Injury and Molecular Response Mechanisms in the Gills of Macrobrachium rosenbergii under Acute NaHCO3 Alkaline Stress

The restoration of saline-alkali land is strategically vital for securing global arable land, alleviating water crises, and sustaining ecosystem resilience. As an important freshwater economic shrimp, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (M. rosenbergii) possesses a certain tolerance to saline-alkaline conditions. Analyzing the damage mechanism and stress response of M. rosenbergii in saline-alkali environments will provide a scientific basis for promoting ecological restoration through the utilization of saline-alkali water resources for aquaculture. This study employed antioxidant and immune-related enzyme activity, pathological ob- servation, and omics analysis to investigate the damage mechanisms of NaHCO3 stress on the gill tissue of M. rosenbergii, while also elucidating the response mechanisms under NaHCO3 stress. The current results suggested that acute NaHCO3 stress reduced the antioxidant enzymes activity, and caused gill tissue damage in M. rosenbergii might through the apoptotic pathway. In response to the stress caused by NaHCO3, M. rosenbergii activated immune-related enzymes as well as immune-related differentially expressed genes involved in endocytosis, autophagy, and Toll-like receptor signaling pathway. In summary, the current research provided reference information for understanding the adverse effects caused by saline-alkali water stress and for the breeding of M. rosenbergii in saline alkali water environments.