Sequence polymorphism and expression variability of Crassostrea gigas immune related genes discriminate two oyster lines contrasted in term of resistance to summer mortalities

PLoS One. 2013 Sep 26;8(9):e75900. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0075900. eCollection 2013.

Abstract

Summer mortalities of Crassostreagigas are a major concern in oyster aquaculture. They are the result of a complex interaction between the host, pathogens and environmental factors. Oyster genetics have been identified as an essential determinant of oyster susceptibility to summer mortalities. As the capability of oysters to circumvent diseases depends in part on their immune defenses, we aimed to analyze the gene expression and sequence polymorphism of 42 immune related genes in two oyster lines selected for their "High" (H) and "Low" (L) survival to summer mortalities. Results showed that the variability of gene expression and the sequence polymorphism acting on particular genes could enable the discrimination between H and L oyster lines. Besides, a higher sequence polymorphism was observed on the L line affecting 11 of the 42 analyzed genes. By analyzing gene expression, sequence polymorphism and gene copy number of two antimicrobial peptide families (Cg-Defs and Cg-Prp), and an antimicrobial protein (Cg-BPI) on individual oysters, we showed that gene expression and/or sequence polymorphism could also discriminate H and L oyster lines. Finally, we observed a positive correlation between the gene expression and the gene copy number of antimicrobials and that sequence polymorphism could be encoded in the genome. Overall, this study gives new insights in the relationship between oyster immunity and divergent phenotypes, and discusses the potential implication of antimicrobial diversity in oyster survival to summer mortalities.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adaptation, Biological / genetics*
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Aquaculture
  • Base Sequence
  • Cluster Analysis
  • Crassostrea / classification
  • Crassostrea / genetics*
  • Crassostrea / immunology*
  • DNA Primers / genetics
  • DNA, Complementary / genetics
  • Gene Dosage
  • Genes / genetics
  • Genes / immunology*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / genetics
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions / immunology
  • Models, Genetic
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Polymorphism, Genetic / genetics*
  • Seasons*
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA
  • Statistics, Nonparametric
  • Transition Temperature

Substances

  • DNA Primers
  • DNA, Complementary

Grants and funding

Funding was received from the Institut Français de Recherche et d’Exploitation de la Mer (Ifremer) and the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) grant from EC2CO (Ecosphère Continentale et Côtière) MicrobiEn and PNEC project MicroGigas (0405/1B1INEE). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.