Differences in brain gene transcription profiles advocate for an important role of cognitive function in upstream migration and water obstacles crossing in European eel

• Published in: BMC Genomics
• Main Authors: Podgorniak, T., Milan, M., Pujolar, J.M., Maes, G.E., Bargelloni, L., De Oliveira, E., Pierron, F., Daverat, Françoise
• Other Authors: Ecosystèmes aquatiques et changements globaux (UR EABX), Institut national de recherche en sciences et technologies pour l'environnement et l'agriculture (IRSTEA), Universita degli Studi di Padova, Centre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries and Aquaculture, James Cook University (JCU), HYNES, Laboratoire National d’Hydraulique et Environnement (EDF R&D LNHE), EDF R&D (EDF R&D), EDF (EDF)-EDF (EDF)-EDF R&D (EDF R&D), EDF (EDF)-EDF (EDF), UMR 5805 Environnements et Paléoenvironnements Océaniques et Continentaux (EPOC), Observatoire aquitain des sciences de l'univers (OASU), Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Sciences et Technologies - Bordeaux 1-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2015
• Subjects: BIODIVERSITY; FISHWAYS; BIODIVERSITE; ANGUILLA ANGUILLA; PASSE A POISSONS; OBSTACLE A LA MIGRATION; COGNITION; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Anguilla anguilla; European eel
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01164347; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01164347/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-01164347/file/bx2015-pub00044315.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1186/s12864-015-1589-y

International audience Background: European eel is a panmictic species, whose decline has been recorded since the last 20 years. Amonghuman-induced environmental factors of decline, the impact of water dams during species migration is questioned. The main issue of this study was to pinpoint phenotypic traits that predisposed glass eels to successful passage by water barriers. The approach of the study was individual-centred and without any a priori hypothesis on traits involved in the putative obstacles selective pressure. We analyzed the transcription level of 14,913 genes.Results: Transcriptome analysis of three tissues (brain, liver and muscle) from individuals sampled on three successive forebays separated by water obstacles indicated different gene transcription profiles in brain between the two upstream forebays. No differences in gene transcription levels were observed in liver and muscle samples among segments. A total of 26 genes were differentially transcribed in brain. These genes encode for, among others, keratins, cytokeratins, calcium binding proteins (S100 family), cofilin, calmodulin, claudin and thy-1 membrane glycoprotein. The functional analysis of these genes highlighted a putative role of cytoskeletal dynamics and synaptic plasticity in fish upstream migration.Conclusion: Synaptic connections in brain are solicited while eels are climbing the obstacles with poorly designedfishways. Successful passage by such barriers can be related to spatial learning and spatial orientation abilities when fish is out of the water.