Related Experiment Video
Updated: Dec 25, 2025
07:16
Reverse Genetic Approach to Identify Regulators of Pigmentation using Zebrafish
Published on: March 1, 2022
2.6K
Transcriptome analysis identifies candidate genes associated with skin color variation in Triplophysa siluroides
Yeyu Chen1, Quan Gong1, Jiansheng Lai1
1The Fishery Institute of the Sichuan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Chengdu 611730, China.
Summary
Researchers identified key genes responsible for skin color differences in Triplophysa siluroides fish. This study advances understanding of pigmentation genetics and aids in selective breeding for desirable fish colors.
Area of Science:
- Genomics
- Molecular Biology
- Ichthyology
Background:
- Skin pigmentation is a highly diverse vertebrate trait controlled by complex genetic mechanisms.
- Two distinct color morphs (brown and orange) of Triplophysa siluroides, a fish endemic to China's Yellow River, have been identified.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the genetic underpinnings of skin pigmentation differences between brown and orange Triplophysa siluroides.
- To identify genes and genetic variations associated with color variation in this species.
Main Methods:
- Whole transcriptome sequencing of skin, brain, and liver tissues from both color morphs.
- Bioinformatic analysis including unigene assembly, functional annotation, and differential gene expression analysis.
- Identification of simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs).
Main Results:
- High-quality transcriptome data were generated, yielding a large set of unigenes with extensive functional annotations.
- Significant differential expression of key pigmentation-related genes (e.g., Agouti, Slc45a2, Cbs, Mift, Slc7a11) was observed between the orange and brown morphs.
- A substantial number of SSRs and SNPs were identified, providing valuable genetic markers.
Conclusions:
- The study elucidates the molecular basis of skin color variation in Triplophysa siluroides.
- Identified genes and genetic markers are crucial for future research into fish pigmentation mechanisms and for marker-assisted breeding programs.
Related Concept Videos
02:24Ribosome Profiling
4.0K
Ribosome profiling or ribo-sequencing is a deep sequencing technique that produces a snapshot of active translation in a cell. It selectively sequences the mRNAs protected by ribosomes to get an insight into a cell’s translation landscape at any given point in time.
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique...
Applications of ribosome profiling
Ribosome profiling has many applications, including in vivo monitoring of translation inside a particular organ or tissue type and quantifying new protein synthesis levels.
The technique...
4.0K
01:33Pleiotropy
43.0K
Pleiotropy is the phenomenon in which a single gene impacts multiple, seemingly unrelated phenotypic traits. For example, defects in the SOX10 gene cause Waardenburg Syndrome Type 4, or WS4, which can cause defects in pigmentation, hearing impairments, and an absence of intestinal contractions necessary for elimination. This diversity of phenotypes results from the expression pattern of SOX10 in early embryonic and fetal development. SOX10 is found in neural crest cells that form melanocytes,...
43.0K
01:39Epistasis
49.9K
In addition to multiple alleles at the same locus influencing traits, numerous genes or alleles at different locations may interact and influence phenotypes in a phenomenon called epistasis. For example, rabbit fur can be black or brown depending on whether the animal is homozygous dominant or heterozygous at a TYRP1 locus. However, if the rabbit is also homozygous recessive at a locus on the tyrosinase gene (TYR), it will have an unshaded coat that appears white, regardless of its TYRP1...
49.9K
02:27Background and Environment Affect Phenotype
7.3K
Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
7.3K
02:32Position-effect Variegation
6.9K
In 1928, a German botanist Emil Heitz observed the moss nuclei with a DNA binding dye. He observed that while some chromatin regions decondense and spread out in the interphase nucleus, others do not. He termed them euchromatin and heterochromatin, respectively. He proposed that the heterochromatin regions reflect a functionally inactive state of the genome. It was later confirmed that heterochromatin is transcriptionally repressed, and euchromatin is transcriptionally active chromatin.
6.9K
01:09Epistasis Analysis
5.6K
Although Mendel chose seven unrelated traits in peas to study gene segregation, most traits involve multiple gene interactions that create a spectrum of phenotypes. When the interaction of various genes or alleles at different locations influences a phenotype, this is called epistasis. Epistasis often involves one gene masking or interfering with the expression of another (antagonistic epistasis). Epistasis often occurs when different genes are part of the same biochemical pathway. The...
5.6K