Towards a gene regulatory network shaping the fins of the Princess cichlid

Ahi, Ehsan Pashay; Sefc, Kristina M.

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-27977-y

Cited by 23 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 83 publications

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“…by comparing the molecular correlates of ornamental filaments 14 or colour patterns 15 between these fins. In a previous study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms involved with the formation of elongated fin filaments, which adorn the dorsal, caudal and anal fins of the cichlid fish Neolamprologus brichardi 14,16 . The extent of the outgrowth is similar across the unpaired fins in this species (Fig.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1A). Using qPCR assays of candidate genes associated with ontogenetic and regenerative fin growth in the zebrafish 14 as well as analyses of co-expressed genes and predicted transcription factors 16 , we identified potential members of a gene regulatory network involved in the formation of the ornamental fin phenotype. The GRN had a core module of tightly coexpressed genes containing some functionally characterized members such as cx43 , sema3d and mmp9 , which have important roles in the formation and growth of fin ray segments in zebrafish 17–20 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…angptl5 , angptl7 , dpysl5a , csrp1a and cd63 ), which are required for angiogenesis or neurogenesis during fin formation 11,21–24 . Moreover, we identified six potential upstream regulators of the coexpression module ( egr2 , foxc1 , foxd3 , foxp1 , irf8 and myc ) 16 , among which myc , irf8 and foxd3 were already indicated in fin/tissue regeneration studies 11,25–28 . Importantly, the expression patterns of foxd3 and its significant expression correlation with all members of the coexpression module led us to conclude that foxd3 is a main upstream regulator of the GRN in N. brichardi 16 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, we identified six potential upstream regulators of the coexpression module ( egr2 , foxc1 , foxd3 , foxp1 , irf8 and myc ) 16 , among which myc , irf8 and foxd3 were already indicated in fin/tissue regeneration studies 11,25–28 . Importantly, the expression patterns of foxd3 and its significant expression correlation with all members of the coexpression module led us to conclude that foxd3 is a main upstream regulator of the GRN in N. brichardi 16 . The expression patterns of some of the network genes in N. brichardi differed from expectations based on the functions of these genes in zebrafish.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Gene expression profiling suggests differences in molecular mechanisms of fin elongation between cichlid species

Ahi

Richter

Lecaudey

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

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Comparative analyses of gene regulation inform about the molecular basis of phenotypic trait evolution. Here, we address a fin shape phenotype that evolved multiple times independently across teleost fish, including several species within the family Cichlidae. In a previous study, we proposed a gene regulatory network (GRN) involved in the formation and regeneration of conspicuous filamentous elongations adorning the unpaired fins of the Neolamprologus brichardi . Here, we tested the members of this network in the blockhead cichlid, Steatocranus casuarius , which displays conspicuously elongated dorsal and moderately elongated anal fins. Our study provided evidence for differences in the anatomy of fin elongation and suggested gene regulatory divergence between the two cichlid species. Only a subset of the 20 genes tested in S. casuarius showed the qPCR expression patterns predicted from the GRN identified in N. brichardi , and several of the gene-by-gene expression correlations differed between the two cichlid species. In comparison to N. brichardi , gene expression patterns in S. casuarius were in better (but not full) agreement with gene regulatory interactions inferred in zebrafish. Within S. casuarius , the dorsoventral asymmetry in ornament expression was accompanied by differences in gene expression patterns, including potential regulatory differentiation, between the anal and dorsal fin.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Gene expression profiling suggests differences in molecular mechanisms of fin elongation between cichlid species

Ahi

Richter

Lecaudey

et al. 2019

Sci Rep

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The qPCR amplifications were conducted in 96 well-PCR plates using ABI 7500 real-time PCR System (Applied Biosystems) with two technical replicates for each biological replicate and observing the experimental set-up known as sample maximization method to attain optimal qPCR conditions (Hellemans et al, 2007). The qPCR program and a dissociation step were performed as described in a previous gene expression study of cichlids (Ahi & Sefc, 2018), and the amplification efficiency of each primer pair was calculated through LinRegPCR v11.0 programme (http://LinRegPCR.nl) (Ramakers et al, 2003) (Table S1).…”

Section: Qpcr and Expression Data Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

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Supplemental Information 1: Information About qPCR Primers Used in This Study

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Feeding is a complex behaviour comprised of satiety control, foraging, ingestion and subsequent digestion. Cichlids from the East African Great Lakes are renowned for their diverse trophic specializations, largely predicated on highly variable jaw morphologies. Thus, most research has focused on dissecting the genetic, morphological and regulatory basis of jaw and teeth development in these species. Here for the first time we explore another aspect of feeding, the regulation of appetite related genes that are expressed in the brain and control satiety in cichlid fishes. Using qPCR analysis, we first validate stably expressed reference genes in the brain of six haplochromine cichlid species at the end of larval development prior to foraging. We next evaluate the expression of 16 appetite related genes in herbivorous and carnivorous species from the parallel radiations of Lake Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria. Interestingly, we find increased expression of two anorexigenic genes, cart and npy2r, in the brain of carnivorous species in all the lakes. This supports the notion that herbivory compared to carnivory requires stronger appetite stimulation in order to feed larger quantity of food and to compensate for the relatively poorer nutritional quality of a plant-and algae-based diet. Our study contributes to the limited body of knowledge on the neurological circuitry that controls feeding transitions and adaptations and in cichlids and other teleosts.

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Transcriptional study reveals a potential leptin-dependent gene regulatory network in zebrafish brain

Ahi

Tsakoumis

Brunel

et al. 2021

Fish Physiol Biochem

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The signal mediated by leptin hormone and its receptor is a major regulator of body weight, food intake and metabolism. In mammals and many teleost fish species, leptin has an anorexigenic role and inhibits food intake by influencing the appetite centres in the hypothalamus. However, the regulatory connections between leptin and downstream genes mediating its appetite-regulating effects are still not fully explored in teleost fish. In this study, we used a loss of function leptin receptor zebrafish mutant and real-time quantitative PCR to assess brain expression patterns of several previously identified anorexigenic genes downstream of leptin signal under different feeding conditions (normal feeding, 7-day fasting, 2 and 6-h refeeding). These downstream factors include members of cart genes, crhb and gnrh2, as well as selected genes co-expressed with them based on a zebrafish co-expression database. Here, we found a potential gene expression network (GRN) comprising the abovementioned genes by a stepwise approach of identifying co-expression modules and predicting their upstream regulators. Among the transcription factors (TFs) predicted as potential upstream regulators of this GRN, we found expression pattern of sp3a to be correlated with transcriptional changes of the downstream gene network. Interestingly, the expression and transcriptional activity of Sp3 orthologous gene in mammals have already been implicated to be under the influence of leptin signal. These findings suggest a potentially conserved regulatory connection between leptin and sp3a, which is predicted to act as a transcriptional driver of a downstream gene network in the zebrafish brain.

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Towards a gene regulatory network shaping the fins of the Princess cichlid

Cited by 23 publications

References 83 publications

Gene expression profiling suggests differences in molecular mechanisms of fin elongation between cichlid species

Gene expression profiling suggests differences in molecular mechanisms of fin elongation between cichlid species

Untitled

Transcriptional study reveals a potential leptin-dependent gene regulatory network in zebrafish brain

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