Rearing condition influences gene expression in postlarval American lobster (Homarus americanus)

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307169
• Publication Date: 2024-07-18T17:46:41Z
• Authors: Aubrey Jane; Douglas B. Rasher; Jesica Waller; Eric Annis; Markus Frederich
• Keywords: American lobster; Brine shrimp

The American lobster ( Homarus americanus ) is an economically important species in the western Atlantic and its climate-driven range shift northward along east coast of United States well documented. thermal tolerance lab-reared postlarvae this has been extensively investigated to better understand settlement recruitment dynamics. However, there have few studies focused on wild-caught postlarvae, even fewer that analyzed lab-rearing conditions context diet. In study, we gene transcriptional changes caught wild, as reared laboratory a brine shrimp diet or wild-sourced zooplankton We found between shrimp-reared larvae 3,682 differentially expressed genes, wild zooplankton-reared 3,939 genes. Between two groups fed different diets 2,603 genes were expressed. also exposed individuals all rearing chronic temperature treatments 8°C 26°C both extremes elicit 68–95% compared either group. identified differential expression transcripts within FoxO signaling pathway, pathway with central role cellular physiology, potential molecular markers for cold lobster. These findings contextualize current literature containing conservative estimates situ organisms can be used inform population distribution modeling efforts. They provide evidence need adjust techniques source larval crustaceans augment biology.