MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre, Rua Prof. Dr. Frederico Machado, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal; IMAR - Institute of Marine Research-Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal.
OKEANOS Marine Research Center/Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of the Azores, Horta, Portugal.
Dev Comp Immunol. 2019 Oct;99:103390. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2019.05.001. Epub 2019 May 8.
The deep-sea hydrothermal vents are known as harsh environments, abundant in animal diversity surrounded by fluids with specific physiological and chemical composition. Bathymodiolus azoricus mussels are endemic species dwelling at hydrothermal vent sites and at distinct depth ranges. Mussels from Menez Gwen (MG), Lucky Strike (LS), Rainbow (Rb) were collected at 800 m, 1730 m and 2310 m depths respectively, along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Five different tissues including gill, digestive gland, mantle, adductor muscle and foot from MG, LS and Rb mussels were selected for gene expression analyses by qPCR. 30 genes were tested to investigate the level of immune and apoptotic gene expression among B. azoricus populations. Statistical analyses confirmed tissue-specific gene expression differences among the five tissues. The digestive gland tissue showed a higher transcriptional activity characterized by an up-regulation of gene activities, contrary to what was assessed in the adductor muscle tissue. Five categories included recognition, signaling, transcription, effector and apoptotic genes were analyzed in this study. The majority of genes differed in levels of expression between MG/LS and LS/Rb in the digestive gland. Our findings suggest that gene expression profiles are inherent to the tissue analyzed, thus implying an immune tissue-specificity controlling defense responses across B. azoricus mussel body as a whole.
深海热液喷口被认为是恶劣的环境，周围充满了具有特定生理和化学成分的流体，其中动物多样性丰富。生活在热液喷口处的靴形深海贻贝是特有物种，栖息在不同的深度范围。在中大西洋脊，从 800 米、1730 米和 2310 米深处分别采集了来自 Menez Gwen (MG)、幸运罢工 (LS) 和彩虹 (Rb) 的贻贝。选择来自 MG、LS 和 Rb 贻贝的 5 种不同组织（鳃、消化腺、套膜、闭壳肌和足）进行 qPCR 基因表达分析。测试了 30 个基因，以研究 B. azoricus 种群中免疫和凋亡基因的表达水平。统计分析证实了 5 种组织之间存在组织特异性基因表达差异。消化腺组织表现出更高的转录活性，基因活性上调，与闭壳肌组织的评估结果相反。在这项研究中分析了五个类别，包括识别、信号、转录、效应器和凋亡基因。在消化腺中，MG/LS 和 LS/Rb 之间的大多数基因表达水平存在差异。我们的研究结果表明，基因表达谱与分析的组织有关，这意味着免疫组织特异性控制着整个 B. azoricus 贻贝体的防御反应。
