Molecular characterization and sex-specific tissue expression of prolactin, somatolactin and insulin-like growth factor-I in yellow perch (Perca flavescens).

The cDNA sequences encoding prolactin (PRL), somatolactin (SL) and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) genes of the yellow perch were obtained. Brain, pituitary, gill, heart, liver, stomach, kidney, spleen, muscle and gonad tissues were analyzed from both male and female adult yellow perch for sex-specific tissue expression. The full length cDNA of yellow perch PRL consists of 2306 bp and PRL expression was highest in the yellow perch pituitary with low to moderate expression in other tissues including brain, gill and post-vitellogenic oocytes. The full length cDNA of yellow perch SL consists of 1589 bp and SL expression was highest in the yellow perch pituitary with low to moderate expression in other tissues including brain, gill, liver, stomach, spleen and kidney. The full length cDNA of yellow perch IGF-Ib consists of 814 bp and tissue expression analysis of yellow perch IGF-I revealed a second yellow perch transcript (IGF-Ia) that is 81 nucleotides smaller. Both IGF-Ib and IGF-Ia had the greatest expression in liver tissue with moderate expression in brain, spleen and kidney tissues of both sexes. These sequences are valuable molecular tools which can be used in future studies investigating the basis for sexually dimorphic growth in yellow perch.