Cellularity and expression of muscle growth related factors in pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) juvenile fed on different protein levels

• Grant number: 11/12923-0
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2011
• End date: September 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Maeli Dal Pai
• Grantee: Maeli Dal Pai
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Dalton José Carneiro

Abstract

Pirarucu is a fish species of great interest to aquaculture and its breeding under intensive system has been presented as an ecologically and economically important alternative for farming programs. In order to optimize their development and promote its conservation, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of feeding pirarucu with different levels of crude protein of animal origin on morphological and cellularity characteristics in white muscle fibers, as well as its effects on muscle growth control factors. One hundred and ninety two animals will be randomly divided into 4 experimental groups underwent the following treatments: T1A: 40% crude protein (½ of animal origin); T1B: 40% crude protein (¼ of animal origin); T2A: 45% crude protein (½ of animal origin); T2B: 45% crude protein (¼ of animal origin). During the experiment, biometry and muscle samples collection will be conducted. The morphological and morphometric analysis will be done by histological sections stained with HE and smaller diameter measurement. The quantitative analysis of MyoD, Myogenin and Myostatin genes and protein expression will be performed using qRT-PCR and Western Blot methods, respectively, and the protein identification as well as the counting of labeled nuclei will be performed by Immunofluorescence. Statistical analysis will be performed using the following tests: Friedman or ANOVA with repeated measures for biometry data; Goodman for diameters classes; Mann-Whitney or T Test for genes and protein expression data and immunofluorescence (when comparing the two crude protein levels and when comparing the two levels of animal origin protein). (AU)