Identification of potential markers and sensitive tissues for low or high salinity stress in an intertidal mud crab (Macrophthalmus japonicus)

• Low and high salinity exposed animal succumbed to death first at 10 psu followed by 40 psu.
• Differential gene transcription of Macrophthalmus japonicus tissues suggest tissue specific responses against salinity.
• Five potential gene transcription levels of M. japonicus quantified at different salinities.
• All genes except Mj-LGBP showed up regulation in the gills as time dependent manner.
• Hepatopancreas considered as suitable tissue for M. japonicus physiological responses analysis in low and high salinity stress.

Macrophthalmus japonicus is an intertidal mud crab is an ecologically important species in Korea, can tolerate a wide range of natural and anthropogenic stressors. Environmental changes especially salinity cause physiological stress to the marine habitats. Differential gene transcription of M. japonicus tissues provided information about tissue specific responses against salinity. Five potential genes were identified and their transcription levels were determined quantitatively comparison to seawater (SW: 31 ± 1 psu) in M. japonicus gills and hepatopancreas after exposed them to different salinities. Ecdysteroid receptor (Mj-EcR), trypsin (Mj-Tryp), arginine kinase (Mj-AK), lipopolysaccharide and β-1,3-glucan binding protein (Mj-LGBP) and peroxinectin (Mj-Prx) in hepatopancreas up-regulated against different salinities. In contrast, the gills, Mj-EcR, Mj-Tryp and Mj-AK showed late up-regulated responses to 40 psu compared to SW. All genes except Mj-LGBP showed up regulation in the gills as time dependent manner. These genes can be considered as potential markers to assess responses in salinity changes. This study suggests hepatopancreas is a suitable tissue for transcriptional, biochemical and physiological responses analysis on M. japonicus in low and high salinity stress.