The energy metabolism of the freshwater leech Whitmania pigra in response to fasting

Non-blood-feeding leeches, Whitmania pigra, have evolved unique digestive structures and physiological mechanisms to cope with fasting. However, the metabolic changes and molecular mechanisms induced by fasting remain unclear. Therefore, this study recorded the weights of leeches during the fasting process. The weight changes were divided into two stages: a rapid decline period (1–9 weeks) and a fluctuating decline period (9–24 weeks). Leeches fasted for 4 (H4), 11 (H11), and 24 (H24) weeks were selected for transcriptome sequencing. Compared to the control group (H0), 436, 1157, and 337 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, which were mainly related to glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, amino acid metabolism, and the lipid metabolism pathway. The 6-phosphofructokinase (Pfk), pyruvate kinase (PK), and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (Pck) transcription levels revealed glycolysis/gluconeogenesis activation during the early stage of fasting and peaked at 11 weeks. Decreased expression of the rate-limiting enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC) in fatty acid synthesis during fasting may impede fatty acid synthesis. These results indicated that the nutrient storage and energy-supplying pathways in W. pigra were modified to improve fasting resistance. The findings of this study provided guidance for exploring the mechanism underlying fasting metabolism and laid a foundation for artificial breeding to improve the resistance of leeches.