Hongtao Nie | PubMed Health

PubMed2026

Genome-wide identification and comparative analysis of Leucine-Rich Repeat Containing (LRRC) gene and their expression responses to Vibrio alginolyticus infection in the Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum).

Leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains are important components of many pattern recognition receptors (PRRs). Previous studies have demonstrated that LRR domain-containing immune receptors, such as nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors (NLRs) and Toll-like receptors (TLRs), play important roles in innate immunity in aquatic animals. In addition to these well-characterized LRR-containing receptors, also possesses a group of LRR-containing proteins. These proteins were collectively referred to as leucine-rich repeat-containing (LRRC) proteins in this study, and their genomic characteristics, evolutionary relationships, were systematically analyzed. In this study, a genome-wide identification and characterization of LRRC genes were performed in the Manila clam. A total of 97 unclassified LRR genes were identified and designated as RpLRRCs.. Expression profiling indicated that RpLRRCs are predominantly expressed in the labial palps, digestive gland, and gills, increasing from the blastula stage and peaking at the juvenile stage during development, based on the transcriptome results from V. alginolyticus, V. anguillarum and V. parahaemolyticus, some RpLRRCs were involved in the response to different Vibrio stress. The qPCR analysis following V. alginolyticus challenge demonstrated that different RpLRRC members exhibit diverse response patterns to Vibrio infection. These results suggest that RpLRRCs may play critical roles in immune regulation. The RpLRRC gene family exhibits diverse structural characteristics and regulatory mechanisms and likely plays important roles in the growth, development, and immune response of R. philippinarum.

Immune response↗

PubMed2026

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the CREB/ATF family and its potential role in melanogenesis in the Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum).

Ruditapes philippinarum is an economically important bivalve species in China, and shell color is a trait of ecological and commercial significance. Melanin is a key determinant of shell color, and members of the CREB/ATF family have been reported to participate in melanogenesis in other organisms. In this study, members of the CREB/ATF family were systematically identified at the whole-genome level based on genomic and transcriptomic datasets, followed by analyses of their phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, and expression patterns. A total of six CREB/ATF family members were identified and classified into five subfamilies. Expression profiling and RT-qPCR validation revealed that most CREB/ATF genes were highly expressed in the mantle and displayed clear differences among shell-color phenotypes. Except for RpATF4 and RpCREBZF, most members exhibited relatively high expression levels in dark-colored shell strains, particularly in black and zebra-striped clams. Moreover, most genes showed low expression during early embryonic and larval stages but increased expression at the single-siphon spat and juvenile stages. These results suggest that the CREB/ATF family may be involved in melanin-associated shell-color regulation in R. philippinarum, providing important candidate genes and a theoretical basis for further elucidating the molecular mechanisms of shell-color formation in mollusks.

Animals↗