Mutation in promoter region of a serine protease inhibitor confers Perkinsus marinus resistance in the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica)

Protease inhibitors from the host may inhibit proteases from invading pathogens and confer resistance. We have previously shown that a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP198C) in a serine protease inhibitor gene (cvSI-1) is associated with Perkinsus marinus resistance in the eastern oyster. As SNP198 is synonymous, we studied whether its linkage to polymorphism at the promoter region could explain the resistance. A 631 bp fragment of the promoter region was cloned by genome-walking and resequenced, revealing 22 SNPs and 3 insertion/deletions (indels). A 25 bp indel at position −404 was genotyped along with SNP198 for association analysis using before- and after-mortality samples. After mortalities that were primarily caused by P. marinus, the frequency of deletion allele at −404indel increased by 15.6% (p = 0.0437), while that of SNP198C increased by only 3.4% (p = 0.5756). The resistance alleles at the two loci were coupled in 79.6% of the oysters. Oysters with the deletion allele at −404indel showed significant (p = 0.0189) up-regulation of cvSI-1 expression under P. marinus challenge. Our results suggest that mutation at the promoter region causes increased transcription of cvSI-1, which in turn confers P. marinus resistance in the eastern oyster likely through inhibiting pathogenic proteases from the parasite.

► We sequenced promoter region of serine protease inhibitor cvSI-1 of eastern oyster.
► We found a 25 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in the promoter region.
► Oysters with the deletion allele survived better under Perkinsus marinus infection.
► Oysters with the deletion had higher cvSI-1 expression under P. marinus challenge.
► We propose promoter mutation confers P. marinus resistance by up-regulating cvSI-1.