Differentially expressed genes of the carpet shell clam Ruditapes decussatus against Perkinsus olseni

Suppression–Subtractive Hybridization (SSH) was used to identify differentially expressed Ruditapes decussatus genes against the protozoan Perkinsus olseni infection. A forward and a reverse subtraction were carried out to identify up- and down-regulated genes in both haemocytes and gills of clams naturally infected with P. olseni. New genes, candidates for further investigation into the functional basis of resistance to pathogens, have been detected for the first time in the clam (R. decussatus). A total of 305 differentially expressed sequences were obtained, 221 of them in haemocytes and 84 in gills of infected clams. The number of ESTs with potential similarity with known genes was 97, 42 among them were related with immunity and stress related functions. The pattern of expression of the immune selected genes was studied by quantitative PCR with samples of naturally Perkinsus infected clams and compared with samples from an in vitro infection of clam haemocytes with Perkinsus zoospores. The maximum expression was found 1 h post infection. The complete open reading frames of selected sequences (Rd adiponectin-C1q and Rd DAD-1) were determined. Our results provide new insights into the molecular basis of host–pathogen interactions in R. decussatus.