Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42828580›Full record

ArticleFish physiology and biochemistry2026

Temporal expression profiles of tachykinin genes throughout the first reproductive cycle, male pregnancy, and brood pouch development in the big-belly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis).

Jiajun Li, Fengxiao Ji, Yuru Li, Limiao Zhao, Gang Xu, Bin Wang, Jun Chen

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Article in Fish physiology and biochemistry, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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7 authors.

Jiajun LiSchool of Fisheries, Ludong University, No.186 Middle Hongqi Road, Yantai, 264025, China.
Fengxiao JiSchool of Fisheries, Ludong University, No.186 Middle Hongqi Road, Yantai, 264025, China.
Yuru LiSchool of Fisheries, Ludong University, No.186 Middle Hongqi Road, Yantai, 264025, China.
Limiao ZhaoSchool of Fisheries, Ludong University, No.186 Middle Hongqi Road, Yantai, 264025, China.
Gang XuSchool of Fisheries, Ludong University, No.186 Middle Hongqi Road, Yantai, 264025, China.
Bin WangState Key Laboratory of Mariculture Biobreeding and Sustainable Goods, Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.
Jun ChenSchool of Fisheries, Ludong University, No.186 Middle Hongqi Road, Yantai, 264025, China. chenjunjuancheng@163.com.

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6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The tachykinin family comprises highly conserved neuropeptides that regulate diverse physiological processes in vertebrates. However, the molecular characteristics and reproductive functions of this system remain poorly understood in seahorses, which exhibit the unique reproductive trait of male pregnancy. In the present study, we cloned the major tachykinin ligand genes of the big-belly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) and investigated their temporal expression patterns across the first reproductive cycle, gestation, and brood pouch development via real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Open reading frames of tac1 and tac3, as well as two transcript variants of tac4, namely tac4-S and tac4-L, were identified. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analyses showed that these precursors were conserved among teleosts. Tissue distribution analysis showed that tac1 and tac3 were mainly enriched in the brain-pituitary complex, while tac4 transcripts exhibited marked male-biased expression and tac4-L had a wider peripheral distribution including the testis and brood pouch. Developmental profiling of these genes during the first reproductive cycle revealed distinct age-dependent and sex-dependent patterns, suggesting that tac1 may act mainly during early gonadal development, tac3 may function in the middle developmental stage of ovaries or testes, tac4 may primarily act in the late developmental stage of female ovaries or the middle and late developmental stage of male testes. During pregnancy, tac4-L expression was significantly decreased in the brain-pituitary complex but significantly increased in the testis and brood pouch of pregnant males, suggesting a close association between tac4-L and male pregnancy. Remarkable changes of tac3 and tac4 transcripts during the brood pouch growth revealed that tac3 and tac4-L may participate in regulating early and middle pouch development, while tac4-S may exert its effects during the late brood pouch growth. Taken together, these results reveal functional divergence among tachykinin ligands of the big-belly seahorse, which also provide a foundation for exploring roles of tachykinin system in regulating gonadal growth, male pregnancy, and brood pouch remodeling of seahorses.

Indexed as

Gene Expression Regulation, DevelopmentalReproductionSmegmamorphaTachykininsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsBase SequenceFemaleMalePhylogenySequence AlignmentTachykininsBig-belly seahorseBrood pouch developmentMale pregnancyTachykininThe first reproductive cycle

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