A single-cell atlas of Exopalaemon carinicauda gills under low-salinity stress

Single-cell RNA sequencing using 10X Genomics was performed on the gill tissues of the control group and the low-salinity stress group (72 hours) of Exopalaemon carinicauda, respectively. A total of 11 cell clusters were identified, including two ionocyte clusters: pillar cells and septal cells. Differential expression analysis revealed that after low-salinity stress, the cell abundance of pillar cell subpopulation 3 significantly increased, and its differentially expressed genes were notably enriched in ion transport pathways. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis identified up-regulated hub genes involved in pH regulation in pillar cells.