Massive expansion of P-selectin genes in two Venerida species, Sinonovacula constricta and Mercenaria mercenaria: evidence from comparative genomics of Bivalvia.

Background: P-selectin is a molecule participating in the inflammatory response through mediating cellular adhesion and essential for wound repair. However, studies regarding P-selectin in Bivalvia are rare. This study identified 90 P-selectin genes among nine bivalve genomes and classified them into 4 subfamilies according to phylogenetic analysis.

Results: Notable P-selectin gene expansion was observed in two Venerida species, Sinonovacula constricta and Mercenaria mercenaria. The synteny analysis revealed that P-selectin gene expansion was mostly caused by tandem duplication. In addition, the expression profiles of P-selectin genes in S. constricta showed that many P-selectins were specifically highly expressed in the gills, and the P-selectin expression patterns changed dramatically under low salt stress and ammonia nitrogen stress.

Conclusions: The massive expansion of P-selectins may facilitate the tolerance to environmental stresses. This study sheds light on the characterizations and expression profiles of P-selectin genes in Bivalvia and provides an integrated framework for further investigation of the role of P-selectins in the environmental tolerance of bivalves.