Novel enzymes and metabolites involved in skatole metabolism

A method for enhancing the metabolism of 3-methylindole in a pig comprising enhancing the activity of aldehyde oxidase in a pig.

A method for enhancing the metabolism of 3-methylindole comprising enhancing the activity of CYP2A6 in a pig.

A method for screening for a substance that enhances skatole metabolism in a pig by enhancing aldehyde oxidase activity comprising the steps of:

• (a) reacting a substrate of aldehyde oxidase and aldehyde oxidase, in the presence of a test substance, under conditions such that aldehyde oxidase is capable of converting the substrate into a reaction product;
• (b) assaying for reaction product, unreacted substrate or unreacted aldehyde oxidase;
• (c) comparing to controls to determine if the test substance selectively enhances aldehyde oxidase activity and thereby is capable of enhancing skatole metabolism in a pig.

A method for screening for a substance that enhances skatole metabolism in a pig by enhancing CYP2A6 activity comprising the steps of:

• (a) reacting a substrate of CYP2A6 and CYP2A6, in the presence of a test substance, under conditions such that CYP2A6 is capable of converting the substrate into a reaction product;
• (b) assaying for reaction product, unreacted substrate or unreacted CYP2A6;
• (c) comparing to controls to determine if the test substance selectively enhances CYP2A6 activity and thereby is capable of enhancing skatole metabolism in a pig.

A method for screening for a substance that enhances skatole metabolism by enhancing transcription and/or translation of the gene encoding aldehyde oxidase comprising the steps of:

• (a) culturing a host cell comprising a nucleic acid molecule containing a nucleic acid sequence encoding aldehyde oxidase and the necessary elements for the transcription or translation of the nucleic acid sequence, and optionally a reporter gene, in the presence of a test substance;
• and
• (b) comparing the level of expression of aldehyde oxidase, or the expression of the protein encoded by the reporter gene with a control cell transfected with a nucleic acid molecule in the absence of the test substance.

A method for screening for a substance that enhances skatole metabolism by enhancing transcription and/or translation of the gene encoding CYP2A6 comprising the steps of:

• (a) culturing a host cell comprising a nucleic acid molecule containing a nucleic acid sequence encoding CYP2A6 and the necessary elements for the transcription or translation of the nucleic acid sequence, and optionally a reporter gene, in the presence of a test substance;
• and
• (b) comparing the level of expression of CYP2A6, or the expression of the protein encoded by the reporter gene with a control cell transfected with a nucleic acid molecule in the absence of the test substance.

A method for producing pigs which have a lower incidence of boar taint comprising selecting pigs that express high levels of aldehyde oxidase and/or CYP2A6;

• and breeding the selected pigs.