Meeting Abstract

P1.138  Wednesday, Jan. 4  Expressed Sequence Tag analysis of the Poeciliopsis placenta PANHUIS, Tami M.*; BROITMAN-MADURO, Gina; UHRIG, Jarrod; MADURO, Morris; REZNICK, David N.; Ohio Wesleyan Univeristy; University of California, Riverside; Ohio Wesleyan University; University of California, Riverside; University of California, Riverside tmpanhui@owu.edu

Several species in the Poeciliopsis fish genus are highly matrotrophic live-bearers that exhibit a placental-like structure used for maternal provisioning of embyros. The Poeciliopsis placenta consists of two main tissues – a highly specialized maternal follicle that encases individual embryos and acts in nutrient transport, and the embryonic pericardial membrane (or sac), which is highly vascularized during development. To better understand the Poeciliopsis placenta we derived cDNA libraries from the maternal follicular placenta of two matrotrophic Poeciliopsis sister species, P. turneri and P. presidionis. Putative function of expressed sequence tags was determined with BLASTX homology searches and Gene Ontology (GO) annotation. These analyses revealed putative genes whose products may be involved in specific transport functions of the maternal follicle. One gene, alpha 2 macroglobulin (A2M), is highlighted here and discussed in light of the parent-offspring conflict theory of placental evolution.