Nonadditive and allele-specific expression of ghrelin in hybrid tilapia

Abstract

BackgroundInterspecies hybridization is an important breeding method to generate fishes with heterosis in aquaculture. Using this method, hybrid Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus, ♀) × blue tilapia (Oreochromis aureus, ♂) has been produced and widely farmed due to its growth and appetite superiorities. However, the genetic mechanism of these advanced traits is still not well understood. Ghrelin is a crucial gene that regulates growth and appetite in fishes. In the present study, we focused on the expression characteristics and its regulation of ghrelin in the hybrid.ResultsThe tissue distribution analysis showed that ghrelin was predominantly expressed in the stomach in the hybrid. Ghrelin was more highly expressed in the stomach in the hybrid and Nile tilapia, compared to blue tilapia, showing a nonadditive pattern. Two single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) sites were identified including T/C and C/G from the second exon in the ghrelin gene from Nile tilapia and blue tilapia. By pyrosequencing based on the SNP sites, the allele-specific expression (ASE) of ghrelin in the hybrid was assayed. The result indicated that ghrelin in the hybrid showed higher maternal allelic transcript ratios. Fasting significantly increased ghrelin overall expression at 4, 8, 12, 24, and 48 h. In addition, higher maternal allelic transcript ratios were not changed in the fasting hybrids at 48 h. The cis and trans effects were determined by evaluating the overall expression and ASE values in the hybrid. The expression of ghrelin was mediated by compensating cis and trans effects in hybrid.ConclusionIn summary, the present lines of evidence showed the nonadditive expression of ghrelin in the hybrid tilapia and its regulation by subgenomes, offering new insight into gene expression characteristics in hybrids.

Gene expression analyses of GH/IGF axis in triploid crucian carp with growth heterosis

“…Differences in the components were examined using a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The identification of gene expression patterns (additive/nonadditive expression) was based on previously published studies ( 24 , 25 ). Additive expression is equal to half of the additive value of the gene expression in RCC and CC, whereas nonadditive expression is not equal to half of the additive value of the gene expression in RCC and CC.…”