Two myostatin genes are differentially expressed in myotomal muscles of the trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Abstract

SUMMARY Myostatin (GDF8) has been shown to be a major genetic determinant of skeletal muscle growth in mammals. In this study, we report the cloning of two trout cDNAs that encode two distinct myostatin-related proteins. The presence in this fish species of two myostatin genes (Tmyostatin 1 and Tmyostatin 2) probably results from the recent tetraploïdisation of the salmonid genome. A comparative reverse-transcriptase-linked polymerase chain reaction assay revealed that Tmyostatin 1 mRNA was present ubiquitously in trout tissues, while Tmyostatin 2 mRNA expression was restricted to muscle and brain. In developing muscle, Tmyostatin 1 expression was observed in eyed-stage embryos well before hatching, whereas Tmyostatin 2 was expressed only in free-swimming larvae. In myotomal muscle from adult animals, Tmyostatin 1 mRNA accumulation was similar in both slow- and fast-twitch fibres, and its concentration did not change during the muscle wasting associated with sexual maturation. In contrast, Tmyostatin 2 mRNA accumulated predominantly in slow-twitch fibres, and its concentration decreased dramatically in wasting muscles from maturing animals. This work shows that two distinct myostatin genes are present in the trout genome. Furthermore, it indicates that these two trout myostatin genes (i) exhibit a distinct expression pattern in muscle and non-muscle tissues and (ii) are not upregulated during the muscle wasting that accompanies sexual maturation.