AUTHOR=Cai Caixia , He Qi , Xie Bingyi , Xu Zhijie , Wang Cheng , Yang Chuangye , Liao Yongshan , Zheng Zhe 

TITLE=Long non-coding RNA LncMPEG1 responds to multiple environmental stressors by affecting biomineralization in pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1014810

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2022.1014810

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=Marine environmental change directly affects bivalve growth and survival. Exoskeleton formation, the main energy dissipation in the physiological metabolism, typically reflects the body growth of the bivalve. However, how bivalves regulate the biomineralization of the exoskeleton under environmental stressors is not yet clear. Long non-coding RNA regulates various life processes through complex mechanisms in vertebrates and invertebrates. In this study, we cloned the complete sequence of a mantle-specific expressed long non-coding RNA (designated as LncMPEG1) from a pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata martensii. A quantitative real time PCR analysis showed that LncMPEG1 expression was significantly high in the early umbo larvae and juveniles, which is the critical stage of shell formation. LncMPEG1 was located in the outer epithelium of the middle fold from the mantle center, mantle pallial, and mantle center using in situ hybridization. Additionally, the expression of LncMPEG1 was induced by shell damage, alien invasion, heat and cold temperature stress, and hypoxia stress. Decreased LncMPEG1 expression was detected by RNA interference in the mantle and can cause the disordered growth of crystals on the inner surface of the prismatic layer and nacre in the shells. Therefore, we propose that LncMPEG1 could be a key regulator in biomineralization and responds to environmental stress in the mantle tissue.