Project description:This study aimed at providing insights into the hypothesized functional link between olfactory sensing of the spawning ground and final sexual maturation. We have therefore assessed the presence and expression levels of olfactory genes by RNA sequencing (RNAseq) of the olfactory rosettes in homing chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum from the coastal sea to 75 km upstream the rivers at the pre-spawning ground. RNAseq revealed the expression of 75 known and 27 unknown salmonid olfactory genes of which 13 genes were differentially expressed between fish from the pre-spawning area and from the coastal area, suggesting an important role of these genes in homing. Olfactomedins and ependymin are candidates among the differentially expressed genes that may connect olfactory reception to the expression of sgnrh to regulate final maturation. Deep-sequencing transcriptome analysis of twelve chum salmon olfactory rosette RNA samples: three females and three males from the pre-spawning area and three females and three males from the coastal area.
Project description:This study aimed at providing insights into the hypothesized functional link between olfactory sensing of the spawning ground and final sexual maturation. We have therefore assessed the presence and expression levels of olfactory genes by RNA sequencing (RNAseq) of the olfactory rosettes in homing chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta Walbaum from the coastal sea to 75 km upstream the rivers at the pre-spawning ground. RNAseq revealed the expression of 75 known and 27 unknown salmonid olfactory genes of which 13 genes were differentially expressed between fish from the pre-spawning area and from the coastal area, suggesting an important role of these genes in homing. Olfactomedins and ependymin are candidates among the differentially expressed genes that may connect olfactory reception to the expression of sgnrh to regulate final maturation.
Project description:Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) display the greatest variability of return times to freshwater of all Pacific salmon. Populations return to freshwater for spawning at many different times of year, resulting in segregated populations that may use differing molecular pathways for these large behavioral and physiological differences. Using a population of Chinook from California’s Central Valley, we sought to generate novel expressed sequences using Long Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (LongSAGE). We constructed three LongSAGE libraries from brains of samples caught in the spring and fall in freshwater and from the ocean. Using cDNA libraries from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), we were able to assign 59% of putatively differentially expressed tags to genes. Additionally, we tested the expression levels of seven genes, indicated by LongSAGE to be putatively differentially expressed between the fall and spring, and found none significantly differentially expressed. This study is the first to apply LongSAGE to salmon and provides a framework for conducting future research on gene expression differences between Chinook salmon of different populations, as well as underlying mechanisms of differing physiology and behavior. Keywords: seasonal difference
