DAO 135:107-119 (2019)  -  DOI: https://doi.org/10.3354/dao03390

ABSTRACT: The natural resistance of New Zealand blackfoot pāua Haliotis iris to infection by haliotid herpesvirus-1 (HaHV-1) and to the disease abalone viral ganglioneuritis was investigated in experimentally challenged p-aua using high throughput RNA-sequencing. HaHV-1-challenged p-aua up-regulated broad classes of genes that contained chitin-binding peritrophin-A domains, which seem to play diverse roles in the pāua immune response. The p-aua also up-regulated vascular adhesion protein-1 (VAP-1), an important adhesion molecule for lymphocytes, and chitotriosidase-1 (CHIT-1), an immunologically important gene in mammalian immune systems. Moreover, several blood coagulation pathways were dysregulated in the p-aua, possibly indicating viral modulation. We also saw several indications that neurological tissues were specifically affected by HaHV-1, including the dysregulation of beta-1,4-N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase (B4GALNT), GM2 ganglioside, neuroligin-4 and the Notch signalling pathway. This research may support the development of molecular therapeutics useful to control and/or manage viral outbreaks in abalone culture.

KEY WORDS: pāua · Abalone · Haliotid herpesvirus · HaHV-1 · Transcriptome · Peritrophin-A · RNA-Seq