Sequence Genetic Annotation from a cDNA Library of Monterey Sardine Sardinops sagax caeruleus

In Mexico, the sardine, Sardinops sagax caeruleus, is the most important fishery species but little is known about its transcriptome. A total of 9600 clones were obtained from a normalized cDNA library in order to obtain the sardine transcriptome from several tissues. In this paper we present a partial analysis of this sardine transcriptome. 671 cDNA sequences with an average length of 445 bp were analyzed. These fragments were assembled using the CLC Main Workbench software, and produced a total of 62 contigs with an average length of 512 bp. Contigs were further analyzed with Blas2go software in order to compare contigs with sequences reported in the public databases, yielding a total of 43 annotated contigs. At the end of the annotation process, the sequences were assigned to gene ontology (GO) categories. In the category of cellular component, cell GO term was the dominant with 14 annotated sequences. For molecular function, binding GO term had the highest number of annotated sequences with 18 and transporter activity GO term had the lowest value with only 3 annotated sequences. Finally, in the biological process category development process, cellular metabolic process and protein metabolic process GO terms had 11 annotated sequences and macromolecular and cellular biosynthetic process GO terms obtained 7 annotated sequences. Further analysis is under way in order to obtain full annotation of the sardine transcriptome, where several molecular markers have also been found and will help to increase available information to understand the genetic expression of this economically important species.