Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics最新文献

{"title":"Gene co-expression network analysis reveals key regulatory and responsive genes regulating the intensity of carotenoid coloration in scallop muscle","authors":"Yihan Zhang ,&nbsp;Shiqi Liu ,&nbsp;Xue Li ,&nbsp;Tingting Li ,&nbsp;Huizhen Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenmin Bao ,&nbsp;Xiaoli Hu","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101483","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101483","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carotenoids are biologically active pigments widely distributed in nature, playing crucial roles in the growth, development, immunity, and coloration of animals. As important nutrients, carotenoids are also considered important parameters for evaluating the economic value of farmed animals, including aquatic organisms. However, for marine animals that accumulate a large amount of specific carotenoids, the molecular mechanism underlying the bioavailability of carotenoids remains insufficiently explored, particularly with regard to the regulation of carotenoid pigmentation intensity. This study investigated the carotenoid coloration mechanism in the adductor muscle of “Haida golden scallop”, a variety of Yesso scallop (<em>Patinopecten yessoensis</em>), with high carotenoid content and varying coloration intensity in adductor muscle. Through transcriptomic analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), three carotenoid accumulation-associated modules (MEgreenyellow module, MEgreen, and MEsalmon) were identified. Two <em>PARP9/14/15</em> genes, previously identified as crucial regulators of carotenoid accumulation at the genomic level, were identified as the hub genes of MEgreenyellow module, which exhibited a significant positive correlation with the concentrations of both pectenolone and pectenoxanthin. Specifically, <em>PARP9/14/15–1</em> showed strong connectivity with genes involved in carotenoid absorption and transport, such as <em>LRP1</em>, <em>SRB-like 1</em>, <em>ABCA3</em>, and <em>StARD</em>; while <em>PARP9/14/15–2</em> was associated with <em>NPC1L1</em>, a gene critical for carotenoid absorption. It is proposed that <em>PARP9/14/15</em>s may modulate the accumulation of pectenolone and pectenoxanthin in the adductor muscle of “Haida golden scallop” by regulating the expression of these carotenoid-related genes. Furthermore, genes within the other two carotenoid accumulation-associated modules were significantly enriched in pathways related to immune response (MEgreen) and DNA damage repair (MEsalmon), suggesting that these pathways may be in response to carotenoid accumulation levels. This study provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying carotenoid accumulation and pigmentation intensity in bivalves, offering theoretical guidance for the breeding of carotenoid-rich aquaculture strains.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101483"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143636857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptomic analysis reveals the survival strategies of Mytilus coruscus under short-term rising seawater temperatures","authors":"Bingqi Wei ,&nbsp;Hao Wang ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Dong ,&nbsp;Zhenqi Xin ,&nbsp;Wanliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Huajian Lin ,&nbsp;Weifeng Wang ,&nbsp;Mingshan Song ,&nbsp;Baoying Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101481","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101481","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Mytilus coruscus</em> is an ecologically and economically important species in China. However, in recent years, ocean warming has seriously threatened the survival of <em>M. coruscus</em> and the development of its aquaculture industry. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptomes of <em>M. coruscus</em> pediveliger larvae and adults reared under rising seawater temperatures to explore heat adaptation mechanisms. <em>M. coruscus</em> pediveliger larvae were exposed to artificial seawater at 18 °C, 21 °C and 23 °C for 24 h, while adults were exposed to 18 °C, 26 °C and 33 °C for 24 h to simulate high-temperature conditions during low tide. Results showed that the genes associated with antioxidant activity, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis were gradually up-regulated in response to high temperature in pediveliger larvae, indicating that the regulation of oxidative stress and energy regulation was a primary response to heat stress. HSPs, apoptosis, NF-κB signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway were significantly up-regulated in <em>M. coruscus</em> adults. Additionally, KEGG analysis revealed significant enrichment in protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway and NF-<span><math><mi>κ</mi></math></span>B signaling pathway. Hence, adult <em>M. coruscus</em> coped with heat stress through the regulation of signal transduction and immune responses. Our findings suggest that <em>M. coruscus</em> pediveliger larvae and adults employed different strategies to cope with high-temperature stress, providing preliminary insights into the heat adaptation mechanisms of mussels. This study represents the first step toward a deeper understanding of the complexity of heat adaptation mechanisms in marine bivalves and is instrumental in elucidating the adaptive strategies of marine organisms amid climate change. Furthermore, our findings also lay a foundation for breeding stress-resistant <em>M. coruscus.</em></div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101481"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143654671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Clam age constrains thermal tolerance: Insights from burrowing behavior and transcriptomics","authors":"Zhiyang Cui ,&nbsp;Biao Wu ,&nbsp;Liqing Zhou ,&nbsp;Zhihong Liu ,&nbsp;Peizhen Ma ,&nbsp;Zhuanzhuan Li ,&nbsp;Xiujun Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101479","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101479","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Thermal stress in marine environments is likely to become more widespread in marine environments. Understanding age-related physiological adaptations to thermal stress is critically important for predicting the impacts of global climate change on marine biodiversity. The typical burrowing bivalve, Manila clam <em>Ruditapes philippinarum</em>, was selected to explore molecular and physiological responses to thermal stress and how the effects varied with ages (juvenile VS. adults). When the temperature increased to 30.6 °C, the significantly higher rates of burrowing behavior was found in juvenile clams than that of adult clams (60 % VS. 26.7 %). As the thermal stress increased to 44.6 °C, the survival rate was found to be 49.7 % in juvenile clams, compared to 100 % mortality in adult clams. According to the comparative transcriptomics, the significant up-regulation of genes related to neuropeptide and extracellular matrix (ECM) were potentially involved in active muscle contractility and wound healing ability in juveniles. This may be responsible for their high rates of burrowing behavior in response to the thermal stress. In contrast to juveniles, multiple down-regulated genes involved in antioxidant and energy metabolism were detected in adults, which may be associated with disruption of their energy homeostasis, cell damage and dysfunction, resulting in less capability of adult clams to resist the thermal conditions. The present study will provide new evidences on age differences of clams in response to thermal stress, suggesting clam age or body size constrains their thermal tolerance. These findings will not only shed lights on the molecular mechanism of clams with different ages or sizes in response to thermal stress, but also provide insights into the prediction of future biodiversity and sustainable aquaculture production in a warming world.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101479"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143620509","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Analysis of circRNA expression profile of Litopenaeus vannamei under pH and alkalinity interactive stress and verification of novel_circ_021024 and novel_circ_004981 regulating stress compounds metabolism","authors":"Baoyi Fan,&nbsp;Ruiqi Zhang,&nbsp;Yujun Kang,&nbsp;Xue Mao,&nbsp;Xiang Shi,&nbsp;Jintao Guo,&nbsp;Ziguo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101469","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101469","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The global issue of salinization has made the use of saline-alkaline water in aquaculture increasingly vital. CircRNAs are a new type of endogenous non-coding RNA. Under high saline-alkaline stress, how circRNAs regulate the stress response of <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em>, especially the mechanism of its immune and metabolic functions, is still unclear. This study aimed to analyze the expression profile of circRNAs and explore their response mechanisms in <em>L. vannamei</em> under the combined influence of high alkalinity and high pH. The results indicated that 127, 157, and 146 differentially expressed circRNAs (DECs) and 1401, 1547, and 1540 differentially expressed mRNAs (DEGs) were identified in the high-pH, alkalinity, and interaction groups, respectively. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that DECs were mainly enriched in pathways such as sulfur metabolism, glycerophospholipids, and oxidative phosphorylation. The activities of antioxidant-related enzymes, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH - PX), increased, while the activities of energy - metabolism-related enzymes, like hexokinase (HK) and pyruvate kinase (PK), decreased. By combining weighted gene-related network analysis (WGCNA) with circRNA - mRNA data, it was found that the expression levels of essential genes related to metabolisms, such as novel_circ_007011, novel_circ_004981, and novel_circ_021024, declined. Gene-silencing experiments demonstrated that novel_circ_004981 and novel_circ_021024 could regulate the expression of glutathione peroxidase (<em>GPx</em>) and carbonic anhydrase - 3 (<em>cah - 3</em>) and further regulate the metabolic pathway and antioxidant system of <em>L. vannamei</em>. This study provides theoretical support for further understanding the stress-response mechanisms of circRNAs in <em>L. vannamei</em> under high-pH and alkalinity stress and offers a scientific basis for the development of saline-alkali aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101469"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143601355","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Responses of gut microbiota to altitude in a small mammal on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Yan Zhang ,&nbsp;Yihong Wang ,&nbsp;Baohui Yao ,&nbsp;Zhaoxian Tan ,&nbsp;Xinyang Chen ,&nbsp;Rong Wang ,&nbsp;Weihong Ji ,&nbsp;Jiapeng Qu","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101467","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101467","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Altitude of the plateau may affect the composition and functional diversity of animal gut microbiota. However, the specific effects of altitude on the composition, community structure, and function of the host's gut microbiota, as well as how these effects, through interactions between microbial metabolic products (e.g., SCFAs) and microbial diversity, support host adaptation to high-altitude environments, remain unclear. This study investigates the variations of gut microbial community structure and function in plateau pikas (<em>Ochotona curzoniae</em>) along altitude on Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Cecum contents were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) content analyses to explore the structure, function and metabolic characteristics gut microbiota across different altitudes. As altitude increases, pikas' gut microbiota diversity significantly decreased, SCFA levels did not significantly change, while both diversity and complexity of the microbiota co-occurrence networks significantly decreased. The microbial community shifted toward better suited to high-altitude environments, as significantly increased in Bacteroidetes abundance but decreased in Firmicutes abundance. The microbial community assembly process became more deterministic, and KEGG analysis revealed the upregulation of metabolic, genetic information processing, and organismal system pathways. These results indicated that the gut microbiota diversity and complexity decreased in plateau pikas with increasing altitude, along with the upregulation of key metabolic pathways, as well as the stability of SCFA levels which reflecting balanced supply-demand relationships, contribute to adaptation of high-altitude environments. These findings reveal the substantial impact of altitude on the gut microbiota of a small mammal inhabiting the plateau, providing new insights into its adaptation mechanisms to high-altitude environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101467"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143578411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Whole transcriptomic analysis reveals the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory mechanism underlying the heat-hardening formation in Mytilus coruscus","authors":"Hao Wang ,&nbsp;Bingqi Wei ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Dong ,&nbsp;Zhenqi Xin ,&nbsp;Huajian Lin ,&nbsp;Wanliang Zhang ,&nbsp;Yingying Ye ,&nbsp;Zhi Liao ,&nbsp;Weifeng Wang ,&nbsp;Xiaojun Yan ,&nbsp;Mingshan Song ,&nbsp;Baoying Guo","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101468","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101468","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heat-hardening is a critical adaptation mechanism that enables the mussel <em>Mytilus coruscus</em> to endure high-temperature events caused by low tides and adverse weather condition. However, the molecular regulatory mechanism underlying heat-hardening remains unclear. Herein, we analyzed the whole transcriptome of heat-hardening <em>M. coruscus</em> to explore formation mechanism of heat-hardening. <em>M. coruscus</em> were treated with 27 °C for 5 days, 3 h per day, to promote heat-hardening formation, and sampled at 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, and 16 days. We identified 203 differentially expressed lncRNAs (DE-lncRNAs), 11 differentially expressed miRNAs (DE-miRNAs) and 207 differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs). GO and KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the DE-mRNAs were mainly enriched in arachidonic acid metabolism pathway, apoptosis pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and the platelet-activated pathway, WGCNA results suggested that arachidonic acid metabolism and cytochrome P450 were significantly correlated with heat-hardening during formation. <em>PLA2</em> was identified as an essential gene in heat-hardening, with high node degrees, enriched in the arachidonic acid metabolism pathway and regulated by a lncRNA (MSTRG.113849.1) and a miRNA (novel_miR_425). MSTRG.113849.1-novel_miR_425-<em>PLA2</em> relationship pairs were identified for heat-hardening in <em>M. coruscus.</em> Our finding suggests that miRNAs and lncRNAs play pivotal roles in heat-hardening by targeting <em>PLA2</em>, providing a mechanism for <em>M. coruscus</em> to adapt to heat stress, which also offers a mechanism to adapt to stressors arising from a rapidly changing oceanic environment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101468"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143697904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"α-Ketoglutarate modulates the mechanisms of toxicity in crucian carp kidneys chronically exposed to NaHCO3: Metabolomics insights","authors":"Wenzhi Liu ,&nbsp;Lin Han ,&nbsp;Fangying Yuan ,&nbsp;Qianwen Liu ,&nbsp;Hongyu Cheng ,&nbsp;Xiaofeng Jin ,&nbsp;Yanchun Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101466","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101466","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Due to the unique physicochemical properties of saline-alkaline water, aquatic organisms find it challenging to survive under such conditions. This study established a freshwater control group (C), a 20 mmol/L NaHCO₃ exposure group (T), a 40 mmol/L NaHCO₃ exposure group (F), a 20 mmol/L NaHCO₃ exposure with α-ketoglutarate (AKG)-supplemented feed group (TA), and a 40 mmol/L NaHCO₃ exposure with AKG-supplemented feed group (FA). Histopathological analysis, biochemical assays, and UPLC-QTOF/MS metabolomics were employed to explore the potential mechanisms by which AKG alleviates oxidative damage in freshwater teleosts induced by saline-alkaline stress. Histopathological results showed that as the concentration of carbonate alkali exposure increased, the severity of kidney lesions in crucian carp (<em>Carassius auratus</em>) worsened. However, in the TA and FA groups, the damage showed varying degrees of repair, with the kidney tissue morphology in the TA group almost restored to the state of the C group. Under carbonate alkali exposure, compared to the C group, the activity of antioxidant enzymes Catalase and Superoxide dismutase in crucian carp kidneys decreased in a dose-dependent manner, but increased upon AKG supplementation. Conversely, the levels of Malondialdehyde, blood ammonia, Urea nitrogen, and Uric acid showed the opposite trend. Metabolomics analysis revealed that carbonate-alkali stress caused a series of metabolic disruptions in fish, including amino acid metabolism, lipid metabolism, and energy metabolism. AKG positively regulated metabolic pathways such as the pentose phosphate pathway, arachidonic acid metabolism, and amino acid metabolism, thereby enhancing the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune capabilities of fish under saline-alkaline stress, alleviating oxidative damage induced by the stress. Overall, our research indicates that saline-alkaline stress significantly alters kidney function and metabolic characteristics, disrupts the antioxidant system and energy homeostasis, inhibits protein catabolism, and induces kidney damage in crucian carp. Exogenous AKG supplementation effectively mitigates oxidative damage and metabolic disorders in crucian carp kidneys under carbonate-alkaline stress. This study elucidates the physiological mechanisms by which AKG alleviates kidney tissue damage under saline-alkaline stress at the metabolic level, providing scientific evidence for the development of aquaculture in saline-alkaline water.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101466"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143562129","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The influence of sex on the intestinal flora of Procypris mera","authors":"Lilong Chen ,&nbsp;Hangyu Lin ,&nbsp;Junquan Ren ,&nbsp;Weijun Wu ,&nbsp;Zhe Li ,&nbsp;Yong Lin ,&nbsp;Yusen Li ,&nbsp;Shengqi Su","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101464","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101464","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sex plays a significant role in the formation of gut microbiota in most fish species. <em>Procypris mera</em>, a freshwater fish of considerable economic value, has been the subject of limited research regarding sex differences in gut microbiota. This study employed 16S rRNA technology to analyze the gut microbiota of <em>P. mera</em> under identical breeding conditions. The analysis revealed that, despite no significant differences in overall diversity between different sexes in the same intestinal segment, there were significant sex-related differences in specific microbial phyla and genera. Specifically, <em>Fusobacteriota</em> showed significant differences in relative abundance in the hindgut of females and males. Similarly, <em>Cetobacterium</em> exhibited significant differences in relative abundance in the hindgut of females and males. Additionally, there were significant differences in the Shannon index between the foregut and hindgut in males, as well as significant differences in beta diversity among the foregut, midgut, and hindgut in males. These findings indicate that there are local differences in gut microbiota between different sexes in the same intestinal segment and between different intestinal segments in the same sex. This discovery not only helps to reveal the mechanisms by which sex affects the formation of gut microbiota in fish but also provides new insights and theoretical support for optimizing breeding conditions and improving fish health.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101464"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552988","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive analysis of Sox genes in the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas): Insights into expression and potential functions","authors":"Xufei Zhang ,&nbsp;Hong Yu ,&nbsp;Qi Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101463","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101463","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The <em>Sox</em> gene family characterized by the conserved HMG-box domain, plays crucial roles in various biological processes, including development and differentiation. In this study, we identified seven <em>Sox</em> genes in the genome of the Pacific oyster (<em>Crassostrea gigas</em>), and classified them into seven subgroups: SoxB1, SoxB2, SoxC, SoxD, SoxE, SoxF, and SoxH. All Sox proteins contained the conserved HMG domain, crucial for DNA binding and transcriptional regulation. Spatial expression analysis revealed tissue-specific expression patterns: <em>CgSoxH</em> was highly specific to gonads, <em>CgSoxF</em> to the digestive gland, and <em>CgSoxB2</em> subgroup to the labial palps, indicating distinct biological roles. Developmental profiling showed <em>CgSoxB1</em> and <em>CgSoxC</em> with maternal expression, while <em>CgSoxD</em> and <em>CgSoxE</em> were active from gastrulation onwards. In gonadal development, <em>CgSoxB1</em> was prominent in female gonads, while <em>CgSoxH</em> was associated with male gonadal maturation, suggesting the potential roles in sex differentiation. These findings provide novel insights into the functional roles of <em>Sox</em> genes in the reproductive and developmental processes of <em>C. gigas</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101463"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143697915","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Insights into sexual dimorphisms: Analysis of lipid metabolites, biochemical markers, and sex steroid profiling in serum of captive Chinese Sturgeon (Acipenser sinesis) at early stage of gonadal development","authors":"Ruihua Tan ,&nbsp;Yacheng Hu ,&nbsp;Yining Chen ,&nbsp;Haoran Wang ,&nbsp;Chengqian Zheng ,&nbsp;Wei Jiang ,&nbsp;Yuanjin Yang ,&nbsp;Dan Xu ,&nbsp;Qingfei Li","doi":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101465","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101465","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Chinese sturgeon (<em>Acipenser sinensis</em>) is a critically endangered species, yet there is a limited knowledge regarding the sexual dimorphism in their reproductive biology, hindering long-term conservation efforts through artificial propagation. This study determined and compared the serum steroid hormones, lipid metabolites, biochemical parameters, and fatty acid profiles between male and female Chinese sturgeon (11 years old). Results revealed that male sturgeons exhibited significantly higher levels of serum testosterone, dihydrotestosterone, and 7α, 25-dihydroxycholesterol compared to females (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), while no significant differences in levels of serum pregnenolone and 17β-estradiol levels were found. Lipidomic analysis identified 65 out of 1469 lipids, showing significant gender differences. Males exhibited higher levels of serum polar lipids (phospholipids, sphingolipids and ceramides), cholesteryl esters (CE), and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) compared to the females, and those differential lipids in the metabolism category were predominantly enriched in key metabolic pathways including bile secretion, steroid biosynthesis, and ovarian steroidogenesis. Gas chromatography (GC) analysis showed that males exhibited higher levels of C18:1n9c and total monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), but lower levels of C18:3n3 and several n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in the serum compared to the female counterparts (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), and n-3 LC-PUFAs tended to accumulate in the serum of male sturgeons. SOD activity and GLU levels were higher in males, while LDL levels were lower compared to females (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). These findings highlight significant sexual dimorphisms in the lipid metabolites, serum steroid hormone profiling, and physiological traits of Chinese sturgeon. The information provided valuable insights into the reproductive physiology of the species and offer important foundation for advancing the understanding of reproductive physiology and developing gender-specific conservation strategies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55235,"journal":{"name":"Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology D-Genomics & Proteomics","volume":"55 ","pages":"Article 101465"},"PeriodicalIF":2.2,"publicationDate":"2025-03-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143552989","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}