Deciphering the transcriptomic and lncRNA landscape of gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) in response to Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida infection

Gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) is a significant species in European aquaculture, but its production is threatened by infectious diseases, including photobacteriosis caused by Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida (Phdp). This bacterial pathogen leads to high mortality, especially in larvae and juveniles, and challenges aquaculture management due to antibiotic resistance and the ineffectiveness of vaccines in early developmental stages. Despite extensive research into Phdp virulence factors, the immune mechanisms in gilthead sea bream remain poorly understood. In this study, we conducted the first RNA-Seq analysis of Phdp-infected gilthead sea bream to explore the immune response at 24 hours post-infection (hpi).