Variable expression of myoglobin among the hemoglobinless Antarctic icefishes

The important intracellular oxygen-binding protein, myoglobin (Mb), is thought to be absent from oxidative muscle tissues of the family of hemoglobinless Antarctic icefishes, Channichthyidae. Within this family of fishes, which is endemic to the Southern Ocean surrounding Antarctica, there exist 15 known species and 11 genera. To date, we have examined eight species of icefish (representing seven genera) using immunoblot analyses. Results indicate that Mb is present in heart ventricles from five of these species of icefish. Mb is absent from heart auricle and oxidative skeletal muscle of all species. We have identified a 0.9-kb mRNA in Mb-expressing species that hybridizes with a Mb cDNA probe from the closely related red-blooded Antarctic nototheniid fish, Notothenia coriiceps. In confirmation that the 0.9-kb mRNA encodes Mb, we report the full-length Mb cDNA sequence of the ocellated icefish, Chionodraco rastrospinosus. Of the eight icefish species examined, three lack Mb polypeptide in heart ventricle, although one of these expresses the Mb mRNA. All species of icefish retain the Mb gene in their genomic DNA. Based on phylogeny of the icefishes, loss of Mb expression has occurred independently at least three times and by at least two distinct molecular mechanisms during speciation of the family.