Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues

Parasites can induce gene expression changes in their hosts, either benefiting the parasite or the host. In particular, trematodes are not only one of the most ubiquitous groups of aquatic parasites, they also have huge impacts on individual hosts with significant ecological and economic repercussio...

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Autores: Correia, Simão, Blanco Hortas, Andrés, García Souto, Daniel, Poulin, Robert, Vera Rodríguez, Manuel, Magalhães, Luísa, Fernández Boo, Sergio
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Fecha de publicación:2026
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC)
Repositorio:Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:minerva.usc.gal:10347/46144
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46144
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Differential expression
Transcriptomics
RNAseq
Immune response
Bucephalus minimus
Bivalve
Investigación
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spelling Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissuesCorreia, SimãoBlanco Hortas, AndrésGarcía Souto, DanielPoulin, RobertVera Rodríguez, ManuelMagalhães, LuísaFernández Boo, SergioDifferential expressionTranscriptomicsRNAseqImmune responseBucephalus minimusBivalveInvestigaciónParasites can induce gene expression changes in their hosts, either benefiting the parasite or the host. In particular, trematodes are not only one of the most ubiquitous groups of aquatic parasites, they also have huge impacts on individual hosts with significant ecological and economic repercussions. The trematode Bucephalus minimus infects Cerastoderma edule (the edible cockle), a socioeconomically and ecologically important bivalve, as its first intermediate host. This parasite is one of the most harmful parasites infecting cockles, affecting their ability to reproduce, grow, and survive, thereby indirectly impacting ecosystem functioning. Despite the welldocumented ecological effects of B. minimus, its impacts at a molecular level remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying B. minimus infection in cockles by analysing tissue-specific and systemic responses to long-term parasitic infection. It compared gene expression profiles in two critical tissues of naturally infected and non-infected cockles: the digestive gland, the primary target of infection, and the haemolymph, the backbone of the bivalve immune system. Results revealed extensive tissuespecific changes in gene expression. In the haemolymph, infected cockles showed significant downregulation of pathways related to cell division, cytoskeletal organization, and DNA repair, suggesting potentially parasiteinduced reduction of immune responses and host cellular functions. Contrary to expectations, immune pathways did not show significantly increased expression, likely reflecting the chronic nature of infection and energy reallocation by the host. In the digestive gland, genes associated with gametogenesis, metabolism and immune function were downregulated, with no significant upregulation observed, except in some genes related to scavenger receptor activity and inflammation, suggesting localized immune responses. Shared responses among tissues included alterations in zinc ion transport and neurotransmitter biosynthesis, suggesting management of infection-induced stress. These findings highlight how B. minimus may manipulate host biology to suppress immunity and disrupt critical cellular processes, providing valuable insights into chronic trematode infections and host-parasite dynamics.ElsevierUniversidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Zooloxía, Xenética e Antropoloxía Física20262026-02-0120262026-02-01journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501VoRhttp://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85info:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://hdl.handle.net/10347/46144reponame:Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostelainstname:Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC)Inglésengopen accesshttp://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2© 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:minerva.usc.gal:10347/461442026-06-15T12:47:27Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
title Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
spellingShingle Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
Correia, Simão
Differential expression
Transcriptomics
RNAseq
Immune response
Bucephalus minimus
Bivalve
Investigación
title_short Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
title_full Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
title_fullStr Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
title_full_unstemmed Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
title_sort Decoding the gene expression response of Cerastoderma edule to chronic trematode infection: A comparison among host tissues
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Correia, Simão
Blanco Hortas, Andrés
García Souto, Daniel
Poulin, Robert
Vera Rodríguez, Manuel
Magalhães, Luísa
Fernández Boo, Sergio
author Correia, Simão
author_facet Correia, Simão
Blanco Hortas, Andrés
García Souto, Daniel
Poulin, Robert
Vera Rodríguez, Manuel
Magalhães, Luísa
Fernández Boo, Sergio
author_role author
author2 Blanco Hortas, Andrés
García Souto, Daniel
Poulin, Robert
Vera Rodríguez, Manuel
Magalhães, Luísa
Fernández Boo, Sergio
author2_role author
author
author
author
author
author
dc.contributor.none.fl_str_mv Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. Departamento de Zooloxía, Xenética e Antropoloxía Física
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Differential expression
Transcriptomics
RNAseq
Immune response
Bucephalus minimus
Bivalve
Investigación
topic Differential expression
Transcriptomics
RNAseq
Immune response
Bucephalus minimus
Bivalve
Investigación
description Parasites can induce gene expression changes in their hosts, either benefiting the parasite or the host. In particular, trematodes are not only one of the most ubiquitous groups of aquatic parasites, they also have huge impacts on individual hosts with significant ecological and economic repercussions. The trematode Bucephalus minimus infects Cerastoderma edule (the edible cockle), a socioeconomically and ecologically important bivalve, as its first intermediate host. This parasite is one of the most harmful parasites infecting cockles, affecting their ability to reproduce, grow, and survive, thereby indirectly impacting ecosystem functioning. Despite the welldocumented ecological effects of B. minimus, its impacts at a molecular level remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying B. minimus infection in cockles by analysing tissue-specific and systemic responses to long-term parasitic infection. It compared gene expression profiles in two critical tissues of naturally infected and non-infected cockles: the digestive gland, the primary target of infection, and the haemolymph, the backbone of the bivalve immune system. Results revealed extensive tissuespecific changes in gene expression. In the haemolymph, infected cockles showed significant downregulation of pathways related to cell division, cytoskeletal organization, and DNA repair, suggesting potentially parasiteinduced reduction of immune responses and host cellular functions. Contrary to expectations, immune pathways did not show significantly increased expression, likely reflecting the chronic nature of infection and energy reallocation by the host. In the digestive gland, genes associated with gametogenesis, metabolism and immune function were downregulated, with no significant upregulation observed, except in some genes related to scavenger receptor activity and inflammation, suggesting localized immune responses. Shared responses among tissues included alterations in zinc ion transport and neurotransmitter biosynthesis, suggesting management of infection-induced stress. These findings highlight how B. minimus may manipulate host biology to suppress immunity and disrupt critical cellular processes, providing valuable insights into chronic trematode infections and host-parasite dynamics.
publishDate 2026
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2026
2026-02-01
2026
2026-02-01
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv journal article
http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_6501
VoR
http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85
dc.type.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
format article
dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46144
url https://hdl.handle.net/10347/46144
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
eng
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
language eng
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.rights.openaire.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv open access
http://purl.org/coar/access_right/c_abf2
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
instname:Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC)
instname_str Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC)
reponame_str Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
collection Minerva. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Santiago de Compostela
repository.name.fl_str_mv
repository.mail.fl_str_mv
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