Transcriptomic and Proteomic Analyses of the Immune Mechanism in Pathogenetic and Resistant Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle ( Pelodiscus sinensis ) Infected with Aeromonas hydrophila .

Background: As intensive aquaculture practices have progressed, the prevalence of bacterial diseases in the Chinese soft-shell turtle ( Pelodiscus sinensis ) has escalated, particularly infections caused by Aeromonas hydrophila , such as ulcerative dermatitis and abscess disease. Despite this, little is known about their immune defenses against this pathogen.
Methods: Our study pioneers an integrated analysis of transcriptomics and proteomics to investigate the immune responses of Chinese soft-shelled turtles to A. hydrophila infection.
Results: The investigation revealed significant differences in immune-related pathways between groups susceptible and resistant to A. hydrophila infection after 4 days. A total of 4667 and 3417 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 763 and 568 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs), and 13 and 5 correlated differentially expressed genes and proteins (cor-DEGs-DEPs) were identified in susceptible and resistant Chinese soft-shelled turtles, respectively. In the resistant group, upregulation of immune-related genes, such as CD3ε and CD45, enhanced T-cell activation and the immune response. The proteomic analysis indicated that immune proteins, such as NF-κB1, were significantly upregulated in the resistant group. The correlation analysis between transcriptomics and proteomics demonstrated that the CD40 gene and protein, differentially expressed in the resistant group compared to the control group, were commonly upregulated within the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway.
Conclusions: The transcriptomic and proteomic data obtained from this study provide a scientific foundation for understanding the immune mechanisms that enable the Chinese soft-shelled turtle to resist A. hydrophila infection.