Li Moli, Kong Lingling, Xun Xiaogang, Zhao Liang, Chang Lirong, Wang Huizhen, Bao Zhenmin, Hu Xiaoli, Liu Pingping
MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences (Qingdao 266003), Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution (Sanya 572024), Ocean University of China, China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Wenhai Road, Qingdao 266237, China; National Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health Security, College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
MOE Key Laboratory of Marine Genetics and Breeding, College of Marine Life Sciences (Qingdao 266003), Key Laboratory of Tropical Aquatic Germplasm of Hainan Province, Sanya Oceanographic Institution (Sanya 572024), Ocean University of China, China.
Mar Pollut Bull. 2025 Oct;219:118290. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2025.118290. Epub 2025 Jun 14.
As typical filter-feeding organisms, bivalve scallops exhibit strong capabilities in accumulating paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs) from toxic algae, posing risks to public health. To investigate PST-induced molecular responses in the kidney, the major "center" for toxin transformation, a time-course transcriptome analysis of the Yesso Scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) over six time points (0, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 days) after exposure to the PST-producing algae (Alexandrium catenella) were conducted. During the 15 days exposure, PST accumulation in scallop kidneys showed a continuous increase. However, the dominant toxin shifted from the low-toxicity C2 to high-toxicity neoSTX and STX compared to the algal toxin profiles. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly concentrated on the 3rd (629) and 10th day (745), coinciding with significant changes in toxin accumulation patterns. The SLC family was persist up-regulated throughout the exposure period, while the C-type lectin family exhibited biphasic transcriptional expression. Calmodulin was significantly up-regulated on the 15th day, the time point with the highest toxin content and toxicity. Moreover, we identified SULT4A1 as a potential key gene involved in PST biotransformation from low- to high-toxicity derivatives (neoSTX and STX), with its expression significantly associated with these toxins (Pearson's r = 0.52, 0.68). This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of shellfish adapt to defense phycotoxins.
作为典型的滤食性生物，双壳贝类扇贝具有很强的从有毒藻类中积累麻痹性贝类毒素（PSTs）的能力，对公众健康构成风险。为了研究PSTs在毒素转化的主要“中心”——肾脏中引起的分子反应，对虾夷扇贝（Patinopecten yessoensis）在暴露于产PSTs的藻类（链状亚历山大藻）后的六个时间点（0、1、3、5、10和15天）进行了时间进程转录组分析。在15天的暴露期间，扇贝肾脏中的PST积累持续增加。然而，与藻类毒素谱相比，主要毒素从低毒性的C2转变为高毒性的新石房蛤毒素（neoSTX）和石房蛤毒素（STX）。转录组分析表明，差异表达基因（DEGs）主要集中在第3天（629个）和第10天（745个），这与毒素积累模式的显著变化相吻合。SLC家族在整个暴露期持续上调，而C型凝集素家族表现出双相转录表达。钙调蛋白在第15天显著上调，这是毒素含量和毒性最高的时间点。此外，我们鉴定出SULT4A1是参与PSTs从低毒性衍生物（neoSTX和STX）生物转化的潜在关键基因，其表达与这些毒素显著相关（皮尔逊相关系数r = 0.52，0.68）。本研究为贝类适应防御藻毒素的分子机制提供了见解。
