Liver transcriptome changes and adaptation of zebrafish to transport-associated stress

Liver plays a key role during the stress adaptation process. Therefore to understand the molecular adjustments that occur in fish to counter the stress during transport, transcriptional changes in zebrafish liver were analyzed with a 4x44K oligo array using total RNA extracted from fish prior to transport (basal), immediately after packing (0 h) and during the mock transport (48 and 72 h). Each sampling point [prior to transport (basal), immediately after packing (0 h) and during the mock transport (48 and 72 h)] had 4 biological replicates and each replicate consisting of a pool of total RNA extracted from liver of 5 individual fish. Those 4 biological replicates or pools were prepared of fish either from 4 different tanks in the rearing system (basal) or from 4 different transporting bags (0, 48 and 72 h). Sixteen microarrays (4 replicates x 4 time points) were performed using Agilent Zebrafish Oligo Microarray (V3) (4x44K)