Plant protein blends in diets for Senegalese sole affect skeletal muscle growth, flesh texture and the expression of related genes

The biological basis through which sustainable and practical plant protein diets (PP) affect flesh texture determinants is extremely scarce so the present results will be valuable to the aquafeed industry, fish producers and final consumers. This study clearly shows that PP diets reduced expression of several key genes involved in myogenesis and muscle growth and can hence affect fish growth potential at long term. This study identifies useful markers that correlated well with muscle cellularity and muscle growth and can be further used to select the most appropriate diets for a fish species.