Expression of muscle-specific microRNAs in the myogenesis and during muscle growth of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus): in vivo and in vitro studies

Abstract

The pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) has excellent animal husbandry attributes, such as fast growth and high fertility, factors that favor the success of his farming. In fishes, skeletal muscle corresponds to the bulk of muscle mass, whose growth occurs by hypertrophy and/or hyperplasia, processes regulated by several signaling molecules. In mammals, it has been suggested that a class of small noncoding RNAs, known as microRNAs, regulate the expression of target genes, and that the microRNAs miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b and miR-206 participate in the mechanisms of skeletal muscle growth. The aim of this study is to evaluate the expression of microRNAs miR-1, miR-133a, miR-133b, miR-206 and their target mRNAs in white skeletal muscle of pacu, through in vivo and in vitro studies. Three stages of development of pacu (larval, juvenile and adult) will be evaluated. The animals will be maintained throughout the experiment in water tanks of 0,5 m³ with a recirculation system. Fragments of deep lateral muscle, near the head, will be removed. On in vivo experiments as in vitro, microRNAs and their targets expression will be evaluated by Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction after Reverse Transcription (RT-qPCR). To evaluate the biological function of microRNAs will be performed the microRNA silencing technique, by using antisense oligonucleotide inhibitors. The data will be subjected to appropriate statistical analysis. (AU)