SNPs in the Galectin-8 gene of Acanthopagrus latus have been found to be associated with resistance trait to Streptococcus iniae

Seabream is one of most important candidates for aquaculture in China. However, in recent years, streptococcosis has posed a serious challenge. Galectin-8 has been proven to play an important role in the antibacterial immunity of teleost. In this study, Acanthopagrus latus Galectin-8 (AlGal-8) was characterized for the first time consisting of 8 exons and 7 introns. AlGal-8 protein was considered to dock with N-Acetylglucosamine in the CRD region. In healthy tissues, AlGal-8 was found to be expressed highest in the gills, followed by brain, kidney and liver. After infection with Streptococcus iniae, the expression of AlGal-8 in the brain, kidney, and liver increased to varying degrees, but there was no significant change in the spleen. We also analyzed SNPs present in the genomic region of AlGal-8, and a total of 8 SNPs were found. One SNPs in exon (G2264C) and two in introns (T4799G and C4892T) were significantly (P < 0.05) associated with resistance to S. iniae. This study not only provides a reference for the role of Galectin-8 in the antibacterial immunity of teleost but also provides fundamental information for the disease-resistant molecular breeding of A. latus.