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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Leetown, West Virginia » Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #321854
Research Project: Integrated Research Approaches for Improving Production Efficiency in Salmonids

Location: Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research

Title: Identification of mitochondrial genome-encoded small RNAs related to egg deterioration caused by postovulatory aging in rainbow trout

Author
item Ma, Hao
item Weber, Gregory - Greg
item Gao, Guangtu
item WEI, HAIRONG - West Virginia University
item YAO, JIANBO - West Virginia University

Submitted to: Marine Biotechnology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/12/2016
Publication Date: 10/24/2016
Publication URL: http://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/5732097
Citation: Ma, H., Weber, G.M., Gao, G., Wei, H., Yao, J. 2016. Identification of mitochondrial genome-encoded small RNAs related to egg deterioration caused by postovulatory aging in rainbow trout. Marine Biotechnology. 18(5):584-597. doi:10.1007/s10126-016-9719-3.

Interpretive Summary: Markers for egg quality are needed to improve hatchery efficiency. It may be possible to use molecular markers to determine why or how eggs went bad and thereby provide hatchery managers with information they can use to adjust hatchery operations to improve egg quality. We conducted a study identifying differences in the expression of small RNAs associated with the mitochondrial genome, with differences in egg quality. Mitochondria are important cellular components associated with various metabolic activities. Ninety-eight small RNAs exhibited more than a three-fold difference in expression between eggs from females exhibiting low and high fertilization rates. The identified mitochondrial small RNAs can potentially serve as biomarkers for egg quality following further validation of their associations with specific egg quality traits.

Technical Abstract: Many factors have been reported to affect rainbow trout egg quality, among which, postovulatory aging is one of the most significant causes as reared rainbow trout do not usually volitionally oviposit the ovulated eggs. In order to uncover the genetic regulation underling egg deterioration caused by postovulatory aging in rainbow trout, mitochondrial genome encoded small RNA (mitosRNAs) were analyzed from unfertilized eggs on Day 1, Day 7, and Day 14 post-ovulation with fertilization rates of 91.8%, 73.4%, and less than 50%, respectively. A total of 248 mitosRNAs were identified from Illumina high throughput sequencing of the small RNA libraries derived from the eggs of 10 females. Ninety-eight of the small RNAs exhibited more than a three-fold difference in expression between eggs from females exhibiting high fertilization rates at Day 1 and low fertilization rates at Day 14. The differentially expressed mitosRNAs were predominantly derived from mitochondrial D-loop, tRNA, rRNA, COII and Cytb gene regions. Real-time quantitative PCR analysis was carried out for 14 differentially expressed mitosRNAs, of which, 12 were confirmed to be consistent with the sequencing reads. Further characterization of the differentially expressed mitosRNAs may lead to the development of new biomarkers for egg quality in rainbow trout.