Ph.D Scholarship Programme "Heraclitus II"

Gilthead seabream is the most important product of Greek mariculture and runs high in Greek export commodities. The hatchery phase of fish production accounts for a substantial part of the total production cost and aims to the consistent product of high quality juveniles with enhanced growth performance during the cage phase. The growth rate in fish is determined by their capacity to synthesize and deposit structural proteins within the muscle fibers that are formed during the early developmental stages. Myosin is a major muscle structural protein. Myosin light chain 2 (MLC2)  participates in the formation of the myosin molecule and two different isoforms (MLC2Α και MLC2B) have been isolated in gilthead seabream. MLC2A is transcribed as three alternative transcripts that differ only in their 3’ UTR length. The to-date data make MLC2 a good candidate marker of juvenile quality and growth potential at later stages. The present study is undertaken to a) isolate and characterized the genes encoding the two MLC2 isoforms, b) to investigate the regulation of their synthesis through the generation of alternative transcripts, and c) correlate MLC2 expression in early developmental stages with established markers of growth potential, different rearing practices and selected families of different genetic background. The ultimate goal is the establishment of MLC2 as a reliable molecular marker and valuable tool in the optimization of hatchery practices and management.

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PhD Thesis