Expression of melanotropin-related genes in goldfish brain, pituitary, and skin in response to background color

Abstract

In teleost fish, body color varies in response to changes in background color. The color is lighter in a white background than in a black background. Melanin- concentrating hormone (MCH) produced in hypothalamiand agouti signaling protein (ASP) in skins turn body color pale by aggregating pigments, while melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) encoded on a proopiomelanocortin (POMC) gene disperses pigments. In the present study, we investigated the effects of a black or white background on expression levels of the genes for the hormonal peptides and corresponding receptors by real time RT-PCR in goldfish (Carassiusauratus).