Molecular pathways of osmoregulation in response to salinity stress in the gills of the scalloped spiny lobster (Panulirus homarus) within survival salinity

• Published in: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part D, Genomics & proteomics Genomics & proteomics, 2024-12, Vol.52, p.101308, Article 101308
• Main Authors: Ran, Hongmei, Li, Zecheng, Yang, Fan, Fan, Zihan, Xu, Chang, Han, Fenglu, Farhadi, Ardavan, Li, Erchao, Chen, Hu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; Gill; Gills - metabolism; Osmoregulation; Palinuridae - genetics; Palinuridae - metabolism; Palinuridae - physiology; Panulirus homarus; Salinity; Salinity stress; Salt Stress; Transcriptome
• ISSN: 1744-117X; 1878-0407; 1878-0407
• DOI: 10.1016/j.cbd.2024.101308

Scalloped spiny lobster (Panulirus homarus) aquaculture is the preferred strategy to resolve the conflict between supply and demand for lobster. Environmental conditions, such as salinity, are key to the success of lobster aquaculture. However, physiological responses of P. homarus to salinity stress have not been well studied. This study investigated the gill histology, osmoregulation and gill transcriptome of the early juvenile P. homarus (weight 19.04 ± 3.95 g) cultured at salinity 28 (control), 18, and 38 for 6 weeks. The results showed that the gill filaments of P. homarus exposed to low salinity showed severe separation of the cuticle and epithelial cells due to water absorption and swelling, as well as the dissolution and thinning of the cuticle and the rupture of the septum that separates the afferent and efferent channels. The serum osmolarity of P. homarus varied proportionately with external medium salinity and remained consistently above ambient osmolarity. The serum Na+, Cl−, K+, and Mg2+ concentrations P. homarus exhibited a pattern similar to that of serum osmolality, while the concentration of Ca2+ remained unaffected at salinity 18 but significantly increased at salinity 38. Gill Na+/K+-ATPase activity of P. homarus increased (p