Olfactory receptors mediate feeding of <i>Pocillopora damicornis</i> in Crown-of-thorns starfish

Zhu Yunjie; Zhang Zhiwei; Xing Jiajie; Yan Zhicong; Cai Wenqi; Wu Zhongjie; Liu Zhaoqun; Zhou Zhi

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Zhu Yunjie，Zhang Zhiwei，Xing Jiajie, et al. Olfactory receptors mediate feeding of Pocillopora damicornis in Crown-of-thorns starfish[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2025, 47(x)：1–6

Citation:

Zhu Yunjie，Zhang Zhiwei，Xing Jiajie, et al. Olfactory receptors mediate feeding of Pocillopora damicornis in Crown-of-thorns starfish[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2025, 47(x)：1–6

Zhu Yunjie，Zhang Zhiwei，Xing Jiajie, et al. Olfactory receptors mediate feeding of Pocillopora damicornis in Crown-of-thorns starfish[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2025, 47(x)：1–6

Citation:

Zhu Yunjie，Zhang Zhiwei，Xing Jiajie, et al. Olfactory receptors mediate feeding of Pocillopora damicornis in Crown-of-thorns starfish[J]. Haiyang Xuebao，2025, 47(x)：1–6

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Olfactory receptors mediate feeding of Pocillopora damicornis in Crown-of-thorns starfish

1.
Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China
2.
Hainan Academy of Ocean and Fisheries Sciences, Haikou 571126, China

Received Date: 2024-03-31
Rev Recd Date: 2024-12-11

Available Online: 2025-04-11

Abstract

Abstract

To investigate the feeding effects of Acanthaster cf. solaris on Pocillopora damicornis and its molecular regulatory mechanisms, this study focused on the typical Pocillopora damicornis in the South China Sea, combining behavioral experiments, transcriptome sequencing, and enzyme activity assays of stomach tissue to systematically analyze the role of olfactory receptors in the feeding behavior of Acanthaster cf. solaris. The results showed that the expression of chemical receptor genes in the Acanthaster cf. solaris significantly changed during the feeding process on Pocillopora damicornis, with 89 genes being significantly upregulated and 335 genes being significantly downregulated. Further exploration of the upregulated genes revealed that five olfactory receptor genes suggested by the transcriptome, including gamma-aminobutyric acid type B receptor subunit 1-like and olfactory receptor 13-like, may play crucial roles in the recognition and feeding on Pocillopora damicornis. Meanwhile, feeding behavior significantly activated cellulase activity in the stomach tissues (p < 0.05), whereas the activities of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and lipase showed an increasing trend but did not reach statistical significance. This suggests that cellulase may be involved in the digestive process by enhancing the degradation of coral skeletons and zooxanthella cell walls. This study provides preliminary insights into the mediation of feeding behavior by key olfactory receptors in Acanthaster cf. solaris and offers important scientific references for further understanding the mechanisms behind population outbreaks.
- Crown-of-thorns starfish,
- olfactory receptors,
- reef-building corals,
- feeding mechanism,
- transcriptome

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References(34)

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