Individual sequence variability and functional activities of fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) in the Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) suggest ancient and complex immune recognition models in invertebrates

Evolutionary and functional insights into Fibrinogen-related protein (FREP) dynamics in sea cucumbers

The Fibrinogen-related protein (FREP) gene family is a cornerstone of immune defense in metazoans, yet its evolution and functional specialization in invertebrates, particularly sea cucumbers, remain underexplored. By analyzing genomic data from 1004 species, this study reveals a significant and lineage-specific expansion of FREP genes in sea cucumbers. These genes are categorized into single-domain FREPs (sFREPs) and multi-domain FREPs (mFREPs), with the latter containing unique TIL domains associated with immune defense. Comparative analyses show that chromosomal rearrangements and gene duplications have driven FREP diversification, while transcriptomic profiling highlights tissue-specific expression and immune activation of TIL-containing mFREPs. These findings illuminate the adaptive evolution of FREPs and their pivotal role in pathogen recognition, emphasizing chromosomal dynamics and domain architecture in shaping invertebrate immunity. This study provides a foundation for deeper insights into the molecular basis of immune adaptation in sea cucumbers and other invertebrates.

Genomic insights into fibrinogen-related proteins and expression analysis in the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeusvannamei

Fibrinogen-related domain (FReD) containing proteins are an evolutionarily conserved immune gene family characterized by the C-terminal fibrinogen (FBG) and diverse N-terminal domains. To understand the complexity of this family in crustaceans, we performed genome screening and identified 43 full-length FReDs encoding genes in Litopenaeus vannamei. Structural classification analysis revealed these putative FReDs could be divided into six types, including two reported types (LvFReDI and II) and four new types (LvFReDIII-VI). Sequence and phylogenetic analysis showed that FBG domains were highly conserved throughout and phylogeny clusters correlated strongly with gene type. We analyzed the temporal and spatial expression patterns of LvFReD genes based on the transcriptomes of developmental stages, adult tissues or pathogen infected tissues of L. vannamei. Most LvFReDs were expressed from larval in membrane stage, and exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns and immune-responsive transcription after challenge with bacteria or virus. Further time-course expression analysis suggested that LvFReDII genes with additional coiled-coil region were more sensitive to pathogens than LvFReDI genes. Our findings provided comprehensive gene sequence resources and expression profiles of FReD genes in shrimp, which give insights into clarifying the diversity and function of these genes in crustaceans.

The Invertebrate Immunocyte: A Complex and Versatile Model for Immunological, Developmental, and Environmental Research

The knowledge of comparative and developmental immunobiology has grown over the years and has been strengthened by the contributions of multi-omics research. High-performance microscopy, flow cytometry, scRNA sequencing, and the increased capacity to handle complex data introduced by machine learning have allowed the uncovering of aspects of great complexity and diversity in invertebrate immunocytes, i.e., immune-related circulating cells, which until a few years ago could only be described in terms of morphology and basic cellular functions, such as phagocytosis or enzymatic activity. Today, invertebrate immunocytes are recognized as sophisticated biological entities, involved in host defense, stress response, wound healing, organ regeneration, but also in numerous functional aspects of organismal life not directly related to host defense, such as embryonic development, metamorphosis, and tissue homeostasis. The multiple functions of immunocytes do not always fit the description of invertebrate organisms as simplified biological systems compared to those represented by vertebrates. However, precisely the increasing complexity revealed by immunocytes makes invertebrate organisms increasingly suitable models for addressing biologically significant and specific questions, while continuing to present the undeniable advantages associated with their ethical and economic sustainability.

Mussel antiviral transcriptome response and elimination of viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV)

As filter-feeding bivalves, mussels have been traditionally studied as possible vectors of different bacterial or viral pathogens. The absence of a known viral pathogen in these bivalves makes it particularly interesting to study the interaction of the mussel innate immune system with a virus of interest. In the present work, mussels were challenged with viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV), which is a pathogen in several fish species. The viral load was eliminated after 24 h and mussels evidenced antiviral activity towards VHSV, demonstrating that the virus was recognized and eliminated by the immune system of the host and confirming that mussels are not VHSV vectors in the marine environment. The transcriptome activating the antiviral response was studied, revealing the involvement of cytoplasmic viral sensors with the subsequent activation of the JAK-STAT pathway and several downstream antiviral effectors. The inflammatory response was inhibited with the profound downregulation of MyD88, shifting the immune balance towards antiviral functions. High modulation of retrotransposon activity was observed, revealing a mechanism that facilitates the antiviral response and that had not been previously observed in these species. The expression of several inhibitors of apoptosis and apoptosis-promoting genes was modulated, although clear inhibition of apoptosis in bivalves after severe viral infection and subsequent disease was not observed in this study. Finally, the modulated expression of several long noncoding RNAs that were correlated with genes involved in the immune response was detected.

A Genomic and Transcriptomic Analysis of the C-Type Lectin Gene Family Reveals Highly Expanded and Diversified Repertoires in Bivalves

C-type lectins belong to a widely conserved family of lectins characterized in Metazoa. They show important functional diversity and immune implications, mainly as pathogen recognition receptors. In this work, C-type lectin-like proteins (CTLs) of a set of metazoan species were analyzed, revealing an important expansion in bivalve mollusks, which contrasted with the reduced repertoires of other mollusks, such as cephalopods. Orthology relationships demonstrated that these expanded repertoires consisted of CTL subfamilies conserved within Mollusca or Bivalvia and of lineage-specific subfamilies with orthology only between closely related species. Transcriptomic analyses revealed the importance of the bivalve subfamilies in mucosal immunity, as they were mainly expressed in the digestive gland and gills and modulated with specific stimuli. CTL domain-containing proteins that had additional domains (CTLDcps) were also studied, revealing interesting gene families with different conservation degrees of the CTL domain across orthologs from different taxa. Unique bivalve CTLDcps with specific domain architectures were revealed, corresponding to uncharacterized bivalve proteins with putative immune function according to their transcriptomic modulation, which could constitute interesting targets for functional characterization.

Immune diversity in lophotrochozoans, with a focus on recognition and effector systems

Lophotrochozoa is one of the most species-rich but immunologically poorly explored phyla. Although lack of acquired response in a narrow sense, lophotrochozoans possess various genetic mechanisms that enhance the diversity and specificity of innate immune system. Here, we review the recent advances of comparative immunology studies in lophotrochozoans with focus on immune recognition and effector systems. Haemocytes and coelomocytes are general important yet understudied player. Comparative genomics studies suggest expansion and functional divergence of lophotrochozoan immune reorganization systems is not as "homogeneous and simple" as we thought including the large-scale expansion and molecular divergence of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) (TLRs, RLRs, lectins, etc.) and signaling adapters (MyD88s etc.), significant domain recombination of immune receptors (RLR, NLRs, lectins, etc.), extensive somatic recombination of fibrinogenrelated proteins (FREPs) in snails. Furthermore, there are repeatedly identified molecular mechanisms that generate immune effector diversity, including high polymorphism of antimicrobial peptides and proteins (AMPs), reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) and cytokines. Finally, we argue that the next generation omics tools and the recently emerged genome editing technicism will revolutionize our understanding of innate immune system in a comparative immunology perspective.

A fibrinogen-related Lectin from Echinometra lucunter represents a new FReP family in Echinodermata phylum

Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) have been identified in several animals. They are involved in the body's defense, acting as mediators of phagocytosis. Ficolins and intelectins are some of the most studied Fibrinogen-related Domain (FReD)-containing lectins. In this work, we have isolated a singular FReD-containing lectin, which cannot be classified as ficolin or intelectin. ELL (Echinometra lucunter lectin) was isolated from coelomic plasma by affinity chromatography on xanthan gum. Primary structure was determined by tandem mass spectrometry. Moreover, antimicrobial activity of ELL was evaluated against planktonic cells and biofilm of Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and S. epidermidis. ELL showed hemagglutinating activity in Ca²⁺ presence, which was inhibited by glycoprotein mucin and thyroglobulin. Complete amino acid sequence consisted of 229 residues, including a FReD in the N-terminal. Searches for similarity found that ELL was very close to putative proteins from Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. ELL showed moderate similarity with uncharacterized sea stars proteins and protochordate intelectins. ELL was able to inhibit the planktonic growth of the Gram-positive bacteria and significantly reduce the biofilm formation of all bacteria tested. In conclusion, we identified a new type of FReP-containing lectin with some structural and functional conservation towards intelectins.

Full-Length Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals Tissue-Specific Gene Expression Profile of Mangrove Clam Geloina erosa

Mollusca is the second largest animal phylum and represents one of the most evolutionarily successful animal groups. Geloina erosa, a species of Corbiculidae, plays an important role in mangrove ecology. It is highly adaptable and can withstand environmental pollution and microbial infections. However, there is no reference genome or full-length transcriptome available for G. erosa. This impedes the study of the biological functions of its different tissues because transcriptome research requires reference genome or full-length transcriptome as a reference to improve accuracy. In this study, we applied a combination of Illumina and PacBio single-molecule real-time sequencing technologies to sequence the full-length transcriptomes of G. erosa tissues. Transcriptomes of nine samples obtained from three tissues (hepatopancreas, gill, and muscle) were sequenced using Illumina. Furthermore, we obtained 87,310 full-length reads non-chimeric sequences. After removing redundancy, 22,749 transcripts were obtained. The average Q score of 30 was 94.48%. In total, 271 alternative splicing events were predicted. There were 14,496 complete regions and 3,870 lncRNAs. Differential expression analysis revealed tissue-specific physiological functions. The gills mainly express functions related to filtration, metabolism, identifying pathogens and activating immunity, and neural activity. The hepatopancreas is the main tissue related to metabolism, it also involved in the immune response. The muscle mainly express functions related to muscle movement and control, it contains more energy metabolites that gill and hepatopancreas. Our research provides an important reference for studying the gene expression of G. erosa under various environmental stresses. Moreover, we present a reliable sequence that will provide an excellent foundation for further research on G. erosa.

Identification and diversity of fibrinogen-related protein (FREP) gene family in Haliotis discus hannai, H. rufescens, and H. laevigata and their responses to Vibrio parahemolyticus infection

Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) are distributed universally in vertebrates and invertebrates. These proteins contain fibrinogen-like (FBG) domains in their C-terminal region and involve in immune responses and other aspects of physiology in invertebrates. In this study, 54 proteins that contain FBG domains or a fibrinogen_c domain were identified in Haliotis discus hannai. Comparatively, 88 and 63 FREPs were identified from the genomes of H. rufescens and H. laevigata. Most FREPs of abalones had a conserved motif containing a bound calcium ion site and a second conserved motif containing a polymerization pocket site. By sequence analysis, 394 SNPs and 11 Indels were identified in 20 FREP genes of the whole genome of H. discus hannai; 992 SNPs and 42 Indels were found in 64 FREPs of H. rufescens, and 192 SNPs and 12 Indels were found in 21 FREPs of H. laevigata. Among these SNPs, 92 missense mutation sites were identified in 26 FREP genes of H. rufescens, and 12 were identified in 8 FREP genes of H. laevigata. Due to the poor genomic integrity, annotations of the SNPs or Indels in H. discus hannai did not yield missense mutant sites. FREP genes with polymorphisms were ubiquitously expressed in all the tested tissues; however, the expression is lowest in the hemolymph. In response to Vibrio parahemolyticus infection, expression of FREP genes was significantly upregulated at different exposure times in gills, hepatopancreas, and hemolymph in H. discus hannai. Overall, this study documented the FREP genes of abalones and shed light on the role of FREPs in the innate immune system of these aquaculture species for the prevention and control of diseases.

Differential Expression of Long Non-Coding RNA (lncRNA) in Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) Hemocytes under Immune Stimuli

The Mediterranean mussel is one of the most economically relevant bivalve mollusk species in Europe and China. The absence of massive mortalities and their resistance to pathogens affecting other cultured bivalves has been under study in recent years. The transcriptome response of this species to different immune stimuli has been extensively studied, and even the complexity of its genome, which has recently been sequenced, has been suggested as one of the factors contributing to this resistance. However, studies concerning the non-coding RNA profiles remain practically unexplored-especially those corresponding to the lncRNAs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second characterization and study of lncRNAs in this bivalve species. In this work, we identified the potential repertoire of lncRNAs expressed in mussel hemocytes, and using RNA-Seq we analyzed the lncRNA profile of mussel hemocytes stimulated in vitro with three different immune stimuli: LPS, poly I:C, and β-glucans. Compared to unstimulated hemocytes, LPS induced the highest modulation of lncRNAs, whereas poly I:C and β-glucans induced a similar discrete response. Based on the potential cis-regulatory activity of the lncRNAs, we identified the neighboring protein-coding genes of the regulated lncRNAs to estimate-at least partially-the processes in which they are implicated. After applying correlation analyses, it seems that-especially for LPS-the lncRNAs could participate in the regulation of gene expression, and substantially contribute to the immune response.

Two fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) in the razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta) with a broad recognition spectrum and bacteria agglutination activity

Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) that contain only the fibrinogen-related domain are likely involved in pathogen recognition. In this study, we identified two FREPs from the razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta), called ScFREP-1 and ScFREP-2, and investigated their roles in the immune response. Both ScFREP-1 and ScFREP-2 contained a fibrinogen-related domain at the C-terminal. ScFREP-1 and ScFREP-2 mRNAs were detected in all adult clam tissues tested, with the highest expression levels in the gill and mantle, respectively. Their expression levels were significantly upregulated after microbe infection. Recombinant ScFREPs could bind Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria as well as some pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), and they could agglutinate those bacteria. These results showed that ScFREPs functioned as potential pattern recognition receptors to mediate immune response by recognizing PAMPs and agglutinating invasive microbes.

The Evolution and Diversity of Interleukin-17 Highlight an Expansion in Marine Invertebrates and Its Conserved Role in Mucosal Immunity

The interleukin-17 (IL-17) family consists of proinflammatory cytokines conserved during evolution. A comparative genomics approach was applied to examine IL-17 throughout evolution from poriferans to higher vertebrates. Cnidaria was highlighted as the most ancient diverged phylum, and several evolutionary patterns were revealed. Large expansions of the IL-17 repertoire were observed in marine molluscs and echinoderm species. We further studied this expansion in filter-fed Mytilus galloprovincialis, which is a bivalve with a highly effective innate immune system supported by a variable pangenome. We recovered 379 unique IL-17 sequences and 96 receptors from individual genomes that were classified into 23 and 6 isoforms after phylogenetic analyses. Mussel IL-17 isoforms were conserved among individuals and shared between closely related Mytilidae species. Certain isoforms were specifically implicated in the response to a waterborne infection with Vibrio splendidus in mussel gills. The involvement of IL-17 in mucosal immune responses could be conserved in higher vertebrates from these ancestral lineages.

A fibrinogen-related protein mediates the recognition of various bacteria and haemocyte phagocytosis in oyster Crassostrea gigas

The family of fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) is a group of proteins with fibrinogen-like (FBG) domains, which play important roles as pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) in the innate immune responses. In the present study, a fibrinogen-like protein was identified from the oyster Crassostrea gigas (defined as CgFREP1). The open reading frame of CgFREP1 was of 966 bp that encoded a predicted polypeptide of 321 amino acids comprising a signal peptide and a fibrinogen-like domain. The mRNA expression of CgFREP1 was detected in all the examined tissues. The recombinant CgFREP1 (rCgFREP1) displayed binding activities to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), mannose (MAN), as well as Gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Vibrio splendidus and Escherichia coli). The rCgFREP1 displayed the agglutinating activity towards M. luteus, V. splendidus and E. coli in the presence of Ca²⁺. rCgFREP1 was able to enhance the phagocytic activity of haemocytes towards V. splendidus, and exhibited binding activity to the CUB domain of CgMASPL-1. These results suggest that CgFREP1 not only serves as a PRR to recognize and agglutinate different bacteria but also mediates the haemocytes phagocytosis towards V. splendidus.

RNA-seq: The early response of the snail Physella acuta to the digenetic trematode Echinostoma paraensei

To analyze the response of the snail Physella acuta to Echinostoma paraensei, a compatible digenetic trematode, Illumina RNA-seq data were collected from snails with early infection (5 snails at 2 days post-exposure [DPE]) and established infection (4 snails, 8 DPE), and 7 control (unexposed) snails. A reference transcriptome (325,563 transcripts, including 98% of eukaryotic universal single-copy orthologs; BUSCO) and a draft P. acuta genome (employing available genomic Illumina reads; 799,945 scaffolds, includes 88% BUSCO genes) were assembled to guide RNA-seq analyses. Parasite exposure of P. acuta led to 10,195 differentially expressed (DE) genes at 2 DPE and 8,876 DE genes at 8 DPE with only 18% of up-regulated and 22% of down-regulated sequences shared between these time points. Gene ontology (GO) analysis yielded functional annotation of only 1.2% of DE genes but did not indicate major changes in biological activities of P. acuta between 2 and 8 DPE. Increased insights were achieved by analysis of expression profiles of 460 immune-relevant DE transcripts, identified by BLAST and InterProScan. Physella acuta has expanded gene families that encode immune-relevant domains, including CD109/TEP, GTPase IMAP, Limulus agglutination factor (dermatopontin), FReD (≥82 sequences with fibrinogen-related domains), and transcripts that combine C-type lectin (C-LECT) and C1q domains, novel among metazoa. Notably, P. acuta expressed sequences from these immune gene families at all time points, but the assemblages of unique transcripts from particular immune gene families differed between 2 and 8 DPE. The shift in profiles of DE immune genes, from early exposure to parasite establishment, suggests that compatible P. acuta initially respond to infection but switch to express immune genes that likely are less effective against E. paraensei but counter other types of (opportunistic) pathogens and parasites. We propose that the latter expression profile is part of an extended phenotype of E. paraensei, imposed upon P. acuta through parasite manipulation of the host, following successful parasite establishment in the snail after 2 DPE.

Stimulation of Mytilus galloprovincialis Hemocytes With Different Immune Challenges Induces Differential Transcriptomic, miRNomic, and Functional Responses

Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) are marine bivalve molluscs with high resilience to biotic and abiotic stress. This resilience is one of the reasons why this species is such an interesting model for studying processes such as the immune response. In this work, we stimulated mussel hemocytes with poly I:C, β-glucans, and LPS and then sequenced hemocyte mRNAs (transcriptome) and microRNAs (miRNome) to investigate the molecular basis of the innate immune responses against these pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). An immune transcriptome comprising 219,765 transcripts and an overview of the mussel miRNome based on 5,175,567 non-redundant miRNA reads were obtained. The expression analyses showed opposite results in the transcriptome and miRNome; LPS was the stimulus that triggered the highest transcriptomic response, with 648 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), while poly I:C was the stimulus that triggered the highest miRNA response, with 240 DE miRNAs. Our results reveal a powerful immune response to LPS as well as activation of certain immunometabolism- and ageing/senescence-related processes in response to all the immune challenges. Poly I:C exhibited powerful stimulating properties in mussels, since it triggered the highest miRNomic response and modulated important genes related to energy demand; these effects could be related to the stronger activation of these hemocytes (increased phagocytosis, increased NO synthesis, and increased velocity and accumulated distance). The transcriptome results suggest that after LPS stimulation, pathogen recognition, homeostasis and cell survival processes were activated, and phagocytosis was induced by LPS. β-glucans elicited a response related to cholesterol metabolism, which is important during the immune response, and it was the only stimulus that induced the synthesis of ROS. These results suggest a specific and distinct response of hemocytes to each stimulus from a transcriptomic, miRNomic, and functional point of view.

Transcriptomic Response of Mussel Gills After a Vibrio splendidus Infection Demonstrates Their Role in the Immune Response

Mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) are filter feeder bivalves that are constantly in contact with a wide range of microorganisms, some of which are potentially pathogenic. How mussels recognize and respond to pathogens has not been fully elucidated to date; therefore, we investigated the immune mechanisms that these animals employ in response to a bacterial bath infection from the surrounding water, mimicking the response that mussels mount under natural conditions. After the bath infection, mussels were able to remove the bacteria from their bodies and from the water tank. Accordingly, antibacterial activity was detected in gill extracts, demonstrating that this tissue plays a central role in removing and clearing potential pathogens. A transcriptomic study performed after a bath infection with Vibrio splendidus identified a total of 1,156 differentially expressed genes. The expression levels of genes contributing to a number of biological processes, such as immune response activation pathways and their regulation with cytokines, cell recognition, adhesion and apoptosis, were significantly modulated after infection, suggesting that the gills play important roles in pathogen recognition, as well as being activators and regulators of the mussel innate immune response. In addition to RNA-seq analysis, long non-coding RNAs and their neighboring genes were also analyzed and exhibited modulation after the bacterial challenge. The response of gills against bath infection was compared with the findings of a previous transcriptomic study on hemocytes responding to systemic infection, demonstrating the different and specific functions of gills. The results of this study indicate that recognition processes occur in the gill, thereby activating the effector agents of the immune response to overcome bacterial infection.

A microfibril-associated glycoprotein 4 (MFAP4) from Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) possesses agglutination and opsonization ability to bacterial pathogens

Microfibril-associated glycoprotein 4 (MFAP4), a pattern recognition-like molecule with a fibrinogen-like domain (FBG), has the ability to combine and agglutinate pathogens, playing an essential role in the first line of innate immune defense. In this study, the sequence of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) microfibril-associated glycoprotein 4 (OnMFAP4) open reading frame (ORF) was amplified and identified. The ORF of OnMFAP4 is 720 bp of nucleotides and codes for 239 amino acids. Spatial mRNA encoding analysis indicated that OnMFAP4 was highly produced in liver, intestine and head kidney in healthy tilapia, and with the lowest expression in muscle. After challenges with Streptococcus agalactiae (S. agalactiae) and Aeromonas hydrophila (A. hydrophila), the expression of OnMFAP4 mRNA was prominently produced in the liver, spleen and head kidney. The up-regulation of OnMFAP4 expression was also presented in head kidney monocytes/macrophages (MO/MΦ) and hepatocytes. Recombinant OnMFAP4 ((r)OnMFAP4) could bind and agglutinate both bacterial pathogens. Moreover, (r)OnMFAP4 could take part in the modulation of inflammation and phagocytosis. In conclusion, this study revealed that OnMFAP4 might take effect in host defense against bacterial infection in Nile tilapia, with agglutination and opsonization capability to bacterial pathogens.

Transcriptome analysis and histopathological observations of Geloina erosa gills upon Cr(VI) exposure

The heavy metal contamination like Cr(VI) has been increased by human activities and that threats the ecosystem health of mangrove areas. Bioindicator is an emerging tool in the environmental contamination assessment. The objective of this study was to investigate the Geloina erosa response mechanisms and sensitivities of several biomarkers in the Cr(VI) exposure and identify the G. erosa capability of being used as heavy metals bioindicator. In this study, G. erosa was exposed to 100 μmol·L^-1 Cr(VI) for 48 h. After transcriptome sequencing, a total of 134,817 unigenes were obtained, including 12,555 up-regulated and 18,829 down-regulated differentially expressed genes and were validated through quantitative real-time PCR. In addition, a total of 12,185 SSRs and 1,428,214 candidate SNPs were identified from all the G. erosa transcriptome libraries. Histopathology of the gill indicated the Cr(VI) exposure induced damage of the organ leading to its immunization, detoxification or apoptosis reactions. Among eight genes of the selected biomarkers, Calm, HSP70, CYP450, ATG5, TLR2, MYD88 and CASP8 were up-regulated, while TLR4 was down-regulated in response to the Cr(VI) exposure.

Identification of immune-related proteins of Dreissena polymorpha hemocytes and plasma involved in host-microbe interactions by differential proteomics

Biological responses of zebra mussel Dreissena polymorpha are investigated to assess the impact of contaminants on aquatic organisms and ecosystems. In addition to concentrate chemical contaminants in their tissues, zebra mussels accumulate several microorganisms such as viruses, protozoa and bacteria. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the defence against microorganisms this study aims at identifying immune proteins from D. polymorpha hemolymph involved in defence against protozoa and viruses. For this purpose, hemolymph were exposed ex vivo to Cryptosporidium parvum and RNA poly I:C. Differential proteomics on both hemocytes and plasma revealed immune proteins modulated under exposures. Different patterns of response were observed after C. parvum and RNA poly I:C exposures. The number of modulated proteins per hemolymphatic compartments suggest that C. parvum is managed in cells while RNA poly I:C is managed in plasma after 4 h exposure. BLAST annotation and GO terms enrichment analysis revealed further characteristics of immune mechanisms. Results showed that many proteins involved in the recognition and destruction of microorganisms were modulated in both exposure conditions, while proteins related to phagocytosis and apoptosis were exclusively modulated by C. parvum. This differential proteomic analysis highlights in zebra mussels modulated proteins involved in the response to microorganisms, which reflect a broad range of immune mechanisms such as recognition, internalization and destruction of microorganisms. This study paves the way for the identification of new markers of immune processes that can be used to assess the impact of both chemical and biological contaminations on the health status of aquatic organisms.

Review: Antibacterial components of the Bivalve's immune system and the potential of freshwater bivalves as a source of new antibacterial compounds

Antibacterial research is reaching new heights due to the increasing demand for the discovery of new substances capable of inhibiting bacteria, especially to respond to the appearance of more and more multi-resistant strains. Bivalves show enormous potential for the finding of new antibacterial compounds, although for that to be further explored, more research needs to be made regarding the immune system of these organisms. Beyond their primary cellular component responsible for bacterial recognition and destruction, the haemocytes, bivalves have various other antibacterial units dissolved in the haemolymph that intervene in the defense against bacterial infections, from the recognition factors that detect different bacteria to the effector molecules carrying destructive properties. Moreover, to better comprehend the immune system, it is important to understand the different survival strategies that bacteria possess in order to stay alive from the host's defenses. This work reviews the current literature regarding the components that intervene in a bacterial infection, as well as discussing the enormous potential that freshwater bivalves have in the discovery of new antibacterial compounds.

The effects of glyphosate and AMPA on the mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis and its microbiota

Glyphosate, the most widely used herbicide worldwide, targets the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) enzyme in the shikimate pathway found in plants and some microorganisms. While the potential for glyphosate to induce a broad range of biological effects in exposed organisms has been demonstrated, the global molecular mechanisms of toxicity and potential effects in bacterial symbionts remain unclear, in particular for ecologically important marine species such as bivalve molluscs. Here, the effects of glyphosate (GLY), its degradation product aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), and a mixture of both (MIX) on the mussel M. galloprovincialis were assessed in a controlled experiment. For the first time, next generation sequencing (RNA-seq and 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing) was used to evaluate such effects at the molecular level in both the host and its respective microbiota. The results suggest that the variable capacity of bacterial species to proliferate in the presence of these compounds and the impairment of host physiological homeostasis due to AMPA and GLY toxicity may cause significant perturbations to the digestive gland microbiota, as well as elicit the spread of potential opportunistic pathogens such as Vibrio spp.. The consequent host-immune system activation identified at the molecular and cellular level could be aimed at controlling changes occurring in the composition of symbiotic microbial communities. Overall, our data raise further concerns about the potential adverse effects of glyphosate and AMPA in marine species, suggesting that both the effects of direct toxicity and the ensuing changes occurring in the host-microbial community must be taken into consideration to determine the overall ecotoxicological hazard of these compounds.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of fibrinogen related protein (FREP) genes of Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) after lipopolysaccharides challenge

Ruditapes philippinarum has high economic value and is distributed all over the world. Fibrinogen associated protein (FREP) is a type of pattern recognition receptor, participates in the innate immune response to eliminate pathogens after the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, three FREP genes (FREP-1, FREP-2, and FREP-3) were identified and characterized from R. philippinarum. The protein sequence of FREPs were highly conserved with those homologous in vertebrates, and FBG domain possessed significantly high structural conservation in polypeptide binding site and Ca²⁺ binding site. The tissues expression analysis of FREPs in three shell color strains and two population of R. philippinarum were examined, with the highest expression level in gill and hepatopancreas. Besides, FREP genes were demonstrated to be induced by lipopolysaccharides injection, the significantly changes were observed after LPS injected. Our results suggest the involvement of FREPs in response to LPS injection, and it might exert a significant function on the innate immune defense of the Manila clam.

LncMSEN1, a mantle-specific LncRNA participating in nacre formation and response to polyI:C stimulation in pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii

Long noncoding RNA (LncRNA) regulates various life processes, including biomineralization and innate immune response through complex mechanisms. In this research, we identified a LncRNA named LncMSEN1 from pearl oyster Pinctada fucata martensii. LncMSEN1 sequence was validated by PCR, and its expression was high in mantle tissues according to qRT-PCR. LncMSEN1 was co-located with the nacre matrix protein N-U8 and fibrinogen domain-containing protein. And LncMSEN1 and N-U8 expression levels in the mantle were positively correlated. RNA interference was used to detect its effect on nacre formation in shells. Results showed that the decreased LncMSEN1 expression in mantle can cause the disordered growth of crystals on the inner surface of nacre in the shells, as well as the decrease expression of N-U8. In addition, the LncMSEN1 expression level significantly increased at 24 h after polyI:C stimulation in the mantle (P < 0.05). These findings suggested the involvement of LncMSEN1 in the formation of nacre in shells and related to innate immune response in pearl oyster, which provided additional insights into the roles of LncRNAs in pearl oysters.

Integrated transcriptomic and functional immunological approach for assessing the invasiveness of bivalve alien species

Biological invasions started when humans moved species beyond their normal geographic limits. Bivalves are the most notoriously invasive species in subtidal aquatic environments. Next-generation sequencing technologies are applied to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in the invasion. The ecological immunology focuses on the role of immunity in invasion, and its magnitude could help to predict the invasiveness of alien species. A remarkable case of invasion has been reported in the Ría de Vigo (Spain) by the black pygmy mussel Xenostrobus securis. In Galicia, the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis is the predominant cultured bivalve species. Can we predict the invasiveness of alien bivalve species by analyzing their immune response? Can X. securis represent a risk for the autochthonous mussel? We evaluated the suitability of the immune-related hypotheses in our model by using an integrated transcriptomic and functional immunological approach. Our analysis suggests lower immune capabilities in X. securis compared to M. galloprovincialis, probably due to the relocation of energetic resources from the immune response to vital physiological processes to cope with salinity stress. This multidisciplinary approach will help us understand how the immune response can be influenced by the adaptive process and how this immune response can influence the invasion process.

A GM1b/asialo-GM1 oligosaccharide-binding R-type lectin from purplish bifurcate mussels Mytilisepta virgata and its effect on MAP kinases

A 15‐kDa lectin, termed SeviL, was isolated from Mytilisepta virgata (purplish bifurcate mussel). SeviL forms a noncovalent dimer that binds strongly to ganglio‐series GM1b oligosaccharide (Neu5Acɑ2‐3Galβ1‐3GalNAcβ1‐4Galβ1‐4Glc) and its precursor, asialo‐GM1 (Galβ1‐3GalNAcβ1‐4Galβ1‐4Glc). SeviL also interacts weakly with the glycan moiety of SSEA‐4 hexaose (Neu5Acα2‐3Galβ1‐3GalNAcβ1‐3Galα1‐4Galβ1‐4Glc). A partial protein sequence of the lectin was determined by mass spectrometry, and the complete sequence was identified from transcriptomic analysis. SeviL, consisting of 129 amino acids, was classified as an R(icin B)‐type lectin, based on the presence of the QxW motif characteristic of this fold. SeviL mRNA is highly expressed in gills and, in particular, mantle rim tissues. Orthologue sequences were identified in other species of the family Mytilidae, including Mytilus galloprovincialis, from which lectin MytiLec‐1 was isolated and characterized in our previous studies. Thus, mytilid species contain lectins belonging to at least two distinct families (R‐type lectins and mytilectins) that have a common β‐trefoil fold structure but differing glycan‐binding specificities. SeviL displayed notable cytotoxic (apoptotic) effects against various cultured cell lines (human breast, ovarian, and colonic cancer; dog kidney) that possess asialo‐GM1 oligosaccharide at the cell surface. This cytotoxic effect was inhibited by the presence of anti‐asialo‐GM1 oligosaccharide antibodies. With HeLa ovarian cancer cells, SeviL showed dose‐ and time‐dependent activation of kinase MKK3/6, p38 MAPK, and caspase‐3/9. The transduction pathways activated by SeviL via the glycosphingolipid oligosaccharide were triggered apoptosis.

Database

Nucleotide sequence data have been deposited in the GenBank database under accession numbers MK434191, MK434192, MK434193, MK434194, MK434195, MK434196, MK434197, MK434198, MK434199, MK434200, and MK434201.

Immune Tolerance in Mytilus galloprovincialis Hemocytes After Repeated Contact With Vibrio splendidus

Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) are sessile filter feeders that live in close contact with numerous marine microorganisms. As is the case in all invertebrates, mussels lack an adaptive immune system, but they respond to pathogens, injuries or environmental stress in a very efficient manner. However, it is not known if they are able to modify their immune response when they reencounter the same pathogen. In this work, we studied the transcriptomic response of mussel hemocytes before and after two consecutive sublethal challenges with Vibrio splendidus. The first exposure significantly regulated genes related to inflammation, migration and response to bacteria. However, after the second exposure, the differentially expressed genes were related to the control and inhibition of ROS production and the resolution of the inflammatory response. Our results also show that the second injection with V. splendidus led to changes at the transcriptional (control of the expression of pro-inflammatory transcripts), cellular (shift in the hemocyte population distribution), and functional levels (inhibition of ROS production). These results suggest that a modified immune response after the second challenge allowed the mussels to tolerate rather than fight the infection, which minimized tissue damage.

Responses of marine mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis (Bivalvia: Mytilidae) after infection with the pathogen Vibrio splendidus

Bivalve molluscs possess effective cellular and humoral defence mechanisms against bacterial infection. Although the immune responses of mussels to challenge with pathogenic vibrios have been largely investigated, the effects at the site of injection at the tissue level have not been so far evaluated. To this aim, mussels Mytilus galloprovincialis were herein in vivo challenged with Vibrio splendidus to assess the responses induced in hemolymph and posterior adductor muscle (PAM), being the site of bacterial infection. The number of living intra-hemocyte bacteria increased after the first hour post-injection (p.i.), suggesting the occurrence of an intense phagocytosis, while clearance was observed within 24 h p.i. A recruitment of hemocytes at the injection site was found in mussel PAM, together with marked morphological changes in the volume of muscular fibers, with a recovery of muscle tissue organization after 48 h p.i. A concomitant impairment in the osmoregulatory processes were observed in PAM by an initial inhibition of aquaporins and increased immunopositivity of Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase ionic pump, strictly related to the histological alterations and hemocyte infiltration detected in PAM. Accordingly, an intense cell turnover activity was also recorded following the infection event. Overall, results indicated the hemolymph as the system responsible for the physiological adaptations in mussels to stressful factors, such as pathogenicity, for the maintenance of homeostasis and immune defence. Also, the osmotic balance and cell turnover can be used as objective diagnostic criteria to evaluate the physiological state of mussels following bacterial infection, which may be relevant in aquaculture and biomonitoring studies.

Immunity in mussels: An overview of molecular components and mechanisms with a focus on the functional defenses

Bivalves' immunity has received much more attention in the last decade, which resulted to a valuable growth in the availability of its molecular components. Such data availability coupled with the economical importance of these organisms aimed to shift the increase in the number of immunological and stress-related studies. Unfortunately, the crowd of generated data deciphering the involved physiological processes, investigators' differential conceptualization and the aimed objectives, has complicated the sensu stricto outlining of immune-related mechanisms. Overall, this review tried to compiles a summary about the molecular components of the mussels' immune response, surveying an overview of the mussels' functional immunity through gathering the most recent-related topics of bivalves' immunity as apoptosis and autophagy which deserves a great attention as stress-related mechanisms, the disseminated neoplasia as outbreak transmissible disease, not only within the same specie but also among different species, the hematopoiesis as topic that still generating interesting debate in the scientific community, the mucosal immunity described as the interface where host-pathogen interactions would occurs and determinate the late immune response, and innate immune memory and transgenerational priming, which described as very recent research topic with extensive applications in shellfish farming industry.

High individual variability in the transcriptomic response of Mediterranean mussels to Vibrio reveals the involvement of myticins in tissue injury

Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) are sessile filter feeders that live in close contact with numerous marine microorganisms. As all invertebrates, they lack an adaptive immune response and how these animals are able to respond to a bacterial infection and discriminate it from their normal microbiome is difficult to understand. In this work, we conducted Illumina sequencing of the transcriptome of individual mussels before and after being infected with Vibrio splendidus. The control mussels were injected with filtered seawater. We demonstrate that a great variability exists among individual transcriptomes and that each animal showed an exclusive repertoire of genes not shared with other individuals. The regulated genes in both the control and infected mussels were also analyzed and, unexpectedly, the sampling before the injection was considered a stress stimulus strong enough to trigger and modulate the response in hemocytes, promoting cell migration and proliferation. We found a clear response against the injection of filtered seawater, suggesting a reaction against a tissue injury in which the myticins, the most expressed antimicrobial peptides in mussel, appeared significantly up regulated. Functional experiments with flow cytometry confirmed the transcriptomic results since a significant alteration of hemocyte structures and a decrease in the number of hemocytes positive for myticin C were found only after a Vibrio infection and not observed when mussels were bled before, generating a tissue injury. Therefore, we report the involvement of myticins in the response to a danger signal such as a simple injection in the adductor muscle.

Exposure to microplastics reduces attachment strength and alters the haemolymph proteome of blue mussels (Mytilus edulis)

The contamination of marine ecosystems with microplastics, such as the polymer polyethylene, a commonly used component of single-use packaging, is of global concern. Although it has been suggested that biodegradable polymers, such as polylactic acid, may be used to replace some polyethylene packaging, little is known about their effects on marine organisms. Blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, have become a "model organism" for investigating the effects of microplastics in marine ecosystems. We show here that repeated exposure, over a period of 52 days in an outdoor mesocosm setting, of M. edulis to polyethylene microplastics reduced the number of byssal threads produced and the attachment strength (tenacity) by ∼50%. Exposure to either type of microplastic altered the haemolymph proteome and, although a conserved response to microplastic exposure was observed, overall polyethylene resulted in more changes to protein abundances than polylactic acid. Many of the proteins affected are involved in vital biological processes, such as immune regulation, detoxification, metabolism and structural development. Our study highlights the utility of mass spectrometry-based proteomics to assess the health of key marine organisms and identifies the potential mechanisms by which microplastics, both conventional and biodegradable, could affect their ability to form and maintain reefs.

Novel fibrinogen-related protein with single FReD contributes to the innate immunity of Macrobrachium rosenbergii

Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) are widely found in vertebrates and invertebrates, and they play crucial roles in innate immunity. Here, a new FREP named as MrFREP was identified from giant freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium rosenbergii). The full-length cDNA of MrFREP measures 1649 bp in length and consists of a 1086 bp open reading frame encoding a polypeptide composed of 361 amino acids. The MrFREP sequence has a signal peptide with 20 amino acids and a fibrinogen-related domain (FReD) with 223 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis showed that MrFREP was grouped with FREPs from Marsupenaeus japonicus and Litopenaeus vannamei. BLASTp results showed that it had 43% identity with a FREP from M. japonicus. The expression of MrFREP was higher in gills, intestine, and hepatopancreas than in hemocytes, heart, stomach, and muscles. The expression levels of MrFREP in gills and intestine were obviously upregulated after they were exposed to Vibrio parahaemolyticus or White spot syndrome virus infection. Recombinant MrFReD protein (rMrFReD) could bind to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and agglutinate the tested bacteria in the presence of calcium. rMrFReD demonstrated lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan binding activities. rMrFReD could accelerate the clearance of V. parahaemolyticus in vivo. These results suggested that MrFREP could function as a pattern recognition receptor contributing to the innate immunity of M. rosenbergii.

Proteomic profile in the mussel Perna viridis after short-term exposure to the brown tide alga Aureococcus anophagefferens

Blooms of Aureococcus anophagefferens, referred to as brown tides are responsible for massive mortalities and recruitment failure of some bivalves. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the toxicity remain elusive despite its biological significance, and the information currently available on the molecular effects is still insufficient. In this study, to evaluate the toxicity and associated mechanism of A. anophagefferens on bivalves, we analyzed the protein expression profiles in digestive glands of the A. anophagefferens-exposed Perna viridis by using iTRAQ. A total of 3138 proteins were identified in the digestive glands of A. anophagefferens-exposed P. viridis based on iTRAQ. Amongst, a repertoire of 236 proteins involved in cell, cell part, catalytic activity, metabolic process, biological regulation, immune system process, and response to stimulus were found to be differentially expressed. Functional analysis of the differentially expressed proteins demonstrated that innate immune system of P. viridis was activated, and some proteins associated with stress response and lipid metabolism were induced after exposure to A. anophagefferens. Additionally, MDA content, SOD activity and GSH-Px activity was increased significantly in the digestive gland of A. anophagefferens-exposed P. viridis. Taken together, our results indicated that the A. anophagefferens could induce oxidative stress, activate complement system and alter fat acid metabolism of P. viridis.

RNA-Seq Analysis for Assessing the Early Response to DSP Toxins in Mytilus galloprovincialis Digestive Gland and Gill

The harmful effects of diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP) toxins on mammalian cell lines have been widely assessed. Studies in bivalves suggest that mussels display a resistance to the cytogenotoxic effects of DSP toxins. Further, it seems that the bigger the exposure, the more resistant mussels become. To elucidate the early genetic response of mussels against these toxins, the digestive gland and the gill transcriptomes of Mytilus galloprovincialis after Prorocentrum lima exposure (100,000 cells/L, 48 h) were de novo assembled based on the sequencing of 8 cDNA libraries obtained using an Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. The assembly provided 95,702 contigs. A total of 2286 and 4523 differentially expressed transcripts were obtained in the digestive gland and the gill, respectively, indicating tissue-specific transcriptome responses. These transcripts were annotated and functionally enriched, showing 44 and 60 significant Pfam families in the digestive gland and the gill, respectively. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was performed to validate the differential expression patterns of several genes related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, energy production, genome integrity and defense, suggesting their participation in the protective mechanism. This work provides knowledge of the early response against DSP toxins in the mussel M. galloprovincialis and useful information for further research on the molecular mechanisms of the bivalve resistance to these toxins.

Comparative immunological study of the snail Physella acuta (Hygrophila, Pulmonata) reveals shared and unique aspects of gastropod immunobiology

The freshwater snail Physella acuta was selected to expand the perspective of comparative snail immunology. Analysis of Physella acuta, belonging to the Physidae, taxonomic sister family to Planorbidae, affords family-level comparison of immune features characterized from Biomphalaria glabrata, the model snail often used to interpret general gastropod immunity. To capture constitutive and induced immune sequences, transcriptomes of an individual Physella acuta snail, 12 h post injection with bacteria (Gram -/+) and one sham-exposed snail were recorded with 454 pyrosequencing. Assembly yielded a combined reference transcriptome containing 24,288 transcripts. Additionally, genomic Illumina reads were obtained (∼15-fold coverage). Recovery of transcripts for two macin-like antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), 12 aplysianins, four LBP/BPIs and three physalysins indicated that Physella acuta shares a similar organization of antimicrobial defenses with Biomphalaria glabrata, contrasting a modest AMP arsenal with a diverse set of antimicrobial proteins. The lack of predicted transmembrane domains in all seven Physella acuta PGRP transcripts supports the notion that gastropods do not employ cell-bound PGRP receptors, different from ecdysozoan invertebrates yet similar to mammals (vertebrate deuterostomes). The well-documented sequence diversification by Biomphalaria glabrata FREPs (immune lectins comprising immunoglobulin superfamily domains and fibrinogen domains), resulting from somatic mutations of a large FREP gene family is hypothesized to be unique to Planorbidae; Physella acuta revealed just two bonafide FREP genes and these were not diversified. Furthermore, the flatworm parasite Echinostoma paraensei, confirmed here to infect both snail species, did not evoke from Physella acuta the abundant expression of FREP proteins at 2, 4 and 8 days post exposure that was previously observed from Biomphalaria glabrata. The Physella acuta reference transcriptome also revealed 24 unique transcripts encoding proteins consisting of a single fibrinogen-related domain (FReDs), with a short N-terminal sequence encoding either a signal peptide, transmembrane domain or no predicted features. The Physella acuta FReDs are candidate immune genes based on implication of similar sequences in immunity of bivalve molluscs. Overall, comparative analysis of snails of sister families elucidated the potential for taxon-specific immune features and investigation of strategically selected species will provide a more comprehensive view of gastropod immunity.

Genetic and molecular basis of the immune system in the brachiopod Lingula anatina

The extension of comparative immunology to non-model systems, such as mollusks and annelids, has revealed an unexpected diversity in the complement of immune receptors and effectors among evolutionary lineages. However, several lophotrochozoan phyla remain unexplored mainly due to the lack of genomic resources. The increasing accessibility of high-throughput sequencing technologies offers unique opportunities for extending genome-wide studies to non-model systems. As a result, the genome-based study of the immune system in brachiopods allows a better understanding of the alternative survival strategies developed by these immunologically neglected phyla. Here we present a detailed overview of the molecular components of the immune system identified in the genome of the brachiopod Lingula anatina. Our findings reveal conserved intracellular signaling pathways as well as unique strategies for pathogen detection and killing in brachiopods.

Pathogen-Derived Carbohydrate Recognition in Molluscs Immune Defense

Self-nonself discrimination is a common theme for all of the organisms in different evolutionary branches, which is also the most fundamental step for host immune protection. Plenty of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) with great diversity have been identified from different organisms to recognize various pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) in the last two decades, depicting a complicated scene of host-pathogen interaction. However, the detailed mechanism of the complicate PAMPs–PRRs interactions at the contacting interface between pathogens and hosts is still not well understood. All of the cells are coated by glycosylation complex and thick carbohydrates layer. The different polysaccharides in extracellular matrix of pathogen-host are important for nonself recognition of most organisms. Coincidentally, massive expansion of PRRs, majority of which contain recognition domains of Ig, leucine-rich repeat (LRR), C-type lectin (CTL), C1q and scavenger receptor (SR), have been annotated and identified in invertebrates by screening the available genomic sequence. The phylum Mollusca is one of the largest groups in the animal kingdom with abundant biodiversity providing plenty of solutions about pathogen recognition and immune protection, which might offer a suitable model to figure out the common rules of immune recognition mechanism. The present review summarizes the diverse PRRs and common elements of various PAMPs, especially focusing on the structural and functional characteristics of canonical carbohydrate recognition proteins and some novel proteins functioning in molluscan immune defense system, with the objective to provide new ideas about the immune recognition mechanisms.

Novel approach to study gastropod-mediated innate immune reactions against metastrongyloid parasites

The anthropozoonotic metastrongyloid nematodes Angiostrongylus cantonensis and Angiostrongylus costaricensis, as well as Angiostrongylus vasorum, Crenosoma vulpis, Aelurostrongylus abstrusus and Troglostrongylus brevior are currently considered as emerging gastropod-borne parasites and have gained growing scientific attention in the last years. However, the knowledge on invertebrate immune responses and on how metastrongyloid larvae are attacked by gastropod immune cells is still limited. This work aims to describe an in vitro system to investigate haemocyte-derived innate immune responses of terrestrial gastropods induced by vital axenic metastrongyloid larvae. We also provide protocols on slug/snail management and breeding under standardized climate conditions (circadian cycle, temperature and humidity) for the generation of parasite-free F0 stages which are essential for immune-related investigations. Adult slug species (Arion lusitanicus, Limax maximus) and giant snails (Achatina fulica) were maintained in fully automated climate chambers until mating and production of fertilized eggs. Newly hatched F0 juvenile specimens were kept under parasite-free conditions before experimental use. An improved protocol for gastropod haemolymph collection and haemocyte isolation was established. Giemsa-stained haemolymph preparations showed adequate haemocyte isolation in all three gastropod species. Additionally, a protocol for the production of axenic first and third stage larvae (L1, L3) was established. Haemocyte functionality was tested in haemocyte-nematode-co-cultures. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy analyses revealed that gastropod-derived haemocytes formed clusters as well as DNA-rich extracellular aggregates catching larvae and decreasing their motility. These data confirm the usefulness of the presented methods to study haemocyte-mediated gastropod immune responses to better understand the complex biology of gastropod-borne diseases.

Involvement of a tachylectin-like gene and its protein in pathogenesis of acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) in the shrimp, Penaeus monodon

A shrimp disease, the so-called acute hepatopancreatic necrosis disease (AHPND) is caused by a specific strain of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (VP) and it has resulted in significant losses to the global shrimp farming industry. In our previous study, three of tachylectin-like genes were cloned and characterized from the intestine of Penaeus monodon, designated as Penlectin5-1 (PL5-1), Penlectin5-2 (PL5-2) and Penlectin5-3 (PL5-3). These three genes all contain fibrinogen-related domain (FReD). The expression level of PL5-1, PL5-2 and PL5-3 was elevated in the stomach after oral administration with AHPND-causing V. parahaemolyticus 3HP (VP_3HP). A polyclonal antibody to PL5-2 was successfully produced in a rabbit using the purified recombinant PL5-2 as an immunogen, and this because only the predominant protein PL5-2 could be successfully purified from shrimp plasma by affinity chromatography using a N-Acetyl-d-glucosamine column allowed us to perform functional studies of this lectin. The native purified PL5-2 protein had binding and agglutination activities towards VP_3HP. To further understand the functions and the involvements of this lectin in response to AHPND in shrimp, RNAi-mediated knockdown of PL5-1, PL5-2 or PL5-3 was performed prior to an oral administration of VP_3HP. As a result, Penlectin5-silencing in shrimp challenged with VP_3HP showed higher mortality and resulted in more severe histopathological changes in the hepatopancreas with typical signs of AHPND. These results therefore suggest a role for crustacean fibrinogen-related proteins (FRePs) in innate immune response during the development of AHPND, and maybe also during other infections.

Morphological and functional characterization of the hemocytes from the pearl oyster Pteria hirundo and their immune responses against Vibrio infections

Hemocyte populations of the pearl oyster Pteria hirundo were characterized at morphological, ultrastructural and functional levels. Three main hemocyte populations were identified: hyalinocytes, granulocytes and blast-like cells. Hyalinocytes were the most abundant population (88.2%) characterized by the presence of few or no granules in the cytoplasm and composed by two subpopulations, large and small hyalinocytes. Comparatively, granulocytes represented 2.2% of the hemocyte population and were characterized by the presence of numerous large electron-lucid granules in the cytoplasm. Finally, the blast-like cells (9.5%) were the smallest hemocytes, showing spherical shape and a high nucleus/cytoplasm ratio. Hemocytes exhibited a significant phagocytic capacity for inert particles (38.5%) and showed to be able to produce microbicidal molecules, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) (ex vivo assays). The immune role of hemocytes was further investigated in the P. hirundo defense against the Gram-negative Vibrio alginolyticus. A significant decrease in the total number of hemocytes was observed at 24 h following injection of V. alginolyticus or sterile seawater (injury control) when compared to naïve (unchallenged) animals, indicating the migration of circulating hemocytes to the sites of infection and tissue damage. Bacterial agglutination was only observed against Gram-negative bacteria (Vibrio) but not against to marine Gram-positive-bacteria. Besides, an increase in the agglutination titer was observed against V. alginolyticus only in animals previously infected with this same bacterial strain. These results suggest that agglutinins or lectin-like molecules may have been produced in response to this particular microorganism promoting a specific recognition. The ultrastructural and functional characterization of P. hirundo hemocytes constitutes a new important piece of the molluscan immunity puzzle that can also contribute for the improvement of bivalve production sustainability.

Transcriptome analysis of Mytilus coruscus hemocytes in response to Vibrio alginnolyficus infection

As an economically important bivalve, the Mytilus coruscus is cultured widely in the eastern coast of China. In recent years, this bivalve has been seriously affected by the pathogenic infections. To elucidate the host defense mechanisms of M. coruscus against pathogenic challenge, the hemocyte transcriptomes of M. coruscus before and after Vibrio alginnolyficus infection were analyzed using the deep-sequencing platform Illumina/HiSeq-2500, meanwhile the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were investigated. In total, 130,031,083 clean reads were obtained and then assembled into 63,942 unigenes with an average length of 810 bp and an N50 of 1056 bp. Unigenes were annotated by comparing against nr, Swiss-Prot, KEGG, COG, KOG, GO, and Pfam databases, and 27,345 unigenes (42.77%) were annotated in at least one database. After bacterial challenge, 1270 and 265 genes were identified as remarkably up- or down-regulated, respectively, amongst 1154 were associated with 122 pathways, including classical immune-related pathways, such as 'Toll-like receptor signaling', 'the complement cascades', 'MAPK signaling pathway', 'Apoptosis' and 'Wnt signaling pathway'. Besides, nine genes which were differently-expressed immuno-related were confirmed by using quantitative real-time PCR. These findings would provide new insights on the M. coruscus innate immunity, based on which, some novel strategies for management of diseases and long-term sustainability of M. coruscus culture could be developed.

Comparative immunogenomics of molluscs

Comparative immunology, studying both vertebrates and invertebrates, provided the earliest descriptions of phagocytosis as a general immune mechanism. However, the large scale of animal diversity challenges all-inclusive investigations and the field of immunology has developed by mostly emphasizing study of a few vertebrate species. In addressing the lack of comprehensive understanding of animal immunity, especially that of invertebrates, comparative immunology helps toward management of invertebrates that are food sources, agricultural pests, pathogens, or transmit diseases, and helps interpret the evolution of animal immunity. Initial studies showed that the Mollusca (second largest animal phylum), and invertebrates in general, possess innate defenses but lack the lymphocytic immune system that characterizes vertebrate immunology. Recognizing the reality of both common and taxon-specific immune features, and applying up-to-date cell and molecular research capabilities, in-depth studies of a select number of bivalve and gastropod species continue to reveal novel aspects of molluscan immunity. The genomics era heralded a new stage of comparative immunology; large-scale efforts yielded an initial set of full molluscan genome sequences that is available for analyses of full complements of immune genes and regulatory sequences. Next-generation sequencing (NGS), due to lower cost and effort required, allows individual researchers to generate large sequence datasets for growing numbers of molluscs. RNAseq provides expression profiles that enable discovery of immune genes and genome sequences reveal distribution and diversity of immune factors across molluscan phylogeny. Although computational de novo sequence assembly will benefit from continued development and automated annotation may require some experimental validation, NGS is a powerful tool for comparative immunology, especially increasing coverage of the extensive molluscan diversity. To date, immunogenomics revealed new levels of complexity of molluscan defense by indicating sequence heterogeneity in individual snails and bivalves, and members of expanded immune gene families are expressed differentially to generate pathogen-specific defense responses.

The purplish bifurcate mussel Mytilisepta virgata gene expression atlas reveals a remarkable tissue functional specialization

BACKGROUND

Mytilisepta virgata is a marine mussel commonly found along the coasts of Japan. Although this species has been the subject of occasional studies concerning its ecological role, growth and reproduction, it has been so far almost completely neglected from a genetic and molecular point of view. In the present study we present a high quality de novo assembled transcriptome of the Japanese purplish mussel, which represents the first publicly available collection of expressed sequences for this species.

RESULTS

The assembled transcriptome comprises almost 50,000 contigs, with a N50 statistics of ~1 kilobase and a high estimated completeness based on the rate of BUSCOs identified, standing as one of the most exhaustive sequence resources available for mytiloid bivalves to date. Overall this data, accompanied by gene expression profiles from gills, digestive gland, mantle rim, foot and posterior adductor muscle, presents an accurate snapshot of the great functional specialization of these five tissues in adult mussels.

CONCLUSIONS

We highlight that one of the most striking features of the M. virgata transcriptome is the high abundance and diversification of lectin-like transcripts, which pertain to different gene families and appear to be expressed in particular in the digestive gland and in the gills. Therefore, these two tissues might be selected as preferential targets for the isolation of molecules with interesting carbohydrate-binding properties. In addition, by molecular phylogenomics, we provide solid evidence in support of the classification of M. virgata within the Brachidontinae subfamily. This result is in agreement with the previously proposed hypothesis that the morphological features traditionally used to group Mytilisepta spp. and Septifer spp. within the same clade are inappropriate due to homoplasy.

Rapid Expansion of Immune-Related Gene Families in the House Fly, Musca domestica

The house fly, Musca domestica, occupies an unusual diversity of potentially septic niches compared with other sequenced Dipteran insects and is a vector of numerous diseases of humans and livestock. In the present study, we apply whole-transcriptome sequencing to identify genes whose expression is regulated in adult flies upon bacterial infection. We then combine the transcriptomic data with analysis of rates of gene duplication and loss to provide insight into the evolutionary dynamics of immune-related genes. Genes up-regulated after bacterial infection are biased toward being evolutionarily recent innovations, suggesting the recruitment of novel immune components in the M. domestica or ancestral Dipteran lineages. In addition, using new models of gene family evolution, we show that several different classes of immune-related genes, particularly those involved in either pathogen recognition or pathogen killing, are duplicating at a significantly accelerated rate on the M. domestica lineage relative to other Dipterans. Taken together, these results suggest that the M. domestica immune response includes an elevated diversity of genes, perhaps as a consequence of its lifestyle in septic environments.

Exposure of marine mussels Mytilus spp. to polystyrene microplastics: Toxicity and influence on fluoranthene bioaccumulation

The effects of polystyrene microbeads (micro-PS; mix of 2 and 6 μm; final concentration: 32 μg L(-1)) alone or in combination with fluoranthene (30 μg L(-1)) on marine mussels Mytilus spp. were investigated after 7 days of exposure and 7 days of depuration under controlled laboratory conditions. Overall, fluoranthene was mostly associated to algae Chaetoceros muelleri (partition coefficient Log Kp = 4.8) used as a food source for mussels during the experiment. When micro-PS were added in the system, a fraction of FLU transferred from the algae to the microbeads as suggested by the higher partition coefficient of micro-PS (Log Kp = 6.6), which confirmed a high affinity of fluoranthene for polystyrene microparticles. However, this did not lead to a modification of fluoranthene bioaccumulation in exposed individuals, suggesting that micro-PS had a minor role in transferring fluoranthene to mussels tissues in comparison with waterborne and foodborne exposures. After depuration, a higher fluoranthene concentration was detected in mussels exposed to micro-PS and fluoranthene, as compared to mussels exposed to fluoranthene alone. This may be related to direct effect of micro-PS on detoxification mechanisms, as suggested by a down regulation of a P-glycoprotein involved in pollutant excretion, but other factors such as an impairment of the filtration activity or presence of remaining beads in the gut cannot be excluded. Micro-PS alone led to an increase in hemocyte mortality and triggered substantial modulation of cellular oxidative balance: increase in reactive oxygen species production in hemocytes and enhancement of anti-oxidant and glutathione-related enzymes in mussel tissues. Highest histopathological damages and levels of anti-oxidant markers were observed in mussels exposed to micro-PS together with fluoranthene. Overall these results suggest that under the experimental conditions of our study micro-PS led to direct toxic effects at tissue, cellular and molecular levels, and modulated fluoranthene kinetics and toxicity in marine mussels.

Impact of ocean acidification on antimicrobial activity in gills of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis)

Here, we aimed to investigate potential effects of ocean acidification on antimicrobial peptide (AMP) activity in the gills of Mytilus edulis, as gills are directly facing seawater and the changing pH (predicted to be reduced from ∼8.1 to ∼7.7 by 2100). The AMP activity of gill and haemocyte extracts was compared at pH 6.0, 7.7 and 8.1, with a radial diffusion assay against Escherichia coli. The activity of the gill extracts was not affected by pH, while it was significantly reduced with increasing pH in the haemocyte extracts. Gill extracts were also tested against different species of Vibrio (V. parahaemolyticus, V. tubiashii, V. splendidus, V. alginolyticus) at pH 7.7 and 8.1. The metabolic activity of the bacteria decreased by ∼65-90%, depending on species of bacteria, but was, as in the radial diffusion assay, not affected by pH. The results indicated that AMPs from gills are efficient in a broad pH-range. However, when mussels were pre-exposed for pH 7.7 for four month the gill extracts presented significantly lower inhibit of bacterial growth. A full in-depth proteome investigation of gill extracts, using LC-Orbitrap MS/MS technique, showed that among previously described AMPs from haemocytes of Mytilus, myticin A was found up-regulated in response to lipopolysaccharide, 3 h post injection. Sporadic occurrence of other immune related peptides/proteins also pointed to a rapid response (0.5-3 h p.i.). Altogether, our results indicate that the gills of blue mussels constitute an important first line defence adapted to act at the pH of seawater. The antimicrobial activity of the gills is however modulated when mussels are under the pressure of ocean acidification, which may give future advantages for invading pathogens.

Characterization of the gene encoding a fibrinogen-related protein expressed in Crassostrea gigas hemocytes

Four exons of the CgFrep1 gene (3333 bp long) encode a putative fibrinogen-related protein (324 aa) bearing a single C-terminal FBG domain. Transcripts of the gene obtained from hemocytes of different Pacific oysters show prominent individual variation based on SNP and indels of tandem repeats resulted in polymorphism of N-terminus of the putative CgFrep1 polypeptide. The polypeptide chain bears N-terminal coiled-coil region potentially acting as inter-subunit interface in the protein oligomerization. It is suggested that CgFrep1 gene encodes the oligomeric lectin composed of at least two subunits.

RNA-Seq in Mytilus galloprovincialis: comparative transcriptomics and expression profiles among different tissues

Background

The Mediterranean mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) is a cosmopolitan, cultured bivalve with worldwide commercial and ecological importance. However, there is a qualitative and quantitative lack of knowledge of the molecular mechanisms involved in the physiology and immune response of this mollusc. In order to start filling this gap, we have studied the transcriptome of mantle, muscle and gills from naïve Mediterranean mussels and hemocytes exposed to distinct stimuli.

Results

A total of 393,316 million raw RNA-Seq reads were obtained and assembled into 151,320 non-redundant transcripts with an average length of 570 bp. Only 55 % of the transcripts were shared across all tissues. Hemocyte and gill transcriptomes shared 60 % of the transcripts while mantle and muscle transcriptomes were most similar, with 77 % shared transcripts. Stimulated hemocytes showed abundant defense and immune-related proteins, in particular, an extremely high amount of antimicrobial peptides. Gills expressed many transcripts assigned to both structure and recognition of non-self patterns, while in mantle many transcripts were related to reproduction and shell formation. Moreover, this tissue presented additional and interesting hematopoietic, antifungal and sensorial functions. Finally, muscle expressed many myofibril and calcium-related proteins and was found to be unexpectedly associated with defense functions. In addition, many metabolic routes related to cancer were represented.

Conclusions

Our analyses indicate that whereas the transcriptomes of these four tissues have characteristic expression profiles in agreement with their biological structures and expected functions, tissue-specific transcriptomes reveal a complex and specialized functions.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-015-1817-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The role of fibrinogen-related proteins in the gastropod immune response

Fibrinogen-related proteins or FREPs constitute a large family of molecules, defined by the presence of a fibrinogen-related domain (FReD). These molecules are found in all animals and are diverse in both form and function. Here, we review the current understanding of gastropod FREPs, which are characterized by the presence of a fibrinogen domain connected to one or two immunoglobulin superfamily domains by way of a short interceding region. We present a historical perspective on the discovery of FREPs in gastropods followed by a summary of advances made in the nearly two decades of research focused on the characterization of FREPs in Biomphalaria glabrata (BgFREPs). Topics covered include BgFREP genomic architecture, predicted structure and known functions, structural comparisons between BgFREPs, and evidence of somatic diversification. Also examined are the expression patterns of BgFREPs during snail development and immunological challenges. Recent functional characterization of the role BgFREPs play in the defence response against digenean trematodes is also presented, as well as new data investigating the nucleotide-level genomic conservation of FREPs among Pulmonate gastropods. Finally, we identify areas in need of further research. These include confirming and identifying the specific binding targets of BgFREPs and elucidating how they later engage snail haemocytes to elicit an immunological response, precise mechanisms and importance of BgFREP diversification, characterizing the tissue expression patterns of BgFREPs, as well as addressing whether gastropod FREPs retain immunological importance in alternative snail-trematode associations or more broadly in snail-pathogen interactions.