Host immune function can contribute to numerous ecological/evolutionary processes. Ecoimmunological studies, however, typically use one/few phenotypic immune assays and thus do not consider the complexity of the immune system. Therefore, omics resources that allow quantifying immune activity across multiple pathways are needed for ecoimmunological models. We applied short-read based RNAseq (Illumina NextSeq 500, PE-81) to characterise transcriptome profiles of a multipurpose model species Lymnaea stagnalis (Gastropoda). We used a genetically diverse snail stock and exposed individuals to immune elicitors (injury, bacterial/trematode pathogens) and changes in environmental conditions that can alter immune activity (temperature, food availability). Immune defence factors identified in the de novo assembly indicated uniform aspects of molluscan immunity: pathogen-recognition receptors (PRR) and lectins activate Toll-like receptor (TLR) pathway and cytokines that regulate cellular and humoral defences. However, also apparent differences to other taxa were detected (i.e., modest numbers of antimicrobial peptides and fibrinogen related proteins). Identified factors also indicate that multiple of them might contribute to the phenotypic immune assays used on this species. Experimental treatments revealed factors from non-self recognition (lectins) and signalling (TLR pathway, cytokines) to effectors [e.g., antibacterial proteins, phenoloxidase (PO) enzymes] whose gene expression depended on immune activations and environmental conditions, as well as components of snail physiology/metabolism that may drive these effects. Interestingly, gene expression of many factors (e.g., PRR, lectins, cytokines, PO enzymes, antibacterial proteins) showed high among-individual variation. Such factors are important to include in ecoimmunological research because they may explain among-individual differences in parasite resistance and fitness in natural populations.

中文翻译：

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用于生态免疫研究的多用途模式种鼠李（Gastropoda）的转录组谱分析

宿主免疫功能可以促进许多生态/进化过程。然而，生态免疫学研究通常使用一种/很少的表型免疫测定法，因此没有考虑免疫系统的复杂性。因此，生态免疫学模型需要组学资源以量化跨多个途径的免疫活性。我们应用了基于短读的RNAseq（Illumina NextSeq 500，PE-81）来表征多用途模型种剑兰（天蛾）的转录组谱。我们使用了遗传多样的蜗牛种群，并将个体暴露于免疫引发剂（伤害，细菌/吸虫病原体）和环境条件的变化下，这些变化会改变免疫活性（温度，食物供应量）。从头大会确定的免疫防御因素表明了软体动物免疫的统一方面：病原体识别受体（PRR）和凝集素激活Toll样受体（TLR）途径和调节细胞和体液防御的细胞因子。但是，还发现了与其他分类单元的明显差异（即适量的抗菌肽和纤维蛋白原相关蛋白）。识别出的因素还表明它们中的多种可能有助于对该物种使用的表型免疫测定。实验处理揭示了从非自我识别（凝集素）和信号传导（TLR途径，细胞因子）到效应子（例如，抗菌蛋白，酚氧化酶（PO）酶）的因素，其基因表达取决于免疫激活和环境条件，以及可能导致这些影响的蜗牛生理/代谢成分。有趣的是，许多因素（例如PRR，凝集素，细胞因子，PO酶，抗菌蛋白）的基因表达表现出很高的个体差异。这些因素对于纳入生态免疫研究非常重要，因为它们可以解释自然人群中寄生虫抗性和适应性的个体差异。