Triops newberryi Transcriptome or Gene expression

Next-generation sequencing techniques have provided a wealth of genomic information for non-model species. In particular, RNA-sequencing has proven to be a reliable source to quantify patterns of gene expression. Changes in gene expression can identify how environmental differences can invoke organismal stress responses and provide a gauge in predicting species adaptability. In our study, we use RNA-sequencing to characterize the transcriptome in a naupliar stage of a tadpole shrimp (Triops newberryi) and to identify the changes in gene expression of nauplii reared in a native and a non-native water condition. RNA was extracted from naupliar T. newberryi that were reared in the same water type in which they were produced (native condition) and in water they were not produced in (non-native condition). A total of six replicates, three biological replicates from each of the two water conditions, were sequenced using Illumina Hi-Seq and de novo assembly of the sequence reads was performed. The total length of the T. newberryi transcriptome was greater than 24 million base pairs and more than 10,000 peptides were predicted from the assembly. There were 299 predicted coding sequences that were differentially expressed in nauplii from the non-native condition compared to the native condition. The majority of these genes were down regulated and encoded for proteins involved in gene regulation, such as translation, and those essential for the growth and molting cycles of crustaceans. The results of the differential gene expression analysis suggest naupliar T. newberryi are experiencing a general stress response when exposed to a non-native condition.