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Comparison of Two Pearl Sacs Formed in the Same Recipient Oyster with Different Genetic Background Involved in Yellow Pigmentation in Pinctada fucata

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Abstract

Color is one of the most important factors determining the commercial value of pearls. Pinctada fucata is a well-known pearl oyster producing high-quality Akoya pearls. Phenotypic variation in amount of yellow pigmentation produces white and yellowish pearls. It has been reported that polymorphism of yellow pigmentation of Akoya pearls is genetically regulated, but the responsible gene(s) has remained unknown. Here, we prepared pearl sac pairs formed in the same recipient oyster but coming from donor oysters that differ in their color. These two pearl sacs produced pearls with different yellowness even in the same recipient oyster. Yellow tone of produced pearls was consistent with shell nacre color of donor oysters from which mantle grafts were prepared, indicating that donor oysters strongly contribute to the yellow coloration of Akoya pearls. We also conducted comparative RNA-seq analysis and retrieved several candidate genes involved in the pearl coloration. Whole gene expression patterns of pair sacs were not grouped by pearl color they produced, but grouped by recipient oysters in which they were grown, suggesting that the number of genes involved in the yellow coloration is quite small, and that recipient oyster affects gene expression of the majority of genes in the pearl sac.

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Funding

This study was partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grand numbers JP26292108 and JP17K19282.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Mikihiro Shinohara, Shigeharu Kinoshita, Enkong Tang & Shuichi Asakawa

  2. Graduate School of Bioresources, Mie University, Kurimamachiya 1577, Tsu, Mie, 514-8507, Japan

    Daisuke Funabara & Makoto Kakinuma

  3. Mikimoto Pharmaceutical CO., LTD., Kurose 1425, Ise, Mie, 516-8581, Japan

    Kaoru Maeyama

  4. Pearl Research Laboratory, K. MIKIMOTO & CO., LTD., Osaki Hazako 923, Hamajima, Shima, Mie, 517-0403, Japan

    Kiyohito Nagai

  5. Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, National Research Institute of Aquaculture, Minami-Ise, Watarai, Mie, 516-0193, Japan

    Masahiko Awaji

  6. School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, Minami, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0313, Japan

    Shugo Watabe

Authors
  1. Mikihiro Shinohara
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  2. Shigeharu Kinoshita
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  3. Enkong Tang
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  4. Daisuke Funabara
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  5. Makoto Kakinuma
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  6. Kaoru Maeyama
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  7. Kiyohito Nagai
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  8. Masahiko Awaji
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  9. Shugo Watabe
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  10. Shuichi Asakawa
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Correspondence to Shigeharu Kinoshita.

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Shinohara, M., Kinoshita, S., Tang, E. et al. Comparison of Two Pearl Sacs Formed in the Same Recipient Oyster with Different Genetic Background Involved in Yellow Pigmentation in Pinctada fucata. Mar Biotechnol 20, 594–602 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-018-9830-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10126-018-9830-8

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