Comparative transcriptome analysis of gonads in male and female Pseudobagrus ussuriensis (Bagridae, Siluriformes)

As an important aquaculture fish in the Heilongjiang River Basin, Pseudobagrus ussuriensis has high economic value, and all-male culture is beneficial to the economic development of this fish. In this study, the transcriptomes of gonads in males and females were analyzed, and some genes related to gonad development were found. A total of 82,931 unigenes were found (average length 1504 bp, N50 1829 bp). In addition, 4689 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; including 1424 genes upregulated and 3265 genes downregulated in males) were identified. Some genes associated with testis development (such as Dmrt1 and Ropn1l) were significantly upregulated in males, while genes related to ovary development (such as Wnt2, PLC, Cyp19a, ZP3) were significantly downregulated in males, demonstrating that these genes have a crucial influence on gonad development in P. ussuriensis. Some signaling pathways related to gonad development were found, such as the Wnt pathway and oocyte meiosis. The results of RNA-seq obtained in this study provide theoretical data for elucidating the potential mechanism of gonad development of P. ussuriensis and reliable genomic data for the establishment of mono-sex breeding of P. ussuriensis.