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Feeding Behavior, Gut Microbiota, and Transcriptome Analysis Reveal Individual Growth Differences in the Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

Authors :
Qi Ye
Chuang Gao
Haoran Xiao
Shuchao Ruan
Yongjie Wang
Xiaonan Li
Yaqing Chang
Chong Zhao
Heng Wang
Bing Han
Jun Ding
Source :
Biology, Vol 13, Iss 9, p 705 (2024)
Publication Year :
2024
Publisher :
MDPI AG, 2024.

Abstract

Growth differentiation among farmed sea urchins (Strongylocentrotus intermedius) poses a significant challenge to aquaculture, with there being a limited understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, sea urchins with varying growth rates, reared under identical conditions, were analyzed for feeding behavior, gut microbiota, and transcriptomes. Large-sized sea urchins demonstrated significantly higher feeding ability and longer duration than smaller ones. The dominant phyla across all size groups were Campylobacterota, Proteobacteria, and Firmicutes, with Campylobacterota showing the highest abundance in small-sized sea urchins (82.6%). However, the families Lachnospiraceae and Pseudomonadaceae were significantly less prevalent in small-sized sea urchins. Transcriptome analysis identified 214, 544, and 732 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the large vs. medium, large vs. small, and medium vs. small comparisons, respectively. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analyses associated DEGs with key processes such as steroid biosynthesis, protein processing within the endoplasmic reticulum, and nucleotide sugar metabolism. Variations in phagosomes and signaling pathways indicated that size differences are linked to disparities in energy expenditure and stress responses. These findings provide a foundation for future investigations into the regulatory mechanisms underlying growth differences in S. intermedius and provide clues for the screening of molecular markers useful to improve sea urchin production.

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
20797737
Volume :
13
Issue :
9
Database :
Directory of Open Access Journals
Journal :
Biology
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
edsdoj.41e1768d02294d3e99457acb912fcb07
Document Type :
article
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.3390/biology13090705