%0 Journal Article
%T Potential Effects of NO-Induced Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α on Yak Meat Tenderness during Post-Mortem Aging.
%A Sun N
%A Wang Z
%A Zhu X
%A Tan S
%A Song R
%A Shi W
%A Han L
%A Yu Q
%J J Agric Food Chem
%V 72
%N 11
%D 2024 Mar 20
%M 38466638
%F 5.895
%R 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00332
%X The objective of this study was to investigate the mechanism underlying nitric oxide (NO)-induced hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) and its impact on yak muscle tenderness during post-mortem aging. The Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) muscle of yak were incubated at 4 °C for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 72 h after treatment with 0.9% saline, NO activator, or a combination of the NO activator and an HIF-1α inhibitor. Results indicated that elevated NO levels could increase HIF-1α transcription to achieve stable expression of HIF-1α protein (P < 0.05). Additionally, elevated NO triggered HIF-1α S-nitrosylation, which further upregulated the activity of key glycolytic enzymes, increased glycogen consumption, accelerated lactic acid accumulation, and decreased pH (P < 0.05). These processes eventually improved the tenderness of yak muscle during post-mortem aging (P < 0.05). The results demonstrated that NO-induced activation of HIF-1α S-nitrosylation enhanced glycolysis during post-mortem aging and provided a possible pathway for improving meat tenderness.