Identification of Reproduction-Specific Genes Associated with Maturation and Estrogen Exposure in a Marine Bivalve Mytilus edulis

BACKGROUND: While it is established that vertebrate-like steroids, particularly estrogens (estradiol, estrone) and androgens (testosterone), are present in various tissues of molluscs, it is still unclear what role these play in reproductive endocrinology in such organisms. This is despite the significant commercial shellfishery interest in several bivalve species and their decline. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Using suppression subtraction hybridisation of mussel gonad samples at two stages (early and mature) of gametogenesis and (in parallel) following controlled laboratory estrogen exposure, we isolate several differentially regulated genes including testis-specific kinases, vitelline lysin and envelope sequences. CONCLUSIONS: The differentially expressed mRNAs isolated provide evidence that mussels may be impacted by exogenous estrogen exposure.