Molecular Mechanism of MYL4 Regulation of Skeletal Muscle Development in Pigs

Abstract

The processes of muscle growth and development, including myoblast proliferation, migration, differentiation, and fusion, are modified by a variety of regulatory factors. MYL4 plays an important role in atrial development, atrial cardiomyopathy, muscle-fiber size, and muscle development. The structural variation (SV) of MYL4 was found via the de novo sequencing of Ningxiang pigs, and the existence of SV was verified in the experiments. The genotype distribution of Ningxiang pigs and Large White pigs was detected, and it was found that Ningxiang pigs were mainly of the BB genotype and that Large White pigs were mainly of the AB genotype. However, the molecular mechanisms behind the MYL4-mediated regulation of skeletal muscle development need to be deeply explored. Therefore, RT-qPCR, 3′RACE, CCK8, EdU, Western blot, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, and bioinformation analysis were used to explore the function of MYL4 in myoblast development. The cDNA of MYL4 was successfully cloned from Ningxiang pigs, and its physicochemical properties were predicted. The expression profiles in six tissues and four stages of Ningxiang pigs and Large White pigs were found to be the highest in the lungs and 30 days after birth. The expression of MYL4 increased gradually with the extension of the myogenic differentiation time. The myoblast function test showed that the overexpression of MYL4 inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis and differentiation. The knockdown of MYL4 showed the opposite result. These results enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of muscle development and provide a solid theoretical foundation for further exploring the role of the MYL4 gene in muscle development.