Genome-wide identification, structural characterization, and evolutionary analysis of growth-related gene families in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus).

Yusuf Ja'afar; Suvadip Ghara; Neethi Ajith; Mohd Ashraf Rather

doi:10.1016/j.cbd.2026.101943

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Genome-wide identification, structural characterization, and evolutionary analysis of growth-related gene families in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus).

Yusuf Ja'afar·Suvadip Ghara·Neethi Ajith·Mohd Ashraf Rather

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Abstract

The somatotropic axis encompassing growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor (IGF), myostatin (MSTN), and prolactin (PRL) signalling cascades is the master regulator of somatic growth, metabolism, and development in vertebrates. African catfish (Clarias gariepinus), a commercially pivotal aquaculture species, now possesses a chromosome-level reference genome (CGAR_prim_01v2); however, a systematic, genome-wide characterization spanning all five interconnected growth-related gene families has not previously been undertaken in this species. Here, we identified and characterized 15 growth-related genes spanning gh1, ghra, ghrb, Igf1, Igf2a, Igf2b, igf1ra, Igf1rb, Igf2r, Mstna, Mstnb, prl, prlra, prlrb, and smtlb distributed across 13 chromosomes. Complete one-to-one orthology with zebrafish confirmed strong dosage-balance conservation across >120 million years of teleost divergence. Physicochemical analysis resolved a clear biochemical dichotomy between compact, basic secreted ligands (19.88-45.81 kDa; pI up to 10.02) and large, acidic, heavily glycosylated membrane receptors (56.82-270.80 kDa; pI 4.85-5.97). Phylogenetic analysis confirmed 3R whole-genome duplication origins for all paralog pairs, while synteny analysis revealed a disruption of the ancestral gh1-prl chromosomal block in C. gariepinus, a finding that warrants further comparative and functional investigation. This genomic atlas provides the sequence and structural information including exon-intron boundaries, domain architecture, and chromosomal coordinates needed as a prerequisite for future marker-assisted selection and CRISPR-based myostatin-editing efforts in African catfish aquaculture, though translation into applied breeding outcomes will require subsequent functional and expression studies.

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Animals Catfishes Evolution, Molecular Phylogeny Myostatin Fish Proteins Genome Multigene Family Growth Hormone Clarias gariepinus Insulin-like growth factor Somatotropic axis Journal Article

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Yusuf Ja'afar, Suvadip Ghara, Neethi Ajith, Mohd Ashraf Rather. 2026-07-22. Genome-wide identification, structural characterization, and evolutionary analysis of growth-related gene families in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus).. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbd.2026.101943

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Journal Article resource Animals subject CRISPR method Catfishes subject Clarias gariepinus subject Evolution, Molecular subject Fish Proteins subject Genome subject Growth Hormone subject Insulin-like growth factor subject Journal Article subject Multigene Family subject Myostatin subject

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