Development of maternal mRNA knock-down system using double-strand RNA in abalone embryos

2017 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K14802
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Aquatic life science
• Research Institution: Kagoshima University (2016-2017); Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology (2015)
• Principal Investigator: TAKEUCHI Yutaka 鹿児島大学, 農水産獣医学域水産学系, 助教 (70418680)
• Research Collaborator: YU Lingyun
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2018-03-31
• Keywords: アワビ / 胚発生 / vasa / RNA干渉 / qPCR / 卵巣 / 卵母細胞

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The sterilization of artificial seeds of abalone is an ideal strategy to promote faster growth and to avoid sexual precocity. Recently, RNA interference (RNAi) is the popular method for the production of sterile animals in vertebrates and invertebrates, and identification of target gene for this technology is a crucial step to the production of sterilization. To evaluate effects of vasa gene knockdown, the dispersion and inhibitor effect of vasa dsRNA in ovary were examined. After 12 hours post-injection, dsRNA with vasa DIG-labelled delivered to full-grown oocytes of female. Expression levels of vasa in RNAi group using 3 different dose of dsRNA were significantly lower than control group at 7 days post-injection (dpi) and 14 dpi. Similar inhibitor effects were observed in unfertilized eggs and 8-cell stage of embryos. The results suggest that RNAi of vasa gene can be effectively utilized in oocytes and early embryos of pacific abalone to reduce amount of mRNA level.

Free Research Field

水産養殖学、発生・生殖工学、水産繁殖学