Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean Hosts
<i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> is the specific pathogen for “milky disease” in the Chinese mitten crab (<i>Eriocheir sinensis</i>), accounting for huge losses to the industry. And yet, there is no precise study describing the pathogenesis of <i>M. bicuspidata</i>...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Ji Zhang Bingyu Li Bingnan Zuo Xiaodong Li |
| author_facet | Ji Zhang Bingyu Li Bingnan Zuo Xiaodong Li |
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| description | <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> is the specific pathogen for “milky disease” in the Chinese mitten crab (<i>Eriocheir sinensis</i>), accounting for huge losses to the industry. And yet, there is no precise study describing the pathogenesis of <i>M. bicuspidata</i>, largely hindering the development of novel control methods against its causing diseases. Here, we compared the transcriptomes of <i>M. bicuspidata</i> cells collected from a control group (cultured without <i>E. sinensis</i> hemocytes) and a treatment group (cultured with <i>E. sinensis</i> hemocytes), using RNA sequencing. Through comprehensively analyzing the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), both the most regulated ones and the ones involved in crucial enriched KEGG pathways, we found that certain processes might be required for <i>M. bicuspidata</i>’s survival under hemocyte stress. Key genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid metabolism, upper glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis were upregulated, and those for β-glucan unmasking, autophagy, and cell polarity were downregulated, in the treatment group. Our results suggest that <i>M. bicuspidata</i> colonizes and therefore establishes an infection in <i>E. sinensis</i> via enhancing aerobic respiration, glucose-6-phosphate accumulation, and cell-wall masking. In addition, we applied multiple means to evaluate a series of candidate reference genes and found that <i>PMA1</i> in combination with <i>ACT1</i> is the most suitable choice for accurate normalization in quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. Thus, we used this combination as the reference and performed qRT-PCR verification of several DEGs. It is shown that the expression trends of these tested DEGs in qRT-PCR assays are the same as those in RNA-Seq assays. This study not only provides insights into strategies facilitating <i>M. bicuspidata</i>’s survival within <i>E. sinensis</i>, initially elucidating the pathogenesis of this yeast, but also recommends a useful molecular tool regarding qRT-PCR assays in this pathogen. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-290b3daae6594b14b6b21930a598d2fb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2076-0817 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pathogens |
| spelling | doaj-art-290b3daae6594b14b6b21930a598d2fb2025-01-24T13:44:53ZengMDPI AGPathogens2076-08172025-01-011419510.3390/pathogens14010095Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean HostsJi Zhang0Bingyu Li1Bingnan Zuo2Xiaodong Li3Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of Liaoning Province, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaCollege of Aquaculture and Life Sciences, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, ChinaKey Laboratory of Zoonosis of Liaoning Province, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, ChinaKey Laboratory of Zoonosis of Liaoning Province, College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China<i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> is the specific pathogen for “milky disease” in the Chinese mitten crab (<i>Eriocheir sinensis</i>), accounting for huge losses to the industry. And yet, there is no precise study describing the pathogenesis of <i>M. bicuspidata</i>, largely hindering the development of novel control methods against its causing diseases. Here, we compared the transcriptomes of <i>M. bicuspidata</i> cells collected from a control group (cultured without <i>E. sinensis</i> hemocytes) and a treatment group (cultured with <i>E. sinensis</i> hemocytes), using RNA sequencing. Through comprehensively analyzing the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), both the most regulated ones and the ones involved in crucial enriched KEGG pathways, we found that certain processes might be required for <i>M. bicuspidata</i>’s survival under hemocyte stress. Key genes involved in oxidative phosphorylation, fatty acid metabolism, upper glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis were upregulated, and those for β-glucan unmasking, autophagy, and cell polarity were downregulated, in the treatment group. Our results suggest that <i>M. bicuspidata</i> colonizes and therefore establishes an infection in <i>E. sinensis</i> via enhancing aerobic respiration, glucose-6-phosphate accumulation, and cell-wall masking. In addition, we applied multiple means to evaluate a series of candidate reference genes and found that <i>PMA1</i> in combination with <i>ACT1</i> is the most suitable choice for accurate normalization in quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) assays. Thus, we used this combination as the reference and performed qRT-PCR verification of several DEGs. It is shown that the expression trends of these tested DEGs in qRT-PCR assays are the same as those in RNA-Seq assays. This study not only provides insights into strategies facilitating <i>M. bicuspidata</i>’s survival within <i>E. sinensis</i>, initially elucidating the pathogenesis of this yeast, but also recommends a useful molecular tool regarding qRT-PCR assays in this pathogen.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/95<i>M. bicuspidata</i><i>E. sinensis</i> hemocytestranscriptomeqRT-PCR verificationstrategies of survival |
| spellingShingle | Ji Zhang Bingyu Li Bingnan Zuo Xiaodong Li Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean Hosts Pathogens <i>M. bicuspidata</i> <i>E. sinensis</i> hemocytes transcriptome qRT-PCR verification strategies of survival |
| title | Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean Hosts |
| title_full | Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean Hosts |
| title_fullStr | Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean Hosts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean Hosts |
| title_short | Potential Strategies Applied by <i>Metschnikowia bicuspidata</i> to Survive the Immunity of Its Crustacean Hosts |
| title_sort | potential strategies applied by i metschnikowia bicuspidata i to survive the immunity of its crustacean hosts |
| topic | <i>M. bicuspidata</i> <i>E. sinensis</i> hemocytes transcriptome qRT-PCR verification strategies of survival |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0817/14/1/95 |
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