Effects of low-salinity and no-feed post-operative care during pearl sac formation on the expression profiles of shell matrix protein genes in the Akoya pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata

抄録

Pearl deformities and blemishes can be alleviated by holding pearl oysters, Pinctada fucata, in low-salinity seawater under no-feed care just after the pearl nucleus is implanted. Effects of this care method on the shell matrix protein (SMP) genes are unclear. Therefore, we compared the expressions of five SMP genes of pearl sacs with this care method versus conventional rearing in the sea. There were no significant differences in the SMP expression changes in pearl sacs between the two groups. However, after the implantation, the similarities decreased over time in the conventionally reared group but remained stable in the low-salinity/no-feed care group.