Differential responses of selectively bred mussels (Perna canaliculus) to heat stress—survival, immunology, gene expression and microbiome diversity

• DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2023.1265879
• Publication Date: 2024-02-15T04:32:31Z
• Authors: Jessica A. Ericson; Olivier Laroche; Laura Biessy; Natalí J. Delorme; Xavier Pochon; Jacob Thomson-Laing; Norman L. C. Ragg; Kirsty F. Smith
• Keywords: 570; 0303 health sciences; 3208 Medical Physiology; Physiology; microbiome; biomarkers; 32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences; 3101 Biochemistry and Cell Biology; 14 Life Below Water; 0606 Physiology; RNAseq; immune response; green-lipped mussel; transcriptomics; 03 medical and health sciences; 1701 Psychology; 1116 Medical Physiology; Genetics; QP1-981; Generic health relevance; 31 Biological Sciences

New Zealand’s green-lipped mussel ( Perna canaliculus ) is an ecologically and economically important species. Marine heatwaves are increasing in frequency around NZ’s coastline, these events correlated with increased stress mortality of some aquaculture This study aimed to identify general biomarkers heat P. assess whether responses differed between genetically distinct selectively bred mussels. We exposed three families mussels (families A, B C) seawater temperature regimes the laboratory: 1) a “control” treatment (ambient 12°C), 2) 26°C challenge subsequent recovery period, 3) sustained no recovery. investigated survival, immune response (hemocyte concentration viability, oxidative total antioxidant capacity), hemocyte gene expression gill microbiome during challenges. In heat-stress treatment, family A had highest survival rate (42% compared 25% 5% for C B, respectively). Gene levels significantly shifted thermal families, more dissimilar than C. Family substantially genes impacted by timepoint other while very little genes/pathways that responded stress. Genes related shock proteins (e.g., AIF1, CTSC, TOLL8, CASP9, FNTA, AHCY, CRYAB, PPIF) were upregulated all Microbiome species-richness before heat-stress, having distinctly different flora families. Microbial diversity changed similarly prolonged species Vibrio Campylobacter Our highlights use non-lethal sampling hemocytes as diagnostic tool explore mussels, predict their ocean warming. approach can potential thermotolerant candidates further selective breeding, which may increase resilience industry warming ocean.