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Stage-resolved multi-tissue transcriptomics reveals coordinated molecular responses during feeding in Babylonia
Xin Hong1, Peng Ren2, Yulu Huang1
1School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
Summary
This study reveals the molecular basis of feeding in the snail Babylonia areolata. It maps how sensory organs, nerves, and digestive organs coordinate responses to food across different feeding stages.
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Molecular Biology
- Physiology
Background:
- Feeding is crucial for mollusks, involving complex sensory, neural, and metabolic coordination.
- Cross-tissue molecular mechanisms of feeding in gastropods are poorly understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize dynamic molecular responses during feeding in Babylonia areolata across multiple tissues.
- To reconstruct a cross-tissue regulatory framework for feeding.
Main Methods:
- Multi-tissue comparative transcriptomic analysis of B. areolata at four feeding stages.
- Differential gene expression, functional enrichment, and WGCNA were employed.
- Analysis focused on the osphradium, cephalic region, and hepatopancreas.
Main Results:
- Distinct, coordinated transcriptional programs were observed across tissues during feeding.
- The osphradium showed rapid activation of chemosensory and signaling pathways.
- The hepatopancreas exhibited stage-specific metabolic shifts, including digestion, biosynthesis, and immune regulation.
Conclusions:
- A hierarchical "sensing-integration-execution" cascade links feeding perception to metabolic responses.
- This study provides the first molecular atlas of feeding regulation in B. areolata.
- Findings offer insights into neuro-metabolic integration in gastropods and aquaculture strategies.
