Pork Quality and Expression of Genes Involved in Muscularity and Fat Deposition in Different Commercial Lines and Sexes of Pigs

Pork is a major source of animal protein worldwide, and its quality is influenced by pre- and post-slaughter procedures. Advances in molecular biology, particularly gene expression studies, support genetic improvement programs by enabling precise strategies to enhance meat quality and economic sustainability. This study evaluated meat quality traits and candidate gene expression in muscle and subcutaneous adipose tissue from different genetic lineages and sexes. A total of 120 pigs from three lineages-Line D (½ Duroc × ½ DB90), Line P (½ Pietrain × ½ DB90), and Line H (½ [Duroc and Pietrain] × ½ DB90); including immunocastrated males (IM) and females, were randomly selected. Meat quality was assessed using physicochemical parameters, and gene expression analysis was performed in 36 pigs using RT-qPCR with <i>B2M</i>, <i>TBP</i>, and <i>RPL4</i> as references, and <i>COL1A1</i>, <i>PRKAR2A</i>, <i>CAST</i>, <i>ADIPOQ</i>, and PPARGC1A as targets. Lineage influenced drip loss and intramuscular fat, while lineage-sex interaction affected tenderness and color (L* and b*), and sex influenced b*. In muscle, sex affected <i>COL1A1</i> and <i>PRKAR2A</i>, and lineage influenced <i>COL1A1</i> and <i>CAST</i>. In adipose tissue, only <i>CAST</i> was lineage-dependent.