Aquaporins (AQPs) are highly-selective transmembrane water transporters that are involved in the adaptation to environmental challenges. However, the structure, function, and evolution of AQPs in bivalves remain largely unknown. In this study, AQP gene family members were identified in nine bivalve species, and their abundance rangs from 7 to 15. Nine AQPs (MmAQPs) were identified in the genome of hard clam ( Mercenaria mercen...

As a vital developmental event, metamorphosis controls the population dynamics of most marine invertebrates and affects the breeding of economic shellfish. Rapana venosa is an economically important species in China, but artificial aquaculture has hampered its metamorphosis process. Previous studies have found that juvenile oysters can effectively induce the metamorphosis of R. venosa , but the specific induction mechanism is...

Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) members participate in a wide range of housekeeping and stress-related activities in eukaryotic cells. In marine ecosystems, bivalves encounter abiotic stresses, including high temperatures and low dissolved oxygen. Here, 133 MmHSP70 genes were identified through combined methods including Blastp, HMM and manual filtration, based on the whole Mercenaria mercenaria genome. The MmHSP70 genes were un...

Metamorphosis is a critical developmental event in mollusks, and neuroendocrine system plays an essential role in this process. Rapana venosa is an economically important shellfish in China, but the artificial technology of R. venosa aquaculture is limited by metamorphosis. As a carnivorous gastropod, food habit transition makes the mechanism of R. venosa metamorphosis more complex. To investigate the changes in the neuroendoc...