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Characterization and Expression Dynamics of Key Genes Involved in the Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) Cortisol Stress Response during Early Ontogeny

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Abstract

The present study identified and characterized six key genes involved in the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal (HPI) axis of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata), a commercially important European aquaculture species. The key genes involved in the HPI axis for which gene structure and synteny analysis was carried out, comprised of two functional forms of glucocorticoid receptors (GR), as well as three forms of pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) genes and one form of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) gene. To explore their functional roles during development but also in the stress response, the expression profiles of gr1, gr2, mr, pomc_aI, pomc_aII, and pomc_β were examined during early ontogeny and after an acute stress challenge. The acute stress challenge was applied at the stage of full formation of all fins, where whole body cortisol was also measured. Both the cortisol and the molecular data implied that sea bream larvae at the stage of the full formation of all fins at 45 dph are capable of a response to stress of a similar profile as observed in adult fish.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Mr. N. Mitrizakis for his valuable assistance in larval rearing.

Funding

The research received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2010-2014) under grant agreement no. [265957].

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Author notes

  1. A. Tsalafouta and E. Sarropoulou contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology, University of Crete, P.O. Box 2208, 714 09, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    A. Tsalafouta & M. Pavlidis

  2. Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Center for Marine Research, P.O. Box 2214, Heraklion, Crete, Greece

    E. Sarropoulou & N. Papandroulakis

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  1. A. Tsalafouta
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  2. E. Sarropoulou
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  3. N. Papandroulakis
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Correspondence to A. Tsalafouta.

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Tsalafouta, A., Sarropoulou, E., Papandroulakis, N. et al. Characterization and Expression Dynamics of Key Genes Involved in the Gilthead Sea Bream (Sparus aurata) Cortisol Stress Response during Early Ontogeny. Mar Biotechnol 20, 611–622 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-018-9833-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-018-9833-5

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