Date of Graduation
1999
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Type
MS
College
Davis College of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Design
Committee Chair
John Killefer
Committee Member
Walter Kaczmarczyk
Committee Member
Hillar Klandorf
Abstract
Muscle growth is regulated by the balance between the two opposing processes of protein synthesis and protein degradation. The calpain system consisting of two ubiquitous proteolytic enzymes m-calpain, µ-calpain and calpastatin (their endogenous inhibitor) is considered to be the major proteolytic system that catalyzes the initiation of myofibrillar protein degradation in muscle. Gene expression studies of the calpain system were carried out in male and female broiler skeletal muscle from breast (pectoralis), leg (semitendinosus) and wing (brachi) in chickens one week through six weeks of age. The RNA isolated from these tissues was used as template for reverse-transcription to synthesize cDNA using antisense primers specific for each of these genes. The cDNA then served as a template for the amplification of the gene of interest using the polymerase chain reaction. In all samples studied there was varied expression of m calpain, µ-calpain and calpastatin, supporting the concept that the levels of calpains and calpastatin are involved in the regulation of the calpain system. Tissue-specific expression of an m-calpain mRNA variant was also observed.
Recommended Citation
Janardhanan, Anitha Cholayil, "Gene expression of components of the calpain system: m-Calpain, μ-calpain and calpastatin in male and female broiler skeletal muscle." (1999). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 10419.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/10419