Collaborative Research: Kisspeptin Regulation of Reproductive Physiology of a Coral Reef Fish

Despite decades of research, major questions remain about how environmental cues control the vertebrate reproductive system. The list of key biochemical 'gatekeepers' for activation of the reproductive system from fishes to humans includes two important protein hormones, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone and kisspeptin, that function in the brain. This project would investigate how social cues affect these hormones in the brain of an animal model system that is particularly powerful for revealing connections between the social environment and the reproductive system. This animal model is the bluehead wrasse (Thalassoma bifasciatum), a fish species that has been the subject of many foundational studies of environmental influences on reproductive function. This project will use molecular neurobiology methods to map the gonadotropin-releasing hormone and kisspeptin signaling systems in the brain of the bluehead wrasse, in order to compare the expression of these hormones across different reproductive phases, and to test the effects of manipulating these hormones on reproductive function. A key element of the project is to provide undergraduates from North Carolina State University and Indian River State College in Florida with experience in behavioral field studies and molecular biological laboratory studies. A second benefit will be an increased understanding of the control of reproduction in fishes because the bluehead wrasse is a particularly useful animal for understanding the specific mechanisms of this control. This knowledge is valuable to the aquaculture industry because the control of reproduction represents a key barrier to the propagation of fishes in captivity. Finally, this project will lead to the development of educational materials focused on Florida marine environments in collaboration with the Center for Ocean Science Education Excellence. Gene sequences will be archived in Genbank and cDNAs will be provided to interested parties on a cost-of-transport basis.