Comparison of caspase-3 Activity in Post-Mortem Muscle of Different Species

The objective of this study is to compare whether caspase-3 is activated in the M.longissimus lumborum of cows, the M.longissimusdorsi of sheep, and the breast and leg muscles of geese during the initial postmortem stage. Samples from cows were obtained at 0, 4, 8, and 24 h after slaughter. Samples from sheep and geese were taken at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 24 h. Pro-caspase-3 was cleaved into active caspase-3 during the initial postmortem stage in cow. Caspase-3 activity was found to increase gradually at 0, 4, and 24 h postmortem in cows. Pro-caspase-3 was activated at 6 and 9 h postmortem in sheep. Caspase-3 activity is not activated postmortem in the breast and leg muscles of geese. The results of this study show that caspase-3 activity differed in different species and that the changes in caspase-3 activity over time also differed in the different species.