title: Coordinated regulation of chromatophore differentiation and melanogenesis during the ontogeny of skin pigmentation of Solea senegalensis (Kaup, 1858).
abstract: Abnormal pigmentation of Senegalese sole has been described as one problem facing the full exploitation of its commercial production. To improve our understanding of flatfish pigmentation of this commercially important species we have evaluated eleven genes related to two different processes of pigmentation: melanophore differentiation, and melanin production. The temporal distribution of gene expression peaks corresponds well with changes in pigmentation patterns and the intensity of skin melanization. Several gene ratios were also examined to put in perspective possible genetic markers for the different stages of normal pigmentation development. Further, the phenotypic changes that occur during morphogenesis correspond well with the main transitions in gene expression that occur. Given the dramatic phenotypic alterations which flatfish undergo, including the asymmetric coloration that occurs between the ocular and the blind side, and the synchrony of the two processes of morphogenesis and pigmentation ontogenesis, these species constitute an interesting model for the study of pigmentation. In this study we present a first approximation towards explaining the genetic mechanisms for regulating pigmentation ontogeny in Senegalese sole, Solea senegalensis.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Unitat de Cultius Experimentals, Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries, Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Catalònia, Spain. maria.darias@ird.fr
authors.forename: Maria J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Darias
authors.forename: Karl B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Andree
authors.forename: Anaïs
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boglino
authors.forename: Ignacio
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: Alicia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Estévez
authors.forename: Enric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gisbert
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002856:Chromatophores / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D005412:Flatfishes / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D007814:Larva / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D008543:Melanins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D008547:Melanophores / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism; D008675:Metamorphosis, Biological / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012867:Skin / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012880:Skin Pigmentation / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D029941:Fish Proteins; D008543:Melanins