Cross-species RNA sequencing identifies candidate lateralized genes in teleost brains
Abstract
Brain lateralization is widespread across vertebrates and contributes to hemispheric specialization. We compared left-right gene expression in the telencephalon and hindbrain of four phylogenetically distant teleosts: zebrafish, medaka, stickleback, and cichlid. Cross-species RNA sequencing identified five candidate genes with consistent directional expression biases. Although no genes remained significant after within-species FDR correction, Fisher’s combined probability test supported directional asymmetry of five candidate genes. Notably, ddc and ntn1b were more highly expressed in the left hindbrain in three species and showed similar trends in the remaining species. GO analysis revealed shared functional categories associated with lateralized expression, including transport-related functions in the right-biased telencephalon and nervous system and developmental functions in the left-biased hindbrain. In situ HCR showed more ddc-expressing cells in the left median and dorsal raphe nuclei of medaka.These findings….
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Article inforamation
Yuichi Takeuchi, Chika Fujimori, Satoshi Ansai, Jun Kitano, Cross-species RNA sequencing identifies candidate lateralized genes in teleost brains, iScience, 2026
DOI：10.1016/j.isci.2026.117858
