Differential molecular responses of hemolymph and hepatopancreas of swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus, infected with Ameson portunus (Microsporidia)

Abstract

Ameson portunus (Microsporidia) has caused serious economic losses to the aquaculture industry of swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus. The hemolymph and hepatopancreas are the main immune organs of P. trituberculatus, and the main sites of A. portunus infection. Elucidating the response characteristics of hemolymph and hepatopancreas to microsporidian infection facilitates the development of microsporidiosis prevention and control strategy. This study performed comparative transcriptomic analysis of hemolymph (PTX/PTXA) and hepatopancreas (PTG/PTGA) of P. trituberculatus uninfected and infected with A. portunus. The results showed that there were 223 and 1309 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in PTX/PTXA and PTG/PTGA, respectively. The lysosome pathway was significantly enriched after the invasion of the hemolymph by A. portunus. Also, immune-related genes were all significantly up-regulated in the hemolymph and hepatopancreas, suggesting that the invasion by A. portunus may activate host immune responses. Unlike hemolymph, antioxidant and detoxification-related genes were also significantly up-regulated in the hepatopancreas. Moreover, metabolism-related genes were significantly down-regulated in the hepatopancreas, suggesting that energy synthesis, resistance to pathogens, and regulation of oxidative stress were suppressed in the hepatopancreas. Hemolymph and hepatopancreas have similarity and tissue specificity to microsporidian infection. The differential genes and pathways identified in this study can provide references for the prevention and control of microsporidiosis.

Keywords: Ameson portunus; Hemolymph and hepatopancreas transcriptome; Immunity; Metabolism; Portunus trituberculatus.