Transcriptome and network analyses reveal key pathways and genes involved in response to carotenoid deposition in scallop muscle

Carotenoids are essential nutrients for humans and animals, carotenoid content has become an important trait to evaluate the nutritional value of many cultured animals. Marine animals provide with diverse carotenoids, developing carotenoid-enriched varieties been focus marine animal breeding. Understanding molecular mechanism deposition could benefit breeding improvement. In present study, transcriptomic analysis adductor muscle was performed between Yesso scallop ( Patinopecten yessoensis ) white (WM) orange (OM). A total 683 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, 302 381 being up- down-regulated in OM scallop. Gene co-expression network identified four accumulation−related modules, including three up-regulated modules one module. The mainly participate pathways translation transcription (MEgreen), immune system (MElightyellow), lipid metabolism (MEpink), while module is enriched involved various metabolic (MEturquoise). As causal gene responsible coloration scallop, PyBCO-like 1 hub MEturquoise showed strong connectivity NR2F1A , a transcriptional factor regulation retinoic acid. addition, DEGs, WDR3 RPP29 TBL3 RIOK2 NOB1 from “ribosome biogenesis”, HSP70 s HSP702B “antigen processing presentation”, ACOX1 “PPAR signaling pathway” as genes, indicating potential regulatory role these response accumulation. Our data contribute deeper understanding mechanisms accumulation