Autophagy enhances the antibacterial response in Macrobrachium rosenbergii by modulating cellular metabolism and immune pathways

Abstract

Autophagy plays a crucial role in innate and adaptive immunity against invading microorganisms. However, the mechanism underlying autophagy in Macrobrachium rosenbergii remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Aeromonas hydrophila activates autophagy in M. rosenbergii, according to Western blot, qRT-PCR, and transmission electron microscopy observations. Rapamycin treatment to activate autophagy in M. rosenbergii followed by stimulation with A. hydrophila significantly decreased the A. hydrophila OmpA copy number in the gills of M. rosenbergii. Furthermore, high-throughput RNA-seq analysis of M. rosenbergii gills treated with rapamycin revealed 1684 upregulated and 1500 downregulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs), most of which regulate metabolic pathways. A comprehensive joint analysis of the two transcriptomic databases for A. hydrophila infection and rapamycin treatment identified 15 upregulated and 25 downregulated DEGs, respectively. These genes enhance the immune defense of M. rosenbergii by negatively regulating metabolic pathways and promoting immune pathways. Our results provide a theoretical basis for further exploration of the antibacterial mechanism of M. rosenbergii.