| Identification and analysis of gaffkemia-responsive genes in the American lobster (Homarus americanus) |
| Paper ID : 1023-ICIAQUA |
| Authors |
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Zohreh Fazelan * Department of Animal Science and Aquaculture, Dalhousie University, Bible Hill, NS B2N5E3, Canada |
| Abstract |
| American lobster (Homarus americanus) stands out as an iconic marine decapod invertebrate that is of ecological, cultural, and economic significance along the northeastern coast of North America. The economy of coastal Atlantic Canada is dependent on the American lobster for its multibillion-dollar fishing industry. American lobsters have been relatively less studied in terms of infectious disease agents compared to many other decapod crustacean species. Various diseases have adversely affected wild-caught American lobsters in both Canada and the United States. This study focuses on the causative agent of gaffkemia, Aerococcus viridans var. homri, a significant contributor to heavy mortalities in both natural populations and impounded lobsters along the east coast of North America. In this essay, we used RNA-seq to examine over 29,000 genes in H. americanus hepatopancreas after a challenge with A. viridans. DESeq2 revealed over 1000 genes with significant expression changes in key infection comparisons: infected at 6 h vs. control at 6 h, infected at the end timepoint vs. control at the end timepoint, and infected at 24 h vs. control at 6 h. We identified a notable number of genes associated with the innate immune responses in H. americanus. Anti-lipopolysaccharide factors, serum amyloid protein A, relish, MyD88, Flightless-1, phenoloxidase-activating factors, clotting factors, lectins, thioredoxin, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase are some of these immune-related annotated genes. These findings provide insights into the molecular regulation of the hepatopancreatic response to A. viridans infection in H. americanus, contributing to our understanding of intricate and effective innate immunity mechanisms. |
| Keywords |
| lobster, RNA-seq, gaffkemia, disease, immune system |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Oral Presentation) |