Predicting growth and mortality of bivalve larvae using gene expression and supervised machine learning
Sleiman Bassim1, Robert W Chapman2, Arnaud Tanguy3
1Institut des Sciences de la mer de Rimouski, Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, 310, allee des Ursulines, Rimouski Quebec G5L 3A1, Canada; Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin, Institut Universitaire Europeen de la Mer, Universite de Bretagne Occidentale, Rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280 Plouzane, France.
Summary
Essential fatty acid deficiency in bivalve diets significantly increases larval mortality and reduces growth by impacting eicosanoid precursor levels. This study identifies 29 key genes involved in bivalve development and stress response.
Area of Science:
- Marine biology
- Developmental biology
- Molecular genetics
Background:
- Diet significantly impacts marine bivalve larval performance and survival.
- The specific genes and pathways governing bivalve development and dietary vulnerability remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of essential fatty acid (EFA) deficiency on Mytilus edulis larval development.
- To identify genes and molecular pathways affected by EFA deficiency and their role in bivalve stress response.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of larval mortality, shell growth, and postlarval performance in response to dietary EFA levels.
- Quantification of arachidonic and eicosapentaenoic acid levels.
- Identification and analysis of differentially expressed genes in larvae under dietary stress.
Main Results:
- EFA-deficient diets led to higher larval mortality, reduced shell growth, and lower postlarval performance, correlated with decreased EFA levels.
- A network of 29 genes was identified, showing differential regulation in response to EFA deficiency, impacting larval growth and survival.
- Some identified genes are bivalve-specific and involved in lipid metabolism, defense, muscle/neurone development, and biomineralization, particularly under stress.
Conclusions:
- Dietary EFA deficiency critically affects Mytilus edulis larval development through altered eicosanoid precursor levels.
- A network of 29 differentially expressed genes plays a crucial role in bivalve development and stress response, particularly under dietary influence.
- Understanding these gene networks provides insights into marine bivalve vulnerability and resilience to environmental changes.
