Analysis of aquaporin gene family in the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae

Aquaporin (AQP) is a channel-forming protein that facilitates the transport of water, glycerol, and other small solutes across cell membranes. It is of great significance to grasp the ecological function of AQP in entomopathogenic nematodes and its role in the nematodes' reponse to abiotic stress.

In this study, the genome and transcriptome data in response to desiccation and ultraviolet radiation stress of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae were analyzed. Seven AQP genes were predicted from S. carpocapsae, which including L596_g7661, L596_g18121, XLOC_001193, XLOC_007750, DN12232, DN26938, and DN25287.

Analysis showed that the predicted AQPs belonged to the MIP superfamily, which contained six transmembrane-spanning α-helices and a pair of highly conserved signature sequences, Asn-Pro-Ala (NPA) boxes. Phylogenetic analysis showed that L596_g7661, L596_g18121, DN12232, DN26938 and XLOC_007750 belonged to the glycerol-permeable aquaglyceroporin subgroup, while XLOC_001193 and DN25287 belonged to the water-permeable aquaporin subgroup. The physical and chemical properties, conserved motifs, and interaction networks of different S. carpocapsae AQPs were also analyzed.

This study analyzed the characteristics of the AQP gene family in the entomopathogenic nematode S. carpocapsae, which provided a basis for the function study of the S. carpocapsae AQPs in response to environmental stress. The current study also provided the basis for the further study of the molecular mechanism of environmental tolerance in entomopathogenic nematodes.