Gene Expression in Anemonefish: Bryoporin, Thioredoxin-like, and Epithelial Splicing Regulatory Protein 2

Presenter

Maya Nicole Arruda

Campus

UMass Dartmouth

Sponsor

Robert Drew, Department of Biology, UMass Dartmouth

Schedule

Session 3, 1:30 PM - 2:15 PM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board C13, Poster Showcase Room (163), Row 2 (C11-C20) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Sea anemone and anemonefish mutualism is a famous educational example of symbiosis. The sea anemone protects the anemonefish using venomous cnidocytes while the anemonefish clean the sea anemone, improve nutrient circulation, and protect the sea anemone from its own predators. The success of the anemonefish-sea anemone mutualism is dependent on the anemonefish’s ability to produce an external mucus that protects the fish from the cnidocytes. While the ecology of this relationship is fairly well understood, the genetic basis behind the anemonefish external mucus is not. Previous research in Clark's anemonefish (Amphiprion clarki) exposed to the sea anemones Entacmaea quadricolor and Stichodactyla haddoni found that expression of over 600 genes was significantly altered in the fish exposed to relatively hostile S. haddoni. Three of these genes were bryoporin, thioredoxin-like (TXNL), and epithelial splicing regulatory protein 2 (ESRP2). After a bioinformatics analysis, we found multiple copies of the TXNL gene in the Clark’s anemonefish genome, two of which are on chromosome 23. Additionally, ESRP2 had five possible isoforms through alternative mRNA splicing. The bryoporin gene has three exons and resides on chromosome 17. We also measured the expression of these three genes using quantitative PCR (qPCR) in tissues from adult Amphiprion clarki. This project adds to a growing body of research into the genes involved in the symbiosis between anemonefish and sea anemones.

Keywords

Gene Expression, Anemonefish-Anemone Mutualism, Bioinformatics

Research Area

Genetics

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