Ion channel profiling of the Lymnaea stagnalis ganglia via transcriptome analysis

Abstract Background The pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis (L. stagnalis) has been widely used as a model organism in neurobiology, ecotoxicology, and parasitology due to the relative simplicity of its central nervous system (CNS). However, usefulness is restricted by limited availability transcriptome data. While sequence information for L. CNS transcripts obtained from EST libraries de novo RNA-seq assembly, quality these assemblies combination low coverage libraries, fragmented nature assemblies, lack reference genome. Results In this study, taking advantage recent preliminary genome, we generated an library adult CNS, using genome-guided assembly programs identify 17,832 protein-coding transcripts. We combined our with existing resources produce transcript set greater length, completeness, diversity than previously available ones. Using functional domain analysis, profiled encoding ion channels ionotropic receptors, which are key proteins function, compared their sequences other vertebrate invertebrate organisms. Interestingly, numerous putative Ca 2+ showed most similarity those Mus musculus , Danio rerio Xenopus tropicalis Drosophila melanogaster Caenorhabditis elegans suggesting that many calcium channel-related signaling pathways may be evolutionarily conserved. Conclusions Our study provides thorough characterization date insights into differences between vertebrates invertebrates diversity, according function protein class. Furthermore, complete opening new avenues future research on fundamental neurobiological processes system.