Ge Lifei, Wei Ying, Ye Zhiqing, Jiang Zhijing, Liu Yuting, Wang Yibo, Xu Xiuwen, Wang Jixiu, Yang Jingwen, Sun Lina, Wang Tianming
National Engineering Laboratory of Marine Germplasm Resources Exploration and Utilization, Marine Science and Technology College, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, Zhejiang 316022, People's Republic of China.
CAS Key Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, Shandong 266071, People's Republic of China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 May;307(Pt 4):142069. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.142069. Epub 2025 Mar 18.
Starvation stress is one of the most common environmental challenges faced by aquatic animals, often leading to compensatory growth, a widespread phenomenon in the animal kingdom, especially among aquatic species. The sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus), a key marine economic species in China, has been shown to utilize long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in responding to environmental changes, pathogen infections, and tissue regeneration. In this study, strand-specific high-throughput sequencing was employed to analyze transcriptomic data from degenerated intestines of A. japonicus under starvation conditions. High-quality lncRNAs were identified and classified, and key differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs associated with intestinal degradation were screened. A gene interaction network model based on the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) theory was then constructed. The analysis revealed that the "AjSOX9/Aja-miR-2012-5p/MSTRG.2956.1 and MSTRG.5699.1" axes, as well as the "AjWNT9B/Aja-miR-200-3p/MSTRG.19757.1 and MSTRG.21788.1" axes, play significant roles in degraded intestines and may promote intestinal regeneration during compensatory growth. Additionally, the "AjFABP2/Aja-miR-9-5p/MSTRG.9667.1" axis appears to regulate energy metabolism under starvation stress. These findings provide valuable insights into the non-coding gene regulatory networks in invertebrates under starvation stress and offer a scientific foundation for developing stress-resistant sea cucumber strains, contributing to the sustainable development of the sea cucumber aquaculture industry.
饥饿胁迫是水生动物面临的最常见环境挑战之一，常导致补偿性生长，这是动物界普遍存在的现象，尤其是在水生物种中。海参（刺参）是中国重要的海洋经济物种，已被证明可利用长链非编码RNA（lncRNA）来应对环境变化、病原体感染和组织再生。在本研究中，采用链特异性高通量测序分析饥饿条件下刺参退化肠道的转录组数据。鉴定并分类了高质量的lncRNA，筛选出与肠道退化相关的关键差异表达mRNA和lncRNA。然后基于竞争性内源RNA（ceRNA）理论构建了基因相互作用网络模型。分析表明，“AjSOX9/Aja-miR-2012-5p/MSTRG.2956.1和MSTRG.5699.1”轴以及“AjWNT9B/Aja-miR-200-3p/MSTRG.19757.1和MSTRG.21788.1”轴在退化肠道中起重要作用，可能在补偿性生长过程中促进肠道再生。此外，“AjFABP2/Aja-miR-9-5p/MSTRG.9667.1”轴似乎在饥饿胁迫下调节能量代谢。这些发现为饥饿胁迫下无脊椎动物的非编码基因调控网络提供了有价值的见解，并为培育抗逆海参品系提供了科学依据，有助于海参养殖业的可持续发展。
