Abstract
Environmental differences between artificial and natural habitats can influence crustacean physiology and health. In this study, we compared the hemolymph proteomes of cultured and wild crayfish to elucidate habitat-specific physiological adaptations. Proteomic analysis revealed pronounced differences in proteins related to energy metabolism, immunity, detoxification, growth, regeneration, respiration, and reproduction. The studied wild crayfish exhibited higher abundances of key glycolytic enzymes, suggesting elevated energetic demands for physical activity, while the concurrent increase in hemocyanin abundance is consistent with a possible adaptation to lower oxygen availability in the studied natural habitat. Also, evidence shows different modes of immune system activation and function in the hemolymph of wild compared to cultured crayfish, which may indicate different loads of pathogens in those two environments. In contrast, the studied cultured crayfish profile reflects adaptation to nutritionally rich, formulated diets and higher capacities for detoxifying diet-borne xenobiotics, as well as enhanced growth, regeneration, and reproduction. Overall, our results demonstrate that the composition of crayfish hemolymph proteins is strongly influenced by the rearing environment at cellular and molecular levels. These findings offer valuable insights for improving crayfish health and growth management under sustainable aquaculture systems. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD074479.
Keywords: crayfish • cultured • environment • hemolymph • protein • wild
