Proteomic Insights into the Immune and Sex-Specific Proteins in the Skin Mucus of Barramundi (Lates calcarifer)
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Fish skin mucus contains proteins involved in diverse biological pathways, representing a valuable non-invasive diagnostic of fish health. METHODS: Skin mucus from three male and three female barramundi was analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) following protein extraction and S-Trap digestion. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: reference proteome and functionally annotated using Gene Ontology (GO) terms via UniProt ID mapping, with representation across Biological Process, Cellular Component, and Molecular Function categories. Functional classification using eggNOG-mapper further associated leading protein group sequences with Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. GO-based screening prioritised 352 putatively immune-relevant protein groups and 24 protein groups associated with sex- and reproduction-related processes, highlighting the functional complexity of the skin mucus proteome. Comparative analysis revealed sex-associated patterns in protein group detection and relative abundance, with differential abundance analysis identifying 244 protein groups exhibiting statistically significant differences between male and female samples. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the first comprehensive discovery-based characterisation of the barramundi skin mucus proteome and establishes a baseline reference dataset for this aquaculture-relevant species. The findings support the utility of skin mucus proteomics for exploring immune and sex-associated molecular patterns and provide a baseline dataset for future validation studies investigating non-invasive health and reproductive monitoring.
Source: Proteomes
Institutions: James Cook University, James Cook University Singapore
Language: English
Subfield: Immunology
Field: Immunology and Microbiology
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,172
OpenAlex ID: W7140114825
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