Characterization of the European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) gonadal transcriptome during different stages of development

We have further tested and validated a reproduction-enriched microarray designed specifically for European sea bass providing a reliable tool to study gene expression patterns in this fish species. Results obtained by using this platform helped to increase our knowledge in the gene cascade of sex differentiation and give evidence of the complexity of the molecular processes. We described the gene expression profile of genes and pathways required to differentiate bipotential tissue to either an ovary or testis providing a deep transcriptomic analysis in the developing gonads. Resulting data may help to improve sex control in fish culture particularly in the European sea bass A total of 41 samples were analysed. The set of samples consisted of eleven undifferentiatied gonadal tissues at 110 dpf, six testes and six ovaries at 250 dpf and nine testes and nine ovaries at 350 dpf. Gonads were fully isolated in fish at 250 and 350 dpf. Samples were hybridized on a custom European sea bass microarray platform and data were analysis by several bioinformatic softwares.