Ruditapes philippinarum Raw sequence reads
Ruditapes philippinarum, a dominant infaunal bivalve species distributed in temperate coastal regions of the West Pacific and Europe, is widely used as a bioindicator for marine pollution. With the expansion of offshore petroleum activities and increasing discharge of industrial and domestic effluents, PAHs contamination in coastal environments has become increasingly severe, reaching moderate levels in certain areas. During the reproductive season, bivalves exhibit elevated metabolic rates and increased energy demands, which may enhance the bioaccumulation of POPs. In this study, reproductive-phase R. philippinarum was selected as the model species, and phenanthrene (Phe), chrysene (Chr), and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) were chosen as target compounds. By integrating transcriptomic analysis, computational prediction, and experimental validation, we aim to elucidate the phase I metabolic pathways of mixed PAHs in bivalves. Furthermore, we investigate the downstream hepatotoxic responses, encompassing metabolic activation, oxidative damage, inflammation, and fibrosis. This work provides evidence for understanding the toxicological mechanisms of PAHs in marine organisms and offers a theoretical basis for the early warning and ecological risk assessment of marine PAHs contamination.