Gene expression profiling of gilthead sea bream during early development and detection of stress-related genes by the application of cDNA microarray technology

Abstract

Sarropoulou, Elena, Georgios Kotoulas, Deborah M. Power, and Robert Geisler. Gene expression profiling of gilthead sea bream during early development and detection of stress-related genes by the application of cDNA microarray technology. Physiol Genomics 23: 182-191, 2005. First published July 26, 2005 doi:10.1152/physiolgenomics.00139.2005.-Large-scale gene expression studies were performed for one of the main European aquaculture species, the gilthead sea bream Sparus auratus L. For this purpose, a cDNA microarray containing 10,176 clones from a cDNA library of mixed embryonic and larval stages was constructed. In addition to its importance for aquaculture, the taxonomic position and the relatively small genome size of sea bream makes it a prospective model for evolutionary biology and comparative genomics. However, so far, no large-scale analysis of gene expression exists for this species. In the present study, gene expression was analyzed in gilthead sea bream during early development, a significant period in the determination of quantitative traits and therefore of considerable interest for aquaculture. Synexpression groups expressed primarily early and late in development were determined and were composed of both known and novel genes. Furthermore, it was possible to identify stress response genes induced by cortisol injections using the cDNA microarray generated. The creation of gene expression profiles for sea bream by microarray hybridization will accelerate identification of candidate genes involved in multifactorial traits and certain regulatory pathways and will also contribute to a better understanding of the genetic background of fish physiology, which may help to improve aquaculture practices. Sparus auratus; stress responseIN RECENT YEARS, much effort has been invested in developing genome resources. Continuous improvements in technology have allowed rapid progress in the functional interpretation of sequencing data and the investigation of gene expression. The development of technology in model species has paved the way for high-throughput studies at a molecular level of nonmodel organisms of evolutionary, environmental, or economic interest.The gilthead sea bream Sparus auratus is an organism of both economic and evolutionary interest, and it is one of the main European aquaculture species along with the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), rainbow trout (Oncorhynkus mykiss), oyster (Crassostrea gigas), and sea bass (Dicentrax labrax). In addition to a basic understanding of the biology and reproductive physiology of this species, well-characterized culture methodologies for its reproduction and rearing also exist. From an evolutionary viewpoint, the gilthead sea bream is of interest as it belongs to the Perciformes, an order that underwent an explosive radiation 60 million years ago and contains a large number of other teleost taxa.

Molecular profiling of the gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) response to chronic exposure to the myxosporean parasite Enteromyxum leei

“…For gilthead sea bream, microarrays have been constructed to study early development and response to cortisol injection (Sarropoulou et al, 2005), other developmental processes (Ferraresso et al, 2008) and the effect of confinement exposure (Calduch-Giner et al, 2010).…”

A Genetic Linkage Map of the Hermaphrodite Teleost Fish Sparus aurata L.

“…The great importance of the gilthead sea bream for marine aquaculture has fueled an increasing number of studies in many different areas such as immunology, endocrinology, bone morphology, and muscle physiology. Moreover, the genomic tool kit for S. aurata has been constantly improving, as a firstgeneration cDNA microarray was recently reported (Sarropoulou et al 2005), a preliminary radiation hybrid (RH) map has been constructed (Senger et al 2006), and a medium-scale expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing project has been recently completed (A. Canario, personal communication). An improved RH map with .1000 markers (G. Kotoulas, personal communication) and an oligo array representing .10,000 unique transcripts (L. Bargelloni, personal communication) are expected by the end of 2006.…”

Transcriptome profiling the gills of amoebic gill disease (AGD)-affected Atlantic salmon (Salmo salarL.): a role for tumor suppressor p53 in AGD pathogenesis?

“…A number of teleost fish-specific microarray chips have been developed for research in nutrition (34), toxicology (38,40), immunology (13,14,41,46,47,62), pathology (27,48,63), physiology (30,35,39,67,78), reproduction (80,81), and development (45,67,76). We have utilized genomics resources developed by the Genomic Research on Atlantic Article published online before print.…”