AUTHOR=Xue Cheng , Xu Kang , Jin Yiting , Bian Chao , Sun Shengming 

TITLE=Transcriptome Analysis to Study the Molecular Response in the Gill and Hepatopancreas Tissues of Macrobrachium nipponense to Salinity Acclimation

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Physiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.926885

DOI=10.3389/fphys.2022.926885

ISSN=1664-042X

ABSTRACT=<p><italic>Macrobrachium nipponense</italic> is an economically important prawn species and common in Chinese inland capture fisheries. During aquaculture, <italic>M. nipponense</italic> can survive under freshwater and low salinity conditions. The molecular mechanism underlying the response to salinity acclimation remains unclear in this species; thus, in this study, we used the Illumina RNA sequencing platform for transcriptome analyses of the gill and hepatopancreas tissues of <italic>M. nipponense</italic> exposed to salinity stress [0.4‰ (S0, control group), 6‰ (S6, low salinity group), and 12‰ (S12, high salinity group)]. Differentially expressed genes were identified, and several important salinity adaptation-related terms and signaling pathways were found to be enriched, such as “ion transport,” “oxidative phosphorylation,” and “glycometabolism.” Quantitative real-time PCR demonstrated the participation of 12 key genes in osmotic pressure regulation in <italic>M. nipponense</italic> under acute salinity stress. Further, the role of carbonic anhydrase in response to salinity acclimation was investigated by subjecting the gill tissues of <italic>M. nipponense</italic> to <italic>in situ</italic> hybridization. Collectively, the results reported herein enhance our understanding of the mechanisms via which <italic>M. nipponense</italic> adapts to changes in salinity.</p>