title: Molecular changes in skin pigmented lesions of the coral trout Plectropomus leopardus.
abstract: A high prevalence of skin pigmented lesions of 15% was recently reported in coral trout Plectropomus leopardus, a commercially important marine fish, inhabiting the Great Barrier Reef. Herein, fish were sampled at two offshore sites, characterised by high and low lesion prevalence. A transcriptomic approach using the suppressive subtractive hybridisation (SSH) method was used to analyse the differentially expressed genes between lesion and normal skin samples. Transcriptional changes of 14 genes were observed in lesion samples relative to normal skin samples. These targeted genes encoded for specific proteins which are involved in general cell function but also in different stages disrupted during the tumourigenesis process of other organisms, such as cell cycling, cell proliferation, skeletal organisation and cell migration. The results highlight transcripts that are associated with the lesion occurrence, contributing to a better understanding of the molecular aetiology of this coral trout skin disease.
authors: School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, United Kingdom.
authors: Adélaïde
authors: A
authors: Lerebours
authors: School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, United Kingdom.
authors: Emma C
authors: EC
authors: Chapman
authors: Molecular Health and Disease Laboratory, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre, College of Life and Natural Sciences, University of Derby, Derby, DE22 1GB, United Kingdom.
authors: Michael J
authors: MJ
authors: Sweet
authors: Australian Institute of Marine Science, Townsville, Australia; Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia.
authors: Michelle R
authors: MR
authors: Heupel
authors: School of Biological, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, United Kingdom. Electronic address: J.Rotchell@Hull.ac.uk.
authors: Jeanette M
authors: JM
authors: Rotchell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001492:Bass / Q000502:physiology*; D057894:Coral Reefs; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D005398:Fisheries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010860:Pigments, Biological
keywords: Fish; Gene expression; Melanosis; Skin lesion