Interdisciplinary Center for Aquaculture Research (INCAR), Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
Laboratory of Biotechnology and Aquatic Genomics, Department of Oceanography, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
Mar Biotechnol (NY). 2024 Apr;26(2):243-260. doi: 10.1007/s10126-024-10291-2. Epub 2024 Jan 31.
The caligid ectoparasite, Caligus rogercresseyi, is one of the main concerns in the Chilean salmon industry. The molecular mechanisms displayed by the parasite during the reproductive process represent an opportunity for developing novel control strategies. Vitellogenin is a multifunctional protein recognized as a critical player in several crustaceans' biological processes, including reproduction, embryonic development, and immune response. This study aimed to characterize the C. rogercresseyi vitellogenins, including discovering novel transcripts and regulatory mechanisms associated with microRNAs. Herein, vitellogenin genes were identified by homology analysis using the reference sea louse genome, transcriptome database, and arthropods vitellogenin-protein database. The validation of expression transcripts was conducted by RNA nanopore sequencing technology. Moreover, fusion gene profiling, miRNA target analysis, and functional validation were performed using luciferase assay. Six putative vitellogenin genes were identified in the C. rogercresseyi genome with high homology with other copepods vitellogenins. Furthermore, miR-996 showed a putative role in regulating the Cr_Vitellogenin1 gene, which is highly expressed in females. Moreover, vitellogenin-fusion genes were identified in adult stages and highly regulated in males, demonstrating sex-related expression patterns. In females, the identified fusion genes merged with several non-vitellogenin genes involved in biological processes of ribosome assembly, BMP signaling pathway, and biosynthetic processes. This study reports the genome array of vitellogenins in C. rogercresseyi for the first time, revealing the putative role of fusion genes and miRNA regulation in sea lice biology.
桡足亚目外寄生虫 Caligus rogercresseyi 是智利鲑鱼产业的主要关注点之一。寄生虫在生殖过程中表现出的分子机制为开发新型控制策略提供了机会。卵黄蛋白原是一种多功能蛋白，被认为是包括生殖、胚胎发育和免疫反应在内的几种甲壳类动物生物学过程中的关键参与者。本研究旨在鉴定 C. rogercresseyi 的卵黄蛋白原，包括发现与 microRNA 相关的新型转录本和调控机制。在此，通过使用参考海虱基因组、转录组数据库和节肢动物卵黄蛋白原蛋白数据库进行同源性分析，鉴定了卵黄蛋白原基因。通过 RNA 纳米孔测序技术验证了表达转录本。此外，通过荧光素酶测定进行了融合基因谱分析、miRNA 靶标分析和功能验证。在 C. rogercresseyi 基因组中鉴定出 6 种与其他桡足类卵黄蛋白原具有高度同源性的假定卵黄蛋白原基因。此外，miR-996 显示出在调节 Cr_Vitellogenin1 基因方面的潜在作用，该基因在雌性中高度表达。此外，在成虫阶段鉴定出卵黄蛋白原融合基因，并在雄性中高度调控，表现出性别相关的表达模式。在雌性中，鉴定出的融合基因与参与核糖体组装、BMP 信号通路和生物合成过程的几种非卵黄蛋白原基因融合。本研究首次报道了 C. rogercresseyi 的卵黄蛋白原基因组阵列，揭示了融合基因和 microRNA 调控在海虱生物学中的潜在作用。
