Abstract：This study was aimed to investigate the changes in the relative expression level of myosin heavy chain (MyHC) gene from skeletal muscle during the growth of Wuzhumuqin sheep. Free-grazing Wuzhumuqin sheep were slaughtered at 1, 3, 6, 9, 12 and 18 months of age and the biceps femoris and longissimus dorsi muscles were excised. MyHC isoforms were separated from the muscles by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and the relative expression level of MyHC gene was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that four clear bands representing type Ⅱa, type Ⅱx, type Ⅱb and type Ⅰ, respectively, were observed in the electrophoretic pattern. The expression of MyHC type Ⅰ gene and type Ⅱa in biceps femoris and longissimus dorsi was higher than that of MyHC type Ⅱb gene. Understanding the MyHC gene expression in skeletal muscle during the growth of sheep is of great practical importance for improving meat quality and post-mortem physiological and biochemical characteristics.
