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Genomic characterization of a hypervirulent Aeromonas veronii NN0115 from Nile tilapia and head kidney transcriptome of infected fish reveals B-cell-dominated immune response with specific immunoglobulin downregulation.

Zulin Fang·Zhengshuang Li·Fuhao Geng·Jifeng Zhang·Youchuan Wei·Qi Li
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Abstract

Aeromonas veronii is a pathogen of multiple fish species, yet systematic understanding of its infection in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) remains limited. A dominant strain, NN0115, was isolated from a natural outbreak and identified as A. veronii by 16S rRNA and whole-genome average nucleotide identity (ANI, 96.33%). Experimental infection revealed high virulence (LD50 = 3.41 × 106 CFU/mL, equivalent to 8.53 × 104 CFU/fish). The genome is 4.58 Mb (58.57% GC) and encodes 4216 proteins. Virulence factor analysis identified 1253 genes, dominated by motility-related (264) and immune modulation (208) factors. Genomic island GI2 harbors 7 virulence genes and two dual-function resistance-virulence genes. The strain is resistant to 9 of 25 agents tested but carries three RND efflux pump genes whose predicted resistance was not phenotypically observed. The head kidney transcriptome of tilapia at 24 h post-bacterial infection identified 773 differentially expressed genes; among them, 57 were immunoglobulin (Ig) genes, and 56 were down-regulated. Integration of published single-cell transcriptomic data showed that non-Ig B-cell marker genes were down-regulated by 32%, whereas Ig genes were reduced by 63%, indicating selective transcriptional suppression of Ig genes rather than a general decrease in B-cell transcriptional activity. Together, this study provides a comprehensive characterization of a highly virulent A. veronii from Nile tilapia and reveals that selective downregulation of B-cell Ig genes is the dominant transcriptional feature of the host head kidney response.

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AnimalsAeromonas veroniiFish DiseasesCichlidsGram-Negative Bacterial InfectionsTranscriptomeHead KidneyVirulenceB-LymphocytesImmunoglobulinsDown-RegulationGenome, BacterialImmunity, InnateB cellsHead kidney transcriptomeOreochromis niloticusWhole-genome sequencingJournal Article

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Zulin Fang, Zhengshuang Li, Fuhao Geng, Jifeng Zhang, Youchuan Wei, Qi Li. 2026-08-17. Genomic characterization of a hypervirulent Aeromonas veronii NN0115 from Nile tilapia and head kidney transcriptome of infected fish reveals B-cell-dominated immune response with specific immunoglobulin downregulation.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111659

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Journal Article resourceAnimals subjectCichlids subjectFish Diseases subjectGenome, Bacterial subjectImmunity, Innate subjectImmunoglobulins subjectJournal Article subject

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