Formation of melanin and mitfa in-situ in the Oujiang color common carp(Cyprinus carpio var.color)

Abstract:

In order to understand the formation of black pattern in Oujiang color common carp,and to learn the important function of pigment related gene. and further study the molecular mechanism of black patterns formation in Oujiang color common carp or other fishes, so in this study, the melanin development was first observed in RB and WR. Meanwhile, the in situ probe of mitfa was prepared for analysing the exprssion and localization of mitfa gene in the important period of melanin development, according to the observation of the development of melanin in RB and WR in 9 development periods. In RB, the melanin appeared in the eyes at 36 hpf firstly, the melanin was first observed on the body at 3 dph, then melanin appeared locally at tail, abdomen and dorsal. In WR, the melanin only happened in the eyes, no melanin was observed in other position. Whole-mount in situ hybridizaton mitfa gene showed that the hybridization signal appeared on the head and abdomen where melanin appeared. When the melanin significantly increased at 10 dph, hybridization signal increased and more obvious. But even these is no melanin in the body of WR, the mitfa gene hybridization signal also can be observed. This study suggests that mitfa gene plays an important role of melanin in Oujiang color common carp,but it is not responsible for the difference of black pattern between several Oujiang color common carp.