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Ferritin Associates with Interspecific Variation in Iron Accumulation among Five Economically Important Bivalves:
Jiachen Li1,2,3, Ao Li1,4, Zizheng Wei3
1College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, Ningbo, China.
Biological Trace Element Research
|August 1, 2026
Summary
Ferritin (FER) protein variation influences iron levels in bivalves. Sinonovacula constricta shows high iron content and FER expression, suggesting FER
Area of Science:
- Marine Biology
- Aquaculture
- Biochemistry
- Genomics
Background:
- Iron is crucial for bivalve nutrition and cellular iron homeostasis.
- Interspecific differences in bivalve iron accumulation are not well understood.
- Ferritin (FER), a key iron-regulatory protein, has limited comparative study across bivalve species.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the molecular mechanisms of interspecific iron accumulation differences in bivalves.
- To compare ferritin (FER) sequence, expression, and function across five commercially important bivalve species.
- To assess the role of FER in regulating iron content variation among bivalve species.
Main Methods:
- Tissue iron content measured using ICP-MS and colorimetric assays.
- Ferritin (FER) gene sequence analysis, mRNA expression profiling (qRT-PCR), and protein structural modeling (AlphaFold).
- In vitro functional assays of recombinant FER proteins for iron enrichment capacity.
Main Results:
- Iron levels varied significantly, with Sinonovacula constricta showing the highest and Crassostrea gigas the lowest.
- FER proteins were highly conserved across species, with FER mRNA expression generally correlating with tissue iron content.
- S. constricta exhibited high FER expression and strong recombinant FER iron enrichment capacity, unlike other species.
Conclusions:
- Ferritin (FER) likely contributes to interspecific variation in iron accumulation in bivalves, particularly in S. constricta.
- The inconsistent patterns in Tegillarca granosa and Ruditapes philippinarum suggest FER-independent mechanisms also play a role.
- This study provides a comprehensive, multi-level comparison of FER's role in bivalve iron homeostasis.
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