Journal Article

Transcriptomic insights into the acclimatization response of the cold-water Ophiuroid Ophiopholis mirabilis to elevated temperatures

Li, Yixuan, Liao, Xiaomei, Mo, Jing, Zhang, Xuelei, Zhang, Qian, Shi, Wenge, Xu, Qinzeng, Dong, Yue

2024

Overview

Ocean warming poses a significant threat to the growth and survival of marine cold-water species. This study focused on Ophiopholis mirabilis , a representative cold-water Ophiuroid species, prevalent in the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM), which has been at risk of warming and frequent heat waves in recent decades. Despite the risks, the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of O. mirabilis to warming stress remain poorly understood. In this study, we sampled O. mirabilis specimens from the YSCWM (121.82°E, 38.28°N, 52 m depth), and conducted transcriptome analysis on their arm tissues under three temperature conditions to investigate their molecular response to elevated temperatures. The results showed that 1104 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), four significant profiles, 23 transcription factor genes from nine different families, and one functional protein interaction network were identified. Under one week of heat exposure, upregulated DEGs primarily participated in immune defense systems, tissue remodeling and repair, and energy metabolism, suggesting the potential activation of inflammatory responses under increased temperature. Notably, heat shock proteins and co-chaperones were downregulated, and the protein folding and binding were negatively regulated under high temperature, indicating unique molecular responses to heat stress in cold-water species. In addition, O. mirabilis exhibited regulation of the apoptotic system by reducing the expression of key genes after one-week increased temperature. This study enhances our understanding of the acclimatization strategies employed by O. mirabilis in response to climate change, and provides underlying data for studying the molecular mechanisms of marine cold-water species to ocean warming.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: acclimation / Acclimatization / Apoptosis / Biological research / Biology, Experimental / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Climate change / Cold water / Cold water masses / Energy metabolism / Environmental aspects / Freshwater & Marine Ecology / Gene expression / gene expression regulation / Genes / Genetic aspects / Genetic transcription / Global temperature changes / Heat / Heat shock / Heat shock proteins / Heat stress / Heat tolerance / Heat waves / Heatwaves / High temperature / immune response / Immune system / Inflammation / Life Sciences / Marine & Freshwater Sciences / Marine biology / Metabolism / Microbiology / Molecular modelling / Ocean temperature / Ocean warming / Oceanography / Ophiopholis / Ophiuroidea / Original Paper / Physiological aspects / Protein binding / Protein folding / Proteins / risk / species / Survival / Temperature / Transcription / transcription factors / Transcriptomes / Transcriptomics / Water / Water masses / Water temperature / Yellow Sea / Zoology