Cachelou, F. | bioRxiv Science

bioRxiv2022

Genetic architecture of acute hyperthermia resistance in juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) and genetic correlations with production traits

BackgroundSelective breeding is a promising solution to reduce fish farms vulnerability to heat peaks which intensity and frequency are predicted to increase due to climate change. However, limited information about the genetic architecture of acute hyperthermia resistance in fish is available. Two batches of sibs from a rainbow trout commercial line were produced. The first batch (N=1,382) was phenotyped for acute hyperthermia resistance at nine months, and the second batch (N=1,506) was phenotyped for main production traits (growth, body length, muscle fat content and carcass yield) at twenty months. Fish were genotyped on a 57K SNP array, and their genotypes were imputed at high-density thanks to their parents being genotyped on a 665K SNP array. ResultsThe heritability estimate of resistance to acute hyperthermia in juveniles was 0.29 {+/-} 0.05, confirming the potential of selective breeding for this trait. Genetic correlations between acute hyperthermia resistance and main production traits at near harvest age were all close to zero. Hence, selecting for acute hyperthermia resistance should not impact the main production traits, and reversely. The genome-wide association study revealed that resistance to acute hyperthermia is highly polygenic; altogether, the six detected QTL explained less than 5% of the genetic variance. Two of these QTL, including the most significant one, might explain acute hyperthermia resistance differences across INRAE isogenic lines of rainbow trout. The phenotypic mean differences between homozygotes at peak SNP were up to 69% of the phenotypic standard deviation, showing promising potential for marker-assisted selection. We identified 89 candidate genes within the six QTL regions, among which the most convincing functional candidate genes were dnajc7, hsp70b, nkiras2, cdk12, phb, fkbp10, ddx5, cygb1, enpp7, pdhx and acly. ConclusionsThis study provides valuable insight on the genetic architecture of acute hyperthermia resistance in juvenile rainbow trout. The potential for the selective breeding of this trait was shown to be substantial and should not interfere with selection for main production traits. Identified functional candidate genes give a new insight on physiological mechanisms involved in acute hyperthermia resistance, such as protein chaperoning, oxidative stress response, homeostasis maintenance and cell survival.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2021

Effect of a low water salinity on oocyte maturation, oocyte hydration, ovulation and egg quality in rainbow trout.

Water salinity is an important environmental factor known to have detrimental effects on salmonid reproduction, mostly when migrating female broodfish are held in sea water. In contrast, data obtained in freshwater are scarce and the impact of low water salinity, and more specifically of low water concentrations in sodium, chloride and potassium, during reproduction in freshwater is currently unknown. For this reason, and because ion and water fluxes are critical for the final steps of the female gamete formation, including oocyte hydration and ovulation, the aim of the present study was to investigate the impact of low salinity water on final oocyte maturation, ovulation and, ultimately, on egg quality, using rainbow trout as a physiological model and relevant aquaculture species. Fish from the same commercial strain were raised either in a site characterized by low concentrations of Na+, K+, and Cl- ions in the water or in a closely located control site exhibiting higher concentration in these elements. Egg quality and duration of final oocyte maturation were investigated using innovative phenotyping tools such as automatic assessment of egg viability using the VisEgg system and non-invasive echograph-based monitoring of final oocyte maturation duration, respectively. Oocyte hydration during final oocyte maturation and after ovulation was also investigated. Finally, molecular phenotyping was performed using real-time PCR-based monitoring of several key players of final oocyte maturation and ovulation associated with ion and water transport, inflammation, proteolytic activity, and coagulation. Oocyte hydration and gene expression data were analyzed in the light of the duration of final oocyte maturation. Here we show that low water salinity (i.e., low water concentration in chloride, sodium and potassium) negatively influences final oocyte maturation, ovulation and, ultimately, egg quality. Low water salinity triggered delayed ovulation and lower oocyte viability. When investigating the impact of low water salinity on final oocyte maturation duration, individuals presenting the most severe phenotypes exhibited impaired oocyte hydration and abnormally reduced gene expression levels of several key players of the ovulatory process. While the under expression of water (i.e., aquaporins) and ion (i.e., solute carriers) transporters is consistent with impaired oocyte hydration, our observations also indicate that the overall ovulatory gene expression program is disrupted. Our results raise the question of the mechanisms underlying the negative influence of low salinity water on the dynamics of the preovulatory phase, on the control of the oocyte homeostasis, including hydration, and on the overall success of the maturation-ovulation process. HighlightsO_LILow water salinity impairs final oocyte maturation and egg quality in rainbow trout C_LIO_LILow water salinity induces delayed ovulation and impaired oocyte hydration C_LIO_LILow water salinity induces a dysregulation of several key ovulatory genes C_LIO_LIMonitoring of final oocyte maturation can be performed using ultrasound staging C_LI

physiology↗