Effect of Low Temperature on Globin Expression, Respiratory Metabolic Enzyme Activities, and Gill Structure of Litopenaeus vannamei

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Meng Wu¹, Nan Chen¹, Chun-Xiao Huang¹, Yan He¹, Yong-Zhen Zhao², Xiao-Han Chen³, Xiu-Li Chen^3*, and Huan-Ling Wang^1,2*

¹Ministry of Education, Huazhong Agricultural University, College of Fishery, Key Lab of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Key Laboratory of Agricultural Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction, 430070 Wuhan, PR China; E-mail: hbauwhl@hotmail.com

²Freshwater Aquaculture Collaborative Innovation Center of Hubei Province, 430070 Wuhan, PR China

³Guangxi Academy of Fishery Sciences, 530021 Nanning, PR China; E-mail: chenxiuli2001@163.com

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received January 22, 2017; Revision received March 20, 2017

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Low temperature frequently influences growth, development, and even survival of aquatic animals. In the present study, physiological and molecular responses to low temperature in Litopenaeus vannamei were investigated. The cDNA sequences of two oxygen-carrying proteins, cytoglobin (Cygb) and neuroglobin (Ngb), were isolated. Protein structure analysis revealed that both proteins share a globin superfamily domain. Real-time PCR analysis indicated that Cygb and Ngb mRNA levels gradually increased during decrease in temperatures from 25 to 15°C and then decreased at 10°C in muscle, brain, stomach, and heart, except for a continuing increase in gills, whereas they showed a different expression trend in the hepatopancreas. Hemocyanin concentration gradually reduced as the temperature decreased. Moreover, the activities of respiratory metabolic enzymes including lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) were measured, and it was found that LDH activity gradually increased while SDH activity decreased after low-temperature treatment. Finally, damage to gill structure at low temperature was also observed, and this intensified with further decrease in temperature. Taken together, these results show that low temperature has an adverse influence in L. vannamei, which contributes to systematic understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of shrimp at low temperature.

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KEY WORDS: Litopenaeus vannamei, low temperature, Cygb, Ngb, respiratory enzymes, gill structure

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297917070100

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