Transcriptome analysis provides insights into the molecular mechanisms responsible for evisceration behavior in the sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus

In conclusion, through our comparative analysis of A. japonicus in different stages, we identified many candidate evisceration-related genes and signaling pathways that likely are involved in evisceration behavior. These results should help further elucidate the mechanisms underlying evisceration behavior in sea cucumbers.Graphical abstractFigure above is the hierarchical clustering of DEGs in three comparison groups of evisceration behavior (TCQ-vs-TCZ, TCZ-vs-TCH and TCQ-vs-TCH) in A. japonicus. This figure reveals the overall up- and downregulation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that involved in the evisceration behavior of sea cucumber A. japonicus. These DEGs fell into the categories of “stimuli response”, “signal transduction”, “organismal system”, and “metabolism”, and are suggested that muscle contraction, hormone and neurotransmitter secretion, nerve and muscle damage, energy support, cellular stress and apoptotic are involved in the evisceration behavior in A. japonicus.
Source: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part D: Genomics and Proteomics - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Source Type: research