Proteomic analysis of hemolymph from poly(I:C)-stimulated Crassostrea gigas

• Published in: Fish & Shellfish Immunology
• Main Authors: Green, Timothy J., Chataway, Timothy, Melwani, Aroon R., Raftos, David A.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2016
• Subjects: Crassostrea; antiviral; poly(I:C); two-dimensional electrophoresis; C1q-domain containing protein; Crassostrea gigas
• Online Access: https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/86f81859-b0c2-4a23-898c-bdcfda17ee25; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2015.11.018; http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84949599501&partnerID=8YFLogxK

Synthetic double stranded RNA (Poly(I:C)) injection of Crassostrea gigas results in a systemic antiviral response involving many evolutionary conserved antiviral effectors (ISGs). Compared to mammals, the timing of C. gigas ISG expression to viral or poly(I:C) injection is delayed (>12 h p.i.). It could be interpreted that a cytokine is responsible for the systemic, but delayed expression of C. gigas ISGs. We therefore analysed the acellular fraction of C. gigas hemolymph by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) to identify hemolymph proteins induced by poly(I:C). Poly(I:C) injection increased the relative intensity of four protein spots. These protein spots were identified by tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) as a small heat shock protein (sHSP), poly(I:C)-inducible protein 1 (PIP1) and two isoforms of C1q-domain containing protein (C1qDC). RT-qPCR analysis confirmed that the genes encoding these proteins are induced in hemocytes of C. gigas injected with poly(I:C) (p < 0.05). Proteomic data from this experiment corroborates previous microarray and whole transcriptome studies that have reported up-regulation of C1qDC and sHSP during mass mortality events among farmed oysters.