Meeting Abstract
Despite obvious whole animal, tissue level, and biochemical differences among species with different diets, dietary specialization has molecular underpinnings that are not well understood. In this project, we used comparative transcriptomics of stomach tissues to observe how prickleback fishes (Stichaeidae) achieve dietary-driven differences in stomach function. Xiphister mucosus (herbivore), X. atropurpureus (omnivore), Phytichthys chirus (omnivore) and the carnivorous Anoplarchus purpurescens were harvested from the wild, and fed omnivore and/or carnivore diets in the laboratory. Using the Illumina platform, transcriptomes were sequenced for stomach tissues from two individuals per species and diet treatment, and genome-driven assemblies were performed using the Cebidichthys violaceus genome as the reference. Analyses are underway, but we will present data on differential expression, and enrichment of genes involved in acid production, as well as digestion of protein and chitin. We have previously observed differences in gastric pepsin and chitinase activities in these species, and will reveal whether these activity differences are the result of changes in gene expression. This broader transcriptomic analysis will allow us to extend our coverage beyond a single digestive enzyme gene to the multitude of genes involved in the stomach, and will provide insight into how the vertebrate stomach can specialize to use specific resources.
