AUTHOR=Zhang Enshuo , Dong Luyao , Bao Xiaokai , Yang Xinyu , Li Yuxin , Feng Yanwei , Yang Jianmin , Li Zan , Wang Weijun 

TITLE=Transcriptome profiling combined with network analysis deepens the understanding of immune response mechanisms in blood of pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas infected by Vibrio alginolyticus

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Marine Science

VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1017445

DOI=10.3389/fmars.2022.1017445

ISSN=2296-7745

ABSTRACT=Mass deaths of oysters during the summer have been reported for years. Among the biological factors causing oyster death in summer, Vibrio infection is considered to be the most important factor. Vibrio alginolyticus is one of the main pathogens causing oyster diseases. V. alginolyticus can cause disease and death of fish, shrimp, shellfish, and other aquatic products. Human infection with V. alginolyticus can also cause skin infections, external ear canal infections, and other diseases. Hemocytes in the blood of Crassostrea gigas resemble vertebrate macrophages and play an important role in the immune regulation of organisms. Therefore, it is of great significance to analyze the blood transcriptome to study the anti-pathogen mechanism of the C. gigas. In our study, we performed a transcriptome profile of gene expression on C. gigas infected with V. alginolyticus at 12 and 48 hours, and identified 2494 and 1165 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at two sampling time points. GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that there were multiple significantly enriched GO terms and KEGG signaling pathways related to immunity. In order to study the interaction relationship of immune-related genes by constructing a protein interaction network. At last, we screened and validated 12 hub genes with multiple interactions or involved in multiple signaling pathways, and verified their expression changes by quantitative RT-PCR. For the first time, we studied the immune defense mechanism of C. gigas blood based on protein-protein interaction network, which explains how C. gigas lacking specific immunity survive in a pathogen-rich environment. This research provides reference for solving the problem of high mortality of C. gigas and other mollusks in summer, and provides reference for the future production of some disease-resistant C. gigas.