Comparison of Gene Expression Profiles of Fenneropenaeus chinensis Challenged with WSSV and Vibrio

Microarray technique was used to analyze the gene expression profiles of shrimp when they were challenged by WSSV and heat-inactivated Vibrio anguillarum, respectively. At 6 h post challenge (HPC), a total of 806 clones showed differential expression profile in WSSV-challenged samples, but not in Vibrio-challenged samples. The genes coding energy metabolism enzyme and structure protein were the most downregulated elements in 6 h post WSSV-challenged (HPC-WSSV) tissues. However, a total of 155 clones showed differential expression in the Vibrio-challenged samples, but not in WSSV-challenged samples. Serine-type endopeptidase and lysosome-related genes were the most upregulated elements in tissues 6 h post Vibrio challenge (HPC-Vibrio). Totally, 188 clones showed differential expression in both 6 and 12 HPC-WSSV and HPC-Vibrio samples. Most of the differentially expressed genes (185/188) were downregulated in the samples of 12 HPC-WSSV, whereas upregulated in the samples at 6 and 12 HPC-Vibrio and 6 HPC-WSSV. The expression profiles of three differentially expressed genes identified in microarray hybridization were analyzed in hemocytes, lymphoid organ, and hepatopancreas of shrimp challenged by WSSV or Vibrio through real-time PCR. The results further confirmed the microarray hybridization results. The data will provide great help for us in understanding the immune mechanism of shrimp responding to WSSV or Vibrio. Wang and Li contributed equally to this work.     

Hepatopancreatic nuclease of black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon unlikely to be involved in viral triggered apoptosis

Nucleases are phosphodiesterases that hydrolyze DNA and/or RNA. In a search for shrimp nucleases involved in apoptosis, we discovered a nuclease from hepatopancreatic cDNA of the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. The full-length nuclease gene was amplified and revealed to contain 1668bp corresponding to 381 deduced amino acid residues in the mature enzyme. Sequence analysis indicated 83% nucleic acid identity and 89% amino acid identity to a nuclease from the Kuruma shrimp Penaeus japonicus (also called Marsupenaeus japonicus). Comparative analysis of sequences, conserved motifs and phylogenetic trees indicated that P. monodon nuclease (PMN) belonged to the family of DNA/RNA non-specific endonucleases (DRNSN). RT-PCR analysis using primers specific for PMN mRNA with seven different shrimp tissues revealed that expression in normal shrimp was restricted to the hepatopancreas. Semiquantitative RT-PCR analysis of PMN using hepatopancreatic mRNA from normal shrimp and from shrimp challenged with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) indicated significant up-regulation of PMN in the hepatopancreas (P<0.05) at the early stage of viral infection but a return to baseline levels as gross signs of disease developed. At the same time, expression was always confined to the hepatopancreas and never seen in other tissues, including those reported to be prime targets for WSSV and subject to increased levels of apoptosis after infection. The results suggested that PMN is probably a digestive enzyme that is unlikely to be involved in hallmark DNA digestion associated with apoptosis.     

Silencing VP28 Gene of White Spot Syndrome Virus of Shrimp by Bacterially Expressed dsRNA

An in vivo expression system to produce large amounts of virus-derived dsRNAs in bacteria to provide a practical control of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) in shrimp was developed. The bacterially synthesized dsRNA specific to VP28 gene of WSSV promoted gene-specific interference with the WSSV infection in shrimp. Virus infectivity was significantly reduced in WSSV-challenged shrimp injected with VP28-dsRNA and 100% survival was recorded. The inhibition of the expression of WSSV VP28 gene in experimentally challenged animals by VP28-dsRNA was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot analyses. Furthermore, we have demonstrated the efficacy of bacterially expressed VP28-dsRNA to silence VP28 gene expression in SISK cell line transfected with eukaryotic expression vector (pcDNA3.1) inserted with VP28 gene of WSSV. The expression level of VP28 gene in SISK cells was determined by fluorescent microscopy and ELISA. The results showed that the expression was significantly reduced in cells transfected with VP28dsRNA, whereas the cells transected with pcDNA-VP28 alone showed higher expression. The in vivo production of dsRNA using prokaryotic expression system could be an alternative to in vitro method for large-scale production of dsRNA corresponding to VP28 gene of WSSV for practical application to control the WSSV in shrimp farming.     

WSSV对锯缘青蟹的致病性及血清酶指标影响

锯缘青蟹(Scylla serrata)俗称青蟹,是我国重要的海水养殖蟹类.近年来,浙江、福建、广东等青蟹主要养殖地区出现了严重的青蟹病害.对浙江省养殖青蟹的发病原因和流行病学调查发现,白斑综合征病毒(white spotsyndrome virus,WSSV)与青蟹发病存在较大相关性.为进一步研究WSSV对青蟹的致病性和发病机理,作者采用白斑综合征病毒的除菌过滤液,以1:10-1:10000稀释度注射感染青蟹,结果表明1:10、1:100感染组的青蟹死亡率达100%,1:1000感染组死亡率为66.7%,1:10000感染组死亡率为38.9%.根据攻毒悬液的病毒浓度计算出WSSV对青蟹的LD50为1.19×104拷贝/只(7.93×103拷贝/g组织);取WSSV感染青蟹血淋巴进行PCR检测,攻毒死亡青蟹的WSSV检出率为100%,表明WSSV对青蟹有很强的致病力.分析病毒感染濒死蟹的血清酚氧化酶(PO)、过氧化物酶(POD)、超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、碱性磷酸酶(ALP)、谷丙转氨酶(GPT)、符草转氨酶(GOT)等主要酶指标,发现病毒感染青蟹的PO、POD和SOD活力明显低于对照组,而ALP、GPT和GOT的活力则明显高于对照组;用WSSV单克隆抗体对感染蟹进行免疫组化分析,发现WSSV主要侵染青蟹的鳃、甲壳下表皮、心脏、肠、胃等组织的上皮细胞,尤其以鳃上皮细胞损害最为严重.