Abstract:
This study delves into the significance of the long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase (
ACSL) gene family in
Gymnocypris przewalskii under saline-alkaline stress, conducting bioinformatics analysis on the genome date and exploring saline-alkaline responses through gene expression detection. The results showed that nine
ACSL gene family members encoding proteins ranging from 640 to 834 amino acids. Despite notable differences in gene structure, motif and domain analysis showcased a high level of conservation among these members. Chromosome mapping revealed the dispersion of
ACSL gene family members across nine chromosomes (Chr8, 13, 15, 40, 41, 48, 64, 82, and 87), all encoding hydrophilic properties. Except for
ACSL2 and
ACSL3a, the rest are stable proteins. The product of
ACSL4b is an acidic protein, while all others are basic. Subcellular localization prediction results indicated that
ACSL2 is localized to the cytoplasm,
ACSL3a,
ACSL3b,
ACSL4a, and
ACSL4b to the peroxisome, and the rest to the cell membrane. qRT-PCR analysis revealed tissue-specific expression patterns of
ACSL genes in
Gymnocypris przewalskii, with
ACSL3b, ACSL4b, and
ACSL5 being highly expressed in the kidney, while
ACSL3a,
ACSL4a, and
ACSL5 exhibited elevated expression in the intestine. Under saline-alkali stress, high level expression of
ACSL2, ACSL3a, and
ACSL6 was detected in the gill, and transcription of
ACSL1a, ACSL2, ACSL3a, and
ACSL5 were markedly up-regulated in the kidney. In the intestine, expressions of
ACSL3b and
ACSL6 were prominently up-regulated. These findings highlight the
ACSL gene family in
Gymnocypris przewalskii contributes to multiple physiological functions under saline-alkaline stress, including energy supply through lipid metabolism, maintenance of osmotic balance, and immune regulation.