Growth heterosis in larvae of the Pacific oyster as revealed by MPSS
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ABSTRACT: Compared to understanding of biological shape and form, knowledge is sparse regarding what regulates growth and body size of a species. For example, the genetic and physiological causes of heterosis (hybrid vigor) have remained elusive for nearly a century. Here we investigate gene-expression patterns underlying growth heterosis in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) in two partially inbred (f=0.375) and two hybrid larval populations produced by a reciprocal cross between the two inbred families. We cloned cDNA and generated 8.6 million sequence tags with massively parallel signature sequencing (MPSSâ). The sequences contain 23,277 distinct signatures that are expressed at statistically non-zero levels and show a highly positively skewed distribution with median and modal counts of 9.25 and 3 transcripts per million, respectively. Approximately 9100 nuclear transcripts are found in all four larval populations, in agreement with the number of genes expressed in sea urchin embryo. For half of the 23,277 signatures, expression level depends on genotype and is predominantly non-additive (hybrids deviate from the inbred average). Statistical contrasts suggest ~350 candidate heterosis genes that exhibit concordant non-additive expression in reciprocal hybrids. Patterns of gene expression, which include dominance for low expression and even underdominance of expression, are more complex than predicted from classical dominant or overdominant explanations of heterosis. Preliminary identification of ribosomal proteins among candidate genes supports the suggestion from previous studies that efficiency of protein metabolism plays a role in heterosis. Keywords: MPSS heterosis larvae expression profiling
ORGANISM(S): Magallana gigas
PROVIDER: GSE3596 | GEO | 2006/11/10
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA93697
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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