Expression of muscle‐specific myosin heavy chain and myosin light chain 1 in the electric tissue of Electrophorus electricus (L.) in comparison with other vertebrate species

Abstract

Myosin light and heavy chains from skeletal and cardiac muscles and from the electric organ of Electrophorus electricus (L.) were characterised using biochemical and immunological methods, and compared with myosin extracted from avian, reptilian, and mammalian skeletal and cardiac muscles. The results indicate that the electric tissue has a myosin light chain 1 (LC1) and a muscle-specific myosin heavy chain. We also show that monoclonal antibody F109-12A8 (against LC1 and LC2) recognizes LC1 of myosin from human skeletal and cardiac muscles as well as those of rabbit, lizard, chick, and electric eel. However, only cardiac muscles from humans and rabbits have LC2, which is recognized by antibody F109-16F4. The data presented confirm the muscle origin of the electric tissue of E. electricus. This electric tissue has a profile of LC1 protein expression that resembles the myosin from cardiac muscle of the eel more than that from eel skeletal muscle. This work raises an interesting question about the ontogenesis and differentiation of the electric tissue of E. electricus.

cDNA cloning and expression analysis of the myosin heavy chain (MYH) gene of the mandarin fishSiniperca kneri

“…In carps, there are three MYH isoforms in early embryonic stages, MYH emb1 , MYH emb2 and MYH emb3 , whereas in adult carp three kinds of MYH cDNAs are expressed for different acclimation temperatures, thus revealing a complex pattern of expression of MYH genes in relation to developmental stage, muscle type and acclimation temperature (Tao et al 2004; Nihei et al 2006). Ayres Sa, Menezes and dos Santos Mermelstein (2001) demonstrated that in Electrophorus electricus MYHs and light chains are differentially expressed in skeletal and cardiac muscles (Ayres Sa et al 2001). In this study, we applied both RT‐PCR and Western blotting techniques to detect expression patterns of the MYH gene in S. kneri .…”

EST-Based Identification of Genes Expressed in Skeletal Muscle of the Mandarin Fish ( Siniperca chuatsi )

“…The nutritional attribute of fish is dependent on the amount of digestible proteins, lipids, vitamins and mineral contents ( 2 ) . Fish meat is also an excellent source of essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids 13 , 14 . Our previous work confirmed that the amounts of both the essential and flavor-enhancing amino acids in mandarin fish ( Siniperca chuatsi ) are much higher than those in silver carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ) ( 4 ) .…”