Enhanced muscle regeneration in freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii achieved through in vivo silencing of the myostatin gene

Myostatin (MSTN) is an interesting negative growth‐regulating gene that has been well characterized in vertebrates but scantly described in invertebrates. The current study focuses on the downregulation of the MrMSTN gene and subsequently records any histological changes for giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (Mr). In addition, the study also deals with the MrMSTN gene's influence on other growth‐related genes, which include myosin heavy chain, dystrophin‐dystroglycoprotein complex, tropomyosin, farnesoic acid o‐methyl transferase, arginine kinase, cyclophilin, and acyl CoA desaturase. The preliminary histological analysis following MrMSTN silencing favors muscle regeneration, which supports its functional role as a negative growth regulator and its significant effect on the expression of other growth‐related genes. Overall, our results show that the MrMSTN gene could therefore be a potential target for gene manipulation aimed at enhancing the growth and muscle development of M. rosenbergii, which could be beneficial in increasing the total mass production in the postlarva phase at the hatchery level.     

Lysine restriction and realimentation affected growth,blood profiles and expression of genes related to protein and fat metabolism in weaned pigs

To investigate the effects of lysine restriction and subsequent realimentation on growth performance, blood profiles and gene expression of leptin and myostatin, 128 weaned pigs [initial body weight (BW) 6.96 ± 1.07 kg, 26 ± 2 days of age] were randomly allotted to four treatments. The starter diets during the first 2 weeks (P1) contained 100%, 80%, 70% or 60% of recommended lysine levels ( National Research Council, 1998 ). Then, common grower 1 and 2 diets were offered for 2 weeks (P2 and P3) each. During P1, average daily gain (ADG) was linearly reduced (p < 0.05) with the increasing levels of lysine restriction. Growth rate was greater in pigs previously fed lysine‐restricted diets than well‐fed pigs although it did not reach a significant level during realimentation. However, the final BW and overall ADG were the lowest (p < 0.05) and F/G was poor in pigs fed 60% lysine diet. Relative visceral organ weights and composition of skeletal muscle were similar (p > 0.05) among the treatment. Blood triglyceride and glucose levels were increased (p < 0.05) during P1, while blood urine nitrogen, total protein and albumin levels were decreased (p < 0.05) during P2 with the reduction in dietary lysine levels. The abundance of myostatin mRNA in skeletal muscle and leptin mRNA in subcutaneous adipose tissue were lower (p < 0.05) in lysine‐restricted pigs than in pigs fed non‐restricted diets. In conclusion, 80% and 70% lysine restriction of starter diets resulted in inferior growth and compensatory growth effect was noted during realimentation, while 60% lysine restriction had a negative influence on growth performance. Moreover, the changes in myostatin and leptin mRNA abundance caused by nutritional manipulations may be involved in the regulation of protein and fat deposition in young pigs.     

鸡myostatin基因的研究进展

肌肉生长抑制素(myostatin)为转化生长因子TGF-beta超家族成员之一。随着研究的深入,发现鸡与哺乳动物myostatin基因的功能特性存在一定差异。本文主要综述了鸡myostatin基因在鸡骨骼肌生长发育和胚胎发生中的表达和功能等方面的研究进展。同时,对鸡作为肌肉相关研究领域模式动物的优势,肉鸡、蛋鸡间骨骼肌巨大生长差异与myostatin基因的可能关系也进行了简单讨论。     

东北马鹿肌肉生长抑制素基因序列的克隆、编码氨基酸序列及结构特征分析

以与东北马鹿物种最近的牛(Bos taurus cattle,序列号为AB076403)的肌肉生长抑制素(myostatin,MSTN)基因序列为模版,根据该基因保守序列进行引物设计,扩增产物连接入pMD18-T载体,克隆出3个外显子片段.根据5′-GU-AG-3′规则和同源基因比对拼接出带有部分5′、3′末端的cDNA,并采用生物信息学技术对编码氨基酸序列进行蛋白质同源性比较和二级、三级结构等分析.结果表明:所获序列全长为1 128 bp,编码375个氨基酸;具有较明显的螺旋、片层和无规卷曲等二级结构;有1个较明显的跨膜区和1个疏水区,并发现明显的信号肽和糖基化位点.三级结构同源建模预测结果显示与Human Activin A的相似性为42%.结果说明东北马鹿和其他哺乳类生物的肌肉生长抑制素基因之间关系密切,并同属于TGF-β家族.     

牛肌肉生长抑制素基因单核苷酸多态性分析

应用PCR-SSCP分析方法,对94头肉牛(公牛45头:西门塔尔34头,夏洛来11头;母牛49头:西门塔尔24头,夏洛来25头)的肌肉生长抑制素(MSTN)3个外显子进行了多态性分析.结果显示,第1外显子存在2种基因型,分别为AA型和AB型.经测序发现,第1外显子4 bp处存在C→G的碱基突变,导致编码的氨基酸由谷氨酰胺(Gln)→谷氨酸(Glu).统计结果表明,等位基因B的含量低,而且只在西门塔尔品种内含0.026 6.利用SPSS软件作最小二乘分析,结果表明,B等位基因与西门塔尔牛的成年体质量和犊牛出生体质量呈显著正相关.     

MSTN基因编辑牛肌肉转录组测序及生物信息学分析

为探究肌生长抑制素（myostatin,MSTN）基因对牛肌肉发育的具体调控机制,本研究选取同一牛场健康鲁西黄牛10头,其中通过转基因技术得到的基因编辑牛MSTN^-/-和同种非转基因野生型牛各5头。分别采集两组牛腿臀肌肉样品,利用IIlumina HiSeq高通量测序技术进行转录组测序分析,通过生物信息学方法比较两组样本间的差异表达基因,并进行GO和KEGG富集分析,最后利用实时荧光定量PCR验证转录组测序数据。结果显示,基因编辑型牛和野生型牛之间共检测到18 071个基因。在log₂|FoldChange|≥ 1.48条件下,筛选出406个差异表达基因,其中347个显著上调,59个显著下调。GO功能富集分析显示,MSTN基因编辑后显著影响915个功能类别（P<0.05）,差异基因主要参与结合、生物系统调节、免疫系统等相关功能。KEGG通路富集分析结果共涉及211个通路,差异基因主要富集在细胞黏附分子、趋化因子信号通路、细胞因子互作等信号通路上,进一步从中筛选出可能参与细胞生长、肌肉发育的差异基因（CD14、KIT、CSF1R、FBP1、DUSP4、ULBP21、PRKCB、SPN、CHAD、SRC）。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果显示,所选差异基因表达水平与转录组表达水平一致,证明测序结果的可靠性。本研究结果表明,MSTN基因发挥作用后可以介导多个下游基因表达,从而影响相关信号通路及生物学过程;同时,所筛选出的差异表达基因可作为进一步研究骨骼肌调控机制的候选靶标。     

Myostatin down‐regulates the IGF‐2 expression via ALK‐Smad signaling during myogenesis in cattle

Myostatin (MSTN) is a negative regulator during muscle differentiation, whereas insulin‐like growth factors (IGFs) are essential for muscle development. MSTN and IGFs act oppositely during myogenesis, but there is little information on the mutual relationship of MSTN and IGFs. The present study was conducted to examine whether MSTN affects IGF expression during early myogenesis in cattle. IGF‐1 mRNA was similarly expressed in M. longissimus thoracis of double‐muscled (DM) and normal (NM) Japanese shorthorn cattle. IGF‐2 mRNA expression was consistently higher in the normal and regenerating muscle of DM cattle than those of NM cattle. When myoblasts were isolated from regenerating M. longissimus thoracis, IGF‐2 mRNA expression showed a significant increase in differentiating DM derived myoblasts (DM‐myoblasts) as compared with differentiating NM derived myoblasts (NM‐myoblasts). An addition of recombinant mouse myostatin (rMSTN) to myoblast cultures attenuated IGF‐2 mRNA expression and decreased myotube formation, but did not effect IGF‐1 mRNA expression. An activin‐like kinase (ALK) inhibitor, SB431542, mediates MSTN action, suppressed the translocation of Smad2/3 into the nucleus in DM‐myoblasts, and restored the attenuated IGF‐2 mRNA expression and the decreased myotube formation induced by rMSTN in myoblast cultures. The findings indicate that MSTN may negatively regulate myoblast differentiation by suppressing IGF‐2 expression via ALK‐Smad signaling.     

Interaction between myostatin and extracellular matrix components

Myostatin, a member of the TGF-β superfamily, is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass. We have recently demonstrated that decorin binds to myostatin in vitro , and that immobilized decorin within the collagen matrix prevents myostatin-mediated inhibition of myoblast proliferation. However, little is known about other ECM molecules that bind to myostatin and modulate its activity. Thus, in the present study, we investigated the interaction of several other ECM molecules with myostatin. We here show that fibromodulin, fibronectin and laminin bind to myostatin in the presence of Zn²⁺ with a dissociation constant ( K_D ) of 10⁻¹⁰∼10⁻⁸ mol/L. Fibromodulin shows the highest affinity for myostatin among them. These results suggest that these ECM molecules may modulate myostatin activity like decorin does.     

泥鳅肌肉生长抑制素基因片断的克隆及其表达

肌肉生长抑制素（myostatin，MSTN）是动物肌肉生长发育的负调控因子。以泥鳅肌肉cDNA为模板，采用RT-PCR法克隆了泥鳅MSTN基因的主要片段,其长度为815 bp，编码271个氨基酸残基。泥鳅MSTN具有MSTN的共同特征，有蛋白酶水解位点RIRR和保守的半胱氨酸残基。RT-PCR分析表明该基因在肌肉中显著表达，在眼中也有微弱表达，而在其他所检测组织（脑、鳃、心脏、肝脏、肠、精巢、卵巢）未见表达。此结果表明泥鳅MSTN基因除对肌肉生长发育有调控作用以外，还可能在眼的发育中有一定作用     

利用反义寡核苷酸技术抑制MSTN基因表达的研究

在首先确定胚胎11日龄海兰鸡腿肌成肌细胞培养条件的基础上,利用RNA structure3.7软件中的步移法自行设计了反义MSTN寡核苷酸序列,全硫代修饰,利用脂质体2000成功地将其转染到体外培养的成肌细胞中。结果表明:反义寡核苷酸可以抑制MSTN基因在成肌细胞中的表达,促进成肌细胞增殖与分化,且2.0μmol.L-1为最佳浓度。