Molecular expression of digestive enzymes during the ontogeny of the Mayan cichlid ( Cichlasoma urophthalmus )

Abstract

The Mayan cichlid (Cichlasoma urophthalmus), is a freshwater fish of the Cichlidae family, native to the south east of Mexico, it has potential for extensive cultivation due to its excellent meat quality and local demand. However, the nutrigenomic aspects and molecular expression of genes involved in its digestion that could contribute to its growth during the larval stage are unknown. Some enzymes such as Pepsin (PEP), pancreatic such as trypsin (TRY), Chymotrypsin [CHY] and intestinal enzymes such as Leucine aminopeptidase [ANPEP], function during larval ontogenesis and activity patterns of the key factors involved in the digestive system. For this study, 30–50 larvae were collected, which were processed with mRNA extraction techniques and cDNA synthesis by RT-PCR using qPCR oligos designed from Oreochromis niloticus, measuring molecular expression during the initial ontogeny of C. urophthalmus. The results obtained show the molecular expression of these enzymes occurs through epigenetic factors such as changes from endogenous to exogenous feeding, presenting the activation of genes for the formation of organs of the digestive tract that allow the secretion of specific enzymes for processing and digestion of food, that can activate these genes to increase the digestion efficiency and the optimal use of nutrients.