Investigation into Developmental Stages of Chicken and Quail Blood to Determine Alternative Splicing Isoforms of Myostatin

Abstract

Myostatin is key to understanding avian muscle development, as it is known to negatively regulate skeletal muscle growth. The primary objective of this study was to reveal myostatin isoforms of broiler and layer chickens and the heavyweight, random-bred, and lightweight lines of Japanese quail. The heavy weight line is hypothesized to have less myostatin or more myostatin inhibition by propeptide binding and inactivation, which will inhibit muscle growth and development. The myostatin isoforms are also compared by broiler and layer chickens during different stages of growth. Broiler chickens are selected for improved growth rate and muscle mass compared to layer chickens. We hypothesize that because broilers produce so much more muscle mass, broilers will have more propeptide isoforms that bind and inhibit mature myostatin to promote increased muscle growth. Blood samples collected at various stages of embryonic development are tested to determine propeptide and mature myostatin during muscular growth. More cleavage and propeptide isoforms in the early developmental stages is indicative of increased muscle growth and development.