Novel Insights into Antiviral Gene Regulation of Red Swamp Crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, Infected with White Spot Syndrome Virus

Abstract

White spot syndrome virus (WSSV), one of the major pathogens of Procambarus clarkii, has caused severe disruption to the aquaculture industry of P. clarkii in China. To reveal the gene regulatory mechanisms underlying WSSV infection, a comparative transcriptome analysis was performed among WSSV-infected susceptible individuals (GS), viral resistant individuals (GR), and a non-infected control group (GC). A total of 61,349 unigenes were assembled from nine libraries. Subsequently, 515 and 1033 unigenes exhibited significant differential expression in sensitive and resistant crayfish individuals compared to the control group (GC). Many differentially expressed genes (e.g., C-type lectin 4, Peroxinectin, Prophenoloxidase, and Serine/threonine-protein kinase) observed in GR and GS play critical roles in pathogen recognition and viral defense reactions after WSSV infection. Importantly, the glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate pathway was identified to play critical roles in defense to WSSV infection for resistant crayfish individuals by upregulating the chondroitin sulfate related genes for the synthesis of WSSV-sensitive, functional chondroitin sulfate chains containing E units. Numerous genes and the key pathways identified between resistant and susceptible P. clarkii individuals provide valuable insights regarding antiviral response mechanisms of decapoda species and may help to improve the selective breeding of P. clarkii WSSV-resistance.

Lactobacillus acidophilus and L. plantarum improve health status, modulate gut microbiota and innate immune response of marron (Cherax cainii)

“…This upregulation was significant due to the pro and anti-inflammatory mechanisms, aquatic animals balanced the immune response for better defence against stress and infection 56 . Though the presence of cytokine family genes in crustacean tissue including crayfish are evident 41,[75][76][77][78][79] , however, their role have not been studied yet. Hence, further transcriptomic analysis of mRNA is recommended to identify the expressed genes under cytokine family and its level of expression in the intestinal tissue of marron.…”

Modeling Modulation of the Tick Regulome in Response to Anaplasma phagocytophilum for the Identification of New Control Targets

“…RNAi-mediated gene silencing of glutathione peroxidase and other antioxidant defense system genes increased A. marginale infection in BME26 cells, suggesting that the antioxidant response mediated by this molecule might play a role in the control of infection in ticks (Kalil et al, 2017). Another of the identified tick TG, peroxinectin, is a cell adhesion protein involved in melanization of pathogens in invertebrates (Sritunyalucksana et al, 2001; Cerenius and Söderhäll, 2004), was upregulated in crayfish resistant to white spot syndrome virus, and susceptible crayfish failed to upregulate this gene in response to viral infection (Yi et al, 2017). Strong cellular adhesion in response to the invading agent during crustacean encapsulation defense reaction was proposed as a protective mechanism mediated by peroxinectin in infected crayfish.…”

The Complete Genome of an Endogenous Nimavirus (Nimav-1_LVa) From the Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp Penaeus (Litopenaeus) Vannamei

“…In another study using the WSSV challenged tiger shrimp P. monodon, ubiquitin gene was down-regulated during the first 12 hours, but reversed in the following period [56]. Lastly, a study in red swamp crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, listed DnaJ (Hsp40), ubiquitin, and innexin (detailed below) proteins for their possible anti-WSSV roles [57].…”

“…Innexin is involved in immune response and cell apoptosis [65,66], probably by regulating the closure of the gap channel to reduce the neighboring cellular apoptosis [67,68]. In a study in red swamp crayfish, the innexin gene has been listed as a candidate anti-WSSV gene [57]. Notably, the g155 gene contains four exons, and its homolog is found in Mj nimavirus (BFCD01000001.1).…”