Grouper Genome

Groupers are bottom-associated fishes in the tropical and subtropical waters of all oceans. Among the 163 grouper species, 20 species are on the risk of extinction and an additional 22 species are considered to be threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Moreover, several grouper species are important cultured fish of great economic value. Most grouper species are functional protogynous hermaphrodites, but the genetic basis and the molecular mechanisms underlying regulation of this unique reproductive strategy remain enigmatic. In this study, we reported the fine genome of the orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) and annotate its coding genes. Also, we designed several experiments and try to explain its functional protogynous hermaphrodites.