UNDERSTANDING OF GENETIC, BIOCHEMICAL, AND PHYSIOLOGICAL INTERRELATIONSHIPS INFLUENCING ANIMAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR IMPROVING THE EFFICIENCY OF PRODUCTION FOR OUR LIVESTOCK SPECIES. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE DEPOSITION OF MUSCLE AND ADIPOSE TISSUE ARE AT THE CORE OF PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY OF ANIMAL PROTEIN. MOLECULAR VARIATION WITHIN THE LCORL GENE PROVIDES A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO POTENTIALLY DEFINE KEY EVENTS DURING ANIMAL DEVELOPMENT THAT APPEAR TO HAVE CONTINUED EFFECTS THROUGHOUT THE GROWTH PHASE OF PRODUCTION, ESPECIALLY IN MUSCLE AND ADIPOSE TISSUE. CHARACTERIZING THE MECHANISM BY WHICH THIS GENETIC VARIATION INFLUENCES THE FUNCTION OF DOWNSTREAM GENE NETWORKS TO MODIFY ANIMAL GROWTH WILL PROVIDE INSIGHT TO BOTH GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS THAT CAN BE USED TO IMPROVE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY IN CATTLE. HOWEVER, THE SIGNIFICANCE OF UNDERSTANDING THIS PHENOMENON EXTENDS BEYOND CATTLE AS THERE IS SIGNIFICANT EVIDENCE THAT REGULATION OF THESE GENETIC MECHANISMS ARE LIKELY CONSERVED AMONG SPECIES. THUS, THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL PROVIDE FUNDAMENTAL KNOWLEDGE THAT HAS THE POTENTIAL TO HAVE A MUCH BROADER IMPACT ON OUR UNDERSTANDING OFANIMAL BIOLOGY AS WELL AS IMPROVE THE PRODUCTION EFFICIENCY OF LIVESTOCK SPECIES.