RT doctoral thesis
T1 Análisis multi-ómico en gónadas de Solea senegalensis perspectivas moleculares de la reproducción en individuos salvajes y F1
A1 Anaya Romero, Marco Eliécer
A2 BiomedicinaBiotecnología y Salud Pública
AB This doctoral thesis, focused on the species Solea senegalensis (Kaup, 1858),advances the understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating reproductionby providing evidence of processes associated with reproductive dysfunction incaptive-bred individuals. This species, of high economic relevance for European andMediterranean aquaculture, faces major reproductive limitations under controlledfarming conditions, particularly in males, which restricts the consolidation of a fullyclosed production cycle.Using an integrative multi-omics approach, this thesis combines transcriptomic,proteomic, and DNA methylation analyses of gonadal tissue from males and femalesof different origins (wild and F1), with the aim of characterizing the biologicalpathways underlying gonadal maturation and identifying dysregulated processesassociated with domestication. Transcriptomic analysis identified gene networksinvolved in sexual differentiation, steroidogenesis, and cell communication,demonstrating that sexual maturity and fertility do not rely exclusively on structuralgenes but rather on coordinated regulation across metabolic and neuroendocrinepathways.Comparative proteomic analysis revealed significant differences in proteinexpression between wild and F1 individuals, particularly in males, highlighting thedownregulation of proteins related to spermatogenesis, flagellar assembly, andsperm–egg interaction. These findings confirm the presence of a molecularly basedtesticular dysfunction associated with incomplete maturation and reducedfertilization competence under farming conditions.Integration of these approaches showed that while metabolic pathways maintaincorrespondence between transcripts and proteins, reproductive pathways exhibittranslational uncoupling, which partially explains the reduced reproductivecompetence observed in F1 males. The analysis of DNA methylation patternsprovided an additional regulatory layer, revealing epigenetic modificationsassociated with origin that contribute to interpreting the variability observed between gene expression and protein abundance levels. This multi-omic uncoupling reflectsa partial desynchronization of molecular regulation, likely influenced by artificialrearing conditions and the absence of natural environmental stimuli.Overall, this research provides an integrative view of the regulation of reproductiveprocesses, establishing molecular bases to understand the mechanisms underlyingthe low reproductive performance of captive-bred F1 individuals of S. senegalensis.The findings contribute to the development of molecular biomarkers of gonadalmaturity and fertility, including epigenetic regulators, as well as to the implementationof appropriate management and genetic selection strategies aimed at optimizingreproductive efficiency and sustainability in aquaculture. The multi-omics approachdeveloped here consolidates a reference methodological framework for the study ofreproductive physiology and domestication effects in marine species of aquacultureinterest.
YR 2026
FD 2026
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10498/39669
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10498/39669
LA spa
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Cádiz
RD 05-nov-2026