Gene expression of parvalbumin and catabolic and anabolic genes in skeletal muscle of pacu fish (Piaractus mesopotamicus) after prolonged fasting and during refeeding

• Grant number: 17/12237-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2017
• End date: June 30, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Fishery Resources and Fishery Engineering - Aquaculture
• Principal Investigator: Maeli Dal Pai
• Grantee: Maria Laura Gabriel Kuniyoshi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The skeletal muscle of fish occupies from 40 to 75% of body weight, and it is mostly white muscle. In aquaculture, cycles of fasting and refeeding can be used to promote accelerated growth and to save fish food, in such a way that they can affect the balance between muscular anabolism and catabolism pathways. The protein parvalbumin that is principally found in fish white muscle promotes relaxing after muscle contraction and is considered an allergen in fish flesh. Publications show alterations of parvalbumin levels in different experiments, although its expression during fasting and refeeding is unknown by now. Our hypothesis is that the prolonged fasting followed by refeeding alters the gene expression of parvalbumin, catabolic genes and anabolic genes in pacu white muscle. Our aim is to study the morphologic and molecular alterations in pacu white muscle after prolonged food restriction, and in short-term and long-term refeeding. The gene expression of parvalbumin, catabolic genes and anabolic genes will be assessed, as well as the morphometry of muscle fibres for analysis of muscular growth. Pacu juveniles were split into two groups: control (constant feeding for 90 days) and experimental (30 days of fasting and 60 days of refeeding). After the fasting and 6h, 12h, 24h, 30 days and 60 days refeeding, white muscle samples were collected for both groups. The samples will undergo morphological and morphometrical analysis (HE staining and assessment of muscle fibre diameter) and molecular analysis (RT-qPCR). The data will be statistically analysed. The results may contribute for the understanding of mechanisms involved in muscle mass regulation, as well as of the impact of fasting/refeeding protocols on animal health and quality of product. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

GABRIEL KUNIYOSHI, MARIA LAURA; DA SILVA-GOMES, RAFAELA NUNES; THOMAZINI ZANELLA, BRUNA TEREZA; DOS SANTOS, LUCILENE DELAZARI; DAL-PAI-SILVA, MAELI. Anabolism, catabolism and proteomic analysis in the slow-twitch muscle of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) submitted to prolonged fasting followed by refeeding. AQUACULTURE RESEARCH, v. 51, n. 3, DEC 2019. (17/12237-6)

DA SILVA-GOMES, RAFAELA NUNES; GABRIEL KUNIYOSHI, MARIA LAURA; DA SILVA DURAN, BRUNO OLIVEIRA; THOMAZINI ZANELLA, BRUNA TEREZA; FREIREID, PAULA PACCIELLI; DE PAULA, TASSIANA GUTIERREZ; DE ALMEIDA FANTINATTI, BRUNO EVARISTO; SIMOES SALOMAO, RONDINELLE ARTUR; CARVALHO, ROBSON FRANCISCO; SANTOS, LUCILENE DELAZARI; et al. Prolonged fasting followed by refeeding modifies proteome profile and parvalbumin expression in the fast-twitch muscle of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus). PLoS One, v. 14, n. 12, DEC 19 2019. (17/12237-6)

GABRIEL KUNIYOSHI, MARIA LAURA; DA SILVA-GOMES, RAFAELA NUNES; SOUZA VIEIRA, JOSE CAVALCANTE; HESSEL, MARIANA CASEMIRO; MARECO, EDSON ASSUNCAO; DOS SANTOS, VANDER BRUNO; CARVALHO, ROBSON FRANCISCO; PADILHA, PEDRO DE MAGALHAES; DAL-PAI-SILVA, MAELI. Proteomic analysis of the fast-twitch muscle of pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) after prolonged fasting and compensatory growth. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics, v. 30, p. 321-332, JUN 2019. (17/12237-6)