Skeletal muscle growth and expression of MyoD, Myogenin and Myostatin factors in juvenile pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) fed on different protein levels

• Grant number: 12/18718-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2012
• End date: October 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Maeli Dal Pai
• Grantee: Thiago Henrique Diniz
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

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 juvenile pirarucu on different levels of crude protein of animal origin on morphological and morphometric characteristics of white muscle fibers, as well as its effects on muscle growth control factors. The experimental period lasted 60 days and biometry analyses were taken at days 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60. Muscle samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment (day 0, n=8), at 30 (n=8) and at 60 days (n=8). On days 0 and 60, a lot of animals from each treatment (n=8) was collected for whole body composition analysis. The morphological and morphometric analyzes of white muscle fibers will be done by histological sections stained with HE and the smaller diameter measurement. The quantitative analysis of MyoD, Myogenin and Myostatin proteins expression will be performed using Western Blot method. Statistic tests applied will be ANOVA, with repeated measures, for biometry data, Goodman for diameters classes' analysis and ANOVA for the protein expression values. (AU)