Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)

Proteins for elongation of very long-chain fatty acids (ELOVLs) are critical for the synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), and they are one group of the rate-limiting enzymes responsible for the initial condensation reaction within the fatty acid elongation. Elovl8 is a new...

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Main Authors: Yu He, Zhengyong Wen, Luo Zhou, Wanhong Zeng, Panita Prathomya, Tilin Yi, Qiong Shi
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Biomolecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/567
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author Yu He
Zhengyong Wen
Luo Zhou
Wanhong Zeng
Panita Prathomya
Tilin Yi
Qiong Shi
author_facet Yu He
Zhengyong Wen
Luo Zhou
Wanhong Zeng
Panita Prathomya
Tilin Yi
Qiong Shi
author_sort Yu He
collection DOAJ
description Proteins for elongation of very long-chain fatty acids (ELOVLs) are critical for the synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), and they are one group of the rate-limiting enzymes responsible for the initial condensation reaction within the fatty acid elongation. Elovl8 is a newly identified member of the ELOVL protein family, and its evolutionary and functional characterizations are still rarely reported. Here, we identified two <i>elovl8</i> paralogues (named Sc<i>elovl8</i> and Sc<i>elovl8b</i>) from Chinese perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>), and then their molecular and evolutionary characteristics, as well as potential roles involved in LC-PUFA biosynthesis, were examined. The ORFs of both Sc<i>elovl8a</i> and Sc<i>elovl8b</i> genes were 810 bp and 789 bp in length, encoding proteins of 270 and 263 amino acids, respectively. Multiple protein sequence comparisons indicated that <i>elovl8</i> genes were highly conserved in teleosts, showing similar structural function domains. Meanwhile, phylogenetic analysis showed that the <i>elovl8</i> gene family was clustered into two subclades of <i>elovl8a</i> and <i>elovl8b</i>, and Sc<i>elovl8a</i> and Sce<i>lovl8b</i> shared close relationships with banded archerfish <i>elovl8a</i> and striped bass <i>elovl8b</i>, respectively. Genetic synteny and gene structure analyses further confirmed that <i>elovl8b</i> is more conserved in comparison to <i>elovl8a</i> in teleosts. In addition, Sc<i>elovl8a</i> was found to be highly expressed in the liver, while Sc<i>elovl8b</i> was most abundant in the gills. Long-term food deprivation and refeeding are verified to regulate the transcription of Sc<i>elovl8a</i> and Sc<i>elovl8b</i>, and intraperitoneal injection of fish oil (FO) and vegetable oil (VO) significantly modified their gene expression as well. In summary, our results in this study indicate that <i>elovl8</i> genes were conservatively unique to teleosts, and both <i>elovl8</i> genes might be involved in the endogenous biosynthesis of LC-PUFAs in Chinese perch. These findings not only expand our knowledge on the evolutionary and functional characteristics of both <i>elovl8</i> genes but also lay a solid basis for investigating regulatory mechanisms of LC-PUFA biosynthesis in various teleosts.
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spelling doaj-art-d30e028cba784299a883dd5a255dcfaa2025-08-20T02:28:40ZengMDPI AGBiomolecules2218-273X2025-04-0115456710.3390/biom15040567Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)Yu He0Zhengyong Wen1Luo Zhou2Wanhong Zeng3Panita Prathomya4Tilin Yi5Qiong Shi6School of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 424020, ChinaSchool of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 424020, ChinaSchool of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 424020, ChinaSchool of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 424020, ChinaDepartment of Animal and Aquatic Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandSchool of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou 424020, ChinaKey Laboratory of Sichuan Province for Fishes Conservation and Utilization in the Upper Reaches of the Yangtze River, Neijiang Normal University, Neijiang 641100, ChinaProteins for elongation of very long-chain fatty acids (ELOVLs) are critical for the synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs), and they are one group of the rate-limiting enzymes responsible for the initial condensation reaction within the fatty acid elongation. Elovl8 is a newly identified member of the ELOVL protein family, and its evolutionary and functional characterizations are still rarely reported. Here, we identified two <i>elovl8</i> paralogues (named Sc<i>elovl8</i> and Sc<i>elovl8b</i>) from Chinese perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>), and then their molecular and evolutionary characteristics, as well as potential roles involved in LC-PUFA biosynthesis, were examined. The ORFs of both Sc<i>elovl8a</i> and Sc<i>elovl8b</i> genes were 810 bp and 789 bp in length, encoding proteins of 270 and 263 amino acids, respectively. Multiple protein sequence comparisons indicated that <i>elovl8</i> genes were highly conserved in teleosts, showing similar structural function domains. Meanwhile, phylogenetic analysis showed that the <i>elovl8</i> gene family was clustered into two subclades of <i>elovl8a</i> and <i>elovl8b</i>, and Sc<i>elovl8a</i> and Sce<i>lovl8b</i> shared close relationships with banded archerfish <i>elovl8a</i> and striped bass <i>elovl8b</i>, respectively. Genetic synteny and gene structure analyses further confirmed that <i>elovl8b</i> is more conserved in comparison to <i>elovl8a</i> in teleosts. In addition, Sc<i>elovl8a</i> was found to be highly expressed in the liver, while Sc<i>elovl8b</i> was most abundant in the gills. Long-term food deprivation and refeeding are verified to regulate the transcription of Sc<i>elovl8a</i> and Sc<i>elovl8b</i>, and intraperitoneal injection of fish oil (FO) and vegetable oil (VO) significantly modified their gene expression as well. In summary, our results in this study indicate that <i>elovl8</i> genes were conservatively unique to teleosts, and both <i>elovl8</i> genes might be involved in the endogenous biosynthesis of LC-PUFAs in Chinese perch. These findings not only expand our knowledge on the evolutionary and functional characteristics of both <i>elovl8</i> genes but also lay a solid basis for investigating regulatory mechanisms of LC-PUFA biosynthesis in various teleosts.https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/567<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i><i>elovl8a</i><i>elovl8b</i>nutritional regulationLC-PUFA biosynthesis
spellingShingle Yu He
Zhengyong Wen
Luo Zhou
Wanhong Zeng
Panita Prathomya
Tilin Yi
Qiong Shi
Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)
Biomolecules
<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>
<i>elovl8a</i>
<i>elovl8b</i>
nutritional regulation
LC-PUFA biosynthesis
title Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)
title_full Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)
title_fullStr Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)
title_full_unstemmed Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)
title_short Molecular Characterization and Nutritional Regulation of Two Fatty Acid Elongase (<i>elovl8</i>) Genes in Chinese Perch (<i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>)
title_sort molecular characterization and nutritional regulation of two fatty acid elongase i elovl8 i genes in chinese perch i siniperca chuatsi i
topic <i>Siniperca chuatsi</i>
<i>elovl8a</i>
<i>elovl8b</i>
nutritional regulation
LC-PUFA biosynthesis
url https://www.mdpi.com/2218-273X/15/4/567
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