Transcriptome analysis of pacific white shrimp (Penaeus vannamei) intestines and hepatopancreas in response to Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) infection

Penaeus vannamei is the most economically important species of shrimp cultured worldwide. Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) is an emerging pathogen that severely affects the growth and development of shrimps. In this study, the transcriptome differences between EHP-infected and uninfected shrimp were investigated through next-generation sequencing. The unigenes were assembled with the reads from all the four libraries. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of intestines and hepatopancreas were analyzed. There were 2,884 DEGs in the intestines and 2,096 DEGs in the hepatopancreas. The GO and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs were significantly enriched in signaling pathways associated with nutritional energy metabolism and mobilizing autoimmunity. Moreover, the results suggested the downregulation of key genes in energy synthesis pathways contributed greatly to shrimp growth retardation; the upregulation of immune-related genes enhanced the resistance of shrimp against EHP infection. This study provided identified genes and pathways associated with EHP infection revealing the molecular mechanisms of growth retardation.