Insights into the Response in Digestive Gland of Mytilus coruscus under Heat Stress Using TMT-Based Proteomics

Abstract

Ocean warming can cause injury and death in mussels and is believed to be one of the main reasons for extensive die-offs of mussel populations worldwide. However, the biological processes by which mussels respond to heat stress are still unclear. In this study, we conducted an analysis of enzyme activity and TMT-labelled based proteomic in the digestive gland tissue of Mytilus coruscus after exposure to high temperatures. Our results showed that the activities of superoxide dismutase, acid phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, and cellular content of lysozyme were significantly changed in response to heat stress. Furthermore, many differentially expressed proteins involved in nutrient digestion and absorption, p53, MAPK, apoptosis, and energy metabolism were activated post-heat stress. These results suggest that M. coruscus can respond to heat stress through the antioxidant system, the immune system, and anaerobic respiration. Additionally, M. coruscus may use fat, leucine, and isoleucine to meet energy requirements under high temperature stress via the TCA cycle pathway. These findings provide a useful reference for further exploration of the response mechanism to heat stress in marine mollusks.

MAPK/ERK-PK(Ser11) pathway regulates divergent thermal metabolism of two congeneric oyster species

“…It has been reported that the MAPK/ERK pathway is involved in the heat stress response of marine invertebrates. 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 This pathway induces the expression of heat shock proteins, 57 , 58 alleviates oxidative stress and mitochondrial damage, 59 , 60 and ultimately promotes cell survival and inhibits apoptosis. 61 The results of site mutations of Cg ERK1/2 and co-transfection with Cg MAP2K1/2 proved that Cg MAP2K1/2 can enhance PK enzyme activity by increasing the phosphorylation levels of T187 and Y189 in Cg ERK1/2.…”