Transient ectopic overexpression of agouti-signalling protein 1 (asip1) induces pigment anomalies in flatfish.

ABSTRACT: While flatfish in the wild exhibit a pronounced countershading of the dorso-ventral pigment pattern, malpigmentation is commonly observed in reared animals. In fish, the dorso-ventral pigment polarity is achieved because a melanization inhibition factor (MIF) inhibits melanoblast differentiation and encourages iridophore proliferation in the ventrum. A previous work of our group suggested that asip1 is the uncharacterized MIF concerned. In order to further support this hypothesis, we have characterized asip1 mRNAs in both turbot and sole and used deduced peptide alignments to analyze the evolutionary history of the agouti-family of peptides. The putative asip precursors have the characteristics of a secreted protein, displaying a putative hydrophobic signal. Processing of the potential sig

SUBMITTER: Guillot R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3519472 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature