Carassius auratus Transcriptome or Gene expression. Carassius auratus

Feed efficiency is an economically crucial trait for cultured animals, however, progresses have been scarcely made in the genetic analyses of feed conversion efficiency (FCE) in fish because of the difficulties in measurement of trait phenotypes. In the present investigation, we presented the first application of RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technique combined with differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analysis for identification of functional determinants related to FCE at the gene level in an aquacultured fish, crucian carp (Carassius auratus). Brain tissues of six crucian carp with extreme FCE performances subjected to transcriptome analysis. A total of 544,612 unigenes with a mean size of 644.38 bp were obtained from Low- and High-FCE groups, and 246 DEGs that may involve in FCE trait were identified between these two extreme groups. qPCR verifications of selected genes confirmed the accuracy of up or down regulations in these transcriptome data. 12 key genes, whose functions associating with metabolism (Dgkk, Mgst3 and Guk1b), signal transduction (Vdnccsa1b, Tgfα, Nr4a1 and Tacr2) and growth (Endog, Crebrtc2, Myh7, Myh1 and Igfbp7) were digged out according to GO and KEGG annotation. Our novel findings provide useful pathway information and candidate genes for future studies of genetic mechanism underlying FCE in crucian carp.