Cai Chang, Yang Peng, Shi Yong, Wang Xinyou, Chen Guanghui, Zhang Qianqian, Cheng Gaofeng, Kong Weiguang, Xu Zhen
Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China.
Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2025 Mar;158:110150. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110150. Epub 2025 Jan 20.
Sexual dimorphism is well-documented in aquaculture, particularly regarding growth differences, wherein one sex often grows faster than the other. However, despite the phenomenon being so widely documented, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. As an important digestive and immune organ, the gut plays key roles in the regulation of fish growth. In this study, we conducted RNA-seq and metabolomic analysis on the gut of female and male common carp. We discovered that growth-related pathways, such as "Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis" and "Riboflavin metabolism" are significantly enriched in the gut of female carp. Conversely, pathways linked to disease resistance, such as "Th17 cell differentiation" and "Autophagy-animal" are predominantly enriched in male carp. Following intraperitoneal injection of spring viraemia of carp virus (SVCV) into both male and female carp, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) analysis and histopathological staining confirmed that male carp exhibit greater disease resistance compared to females. This study identified the disease resistance dimorphism in common carp and specific mechanisms underlying growth differences. Our findings offer valuable insights for the application of growth dimorphism and disease-resistant breeding in fish.
性别二态性在水产养殖中已有充分记录，尤其是在生长差异方面，其中一个性别通常比另一个性别生长得更快。然而，尽管这一现象有广泛记录，但其潜在的分子机制仍知之甚少。作为重要的消化和免疫器官，肠道在鱼类生长调节中起关键作用。在本研究中，我们对雌性和雄性鲤鱼的肠道进行了RNA测序和代谢组学分析。我们发现，与生长相关的途径，如“糖酵解/糖异生”和“核黄素代谢”在雌性鲤鱼肠道中显著富集。相反，与抗病性相关的途径，如“Th17细胞分化”和“自噬-动物”主要在雄性鲤鱼中富集。在对雄性和雌性鲤鱼腹腔注射鲤春病毒血症病毒（SVCV）后，定量逆转录聚合酶链反应（RT-qPCR）分析和组织病理学染色证实，雄性鲤鱼比雌性鲤鱼表现出更强的抗病性。本研究确定了鲤鱼的抗病性二态性以及生长差异背后的具体机制。我们的研究结果为鱼类生长二态性和抗病育种的应用提供了有价值的见解。
