The liver transcriptome of suckermouth armoured catfish (Pterygoplichthys anisitsi, Loricariidae) : identification of expansions in defensome gene families

© The Author(s), 2016. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here under a nonexclusive, irrevocable, paid-up, worldwide license granted to WHOI. It is made available for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin 115 (2017): 352-361, doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.12.012.Pterygoplichthys is a genus of related suckermouth armoured catfish native to South America that has invaded tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Physiological features, including an augmented resistance to organic xenobiotics, may have aided their settlement in foreign habitats. The liver transcriptome of Pterygoplichthys anisitsi was sequenced and used to characterize the diversity of mRNAs potentially involved in the responses to natural and anthropogenic chemicals. In total, 66,642 transcripts were assembled. Among the identified defensome genes, cytochromes P450 (CYP) were the most abundant, followed by nuclear receptors (NR), sulfotransferases (SULT) and ATP binding cassette transporters (ABC). A novel expansion in the CYP2Y subfamily was identified, as well as an independent expansion of the CYP2AAs. Two expansions were also observed among SULT1. Thirty-nine transcripts were classified into twelve subfamilies of NR, while 21 encoded ABC transporters. The diversity of defensome transcripts sequenced herein could contribute to this species resistance to organic xenobiotics.This study was supported by a PEER grant from USAID (PGA-2000003446 and PGA-2000004790) associated with NSF grant DEB-1120263. T.E.P, D.A.M, and M.G.P.M receives independent fellowships from the Brazilian funding agency CAPES