Muscle Transcriptome Sequencing Revealed Thermal Stress-Responsive Regulatory Genes in Farmed Rohu, Labeo rohita...

Area of Science:

• Aquaculture genomics
• Fish physiology
• Molecular stress response

Background:

• Rohu (Labeo rohita) is a vital aquaculture species in the Indian subcontinent.
• Understanding molecular responses to thermal stress is crucial for climate change adaptation in aquaculture.
• Heat stress impacts fish physiology, affecting growth and survival.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the molecular-level physiological responses of rohu muscle tissue to heat stress using transcriptome sequencing.
• To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and potential biomarkers associated with thermal stress in rohu.
• To validate RNA-seq findings using RT-qPCR.

Main Methods:

• Transcriptome sequencing of rohu muscle tissue under heat stress (35°C) versus control (28°C).
• Data processing: read filtering, trimming, and reference-based assembly using the L. rohita genome.
• Differential gene expression analysis and gene enrichment analysis; RT-qPCR validation of selected transcripts.

Main Results:

• Generated 125 Gb of sequence data, resulting in 484 million quality reads and 37,462 assembled contigs.
• Identified 107 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including upregulated, downregulated, and neutrally regulated transcripts.
• Discovered key stress-associated transcripts, notably SERPINE1 (HSP47), which was significantly upregulated (2-3 fold) under heat stress.

Conclusions:

• Heat stress significantly alters gene expression in rohu muscle tissue.
• SERPINE1 (HSP47) is a promising biomarker for thermal stress in farmed rohu.
• This study provides insights for identifying stress-responsive biomarkers for thermal adaptation in farmed carp.