Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) Larvae
Red coloration is considered an economically important trait in some fish species, including spotted scat, a marine aquaculture fish. Erythrophores are gradually covered by melanophores from the embryonic stage. Despite studies of black spot formation and melanophore coloration in the species, littl...
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/20/15356 |
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| author | Yongguan Liao Hongjuan Shi Tong Han Dongneng Jiang Baoyue Lu Gang Shi Chunhua Zhu Guangli Li |
| author_facet | Yongguan Liao Hongjuan Shi Tong Han Dongneng Jiang Baoyue Lu Gang Shi Chunhua Zhu Guangli Li |
| author_sort | Yongguan Liao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Red coloration is considered an economically important trait in some fish species, including spotted scat, a marine aquaculture fish. Erythrophores are gradually covered by melanophores from the embryonic stage. Despite studies of black spot formation and melanophore coloration in the species, little is known about erythrophore development, which is responsible for red coloration. 1-phenyl 2-thiourea (PTU) is a tyrosinase inhibitor commonly used to inhibit melanogenesis and contribute to the visualization of embryonic development. In this study, spotted scat embryos were treated with 0.003% PTU from 0 to 72 h post fertilization (hpf) to inhibit melanin. Erythrophores were clearly observed during the embryonic stage from 14 to 72 hpf, showing an initial increase (14 to 36 hpf), followed by a gradual decrease (36 to 72 hpf). The number and size of erythrophores at 36 hpf were larger than those at 24 and 72 hpf. At 36 hpf, LC–MS and absorbance spectrophotometry revealed that the carotenoid content was eight times higher than the pteridine content, and β-carotene and lutein were the main pigments related to red coloration in spotted scat larvae. Compared with their expression in the normal hatching group, <i>rlbp1b</i>, <i>rbp1.1</i>, and <i>rpe65a</i> related to retinol metabolism and <i>soat2</i> and <i>apoa1</i> related to steroid hormone biosynthesis and steroid biosynthesis were significantly up-regulated in the PTU group, and <i>rh2</i> associated with phototransduction was significantly down-regulated. By qRT-PCR, the expression levels of genes involved in carotenoid metabolism (<i>scarb1</i>, <i>plin6</i>, <i>plin2</i>, <i>apoda</i>, <i>bco1</i>, and <i>rep65a</i>), pteridine synthesis (<i>gch2</i>), and chromatophore differentiation (<i>slc2a15b</i> and <i>csf1ra</i>) were significantly higher at 36 hpf than at 24 hpf and 72 hpf, except for <i>bco1</i>. These gene expression profiles were consistent with the developmental changes of erythrophores. These findings provide insights into pigment cell differentiation and gene function in the regulation of red coloration and contribute to selective breeding programs for ornamental aquatic animals. |
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| spelling | doaj.art-8c60caf3242a4873a36f9b075d85e19c2023-11-19T16:45:31ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Molecular Sciences1661-65961422-00672023-10-0124201535610.3390/ijms242015356Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) LarvaeYongguan Liao0Hongjuan Shi1Tong Han2Dongneng Jiang3Baoyue Lu4Gang Shi5Chunhua Zhu6Guangli Li7Guangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaGuangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaGuangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaGuangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaSchool of Life Sciences, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, ChinaGuangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaGuangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaGuangdong Research Center on Reproductive Control and Breeding Technology of Indigenous Valuable Fish Species, Fisheries College, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524088, ChinaRed coloration is considered an economically important trait in some fish species, including spotted scat, a marine aquaculture fish. Erythrophores are gradually covered by melanophores from the embryonic stage. Despite studies of black spot formation and melanophore coloration in the species, little is known about erythrophore development, which is responsible for red coloration. 1-phenyl 2-thiourea (PTU) is a tyrosinase inhibitor commonly used to inhibit melanogenesis and contribute to the visualization of embryonic development. In this study, spotted scat embryos were treated with 0.003% PTU from 0 to 72 h post fertilization (hpf) to inhibit melanin. Erythrophores were clearly observed during the embryonic stage from 14 to 72 hpf, showing an initial increase (14 to 36 hpf), followed by a gradual decrease (36 to 72 hpf). The number and size of erythrophores at 36 hpf were larger than those at 24 and 72 hpf. At 36 hpf, LC–MS and absorbance spectrophotometry revealed that the carotenoid content was eight times higher than the pteridine content, and β-carotene and lutein were the main pigments related to red coloration in spotted scat larvae. Compared with their expression in the normal hatching group, <i>rlbp1b</i>, <i>rbp1.1</i>, and <i>rpe65a</i> related to retinol metabolism and <i>soat2</i> and <i>apoa1</i> related to steroid hormone biosynthesis and steroid biosynthesis were significantly up-regulated in the PTU group, and <i>rh2</i> associated with phototransduction was significantly down-regulated. By qRT-PCR, the expression levels of genes involved in carotenoid metabolism (<i>scarb1</i>, <i>plin6</i>, <i>plin2</i>, <i>apoda</i>, <i>bco1</i>, and <i>rep65a</i>), pteridine synthesis (<i>gch2</i>), and chromatophore differentiation (<i>slc2a15b</i> and <i>csf1ra</i>) were significantly higher at 36 hpf than at 24 hpf and 72 hpf, except for <i>bco1</i>. These gene expression profiles were consistent with the developmental changes of erythrophores. These findings provide insights into pigment cell differentiation and gene function in the regulation of red coloration and contribute to selective breeding programs for ornamental aquatic animals.https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/20/15356spotted scaterythrophorepigmentgene expression |
| spellingShingle | Yongguan Liao Hongjuan Shi Tong Han Dongneng Jiang Baoyue Lu Gang Shi Chunhua Zhu Guangli Li Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) Larvae International Journal of Molecular Sciences spotted scat erythrophore pigment gene expression |
| title | Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) Larvae |
| title_full | Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) Larvae |
| title_fullStr | Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) Larvae |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) Larvae |
| title_short | Pigment Identification and Gene Expression Analysis during Erythrophore Development in Spotted Scat (<i>Scatophagus argus</i>) Larvae |
| title_sort | pigment identification and gene expression analysis during erythrophore development in spotted scat i scatophagus argus i larvae |
| topic | spotted scat erythrophore pigment gene expression |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/24/20/15356 |
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