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Identification of novel micro RNA genes in freshwater and marine ecotypes of the three‐spined stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus )
Author(s) -
Rastorguev S. M.,
Nedoluzhko A. V.,
Sharko F. S.,
Boulygina E. S.,
Sokolov A. S.,
Gruzdeva N. M.,
Skryabin K. G.,
Prokhortchouk E. B.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
molecular ecology resources
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.96
H-Index - 136
eISSN - 1755-0998
pISSN - 1755-098X
DOI - 10.1111/1755-0998.12545
Subject(s) - three spined stickleback , gasterosteus , biology , stickleback , rna , gene , adaptation (eye) , evolutionary biology , genetics , ecology , fish <actinopterygii> , fishery , neuroscience
The three‐spined stickleback ( Gasterosteus aculeatus L.) is an important model organism for studying the molecular mechanisms of speciation and adaptation to salinity. Despite increased interest to micro RNA discovery and recent publication on micro RNA prediction in the three‐spined stickleback using bioinformatics approaches, there is still a lack of experimental support for these data. In this paper, high‐throughput sequencing technology was applied to identify micro RNA genes in gills of the three‐spined stickleback. In total, 595 mi RNA genes were discovered; half of them were predicted in previous computational studies and were confirmed here as micro RNA s expressed in gill tissue. Moreover, 298 novel micro RNA genes were identified. The presence of mi RNA genes in selected ‘divergence islands’ was analysed and 10 mi RNA genes were identified as not randomly located in ‘divergence islands’. Regulatory regions of mi RNA genes were found enriched with selective SNP s that may play a role in freshwater adaptation.