Differential timing of gene expression regulation between leptocephali of the two Anguilla eel species in the Sargasso Sea

The unique life-history characteristics of North Atlantic catadromous eels have long intrigued evolutionary biologists, especially with respect to mechanisms that could explain their persistence as two ecologically very similar but reproductively and geographically distinct species. Differential developmental schedules during young larval stages have commonly been hypothesized to represent such a key mechanism. We performed a comparative analysis of gene expression by means of microarray experiments with American and European eel leptocephali collected in the Sargasso Sea in order to test the alternative hypotheses of (1) differential timing of gene expression regulation during early development versus (2) species-specific differences in expression of particular genes. Our results provide much stronger support for the former hypothesis since no gene showed consistent significant differences in expression levels between the two species. In contrast, 146 genes showed differential timings of expression between species, although the observed expression level differences between the species were generally small. Consequently, species-specific gene expression regulation seems to play a minor role in species differentiation. Overall, these results show that the basis of the early developmental divergence between the American and European eel is probably influenced by differences in the timing of gene expression regulation for genes involved in a large array of biological functions

Genetic Divergence between Freshwater and Marine Morphs of Alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus): A ‘Next-Generation’ Sequencing Analysis

Alewife Alosa pseudoharengus, a small clupeid fish native to Atlantic Ocean, has recently (∼150 years ago) invaded the North American Great Lakes and despite challenges of freshwater environment its populations exploded and disrupted local food web structures. This range expansion has been accompanied by dramatic changes at all levels of organization. Growth rates, size at maturation, or fecundity are only a few of the most distinct morphological and life history traits that contrast the two alewife morphs. A question arises to what extent these rapidly evolving differences between marine and freshwater varieties result from regulatory (including phenotypic plasticity) or structural mutations. To gain insights into expression changes and sequence divergence between marine and freshwater alewives, we sequenced transcriptomes of individuals from Lake Michigan and Atlantic Ocean. Population specific single nucleotide polymorphisms were rare but interestingly occurred in sequences of genes that also tended to show large differences in expression. Our results show that the striking phenotypic divergence between anadromous and lake alewives can be attributed to massive regulatory modifications rather than coding changes

An Enriched European Eel Transcriptome Sheds Light upon Host-Pathogen Interactions with Vibrio vulnificus

Infectious diseases are one of the principal bottlenecks for the European eel recovery. The aim of this study was to develop a new molecular tool to be used in host-pathogen interaction experiments in the eel. To this end, we first stimulated adult eels with different pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), extracted RNA from the immune-related tissues and sequenced the transcriptome. We obtained more than 2 x 10(6) reads that were assembled and annotated into 45,067 new descriptions with a notable representation of novel transcripts related with pathogen recognition, signal transduction and the immune response. Then, we designed a DNA-microarray that was used to analyze the early immune response against Vibrio vulnificus, a septicemic pathogen that uses the gills as the portal of entry into the blood, as well as the role of the main toxin of this species (RtxA13) on this early interaction. The gill transcriptomic profiles obtained after bath infecting eels with the wild type strain or with a mutant deficient in rtxA13 were analyzed and compared. Results demonstrate that eels react rapidly and locally against the pathogen and that this immune-response is rtxA13-dependent as transcripts related with cell destruction were highly up-regulated only in the gills from eels infected with the wild-type strain. Furthermore, significant differences in the immune response against the wild type and the mutant strain also suggest that host survival after V. vulnificus infection could depend on an efficient local phagocytic activity. Finally, we also found evidence of the presence of an interbranchial lymphoid tissue in European eel gills although further experiments will be necessary to identify such tissue

In absence of local adaptation, plasticity and spatially varying selection rule : a view from genomic reaction norms in a panmictic species (Anguilla rostrata)

This research was funded through the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada as well as a Discovery grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada to LB.Background: American eel (Anguilla rostrata) is one of the few species for which panmixia has been demonstrated at the scale of the entire species. As such, the development of long term local adaptation is impossible. However, both plasticity and spatially varying selection have been invoked in explaining how American eel may cope with an unusual broad scope of environmental conditions. Here, we address this question through transcriptomic analyses and genomic reaction norms of eels from two geographic origins reared in controlled environments. Results: The null hypothesis of no difference in gene expression between eels from the two origins was rejected. Many unique transcripts and two out of seven gene clusters showed significant difference in expression, both at time of capture and after three months of common rearing. Differences in expression were observed at numerous genes representing many functional groups when comparing eels from a same origin reared under different salinity conditions. Plastic response to different rearing conditions varied among gene clusters with three clusters showing significant origin-environment interactions translating into differential genomic norms of reaction. Most genes and functional categories showing differences between origins were previously shown to be differentially expressed in a study comparing transcription profiles between adult European eels acclimated to different salinities. Conclusions: These results emphasize that while plasticity in expression may be important, there is also a role for local genetic (and/or epigenetic) differences in explaining differences in gene expression between eels from different geographic origins. Such differences match those reported in genetically distinct populations in other fishes, both in terms of the proportion of genes that are differentially expressed and the diversity of biological functions involved. We thus propose that genetic differences between glass eels of different origins caused by spatially varying selection due to local environmental conditions translates into transcriptomic differences (including different genomic norms of reaction) which may in turn explain part of the phenotypic variance observed between different habitats colonized by eels.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Regulation of Expression of the Myo-inositol Monophosphatase 1 Gene in Osmoregulatory Tissues of the European Eel Anguilla anguilla after Seawater Acclimation

Previous microarray studies in our laboratory identified a number of genes that were differentially expressed in "silver" eels after transfer from freshwater (FW) to seawater (SW). A group of genes, which are related to the synthesis, processing, and transport of certain known osmolytes in mammalian cells, have been identified. One gene implicated with osmolyte production is myo-inositol monophosphatase (IMPA1). The aim of this study was to compare the expression of IMPA1 in the major osmoregulatory tissues (intestine, gill, and kidney) as fish move between FW and SW environments. No difference in IMPA1 gene expression was observed in any tissues 6 h after eel transfer to SW; however, after 2 days acclimation, a 1.9- and a 2.5-fold increase in mRNA expression was found in kidney and gill, respectively. These elevated levels were maintained for up to 5 months (4.9- and 3.4-fold, respectively) after SW transfer. No IMPA1 mRNA expression was detected in the intestine. Western blot analysis confirmed the IMPA1 protein was upregulated in the gill, but no changes in protein abundance were detected in the kidney 5 months after SW transfer. Our studies have revealed a potential role for IMPA1 in salinity adaptation in the European eel.</p

Regulation of Expression of the Myo-inositol Monophosphatase 1 Gene in Osmoregulatory Tissues of the European Eel Anguilla anguilla after Seawater Acclimation

Previous microarray studies in our laboratory identified a number of genes that were differentially expressed in "silver" eels after transfer from freshwater (FW) to seawater (SW). A group of genes, which are related to the synthesis, processing, and transport of certain known osmolytes in mammalian cells, have been identified. One gene implicated with osmolyte production is myo-inositol monophosphatase (IMPA1). The aim of this study was to compare the expression of IMPA1 in the major osmoregulatory tissues (intestine, gill, and kidney) as fish move between FW and SW environments. No difference in IMPA1 gene expression was observed in any tissues 6 h after eel transfer to SW; however, after 2 days acclimation, a 1.9- and a 2.5-fold increase in mRNA expression was found in kidney and gill, respectively. These elevated levels were maintained for up to 5 months (4.9- and 3.4-fold, respectively) after SW transfer. No IMPA1 mRNA expression was detected in the intestine. Western blot analysis confirmed the IMPA1 protein was upregulated in the gill, but no changes in protein abundance were detected in the kidney 5 months after SW transfer. Our studies have revealed a potential role for IMPA1 in salinity adaptation in the European eel.</p