Aquaculture Reports (Nov 2021)
Transcriptome analysis reveals the transition and crosslinking of immune response and biomineralization in shell damage repair in pearl oyster
Abstract
The exoskeleton outside the soft body in shelled Mollusca defends against physical damage and parasite invasion and frequently undergoes biological and abiotic disturbance in natural and farmed environments, causing shell damage and environmental exposure, thereby threatening survival. To investigate the immune response and biocalcification after shell damage in pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii, a semi-sessile bivalve with a well-developed shell structure, we constructed a shell damage repair model and detected the transcriptome of mantle edge. In the first stage (4–12 h post-shell notching) the suppression of the secretion of the shell matrix protein (SMP) and activation of immune signaling pathways suggested the functional transformation of the mantle from biomineralization to immune defense. In the second stage (12–24 h), the enhancement of protein synthesis and processing, protein export-related functions, and energy production-related pathways indicated that the mantle prepared materials and energy for repairing the damaged shell and tissues. In the third stage, the upregulation of 68 SMPs involved in the shell formation indicated the reopening of shell fabrication and the repair of mantle tissue cells from immune defense to biomineralization. Furthermore, some SMPs burdened immune response molecules and the controller of biomineralization, which indicated the crosslinking between immune response and biomineralization. Our research outlines three stages an individual suffers during shell damage and provides insights into immune response and biocalcification crosslinking in pearl oyster and improves understanding of how the mantle tissue can quickly respond to environmental threats.
