Transcriptomic analysis of gonadal development in parasitic and non-parasitic lampreys (Ichthyomyzon spp.), with a comparison of genomic resources in these non-model species

RNA-sequencing was performed on gonadal samples from different stages in chestnut lamprey (Ichthyomyzon castaneus) and northern brook lamprey (I. fossor) to identify differentially expressed genes (DEG's) and pathways associated with transcriptomic differences in: 1) larvae during early gonadal differentiation versus definitive females (i.e., with oocytes in the slow cytoplasmic growth phase); and 2) females versus definitive males undergoing spermatogonial proliferation. The goal of the study was to provide a foundation for identifying genes involved in gonadal development in these and other lamprey species to contribute to evolutionary, biocontrol and conservation applications.