The exacerbation of global warming has driven changes in environmental factors, including water temperature and oxygen concentration. The sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus, an economically important aquatic animal, is constantly and directly challenged by heat and hypoxia. In this study, 12 small RNA libraries were constructed for this species, and a total of 21, 26 and 22 differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs were clarified in A. japonicus under thermal (26°C), hypoxic (2 mg/L) and the combined stresses. Comparative miRNA sequencing analysis and real-time PCR were used to identify and validate the representative miRNAs, including Aja-miR-novel-299, Aja-let-7b-3p, Aja-miR-71b-5p, Aja-miR-novel-13218 and Aja-miR-2004 in response to high temperature, and Aja-miR-92b-3p, Aja-miR-210-5p and Aja-miR-novel-26331 in response to oxygen limitation. GO and KEGG pathway analysis revealed that the potential target genes of DE-miRNAs involved in biosynthesis, metabolism, immunity, cell growth and death, translation and signaling transduction. Key DE-miRNAs with potentially targeted genes associated with heat shock and hypoxia response were also determined. These results may help explaining the role of miRNA regulation in stress resistance, as well as the potential molecular regulation mechanism of the echinoderm A. japonicus in the context of global warming.

全球变暖的加剧推动了环境因素的变化，包括水温和氧气浓度。海参刺参（Apostichopus japonicus）是一种经济上重要的水生动物，经常受到高温和缺氧的直接挑战。在这项研究中，为该物种构建了12个小RNA文库，并且在日本按蚊中澄清了总共21、26和22个差异表达（DE）miRNA 。在高温（26°C），低氧（2 mg / L）和综合应力下。比较的miRNA测序分析和实时PCR用于鉴定和验证代表性的miRNA，包括Aja-miR-novel-299，Aja-let-7b-3p，Aja-miR-71b-5p，Aja-miR-novel- 13218和Aja-miR-2004对高温的响应，以及Aja-miR-92b-3p，Aja-miR-210-5p和Aja-miR-novel-26331的响应。GO和KEGG途径分析表明，DE-miRNA的潜在靶基因参与生物合成，代谢，免疫，细胞生长和死亡，翻译和信号转导。还确定了具有与热休克和缺氧反应相关的潜在靶向基因的关键DE-miRNA。这些结果可能有助于解释miRNA调控在抗逆性中的作用，全球变暖背景下的日本刺槐。