Identification of differentially expressed genes in haemocytes of the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) infected with white spot syndrome virus by suppression subtractive hybridization and cDNA microarrays.

By using suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and cDNA microarrays, we studied the differentially expressed genes in haemocytes of the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) infected with white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). Thirty three differentially expressed genes were detected in which 31 were up-regulated and 2 were down-regulated. The up-regulated genes include serine protease inhibitors, chaperonin, synaptasome-associated protein of 25 kD(SNAP25), tubulin, zinc-finger protein, intracellular fatty acid binding protein, extracellular superoxide dismutase precursor, arginine kinase, 70 kD heat shock like protein and Bax inhibitor-1. A lot of genes including the 2 down-regulated genes are still unknown. All these immuno-related genes responding to the virus infection provide a new insight for further study in the shrimp innate immunity.