Exploring the larval transcriptome of the common sole (Solea solea L.)

Area of Science:

• Aquaculture genomics
• Marine biology
• Developmental biology

Background:

• Common sole (Solea solea) is a promising candidate for European aquaculture.
• Limited knowledge of larval development physiology hinders aquaculture success.
• Genomic resources for common sole are largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To sequence and characterize the transcriptome of Solea solea.
• To apply transcriptomic data to study molecular mechanisms of larval-to-juvenile transition.
• To develop a custom microarray for gene expression analysis in sole larvae.

Main Methods:

• Transcriptome sequencing using Roche 454 platform from larvae and adult tissues.
• Assembly and annotation of 22,223 Isotigs and 203,692 singletons.
• Development of a custom oligo-DNA microarray with 14,674 probes for gene expression profiling.

Main Results:

• Identified up-regulation of visual system genes in early larvae and muscle/anaerobic pathways later.
• Highlighted the role of thyroid hormones and growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor I systems in growth and metamorphosis.
• Revealed distinct transcriptomic profiles in pre-metamorphic larvae, with enrichment in gastrointestinal, folic acid, and retinol metabolism pathways.

Conclusions:

• Next-generation sequencing effectively represented the sole transcriptome, enabling high transcript annotation.
• The developed microarray platform facilitated the characterization of larval sole transcriptome.
• Key processes in organogenesis and larval growth during common sole development were defined.