Integrative microRNAome analysis of muscle tissue of Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui), Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacu) and the hybrid, tambacu.

Abstract

The species Colossoma macropomum (tambaqui) and Piaractus mesopotamicus (pacu) are good species for meat market, and present important characteristics for production, as fast growing and good adaptation to feeding variation. Such species has similarities related to eating habits but present variation in therms of growing temperature. Individuals originated by hybridization between such species, the tambacu, present a good adaptation to temperatures around 20°C (a pacu's characteristic) and can reach a weight similar to tambaqui. Such characteristics has become the tambacu as a good choice for production. MicroRNAs are small RNA molecules capable to post-transcriptionally control the gene expression. Such microRNAs can be used to analyze growing factors responsible for the development of both species. Based on new sequencing technologies, large scale analyzis of such elements became an important tool on the characterization of such small molecules, to analyze the role of microRNA over the post-transcriptional control of genes and to predict signaling pathways involved on cell processes through network analysis. Fish muscle tissue represents an important protein source. In such way, this project aims to analyze microRNA data of fast muscle (white) of youth specimens of the species tambaqui, pacu and the hybrid tambacu, directed to transcriptional profile of microRNAs involved with muscle growing. Such analyzis can contribute to a better knowledge related to these small molecules on the expression control of genes related to muscle growth that is shared by the three genotypes, and to the identification of molecular markers related to muscle growth.