Aug 2026· Biology· Vol 15· 0 citations· 54 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The first ncRNA transcriptome landscape of C. sonnerati during RGNNV infection is offered, establishing a theoretical basis for elucidating host-RGNNV interaction mechanism in groupers and establishing a valuable candidate target for future antiviral strategies in C. sonnerati.
Abstract
Simple Summary Cephalopholis sonnerati is an economically new aquaculture species in China. The red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) exhibits high pathogenicity in larval C. sonnerati, but its immune response mechanisms remain unexplored, impeding the development of aquaculture. In the present study, we profiled brain transcriptome from healthy and naturally RGNNV-infected larvae. Many differentially expressed microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and fewer circular RNAs were identified. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that these targeted genes of differentially expressed ncRNAs were markedly enriched in innate immune defense, inflammatory, and cell death related pathways, such as JAK-STAT signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway, apoptosis, and necroptosis. Furthermore, a lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA regulatory network focused on miR-93 was established, which may provide a valuable candidate target for future antiviral strategies in C. sonnerati. This study offers the first ncRNA transcriptome landscape of C. sonnerati during RGNNV infection, establishing a theoretical basis for elucidating host-RGNNV interaction mechanism in groupers.
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have emerged as critical regulators of host immune responses against pathogen infection in aquatic animals, yet their roles in reptiles remain largely unexplored. Herein, we investigated the splenic ncRNA expression profiles of Chinese soft-shelled turtles (Pelodiscus sinensis) following Aeromonas hydrophila infection. Histopathological analysis at 24 hours post infection revealed severe splenic lesions, including the obscure red-white pulp demarcation, lymphocyte infiltration, necrosis, and increased melano-macrophages. Transcriptome sequencing identified 843 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs (DEmRNAs), 108 DE microRNA, 87 DE lncRNAs, and 341 DE circRNAs. Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed with these DE RNAs, yielding 253 lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA and 436 circRNA-miRNA-mRNA triplets. Hub nodes showed mRNA LOC102455872 (degree = 10), lncRNAs MSTRG.3526.7 and MSTRG.8091.1 (degree = 10), circRNA novel-circ-026391 (degree = 12), and miRNA novel-m0923-3p (degree = 7) had the large connectivity of network. Functional enrichment revealed four pathways commonly involved in both networks, including MAPK signaling, cell adhesion molecules, notch signaling, and tryptophan metabolism. Notably, tryptophan metabolism and MAPK signaling contained the large hub RNAs, suggesting they served as critical bridges of ceRNA networks. This study described the first comprehensive ceRNA networks in a reptile following bacterial infection and identified novel ncRNAs serving as critical regulators in turtles defending against A. hydrophila.
Liqin Ji, Chen Chen, Junxian Zhu et al.· Developmental and Comparativ...· 0 citations
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) stand as newly-arisen molecular types that exert regulatory effects, able to operate as competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) to engage microRNAs (miRNAs) in interaction, resulting in the recovery of target mRNA expression and activity. Increasing evidences indicate that the ceRNA network affects various biological processes in mammals, including development, cellular differentiation, metabolism, immune response, and disease pathogenesis. In teleost fish, the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks have been reported occasionally. However, up to now, the roles of lncRNAs in the big-belly seahorse (Hippocampus abdominalis) remains unclear. In this study, we reported for the first time, via whole-transcriptome RNA sequencing, the lncRNA mediated ceRNA regulatory network in Vibrio harveyi-infected H. abdominalis. A total of 4197 differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs), 1317 DE-lncRNAs, and 183 DE-miRNAs were identified. Furthermore, the crosstalk between miRNAs and lncRNAs as well as between miRNAs and mRNAs was inferred based on the negative correlations between miRNAs and their target lncRNAs/mRNAs. A core immune associated lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA putative regulatory network was thus constructed, comprising 211 lncRNA-miRNA and 224 mRNA-miRNA pairs. In conclusion, our findings provide an integrative overview of the ceRNA regulatory networks on the underlying immune responses to V. harveyi infection in the big-belly seahorse, and offer a solid theoretical foundation for the comparative immunological research of teleost fish.
Qing Chu, Jiale Zhou, Yuxin Bai et al.· Comparative Biochemistry and...· 0 citations
ABSTRACT Chalkbrood, a destructive larval disease caused by the fungal pathogen Ascosphaera apis, causes substantial losses in apiculture. Although host–pathogen interactions in Apis mellifera larvae infected with A. apis have been investigated, immune defense mechanisms in the Asian honey bee Apis cerana remain unclear. This study examined whether the lncRNA6470/ace-miR-750-y axis modulates the response of A. cerana larvae to A. apis infection. Stem-loop RT-PCR, Sanger sequencing, dual-luciferase reporter assays, RNA interference, and RT-qPCR were used to characterize ace-miR-750-y, lncRNA6470, AcPP2A, host immune genes, and selected A. apis genes associated with signal transduction, transcriptional regulation, and RNA metabolism. Larval survival and chalkbrood incidence were also evaluated after ncRNA perturbation. ace-miR-750-y was expressed in larval guts and showed infection-associated expression changes. Computational prediction identified 214 candidate mRNA targets and 143 candidate lncRNA interactors of ace-miR-750-y, from which the lncRNA6470/ace-miR-750-y/AcPP2A axis was selected for experimental validation. Modulation of ace-miR-750-y significantly affected AcPP2A expression. ace-miR-750-y overexpression increased host immune genes associated with antimicrobial peptide production and peroxidase activity, whereas its inhibition reduced their expression. Modulation of ace-miR-750-y was also associated with altered expression of selected A. apis genes and changes in larval survival and chalkbrood incidence. These findings suggest that ace-miR-750-y may play an important regulatory role in the immune response of A. cerana worker larvae to A. apis infection, and that its interaction with lncRNA6470 may contribute to ceRNA-like regulation during fungal challenge.
Xiaoxue Fan, Kaiyao Zhang, Yun Yang et al.· Virulence· 0 citations
Findings support a negative regulatory role of novel-miR0032-5p in CAT expression and indicate that lncRNA1386.1 participates in a candidate shared miRNA-responsive regulatory relationship.
Xiaoxue Fan, Nian Fan, Kunze Li et al.· Antioxidants· 0 citations
Chalkbrood disease, caused by Ascosphaera apis, threatens Apis cerana larvae. However, miRNA-mediated antifungal regulation remains poorly defined. Here, we characterized ace-miR-3759-y in A. apis-challenged A. cerana larvae. Stem-loop RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing confirmed its gut expression. Target prediction identified 146 candidate mRNAs, and dual-luciferase assays verified AcDorsal1 and AcARL4C as direct targets, significantly suppressing reporter activity (P < 0.01). During infection, ace-miR-3759-y was upregulated (P = 0.0008), whereas AcDorsal1 was downregulated (P = 0.0011). Inhibiting ace-miR-3759-y reduced its expression (P < 0.0001), relieved target repression, enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation (P = 0.0006), tended to increase antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gene expression, and decreased fungal ADM-B and chsD expression. Functionally, ace-miR-3759-y inhibition reduced cumulative mortality and chalkbrood incidence (both P < 0.0001), whereas AcARL4C silencing suppressed AMP genes and aggravated disease. These findings reveal a dual-target miRNA module and provide a potential RNAi-based target for chalkbrood control.
He Zang, Haimei Yue, Xiaoxue Fan et al.· Journal of Agricultural and...· 0 citations
Findings provide the first functional evidence that CMPK2 restricts RGNNV infection in S. chuatsi, highlighting a conserved interferon-responsive antiviral module in teleost fish and identifying CMPK2 as a potential antiviral effector involved in host defense against RGNNV infection.
Chanxia Qin, Jinlong Huang, Linmiao Li et al.· Developmental and Comparativ...· 0 citations
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