2. Academic Validation
  3. Cloning, functional characterization of PfLectin_C, a novel C-type lectin gene in pearl oyster Pinctada fucata, and its roles in immune defense and transplantation immunity

Cloning, functional characterization of PfLectin_C, a novel C-type lectin gene in pearl oyster Pinctada fucata, and its roles in immune defense and transplantation immunity

  • Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2026 Feb:169:111053. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2025.111053.
Xiuxiu Sang 1,  Tangrongjun Guo 2,  Pei Wang 2,  Ying Guo 3,  Chengzhi Peng 2,  Dahui Yu 4,  Lirong Bai 5
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.
  • 2 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Disaster Processes and Ecological Protection Technology, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011, China.
  • 3 College of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China.
  • 4 Guangxi Laboratory on the Study of Coral Reefs in the South China Sea, Guangxi University, Nanning, 530004, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Disaster Processes and Ecological Protection Technology, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
  • 5 Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Disaster Processes and Ecological Protection Technology, Beibu Gulf University, Qinzhou, 535011, China. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 41344455 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2025.111053
Abstract

C-Type lectins (CTLs) are key components of the invertebrate innate immune system and play a pivotal role in pathogen recognition. However, their immunological functions in the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata, particularly during nucleus implantation for pearl formation, remain insufficiently elucidated. In this study, we identified and cloned a novel C-type lectin gene, designated PfLectin_C, from P. fucata. The open reading frame (ORF) of PfLectin_C encodes a 162-amino acid protein harboring a conserved carbohydrate-recognition domain (CRD) with a QPN motif. Quantitative Reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed robust expression of PfLectin_C in the hepatopancreas and gills. Subcellular localization assays demonstrated that the protein is distributed in the cytoplasm and localized to the cell membrane as well as extracellular vesicles. PfLectin_C expression was significantly upregulated following stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN), and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (Poly(I:C)). The recombinant PfLectin_C protein exhibited specific binding affinity for LPS, PGN, D-mannose, and various Bacterial strains. RNA interference (RNAi) experiments showed that silencing PfLectin_C suppressed NF-κB signaling activation induced by Vibrio alginolyticus. Furthermore, transplantation assays indicated that PfLectin_C is involved in graft immunity. Dual-luciferase reporter assays revealed that PfLectin_C activates NF-κB transcriptional activity in a dose-dependent manner. These results collectively demonstrate that PfLectin_C is critical for immune defense in P. fucata and provide valuable insights for mitigating immune rejection during nucleus implantation in pearl cultivation.

Keywords

C-type lectin; Innate immunity; NF-κB; Pinctada fucata; Transplantation immunity.

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