EN
The swine RYR1 (ryanodine receptor 1) gene is a major gene for meatiness, but its effect on the fatness and location of fat deposition is less known. A known mutation in this gene is responsible for a drastic deterioration of meat quality. We provide evidence that the mutation (c.1843T) alters FAT distribution between back fat and abdominal fat, which are of different value in meat processing.The study included 486 gilts representing the Polish Landrace, PL (n=242) and synthetic line L990 (n=244). All gilts were classified into 3 clusters according to their predisposition to fat distribution between visceral and subcutaneous tissues. We found a relationship between this classification and RYR1. The mutation c.1843C>T changed the distribution of body fat between these tissues in PL and L990 (P=0.0384), and in L990 separately (P=0.0277). No evidence for such an effect was observed when PL was analyzed separately. Compared to the CC homozygotes the T allele was associated with a lower abdominal fat deposition and heterozygous gilts tended to allocate adipose tissue in back fat;however, the effect on fat distribution was independent of general fatness of a pig.