Gene structure, expression and function analysis of the MyoD gene in the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

In this study, we identified a sequence of the MyoD gene (LvMyoD) with a conserved bHLH domain in the L. vannamei genome. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that both the overall protein sequence and specific functional sites of LvMyoD are highly conserved with those of other crustacean species and that they are evolutionarily closely related to vertebrate MyoD and Myf5. LvMyoD expression is initially high during early muscle development in shrimp and gradually decreases after 40 days post-larval development. In adults, the muscle-specific expression of LvMyoD was confirmed through RT-qPCR analysis. Knockdown of LvMyoD inhibited the growth of the shrimp in body length and weight. Histological observation and transcriptome sequencing of muscle samples after RNA interference (RNAi) revealed nuclear agglutination and looseness in muscle fibers. Additionally, we observed significant effects on the expression of genes involved in heat shock proteins, myosins, actins, protein synthesis, and glucose metabolism. These findings suggest that LvMyoD plays a critical role in regulating muscle protein synthesis and muscle cell differentiation. Overall, this study highlights the involvement of LvMyoD in myogenesis and muscle growth, suggesting that it is a potentially important regulatory target for shrimp breeding efforts.PMID:38703863 | DOI:10.1016/j.gene.2024.148523

Source: Gene - May 4, 2024 Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Yanting Xia Xiaojun Zhang Xiaoxi Zhang Haochen Zhu Xiaoyun Zhong Weixiao Song Jianbo Yuan Zhenxia Sha Fuhua Li Source Type: research