Transcriptomic profiling of egg quality in seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). Dicentrarchus labrax

The aim of the project was to identify differently expressed genes in eggs of European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax) characterized by different quality. In this way it was expected to identify genes possibly being a molecular indicator of egg quality in this species, which was never studied to date. For the study microarray analysis of over 26 thousand genes in 16 egg batches was performed. Additionally, for each egg batch biological quality was determined, what allowed to compare the gene expression profile with overall egg quality (divided into two groups representing ‘high’ and ‘low’ egg quality). The analysis allowed to identify 39 differently expressed genes between the two groups representing ‘high’ and ‘low’ egg quality. From those genes, expression level of 7 were verified by real-time qPCR which confirmed significant difference in expression in 5 of them. Overall design: Sixteen egg batches of European seabass was collected and divided into two portion. One portion was deep frozen and later used for the molecular analysis (microarray and real-time qPCR). Second portion was fertilized and incubated in order to verify the biological quality of the eggs. In this way two separate experimental groups, representing ‘low’ and ‘high’ egg quality, were created.