Sensory and technological qualities of pork result from complex interactions between pig genotype, rearing conditions, and slaughtering and meat processing conditions. Despite improve knowledge on its underlying mechanisms, meat quality (MQ) still exhibits a high variability. Moreover, MQ is assessed by various indicators measured 24h up to few days post-mortem (p.m.) by using costly and/or invasive analyses. Early p.m. predictors of MQ could be used as decision-making tools in slaughterhouses to better allocate carcasses or cuts to the appropriate processes or markets. Recent developments in functional genomics enable high throughput screening of gene expression. Transcriptomics profiles of Longissimus muscle (LM) obtained by specifie microarray (15K) were used to identify early p.m. biomarkers of MQ, i.e. genes whose expression level is associated to MQ tra its. The experimental design included pigs from contrasted breeds (Basque, French local breed leading to high quality pork and Large White, n=SO) produced in different systems, inducing a high and graduai variability in MQ. Numerous associations between LM gene expression level and MQ traits (pH, drip loss, colour, intramuscular fat, shear force, tenderness) were identified. On 40 of these genes, 113 transcript-trait associations were confirmed (P