Pre-Slaughter Stress Affects Ryanodine Receptor Protein Gene Expression and the Water-Holding Capacity in Fillets of the Nile Tilapia

PLoS One. 2015 Jun 8;10(6):e0129145. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0129145. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Current study evaluated the effect of pre-slaughter stress on serum cortisol levels, pH, colorimetry, water-holding capacity (WHC) and gene expression of ryanodine receptors (RyR1 and RyR3) in the Nile tilapia. A 3x4 factorial scheme experiment was conducted comprising three densities (100, 200, 400 kg/m³) with four transportation times (60, 120, 180, and 240 minutes).Transportation times alone reduced cortisol levels up to 180 minutes, followed by increased WHC and mRNA expression, RyR1 and RyR3 (200 kg/m³ density). No effect of density x transportation time interacted on the evaluated parameters. Results provided the first evidence that pre-slaughter stress affected ryanodine gene expression receptors and, consequently, the water-holding capacity in tilapia fillets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cichlids / physiology*
  • Gene Expression*
  • Hydrocortisone / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel / genetics*
  • Stress, Physiological*

Substances

  • Ryanodine Receptor Calcium Release Channel
  • Hydrocortisone

Grants and funding

This work was supported by and funded by the Brazilian National Council for Research-CNPq (No 472622 / 2013-7). The funder had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.