title: Functional analysis of a tyrosinase gene involved in early larval shell biogenesis in Crassostrea angulata and its response to ocean acidification.
abstract: The formation of the primary shell is a vital process in marine bivalves. Ocean acidification largely influences shell formation. It has been reported that enzymes involved in phenol oxidation, such as tyrosinase and phenoloxidases, participate in the formation of the periostracum. In the present study, we cloned a tyrosinase gene from Crassostrea angulata named Ca-tyrA1, and its potential function in early larval shell biogenesis was investigated. The Ca-tyrA1 gene has a full-length cDNA of 2430bp in size, with an open reading frame of 1896bp in size, which encodes a 631-amino acid protein that includes a 24-amino acid putative signal peptide. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that Ca-tyrA1 transcription mainly occurs at the trochophore stage, and the Ca-tyrA1 mRNA levels in the 3000ppm treatment group were significantly upregulated in the early D-veliger larvae. WMISH and electron scanning microscopy analyses showed that the expression of Ca-tyrA1 occurs at the gastrula stage, thereby sustaining the early D-veliger larvae, and the shape of its signal is saddle-like, similar to that observed under an electron scanning microscope. Furthermore, the RNA interference has shown that the treatment group has a higher deformity rate than that of the control, thereby indicating that Ca-tyrA1 participates in the biogenesis of the primary shell. In conclusion, and our results indicate that Ca-tyrA1 plays a vital role in the formation of the larval shell and participates in the response to larval shell damages in Crassostrea angulata that were induced by ocean acidification.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361008, China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
authors.forename: Bingye
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
authors.forename: Fei
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pu
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
authors.forename: Lingling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: You
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
authors.forename: Caihuan
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; College of Ocean and Earth Science, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China; Fujian Collaborative Innovation Center for Exploitation and Utilization of Marine Biological Resources, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China. Electronic address: dqfeng@xmu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Danqing
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D060105:Animal Shells / Q000201:enzymology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049896:Crassostrea / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007814:Larva; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012623:Seawater / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014442:Monophenol Monooxygenase
keywords: Ca-tyrA1; Ocean acidification; Oyster; RNAi; Shell form