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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Leetown, West Virginia » Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #257313
Title: Towards molecular biomarkers for muscle atrophy and fillet quality in rainbow trout

Author
item SALEM, MOHMED - West Virginia University
item KENNEY, P. BRETT - West Virginia University
item Rexroad, Caird
item YAO, JAINBO - West Virginia University

Submitted to: Aquaculture America Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/1/2010
Publication Date: 2/28/2011
Citation: Salem, M., Kenney, P., Rexroad III, C.E., Yao, J. 2011. Towards molecular biomarkers for muscle atrophy and fillet quality in rainbow trout. Aquaculture America Conference. 34.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Genetically improved strains are a pre-requisite for efficient production of food fish. Soft flesh and gaping are product defects that cause down-grading of the product value and loss of revenue. There is limited genetic information on traits that enhance production efficiency and yield a higher quality muscle preferred by consumers. The expanding aquatic-foods market requires fish that grow faster with better flesh quality and longer shelf-life than currently available. Recently, we used genomic and molecular approaches to investigate muscle growth and flesh quality in rainbow trout. Our data revealed a number of candidate genes that are associated with fish muscle growth and fillet quality. In addition, we have shown that muscle deterioration as a physiological response to the energetic demands of fish sexual maturation represents a unique model for studying the mechanisms of muscle degradation in fish. In the current studies we implemented high-throughput Omics and molecular approaches to identify and characterize potential molecular biomarkers for muscle atrophy and fillet quality in rainbow trout. We examined biochemical and physical indices of rainbow trout muscle atrophy and quality in relation to patterns of gene expression using state-of-the-art microarrays, Next-generation sequencing, microRNAs array and proteomics technologies. Patterns of expression and protein levels of candidate genes were established in relation to sexual maturation and reproductive cycle of fertile female trout in comparison to sterile fish. These studies represent the first high throughput analyses that address muscle degradation/regeneration for a non-mammalian animal. Characterizing muscle growth and quality in organisms with varying genetic predispositions and environmental and metabolic adaptations should increase our fundamental understanding of the decisive and evolutionally conserved mechanisms associated with muscle growth. Candidate genes will be evaluated as potential markers to facilitate in multi-trait selection programs of the National Center for Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture with a focus on superior muscle growth and flesh quality through marker assisted selection.