Immune-related molecular and physiological differences between black-shelled and white-shelled Pacific oysters Crassostrea gigas

• Published in: Fish & shellfish immunology Vol. 92; pp. 64 - 71
• Main Authors: Wei, Lei, Jiang, Qiuyun, Cai, Zhongqiang, Yu, Wenchao, He, Cheng, Guo, Wen, Wang, Xiaotong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2019
• Subjects: Animals; Apoptosis - physiology; Apoptosis and phagocytosis; Crassostrea - genetics; Crassostrea - immunology; Different melanin content; Immune recognition and modulation; Melanins - immunology; Melanins - physiology; Oxidative stress; Pacific oysters; Phagocytosis - physiology; Oxidative stress; Pacific oysters; Apoptosis and phagocytosis; Different melanin content; Immune recognition and modulation
• ISSN: 1050-4648; 1095-9947
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2019.05.056

The black-and-white traits on shells and mantle edges of the Pacific oyster, Crassostrea gigas, are inheritable and correlated, and black shells (melanin pigmentation) are usually found in the Pacific oysters. Based on differentially expressed genes from RNA-Seq and physiological characteristics, in this study, Black-shelled Pacific oysters (BSO) and White-shelled Pacific oysters (WSO) were selected to determine the molecular differences between oysters with obviously different melanin content. The differences in the process of immune recognition and modulation indicated that BSO may be more sensitive to the immune substances. There might have different modulation mode of apoptosis and phagocytosis between BSO and WSO, and caspase-3 might have played a key role in the apoptotic process of BSO. Different oxidation-related pathways were enriched in both BSO and WSO, suggesting the different response strategies of BSO and WSO to oxidative stress. The physiological evidences showed that, compared with WSO, in BSO, the tyrosinase content, the caspase-3 activity and the suppression of hydroxyl radical increased, and the reactive oxygen species concentration decreased. Therefore, immune-related molecular and physiological differences were found between BSO and WSO. •Black-shelled Pacific oysters may be more sensitive to the immune substances.•Caspase-3 may play a key role in the apoptotic process of black-shelled Pacific oysters.•With high melanin content, Pacific oysters may have the high performance of antioxidation and scavenging free radicals.