Spatiotemporal expression patterns of maternal-zygotic gene pou5f3 in hybrid fish embryos

• Published in: Aquaculture 2025-03, Vol.598, Article 741954
• Main Authors: Wang, Jing, Zhang, Yirui, Wang, Wen, Wang, Chang, Wu, Jiahao, Wang, Yan, Peng, Zhonghua, Liu, Ting, Wang, Shengwei, Liu, Chengxi, Luo, Kaikun, Jiang, Yinjun, Deng, Yu, Liu, Shaojun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Distant hybridization; Embryo development; Maternal-zygotic gene; pou5f3
• ISSN: 0044-8486
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2024.741954

Maternal-zygotic genes play important regulatory roles in early embryonic development. Therefore, this study investigated the spatiotemporal expression patterns of pou5f3 in goldfish (♀) × rare gudgeon (♂) [GFRG] and gudgeon (♀) × goldfish (♂) [RGGF] embryos to explore the role of maternal-zygotic genes in hybrid embryonic development. The distant hybridization of goldfish and rare gudgeon was carried out to monitor embryonic development and pou5f3 expression. GFRG produced offspring, whereas RGGF embryos developed abnormally and eventually died. The development timing of the hybrid embryos was similar to that of their female parents. Gene sequence comparison showed that the two types of pou5f3 in GFRG were similar to those of the female parent goldfish (GF) and showed chimeric characteristics. In contrast, RGGF had two types of pou5f3 that were similar to GF and rare gudgeon (RG). Furthermore, real-time quantitative PCR and whole mount in situ hybridization showed that the spatiotemporal expression pattern of pou5f3 in parental GF and RG were different at the starting point of zygotic gene expression. The spatiotemporal expression pattern of pou5f3 in GFRG was similar to that of maternal GF, whereas the expression start and end of pou5f3 in RGGF were earlier than those of the parents and GFRG. These results indicate significant differences in the spatiotemporal expression patterns of pou5f3 in RGGF embryos compared with those of the parents and GFRG. Thus, the abnormal spatiotemporal expression of maternal zygotic genes in hybrid embryos may be one reason for the death of hybrid embryos. These findings elucidate the possible mechanisms underlying reproductive isolation and provide a theoretical basis for effective crossbreeding. •Hybridization produces surviving offspring by coordinating genetic incompatibility between parents through gene recombination and variation.•Disturbance of maternal-zygote gene expression leads to abnormal development of hybrid embryo.