Distinct skin morphological and transcriptomic profiles between wild and albino Oscar Astronotus ocellatus

Qin Wang; Yan-Shen Zhang; Qi-Lin Peng; Bin Wen; Jian-Zhong Gao; Zai-Zhong Chen

doi:10.1016/j.cbd.2021.100944

Distinct skin morphological and transcriptomic profiles between wild and albino Oscar Astronotus ocellatus

Comp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics. 2022 Mar:41:100944. doi: 10.1016/j.cbd.2021.100944. Epub 2021 Nov 22.

Authors

Qin Wang¹, Yan-Shen Zhang¹, Qi-Lin Peng¹, Bin Wen², Jian-Zhong Gao³, Zai-Zhong Chen⁴

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
² Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China. Electronic address: bwen@shou.edu.cn.
³ Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Freshwater Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Collaborative Innovation for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Aquaculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; National Demonstration Center for Experimental Fisheries Science Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China. Electronic address: chenzz@shou.edu.cn.

PMID: 34864613
DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2021.100944

Abstract

Oscar Astronotus ocellatus is an important ornamental fish, including albino and wild varieties. Albino individuals attract aquarium hobbyists due to their unique body color, but studies on the species' albinism mechanism are currently scarce. Here, we investigated the morphological and transcriptomic profiles of the skin of albino and wild Oscar. The results showed that the albino type had fewer oval-shaped melanophores and immature melanosomes but that the wild type contained more stellate-shaped melanophores and mature melanosomes. Albino Oscar had a degenerative pigment layer without obvious melanin deposition and content, while the wild type contained more concentrated melanin within the pigment layer. A total of 272,392 unigenes were detected, 109 of which were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between albino and wild Oscar. Pathways of DEGs, including those involved in complement and coagulation cascades, novobiocin biosynthesis, Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation, and tropane, piperidine and pyridine alkaloid biosynthesis, were significantly enriched. DEGs, including upregulated Sfrp5 and Tat, and downregulated Wnt-10a, Ppp3c, Notch1 and Trim27 involved in the Wnt signaling pathway, Notch signaling pathway, tyrosine metabolism, MAPK signaling pathway and melanogenesis, might be associated with the albinism of Oscar. This study characterized the difference in melanophore morphology between wild and albino Oscar and identified some albinism-related candidate genes and signaling pathways, helping to understand the genetic mechanism of fish albinism.

Keywords: Albinism; Astronotus ocellatus; Melanin; Melanophore.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Albinism*
Animals
Cichlids*
Melanins
Skin
Transcriptome

Substances

Melanins