Dual Gene Repertoires for Larval and Adult Shells Reveal Molecules Essential for Molluscan Shell Formation

The Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis: a novel model for developmental studies in mollusks

A model organism in developmental biology is defined by its experimental amenability and by resources created for the model system by the scientific community. For the most powerful invertebrate models, the combination of both has already yielded a thorough understanding of developmental processes. However, the number of developmental model systems is still limited, and their phylogenetic distribution heavily biased. Members of one of the largest animal lineages, the Spiralia, for example, have long been neglected. In order to remedy this shortcoming, we have produced a detailed developmental transcriptome for the bivalve mollusk Mytilus galloprovincialis, and have expanded the list of experimental protocols available for this species. Our high-quality transcriptome allowed us to identify transcriptomic signatures of developmental progression and to perform a first comparison with another bivalve mollusk: the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas. To allow co-labelling studies, we optimized and combined protocols for immunohistochemistry and hybridization chain reaction to create high-resolution co-expression maps of developmental genes. The resources and protocols described here represent an enormous boost for the establishment of Mytilus galloprovincialis as an alternative model system in developmental biology.

Multi-omic insights into the formation and evolution of a novel shell microstructure in oysters

BACKGROUND

Molluscan shell, composed of a diverse range of architectures and microstructures, is a classic model system to study the relationships between molecular evolution and biomineralized structure formation. The shells of oysters differ from those of other molluscs by possessing a novel microstructure, chalky calcite, which facilitates adaptation to the sessile lifestyle. However, the genetic basis and evolutionary origin of this adaptive innovation remain largely unexplored.

RESULTS

We report the first whole-genome assembly and shell proteomes of the Iwagaki oyster Crassostrea nippona. Multi-omic integrative analyses revealed that independently expanded and co-opted tyrosinase, peroxidase, TIMP genes may contribute to the chalky layer formation in oysters. Comparisons with other molluscan shell proteomes imply that von Willebrand factor type A and chitin-binding domains are basic members of molluscan biomineralization toolkit. Genome-wide identification and analyses of these two domains in 19 metazoans enabled us to propose that the well-known Pif may share a common origin in the last common ancestor of Bilateria. Furthermore, Pif and LamG3 genes acquire new genetic function for shell mineralization in bivalves and the chalky calcite formation in oysters likely through a combination of gene duplication and domain reorganization.

CONCLUSIONS

The spatial expression of SMP genes in the mantle and molecular evolution of Pif are potentially involved in regulation of the chalky calcite deposition, thereby shaping the high plasticity of the oyster shell to adapt to a sessile lifestyle. This study further highlights neo-functionalization as a crucial mechanism for the diversification of shell mineralization and microstructures in molluscs, which may be applied more widely for studies on the evolution of metazoan biomineralization.

Evolutionary conservation and divergence of the transcriptional regulation of bivalve shell secretion across life-history stages

Adult molluscs produce shells with diverse morphologies and ornamentations, different colour patterns and microstructures. The larval shell, however, is a phenotypically more conserved structure. How do developmental and evolutionary processes generate varying diversity at different life-history stages within a species? Using live imaging, histology, scanning electron microscopy and transcriptomic profiling, we have described shell development in a heteroconchian bivalve, the Antarctic clam, Laternula elliptica, and compared it to adult shell secretion processes in the same species. Adult downstream shell genes, such as those encoding extracellular matrix proteins and biomineralization enzymes, were largely not expressed during shell development. Instead, a development-specific downstream gene repertoire was expressed. Upstream regulatory genes such as transcription factors and signalling molecules were largely conserved between developmental and adult shell secretion. Comparing heteroconchian data with recently reported pteriomorphian larval shell development data suggests that, despite being phenotypically more conserved, the downstream effectors constituting the larval shell 'tool-kit' may be as diverse as that of adults. Overall, our new data suggest that a larval shell formed using development-specific downstream effector genes is a conserved and ancestral feature of the bivalve lineage, and possibly more broadly across the molluscs.

A high-quality, haplotype-phased genome reconstruction reveals unexpected haplotype diversity in a pearl oyster

Homologous chromosomes in the diploid genome are thought to contain equivalent genetic information, but this common concept has not been fully verified in animal genomes with high heterozygosity. Here we report a near-complete, haplotype-phased, genome assembly of the pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata, using hi-fidelity (HiFi) long reads and chromosome conformation capture data. This assembly includes 14 pairs of long scaffolds (>38 Mb) corresponding to chromosomes (2n = 28). The accuracy of the assembly, as measured by an analysis of k-mers, is estimated to be 99.99997%. Moreover, the haplotypes contain 95.2% and 95.9%, respectively, complete and single-copy BUSCO genes, demonstrating the high quality of the assembly. Transposons comprise 53.3% of the assembly and are a major contributor to structural variations. Despite overall collinearity between haplotypes, one of the chromosomal scaffolds contains megabase-scale non-syntenic regions, which necessarily have never been detected and resolved in conventional haplotype-merged assemblies. These regions encode expanded gene families of NACHT, DZIP3/hRUL138-like HEPN, and immunoglobulin domains, multiplying the immunity gene repertoire, which we hypothesize is important for the innate immune capability of pearl oysters. The pearl oyster genome provides insight into remarkable haplotype diversity in animals.

Molecular basis of ocean acidification sensitivity and adaptation in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Predicting the potential for species adaption to climate change is challenged by the need to identify the physiological mechanisms that underpin species vulnerability. Here, we investigated the sensitivity to ocean acidification in marine mussels during early development, and specifically the trochophore stage. Using RNA and DNA sequencing and in situ RNA hybridization, we identified developmental processes associated with abnormal development and rapid adaptation to low pH. Trochophores exposed to low pH seawater exhibited 43 differentially expressed genes. Gene annotation and in situ hybridization of differentially expressed genes point to pH sensitivity of (1) shell field development and (2) cellular stress response. Five genes within these two processes exhibited shifts in allele frequencies indicative of a potential for rapid adaptation. This case study contributes direct evidence that protecting species’ existing genetic diversity is a critical management action to facilitate species resilience to climate change.

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Marine mussel larval development and genetic adaptation in low pH seawater

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RNA and DNA responses reveal impacts on shell field development and cell stress

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Five genes exhibited both physiological sensitivity and long-term adaptive potential

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Conserving standing genetic variation could bolster resilience to global change

Evolution of EGF-like and Zona pellucida domains containing shell matrix proteins in mollusks

Several types of shell matrix proteins (SMPs) have been identified in molluskan shells. Their diversity is the consequence of various molecular processes, including domain shuffling and gene duplication. However, the evolutionary origin of most SMPs remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the evolutionary process EGF-like and zona pellucida (ZP) domains containing SMPs. Two types of the proteins (EGF-like protein (EGFL) and EGF-like and ZP domains containing protein (EGFZP)) were found in the pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. In contrast, only EGFZP was identified in the gastropods. Phylogenetic analysis and genomic arrangement studies showed that EGFL and EGFZP formed a clade in bivalves, and their encoding genes were localized in tandem repeats on the same scaffold. In P. fucata, EGFL genes were expressed in the outer part of mantle epithelial cells are related to the calcitic shell formation. However, in both P. fucata and the limpet Nipponacmea fuscoviridis, EGFZP genes were expressed in the inner part of the mantle epithelial cells are related to aragonitic shell formation. Furthermore, our analysis showed that in P. fucata, the ZP domain interacts with eight SMPs that have various functions in the nacreous shell mineralization. The data suggest that the ZP domain can interact with other SMPs, and EGFL evolution in pterimorph bivalves represents an example of neo-functionalization that involves the acquisition of a novel protein through gene duplication.

Comparative Single-Cell Transcriptomics Reveals Novel Genes Involved in Bivalve Embryonic Shell Formation and Questions Ontogenetic Homology of Molluscan Shell Types

Mollusks are known for their highly diverse repertoire of body plans that often includes external armor in form of mineralized hardparts. Representatives of the Conchifera, one of the two major lineages that comprises taxa which originated from a uni-shelled ancestor (Monoplacophora, Gastropoda, Cephalopoda, Scaphopoda, Bivalvia), are particularly relevant regarding the evolution of mollusk shells. Previous studies have found that the shell matrix of the adult shell (teleoconch) is rapidly evolving and that the gene set involved in shell formation is highly taxon-specific. However, detailed annotation of genes expressed in tissues involved in the formation of the embryonic shell (protoconch I) or the larval shell (protoconch II) are currently lacking. Here, we analyzed the genetic toolbox involved in embryonic and larval shell formation in the quagga mussel Dreissena rostriformis using single cell RNA sequencing. We found significant differences in genes expressed during embryonic and larval shell secretion, calling into question ontogenetic homology of these transitory bivalve shell types. Further ortholog comparisons throughout Metazoa indicates that a common genetic biomineralization toolbox, that was secondarily co-opted into molluscan shell formation, was already present in the last common metazoan ancestor. Genes included are engrailed, carbonic anhydrase, and tyrosinase homologs. However, we found that 25% of the genes expressed in the embryonic shell field of D. rostriformis lack an ortholog match with any other metazoan. This indicates that not only adult but also embryonic mollusk shells may be fast-evolving structures. We raise the question as to what degree, and on which taxonomic level, the gene complement involved in conchiferan protoconch formation may be lineage-specific or conserved across taxa.

The Mantle Transcriptome of Chamelea gallina (Mollusca: Bivalvia) and Shell Biomineralization

Simple Summary

Chamelea gallina is a bivalve mollusc that represents one of the most important fishery resources in the Mediterranean basin. In this species, the thickness and sturdiness of the shell valves are two important characteristics as they are decisive for protection against predators and survival of specimens rejected in the sea because caught under commercial size. The aim of this work is to investigate the ability of this species to modulate the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in shell biomineralization process in response to abiotic and biotic factors. Our findings, obtained through a multidisciplinary approach, highlighted a different shell mineralization behaviour in C. gallina clams collected in sampling sites characterized by different salinity and food availability. Moreover, this study provided the first comprehensive transcriptome from mantle, the tissue responsible for shell formation. Therefore, these results contribute to increase knowledge on this process and might help in adopting ad hoc management plans for this fishery resource.

Abstract

The striped venus Chamelea gallina is a bivalve mollusc that represents one of the most important fishery resources of the Adriatic Sea. In this work, we investigated for the first time the ability of this species to modulate the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in biomineralization process in response to biotic and abiotic factors. We provided the first comprehensive transcriptome from the mantle tissue of clams collected in two sampling sites located along the Italian Adriatic coast and characterized by different environmental features. Moreover, the assessment of environmental parameters, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements on valves were conducted to better contextualize RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) data. Functional annotation of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and SEM observations highlighted a different shell mineralization behaviour in C. gallina clams collected from two selected sites characterized by diverse environmental parameters.

Ocean Acidification Alters Developmental Timing and Gene Expression of Ion Transport Proteins During Larval Development in Resilient and Susceptible Lineages of the Pacific Oyster (Crassostrea gigas)

Ocean acidification (OA) adversely impacts initial shell formation of bivalve larvae. Despite many studies observing large differences in developmental success between distinct genetic populations of bivalves exposed to OA, few studies have investigated the molecular mechanisms that enable resilient larvae to build their initial shell in aragonite-undersaturated conditions. This knowledge is key to their ecological and economical conservation. Herein, we used a genetic-selection program for Crassostrea gigas to produce a resilient and susceptible larval lineage to OA. The resilient and susceptible larvae were sampled every 3 h over a 24-h period in aragonite-undersaturated and control conditions. The susceptible lineage failed to develop a larval shell in aragonite-undersaturated conditions, whereas 52% of the resilient lineage developed to D-larvae by 24 h post fertilisation. We measured the expression of 23 genes involved in initial shell formation by RT-qPCR, which revealed significant genotype-by-time and environment-by-time interactions for the transcription of these genes. Aragonite-undersaturated conditions upregulated a single gene encoding a protein involved in ion transport, Na⁺ K⁺ ATPase, in both the resilient and susceptible lineage. These results were corroborated by a second experiment involving 25 pair-mated C. gigas families exposed to aragonite-undersaturated and control conditions. Our findings indicate C. gigas have a fixed capacity to modulate expression of genes involved in initial shell formation in response to OA. Thus, phenotypic differences to OA between the resilient and susceptible lineage are likely explained by other cellular processes, such as bioenergetics or protein translation.

Single-Cell RNA Sequencing Atlas From a Bivalve Larva Enhances Classical Cell Lineage Studies

Ciliated trochophore-type larvae are widespread among protostome animals with spiral cleavage. The respective phyla are often united into the superclade Spiralia or Lophotrochozoa that includes, for example, mollusks, annelids, and platyhelminths. Mollusks (bivalves, gastropods, cephalopods, polyplacophorans, and their kin) in particular are known for their morphological innovations and lineage-specific plasticity of homologous characters (e.g., radula, shell, foot, neuromuscular systems), raising questions concerning the cell types and the molecular toolkit that underlie this variation. Here, we report on the gene expression profile of individual cells of the trochophore larva of the invasive freshwater bivalve Dreissena rostriformis as inferred from single cell RNA sequencing. We generated transcriptomes of 632 individual cells and identified seven transcriptionally distinct cell populations. Developmental trajectory analyses identify cell populations that, for example, share an ectodermal origin such as the nervous system, the shell field, and the prototroch. To annotate these cell populations, we examined ontology terms from the gene sets that characterize each individual cluster. These were compared to gene expression data previously reported from other lophotrochozoans. Genes expected to be specific to certain tissues, such as Hox1 (in the shell field), Caveolin (in prototrochal cells), or FoxJ (in other cillia-bearing cells) provide evidence that the recovered cell populations contribute to various distinct tissues and organs known from morphological studies. This dataset provides the first molecular atlas of gene expression underlying bivalve organogenesis and generates an important framework for future comparative studies into cell and tissue type development in Mollusca and Metazoa as a whole.

Hydrophilic Shell Matrix Proteins of Nautilus pompilius and the Identification of a Core Set of Conchiferan Domains

Despite being a member of the shelled mollusks (Conchiferans), most members of extant cephalopods have lost their external biomineralized shells, except for the basally diverging Nautilids. Here, we report the result of our study to identify major Shell Matrix Proteins and their domains in the Nautilid Nautilus pompilius, in order to gain a general insight into the evolution of Conchiferan Shell Matrix Proteins. In order to do so, we performed a multiomics study on the shell of N. pompilius, by conducting transcriptomics of its mantle tissue and proteomics of its shell matrix. Analyses of obtained data identified 61 distinct shell-specific sequences. Of the successfully annotated 27 sequences, protein domains were predicted in 19. Comparative analysis of Nautilus sequences with four Conchiferans for which Shell Matrix Protein data were available (the pacific oyster, the pearl oyster, the limpet and the Euhadra snail) revealed that three proteins and six protein domains were conserved in all Conchiferans. Interestingly, when the terrestrial Euhadra snail was excluded, another five proteins and six protein domains were found to be shared among the four marine Conchiferans. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that most of these proteins and domains were probably present in the ancestral Conchiferan, but employed in shell formation later and independently in most clades. Even though further studies utilizing deeper sequencing techniques to obtain genome and full-length sequences, and functional analyses, must be carried out in the future, our results here provide important pieces of information for the elucidation of the evolution of Conchiferan shells at the molecular level.

The genome of Nautilus pompilius illuminates eye evolution and biomineralization

Nautilus is the sole surviving externally shelled cephalopod from the Palaeozoic. It is unique within cephalopod genealogy and critical to understanding the evolutionary novelties of cephalopods. Here, we present a complete Nautilus pompilius genome as a fundamental genomic reference on cephalopod innovations, such as the pinhole eye and biomineralization. Nautilus shows a compact, minimalist genome with few encoding genes and slow evolutionary rates in both non-coding and coding regions among known cephalopods. Importantly, multiple genomic innovations including gene losses, independent contraction and expansion of specific gene families and their associated regulatory networks likely moulded the evolution of the nautilus pinhole eye. The conserved molluscan biomineralization toolkit and lineage-specific repetitive low-complexity domains are essential to the construction of the nautilus shell. The nautilus genome constitutes a valuable resource for reconstructing the evolutionary scenarios and genomic innovations that shape the extant cephalopods.

Transcriptomic analysis of shell repair and biomineralization in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis

Background

Biomineralization by molluscs involves regulated deposition of calcium carbonate crystals within a protein framework to produce complex biocomposite structures. Effective biomineralization is a key trait for aquaculture, and animal resilience under future climate change. While many enzymes and structural proteins have been identified from the shell and in mantle tissue, understanding biomieralization is impeded by a lack of fundamental knowledge of the genes and pathways involved. In adult bivalves, shells are secreted by the mantle tissue during growth, maintenance and repair, with the repair process, in particular, amenable to experimental dissection at the transcriptomic level in individual animals.

Results

Gene expression dynamics were explored in the adult blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, during experimentally induced shell repair, using the two valves of each animal as a matched treatment-control pair. Gene expression was assessed using high-resolution RNA-Seq against a de novo assembled database of functionally annotated transcripts. A large number of differentially expressed transcripts were identified in the repair process. Analysis focused on genes encoding proteins and domains identified in shell biology, using a new database of proteins and domains previously implicated in biomineralization in mussels and other molluscs. The genes implicated in repair included many otherwise novel transcripts that encoded proteins with domains found in other shell matrix proteins, as well as genes previously associated with primary shell formation in larvae. Genes with roles in intracellular signalling and maintenance of membrane resting potential were among the loci implicated in the repair process. While haemocytes have been proposed to be actively involved in repair, no evidence was found for this in the M. edulis data.

Conclusions

The shell repair experimental model and a newly developed shell protein domain database efficiently identified transcripts involved in M. edulis shell production. In particular, the matched pair analysis allowed factoring out of much of the inherent high level of variability between individual mussels. This snapshot of the damage repair process identified a large number of genes putatively involved in biomineralization from initial signalling, through calcium mobilization to shell construction, providing many novel transcripts for future in-depth functional analyses.

The 'Shellome' of the Crocus Clam Tridacna crocea Emphasizes Essential Components of Mollusk Shell Biomineralization

Molluscan shells are among the most fascinating research objects because of their diverse morphologies and textures. The formation of these delicate biomineralized structures is a matrix-mediated process. A question that arises is what are the essential components required to build these exoskeletons. In order to understand the molecular mechanisms of molluscan shell formation, it is crucial to identify organic macromolecules in different shells from diverse taxa. In the case of bivalves, however, taxon sampling in previous shell proteomics studies are focused predominantly on representatives of the class Pteriomorphia such as pearl oysters, edible oysters and mussels. In this study, we have characterized the shell organic matrix from the crocus clam, Tridacna crocea, (Heterodonta) using various biochemical techniques, including SDS-PAGE, FT-IR, monosaccharide analysis, and enzyme-linked lectin assay (ELLA). Furthermore, we have identified a number of shell matrix proteins (SMPs) using a comprehensive proteomics approach combined to RNA-seq. The biochemical studies confirmed the presence of proteins, polysaccharides, and sulfates in the T. crocea shell organic matrix. Proteomics analysis revealed that the majority of the T. crocea SMPs are novel and dissimilar to known SMPs identified from the other bivalve species. Meanwhile, the SMP repertoire of the crocus clam also includes proteins with conserved functional domains such as chitin-binding domain, VWA domain, and protease inhibitor domain. We also identified BMSP (Blue Mussel Shell Protein, originally reported from Mytilus), which is widely distributed among molluscan shell matrix proteins. Tridacna SMPs also include low-complexity regions (LCRs) that are absent in the other molluscan genomes, indicating that these genes may have evolved in specific lineage. These results highlight the diversity of the organic molecules – in particular proteins – that are essential for molluscan shell formation.

Phylogenetic comparisons reveal mosaic histories of larval and adult shell matrix protein deployment in pteriomorph bivalves

Molluscan shells are organo-mineral composites, in which the dominant calcium carbonate is intimately associated with an organic matrix comprised mainly of proteins and polysaccharides. However, whether the various shell matrix proteins (SMPs) date to the origin of hard skeletons in the Cambrian, or whether they represent later deployment through adaptive evolution, is still debated. In order to address this issue and to better understand the origins and evolution of biomineralization, phylogenetic analyses have been performed on the three SMP families, Von Willebrand factor type A (VWA) and chitin-binding domain-containing protein (VWA-CB dcp), chitobiase, and carbonic anhydrase (CA), which exist in both larval and adult shell proteomes in the bivalves, Crassostrea gigas and Pinctada fucata. In VWA-CB dcp and chitobiase, paralogs for larval and adult SMPs evolved before the divergence of these species. CA-SMPs have been taken as evidence for ancient origins of SMPs by their presumed indispensable function in biomineralization and ubiquitous distribution in molluscs. However, our results indicate gene duplications that gave rise to separate deployments as larval and adult CA-SMPs occurred independently in each lineage after their divergence, which is considerably more recent than hitherto assumed, supporting the "recent heritage and fast evolution" scenario for SMP evolution.

Evolution of Biomineralization Genes in the Prismatic Layer of the Pen Shell Atrina pectinata

Molluscan shells are composed of calcium carbonates, with small amounts of extracellular matrices secreted from mantle epithelial cells. Many types of shell matrix proteins (SMPs) have been identified from molluscan shells or mantle cells. The pen shell Atrina pectinata (Pinnidae) has two different shell microstructures, the nacreous and prismatic layers. Nacreous and prismatic layer-specific matrix proteins have been reported in Pteriidae bivalves, but remain unclear in Pinnidae. We performed transcriptome analysis using the mantle cells of A. pectinata to screen the candidate transcripts involved in its prismatic layer formation. We found Asprich and nine highly conserved prismatic layer-specific SMPs encoding transcript in P. fucata, P. margaritifera, and P. maxima (Tyrosinase, Chitinase, EGF-like proteins, Fibronectin, valine-rich proteins, and prismatic uncharacterized shell protein 2 [PUSP2]) using molecular phylogenetic analysis or multiple alignment. We confirmed these genes were expressed in the epithelial cells of the mantle edge (outer surface of the outer fold) and the mantle pallium. Phylogenetic character mapping of these SMPs was used to infer a possible evolutionary scenario of them in Pteriomorphia. EGF-like proteins, Fibronectin, and valine-rich proteins encoding genes each evolved in the linage leading to four Pteriomorphia (Mytilidae, Pinnidae, Ostreidae, and Pteriidae), PUSP2 evolved in the linage leading to three Pteriomorphia families (Pinnidae, Ostreidae, and Pteriidae), and chitinase was independently evolved as SMPs in Mytilidae and in other Pteriomorphia (Pinnidae, Ostreidae, and Pteriidae). Our results provide a new dataset for A. pectinata SMP annotation, and a basis for understanding the evolution of prismatic layer formation in bivalves.

Functional shell matrix proteins tentatively identified by asymmetric snail shell morphology

Molluscan shell matrix proteins (SMPs) are essential in biomineralization. Here, we identify potentially important SMPs by exploiting the asymmetric shell growth in snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. Asymmetric shells require bilaterally asymmetric expression of SMP genes. We examined expression levels of 35,951 transcripts expressed in the left and right sides of mantle tissue of the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis. This transcriptome dataset was used to identify 207 SMPs by LC-MS/MS. 32 of the 207 SMP genes show asymmetric expression patterns, which were further verified for 4 of the 32 SMPs using quantitative PCR analysis. Among asymmetrically expressed SMPs in dextral snails, those that are more highly expressed on the left side than the right side are 3 times more abundant than those that are more highly expressed on the right than the left, suggesting potentially inhibitory roles of SMPs in shell formation. The 32 SMPs thus identified have distinctive features, such as conserved domains and low complexity regions, which may be essential in biomineralization.

Characterization of the main steps in first shell formation in Mytilus galloprovincialis: possible role of tyrosinase

Bivalve biomineralization is a highly complex and organized process, involving several molecular components identified in adults and larval stages. However, information is still scarce on the ontogeny of the organic matrix before calcification occurs. In this work, first shell formation was investigated in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. The time course of organic matrix and CaCO₃ deposition were followed at close times post fertilization (24, 26, 29, 32, 48 h) by calcofluor and calcein staining, respectively. Both components showed an exponential trend in growth, with a delay between organic matrix and CaCO₃ deposition. mRNA levels of genes involved in matrix deposition (chitin synthase; tyrosinase- TYR) and calcification (carbonic anhydrase; extrapallial protein) were quantified by qPCR at 24 and 48 hours post fertilization (hpf) with respect to eggs. All transcripts were upregulated across early development, with TYR showing highest mRNA levels from 24 hpf. TYR transcripts were closely associated with matrix deposition as shown by in situ hybridization. The involvement of tyrosinase activity was supported by data obtained with the enzyme inhibitor N-phenylthiourea. Our results underline the pivotal role of shell matrix in driving first CaCO₃ deposition and the importance of tyrosinase in the formation of the first shell in M. galloprovincialis.

Expression of calcification-related ion transporters during blue mussel larval development

The physiological processes driving the rapid rates of calcification in larval bivalves are poorly understood. Here, we use a calcification substrate-limited approach (low dissolved inorganic carbon, C T) and mRNA sequencing to identify proteins involved in bicarbonate acquisition during shell formation. As a secondary approach, we examined expression of ion transport and shell matrix proteins (SMPs) over the course of larval development and shell formation. We reared four families of Mytilus edulis under ambient (ca. 1865 µmol/kg) and low C T (ca. 941 µmol/kg) conditions and compared expression patterns at six developmental time points. Larvae reared under low C T exhibited a developmental delay, and a small subset of contigs was differentially regulated between ambient and low C T conditions. Of particular note was the identification of one contig encoding an anion transporter (SLC26) which was strongly upregulated (2.3-2.9 fold) under low C T conditions. By analyzing gene expression profiles over the course of larval development, we are able to isolate sequences encoding ion transport and SMPs to enhance our understanding of cellular pathways underlying larval calcification processes. In particular, we observe the differential expression of contigs encoding SLC4 family members (sodium bicarbonate cotransporters, anion exchangers), calcium-transporting ATPases, sodium/calcium exchangers, and SMPs such as nacrein, tyrosinase, and transcripts related to chitin production. With a range of candidate genes, this work identifies ion transport pathways in bivalve larvae and by applying comparative genomics to investigate temporal expression patterns, provides a foundation for further studies to functionally characterize the proteins involved in larval calcification.

From the raw bar to the bench: Bivalves as models for human health

Bivalves, from raw oysters to steamed clams, are popular choices among seafood lovers and once limited to the coastal areas. The rapid growth of the aquaculture industry and improvement in the preservation and transport of seafood have enabled them to be readily available anywhere in the world. Over the years, oysters, mussels, scallops, and clams have been the focus of research for improving the production, managing resources, and investigating basic biological and ecological questions. During this decade, an impressive amount of information using high-throughput genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic technologies has been produced in various classes of the Mollusca group, and it is anticipated that basic and applied research will significantly benefit from this resource. One aspect that is also taking momentum is the use of bivalves as a model system for human health. In this review, we highlight some of the aspects of the biology of bivalves that have direct implications in human health including the shell formation, stem cells and cell differentiation, the ability to fight opportunistic and specific pathogens in the absence of adaptive immunity, as source of alternative drugs, mucosal immunity and, microbiome turnover, toxicology, and cancer research. There is still a long way to go; however, the next time you order a dozen oysters at your favorite raw bar, think about a tasty model organism that will not only please your palate but also help unlock multiple aspects of molluscan biology and improve human health.