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Peer-reviewedCC BY 4.0International Journal of Molecular Sciences

Integrated Transcriptomic Analysis of Skin Pigmentation Development in Amphiprion frenatus

  • Kuang-Den Chen1,2
  • Mong-Fong Lee3
  • Ming-Chung Cheng4,5
  • Yuan-Shing Ho4,5
  • Winton Cheng5
  • Ta-Chien Tseng6
  • En-Lieng Lau4,7
7 affiliations
  1. 1Institute for Translational Research in Biomedicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 833401, Taiwan
  2. 2Liver Transplantation Center, Department of General Surgery, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Kaohsiung 833401, Taiwan
  3. 3Department of Aquaculture, National Penghu University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 880011, Taiwan
  4. 4Eastern Fishery Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, Taitung 961006, Taiwan
  5. 5Department of Aquaculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan
  6. 6Institute of Biotechnology, National Tsing-Hua University, Hsinchu 300044, Taiwan
  7. 7Freshwater Aquaculture Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, Changhua 505031, Taiwan
Open at sourceDOICite

Abstract

Skin pigmentation in teleosts is a complex process governed by molecular and cellular mechanisms during development. In this study, we investigated the pigmentation process in the tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus) using an integrated approach combining histological analysis and transcriptomics (RNA-Seq and Ribo-Seq). Histological examination revealed the stepwise differentiation of chromatophores during post-embryonic development. Transcriptomic profiling at 14 days post-hatching (dph) identified extensive changes in transcript abundance, with 2063 of 2667 differentially expressed unigenes (DEUs) upregulated relative to hatching. These genes predominantly governed innate defense, digestion, and early pigmentary development, driven by the enrichment of Gene Ontology (GO) terms including inflammatory response, digestion, and developmental pigmentation. Integration of transcriptomic and Ribo-Seq datasets identified widespread discordance between transcript abundance and ribosome-protected fragment (RPF) abundance. These discordant expression patterns suggest candidate post-transcriptional regulatory events during skin pigmentation development. Quantitative PCR analysis at 23 and 45 dph confirmed the dynamic upregulation of genes involved in cell proliferation (myc, pcna), pigment transport (myo5a, rab38), and pigment cell signaling (mchr1). These findings suggest that skin pigmentation is associated with the selected transcript-abundance differences in A. frenatus. This study offers new insights into the molecular basis of chromatophore development and pigment pattern formation in coral reef fish species.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{chen2026integrated,
  title = {{Integrated Transcriptomic Analysis of Skin Pigmentation Development in Amphiprion frenatus}},
  author = {Kuang-Den Chen and Mong-Fong Lee and Ming-Chung Cheng and Yuan-Shing Ho and Winton Cheng and Ta-Chien Tseng and En-Lieng Lau},
  journal = {International Journal of Molecular Sciences},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.3390/ijms27188289},
  url = {https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/18/8289},
  note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Integrated Transcriptomic Analysis of Skin Pigmentation Development in Amphiprion frenatus
AU  - Kuang-Den Chen
AU  - Mong-Fong Lee
AU  - Ming-Chung Cheng
AU  - Yuan-Shing Ho
AU  - Winton Cheng
AU  - Ta-Chien Tseng
AU  - En-Lieng Lau
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/17
JO  - International Journal of Molecular Sciences
DO  - 10.3390/ijms27188289
UR  - https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/27/18/8289
AB  - Skin pigmentation in teleosts is a complex process governed by molecular and cellular mechanisms during development. In this study, we investigated the pigmentation process in the tomato clownfish (Amphiprion frenatus) using an integrated approach combining histological analysis and transcriptomics (RNA-Seq and Ribo-Seq). Histological examination revealed the stepwise differentiation of chromatophores during post-embryonic development. Transcriptomic profiling at 14 days post-hatching (dph) identified extensive changes in transcript abundance, with 2063 of 2667 differentially expressed unigenes (DEUs) upregulated relative to hatching. These genes predominantly governed innate defense, digestion, and early pigmentary development, driven by the enrichment of Gene Ontology (GO) terms including inflammatory response, digestion, and developmental pigmentation. Integration of transcriptomic and Ribo-Seq datasets identified widespread discordance between transcript abundance and ribosome-protected fragment (RPF) abundance. These discordant expression patterns suggest candidate post-transcriptional regulatory events during skin pigmentation development. Quantitative PCR analysis at 23 and 45 dph confirmed the dynamic upregulation of genes involved in cell proliferation (myc, pcna), pigment transport (myo5a, rab38), and pigment cell signaling (mchr1). These findings suggest that skin pigmentation is associated with the selected transcript-abundance differences in A. frenatus. This study offers new insights into the molecular basis of chromatophore development and pigment pattern formation in coral reef fish species.
SN  - 1422-0067
ER  -