Biological Clocks in the Atlantic Salmon Pineal Organ
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1
University of Stirling, Institute of Aquaculture, United Kingdom
To date the majority of work on biological clocks in teleosts has focused on the zebrafish model. However, very little attention has focused on clocks in seasonal temperate fish species such as the Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). In order to unravel some of the mechanisms underling seasonality in the Atlantic salmon we have investigated whether daily patterns of gene expression in representative clock genes (Clock and per2) vary under different seasonal photoperiods, Long day (16L:8D), 12L:12D and Short day (8L:16D), in the brain, pectoral fin and liver of salmon parr. Results showed there to be distinct rhythmicity in the expression of Per2 and Clock in the brain and the liver however the tissues displayed a differential response to seasonal photoperiod both in terms of the presence and phase of the rhythms observed. In a second body of work we investigated the presence of clock genes in the salmon pineal. Of all teleosts studied so far, salmonids are the only fish in which pineal melatonin synthesis does not exhibit an endogenous "clock controlled" rhythm however it remains to be seen whether a clock is present in the salmonid pineal. Individual pineal organs were isolated from salmon parr acclimated to 12L:12D and maintained in culture under three different photoperiods (LD, LD /DL switch and DD). Patterns of Clock, Per2 and AANAT2 expression were measured in conjunction with melatonin from individual pineal organs. The results revealed that clock genes are indeed present suggesting that melatonin synthesis has become decoupled from the biological clock.
Keywords:
comparative endocrinology
Conference:
25th Conference of the European Comparative Endocrinologists, Pécs, Hungary, 31 Aug - 4 Sep, 2010.
Presentation Type:
Conference Presentation
Topic:
Comparative endocrinology
Citation:
Mcstay
E,
Davie
A and
Migaud
H
(2010). Biological Clocks in the Atlantic Salmon Pineal Organ.
Front. Endocrinol.
Conference Abstract:
25th Conference of the European Comparative Endocrinologists.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fendo.2010.01.00027
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Received:
26 Aug 2010;
Published Online:
29 Aug 2010.
*
Correspondence:
Dr. Elsbeth Mcstay, University of Stirling, Institute of Aquaculture, Stirling, United Kingdom, em58@stir.ac.uk