{
  "abstract": "Fibroblasts are readily obtained and expanded and may provide an alternative cell source for cultivated seafood if their latent myogenic potential can be accessed. We examined whether transient exposure to 5-azacytidine (AZA), a cytidine analogue known to convert mouse embryonic fibroblasts into myoblasts, elicits a persistent muscle gene program in embryo-derived zebrafish (Danio rerio) Z3 fibroblasts. Cells were exposed to 0, 2.5, 5 or 10 M AZA for 48 h and maintained in drug-free medium for 3 weeks. RNA-seq identified 744 genes that increased and 670 that decreased consistently across the concentration series. Increased genes encompassed myogenic regulators, fusion factors, sarcomeric components and excitation-contraction machinery, whereas decreased genes were enriched for extracellular-matrix and adhesion functions. In a separate six-dose RT-qPCR experiment (0-20 M AZA) with three biological replicates per concentration, all 19 selected muscle genes were significantly increased at 1.25 M, the lowest concentration tested, whereas 9 of 12 extracellular-matrix/fibroblast genes were significantly decreased. Several muscle genes plateaued or declined at higher concentrations, and multinucleated myotubes were not observed. A separate 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (decitabine) series showed a comparable muscle-associated response at 0.25 M. These findings indicate that zebrafish fibroblasts retain access to a myogenic-like transcriptional program, and they provide a model for identifying food-compatible approaches to control fish-cell lineage plasticity for cultivated seafood.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University"
  ],
  "article_type": "New results",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 3,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "D. Ikeda"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. Mizusawaa"
    },
    {
      "name": "S. Watabe"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fyjx26q3yhgpp.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.01.756133",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756133v1.full",
  "id": "fyjx26q3yhgpp",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756133v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "biorxiv",
      "cell biology"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "1312|Muscle Physiology and Disorders"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7220459730",
  "pdf_url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756133v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-01",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fyjx26q3yhgpp.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:26:05Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.01.756133",
      "source": "biorxiv",
      "url": "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.01.756133v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "biology",
      "origin": "biorxiv:cell biology",
      "subfield": "cell-biology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Transient 5-azacytidine exposure elicits persistent myogenic-like transcriptional remodeling in zebrafish fibroblasts: implications for cultivated seafood",
  "title_text": "Transient 5-azacytidine exposure elicits persistent myogenic-like transcriptional remodeling in zebrafish fibroblasts: implications for cultivated seafood",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:26:05Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/fyjx26q3yhgpp",
  "venue": "bioRxiv",
  "versions": []
}