Comp Biochem Physiol Part D Genomics Proteomics 2025 Dec 02;58:101706. doi: 10.1016/j.cbd.2025.101706.

Unveiling the roles of oxidative stress defense and energy metabolism adjustment in low-temperature stress responses of Apostichopus japonicus: An integrated physiological, transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis.

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Sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus is an important aquaculture species along the North Pacific coast. Its farming efficiency faces a growing threat from the impacts of global climate change, which characterized by either extreme low-temperature events or extended periods of cold stress. This study employed integrated physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic analyses to investigate A. japonicus responses to low temperatures (7.5 °C and 2.5 °C). When the temperature decreased to 7.5 °C and 2.5 °C, both significantly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPX), thereby alleviating oxidative damage. Transcriptomic data showed that at 7.5 °C, genes related to antioxidant defense (e.g., ALDH7A1) were significantly upregulated, as were genes associated with lipid metabolism, such as SCP2. At 2.5 °C, the number of differentially expressed genes increased significantly, including the upregulation of lipid metabolism-related gene acox1, antioxidant defense-related genes (gclm, pdxk), and the downregulation of lipid metabolism-related gene hmgcr. Metabolomic profiling revealed enrichment of unsaturated fatty acids (e.g., linoleic acid) and primary bile acid biosynthesis at 7.5 °C, enhancing membrane fluidity and lipid utilization. Key metabolites at 2.5 °C (e.g., glutathione, L-aspartic acid) were involved in amino acid metabolism pathways. Integrated analyses highlighted co-enrichment of genes and metabolites linked to bile acid synthesis and fatty acid metabolism at 7.5 °C, supporting membrane stability and energy balance, while 2.5 °C induced pathways related to vitamin B6 metabolism, the TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, and fatty acid degradation. These results indicate that A. japonicus primarily counters cold stress through antioxidant defense and energy homeostasis regulation. The findings provide a theoretical basis for understanding temperature adaptation in echinoderms and establish a foundation for developing precise cultivation strategies and breeding novel stress-resistant strains of A. japonicus to mitigate the impacts of global climate change.

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