sensory traits were confirmed for Hanwoo beef (Korean cattle). A Bonferroni-corrected genome-wide significant association (p< $1.3{\times}10^{-6}$) was detected with only one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) on chromosome 5 for WB shear force. A slightly higher number of SNPs was significantly (p<0.001) associated with WB shear force than with other sensory traits. Further, 50, 25, 29, and 34 SNPs were significantly associated with WB shear force, tenderness, juiciness, and flavor likeness, respectively. The SNPs between p = 0.001 and p = 0.0001 thresholds explained 3% to 9% of the phenotypic variance, while the most significant SNPs accounted for 7% to 12% of the phenotypic variance. In conclusion, because WB shear force and sensory evaluation were moderately affected by a few loci and minimally affected by other loci, further studies are required by using a large sample size and high marker density.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.301-307
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• 2005

Genetic variants of Hanwoo mtDNA in the region of cytochrome oxidase subunit I, II and III complex were detected using restriction enzymes. PCR primers were designed based on the bovine mtDNA sequence, and 6 primer sets (Mt4, Mt5, Mt6, Mt7, Mt8 and Mt9) were used. A total of 20 restriction enzymes were used, and 6 restriction enzymes, which were Hinf I, Pvu II, Rsa I, Eco RI, Bgl II, and Msp I, showed genetic polymorphisms. Significant associations between genetic variants and weight traits were observed at WT15 (p<0.05) and WT18 (p<0.01) with Pvu II for Mt9, Bgl II for Mt6 and Rsa I for Mt8 segments in the region of cytochrome oxidase subunit complex. Significant associations were also observed at Mt9-Pvu II and Mt6-Bgl II segments for WT9 (p=0.01), WT12 (p=0.02), respectively. These results suggest that genetic variants of mtDNA in the region of cytochrome oxidase subunit complex may be candidate segments for improvement of animal growth as weight traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1500-1506
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• 2018

Objective: Although Hanwoo has been selected as the superior commercial beef cattle breed in Korea, Chikso (Korean brindle cattle) is still recognized as a valuable breed for beef production. The aim of this study was to compare the meat quality, fatty acid composition and aroma volatiles of beef from Chikso and Hanwoo steers maintained under identical feed management, as information regarding these characteristics is still limited. Methods: A total of 19 carcasses with a quality grade of 1 were selected, and strip loin (longissimus lumborum) cuts were collected from 11 Hanwoo carcasses and 8 Chikso carcasses. Meat quality and aroma analyses were performed at day four postmortem. Results: Though Hanwoo strip loin tended to have higher fat content (15.37%) than Chikso (12.01%), no significant differences were observed. Meat pH, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, shear force value, instrumental surface color (Commission International De L'eclairage $L^{\star}$, $a^{\star}$, $b^{\star}$, chroma, and hue angle) and fatty acid composition were not significantly different. Roasted Chikso beef released more intense aroma than roasted Hanwoo beef based on the total area units of identified volatiles. Among identified volatiles, the amounts of toluene, heptanal, octanal, and nonanal were higher in roasted Chikso beef than in roasted Hanwoo beef. In addition, the aroma pattern of the roasted beef from these breeds was well-discriminated by electronic nose. Conclusion: No distinct differences were found in terms of meat quality between Hanwoo and Chikso beef in this study. However, the aroma pattern and volatiles of roasted Hanwoo and Chikso beef were different according to instrumental analysis.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.341-354
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• 2005

For the genetic assessment of the cattle breeds including Hanwoo, eleven microsatellite markers on ten bovine autosomes were genetically characterized for 618 individuals of nineteen cattle breeds; North Eastern Asian breeds (Korean cattle, Korean Black cattle, Japanese Black cattle, Japanese Brown cattle, Yanbian cattle), Chinese yellow cattle (Luxi cattle, Nanyang cattle), European Bas taurus (Angus, Hereford, Charolais, Holstein, Limousin), African Bas taurus (N'Dama, Baoule), African Bas indicus (Kavirondo Zebu, White Fulani), Asian Bas indicus (Sahiwal, Nelore) and one Bali cattle, Bas banteng as an outbreed-reference population. Allele frequencies derived from the genotyping data were used in estimating heterozygosities, gene diversities and genetic distances. The microsatellite loci were highly polymorphic, with a total of 162 different alleles observed across all loci. Variability in allele numbers and frequencies was observed among the breeds. The average expected heterozygosity of North Eastern Asian breeds was higher than those of European and African taurines, but lower than those of Asian and African indicines. Genetic distances were estimated using Nei's DA genetic distance and the resultant DA matrix was used in the construction of the phylogenetic trees. The genetic distances between North Eastern Asian cattle breeds and Bas indicus were similar with those between European Bas taurus and Bas indicus, and African Bas taurus and Bas indicus, respectively. The clusters were clearly classified into North Eastern Asian, European and African taurines groups as well as different cluster with Chinese mainland breeds, firstly out-grouping with Bas indicus. These results suggest that Korean cattle, Hanwoo, had not been originated from a crossbred between Bas primigenius in Europe and Bas indicus in India and North Eastern Asian Bas taurus may be have separate domestication from European and African Bas taurus.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.167-174
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• 2010

The objectives of this study were to quantify the combination values of the principal components and factors calculated using body measurements of Hanwoo (Korean Cattle) and estimate their heritabilities. The technique of multivariate analysis was used to reduce a large number of variables to a smaller number of new variables and characterize cattle according to body shape. The analyses were performed using 1,979 cattle at 12 months of age and 936 cattle at 24 months of age. The data for the analyses was obtained from progeny tests performed on Korean Cattle for 6 years from 2003 to 2008. The phenotypic correlations among these traits were estimated to range from 0.32 to 0.90 at 12 months of age and from 0.21 to 0.82 at 24 months of age. The first principal components (PC1s) indicated a weighed average of overall body measurements, accounting for 99.91% of the total variation for both periods of test. The two first PCs had positive coefficients for all body measurements. The major sources of PC, such as chest girth (CG), body length (BL), rump height (RH), and wither height (WH) were similar for both test periods. The heritabilities for PC1, the first factor score (FS1), and the second factor score (FS2) were estimated by multivariate REML method. The estimated heritabilities for PC1, FS1, and FS2 were 0.33, 0.38, and 0.40, respectively, at 12 months of age and 0.26, 0.76, and 0.58 at 24 months of age. Further studies are needed to determine whether the heritabilities of FS1 and FS2 at 24 months of age were overestimated.