Papers

61,005 results
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Article Tier 2

The native mussel Mytilus chilensis genome reveals adaptative molecular signatures facing the marine environment

Researchers sequenced and analyzed the genome of the native Chilean blue mussel Mytilus chilensis, identifying adaptive molecular signatures that reflect the species' responses to diverse marine environmental conditions, with implications for understanding resilience in an aquaculture species reliant on wild seed collection.

2022 2 citations
Article Tier 2

Responses of microRNA in digestive glands of mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics

Polystyrene nanoplastics triggered significant microRNA expression changes in the digestive glands of the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, with altered miRNAs involved in immune regulation, apoptosis, and stress response pathways. The findings indicate that microRNA-mediated gene regulation is an important molecular mechanism of nanoplastic toxicity in marine bivalves.

2022 Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety 14 citations
Article Tier 2

Identification of microRNA-mRNA regulatory network associated with microplastic exposure in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Scientists identified specific microRNA-mRNA regulatory networks in Mediterranean mussels that are altered by microplastic exposure, revealing how plastic pollution affects gene regulation at the molecular level. The study found that microplastics disrupt biological pathways related to development, growth, and reproduction in these filter-feeding organisms. Since mussels are widely consumed as seafood, the findings also raise concerns about microplastics entering the human food chain.

2025 Genomics 1 citations
Article Tier 2

Chromosome-Level Genome Assembly of the Blue Mussel Mytilus chilensis Reveals Molecular Signatures Facing the Marine Environment

Scientists assembled the first chromosome-level genome of the Chilean blue mussel, an important aquaculture species in South America. The genome revealed genetic adaptations related to immune defense, stress response, and shell formation that help the mussels survive in challenging marine environments. This genomic resource will support breeding programs and help researchers understand how mussels respond to environmental stressors including pollution.

2023 Genes 25 citations
Article Tier 2

Hypoxia in the Blue Mussel Mytilus chilensis Induces Transcriptome Shift Associated with Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress, Metabolism, and Immune Response.

Scientists used gene expression analysis to study how low-oxygen conditions affect the blue mussel Mytilus chilensis at the molecular level. Researchers found that hypoxia triggered stress responses in the mussels' gills, digestive glands, and muscles, including cellular stress pathways, metabolic shifts, and immune changes. The study highlights how climate-driven oxygen depletion in coastal waters can stress economically important shellfish species.

2024 Preprints.org 5 citations
Article Tier 2

Shallow-water mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) adapt to deep-sea environment through transcriptomic and metagenomic insights

Researchers placed common shallow-water mussels in deep-sea conditions and found that within just 10 days, the mussels' gene activity and gut microbiome shifted to closely resemble those of native deep-sea mussels — revealing a surprisingly rapid adaptive capacity driven by changes in both host biology and microbial communities.

2025 Communications Biology 3 citations
Article Tier 2

Microbiome Profile of the Mediterranean Mussel (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Northern Aegean Sea (Greece) Culture Areas, Based on a 16S rRNA Next Generation Sequencing Approach

Researchers used next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA to profile the microbiome of Mediterranean mussels farmed in northern Greece, finding that the dominant bacterial genera included Mycoplasma and Anaplasma, with significant seasonal and geographic variation in microbial community composition across sampling zones.

2023 Diversity 9 citations
Article Tier 2

Transcriptomic Analysis Provides Insights into Candidate Genes and Molecular Pathways Involved in Growth of Mytilus coruscus Larvae

This paper is not about microplastics — it uses transcriptomic analysis to identify genes and molecular pathways that control growth and development in the marine mussel Mytilus coruscus, with applications for aquaculture.

2024 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 2 citations
Article Tier 2

De novo transcriptome assembly of the Perna viridis: A novel invertebrate model for ecotoxicological studies

Researchers created the first detailed gene reference map for the gill tissue of the Asian green mussel, an important species for monitoring ocean pollution. They identified over 47,000 gene sequences, including many related to immune defense and stress responses. This genetic resource will help scientists better understand how marine organisms respond to environmental contaminants like microplastics and heavy metals at the molecular level.

2025 Scientific Data 2 citations
Meta Analysis Tier 1

Exploring the Potential of Metatranscriptomics to Describe Microbial Communities and Their Effects in Molluscs

Metatranscriptomics revealed a more complete picture of mussel microbiomes — including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoans — than traditional 16S sequencing alone. The approach also identified host genes whose expression changed with pathogen load, providing new insights into how molluscs respond to microbial infections.

2022 International Journal of Molecular Sciences 11 citations
Article Tier 2

Single and repetitive microplastics exposures induce immune system modulation and homeostasis alteration in the edible mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers examined transcriptome-wide gene expression changes in Mediterranean mussels after single and repeated microplastic exposures, finding significant immune system modulation and disruption of cellular homeostasis. The study suggests that both short-term and chronic microplastic exposure can alter immune regulation pathways in filter-feeding bivalves, with repeated exposures showing cumulative effects.

2018 Fish & Shellfish Immunology 192 citations
Article Tier 2

Rapid epigenetic response to salinity stress in an invasive mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed the invasive mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis to rapid salinity decreases and tracked DNA methylation changes over 24 hours, finding that epigenetic modifications continued to evolve throughout the stress period, indicating dynamic regulatory responses to acute environmental change.

2025 TURKISH JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY
Article Tier 2

Genomics and transcriptomics of the green mussel explain the durability of its byssus

Researchers used whole-genome and foot-specific transcriptomic analysis of the green mussel Perna viridis to identify genes responsible for byssus formation, finding that proteinase inhibitors and cross-linking proteins contribute to the exceptional durability and enzymatic resistance of mussel attachment threads.

2021 Scientific Reports 27 citations
Article Tier 2

Microplastics in the deep: Suspended particles affect the model species Mytilus galloprovincialis under hyperbaric conditions

Researchers exposed juvenile Mediterranean mussels to polyethylene microplastics at three concentrations and three pressure levels (1, 4, and 50 Bar) for 96 hours to simulate deep-sea conditions. Microplastics significantly reduced filtration rates and triggered oxidative stress, with transcriptomic analysis revealing pressure-dependent differences in how mussels respond to plastic exposure.

2025 Environmental Pollution
Article Tier 2

Insights into the Response in Digestive Gland of Mytilus coruscus under Heat Stress Using TMT-Based Proteomics

Researchers investigated how heat stress affects the digestive gland of thick-shelled mussels using advanced protein analysis techniques. They found significant changes in proteins related to immune defense, energy metabolism, and stress response, revealing the biological mechanisms behind heat-related mussel die-offs. While focused on temperature stress, the study provides foundational knowledge about mussel resilience that is relevant to understanding how environmental stressors, including pollutants, affect these important marine organisms.

2023 Animals 16 citations
Article Tier 2

Different recovery patterns of the surviving bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis based on transcriptome profiling exposed to spherical or fibrous polyethylene microplastics

Researchers used gene expression analysis to study how Mediterranean mussels respond to and recover from exposure to different shapes of polyethylene microplastics. They found that spherical and fibrous particles triggered distinct stress responses and different recovery patterns over a 14-day period. The study suggests that the shape of microplastics matters significantly in determining their biological impact on marine organisms.

2024 Heliyon 7 citations
Article Tier 2

Effects of Ocean Acidification, Hypoxia, and Warming on the Gut Microbiota of the Thick Shell Mussel Mytilus coruscus Through 16S rRNA Gene Sequencing

Researchers found that combined ocean acidification, hypoxia, and warming significantly altered the gut microbiota of the thick shell mussel Mytilus coruscus, disrupting microbial community structure and potentially compromising host health under future climate scenarios.

2021 Frontiers in Marine Science 35 citations
Article Tier 2

Transcriptomic analysis reveals interactive effects of polyvinyl chloride microplastics and cadmium on Mytilus galloprovincialis: Insights into non-coding RNA responses and environmental implications

Researchers used whole-transcriptome sequencing to study how mussels respond at the molecular level to combined exposure to PVC microplastics and cadmium. They found that the combined pollutants triggered distinct gene expression patterns, particularly in non-coding RNAs involved in immune and stress responses. The study suggests that microplastics and heavy metals together may cause more complex biological effects than either pollutant alone.

2024 Aquatic Toxicology 4 citations
Article Tier 2

Molecular mechanisms controlling physiological plasticity in marine mussels under the influence of natural and anthropogenic stress factors

This thesis project investigated the molecular mechanisms that help Mediterranean mussels cope with environmental stress, including both natural factors and emerging pollutants like microplastics. Understanding these stress responses could help predict how marine shellfish will fare as pollution and climate change intensify.

2021
Article Tier 2

Morphological analysis approach to detect microfiber contamination in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers investigated microfiber contamination in Mediterranean mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) using morphological analysis, finding microplastic presence in 65% of analyzed specimens and demonstrating that mussels serve as effective bioindicators for assessing environmental microplastic exposure.

2022 Global NEST International Conference on Environmental Science & Technology
Article Tier 2

Toxicological Impacts of Microplastics: Effects on Levels of Cellular Thiols in Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers investigated how microplastic exposure affects cellular thiol antioxidants in Mediterranean mussels, finding that short-term exposure altered glutathione and ovothiol levels, indicating oxidative stress as a key mechanism of microplastic toxicity in benthic species.

2023 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 8 citations
Article Tier 2

Using Biometrics, Behavioral Observations, and Multiple Molecular Techniques to Assess the Impacts of Changes in Temperature and Salinity on the Common Bay Mussel (Mytilus trossulus)

This study used multiple molecular and physiological techniques to assess how the common bay mussel responds to changes in temperature and salinity, providing baseline data for understanding climate change impacts. Mussels are also used as sentinel organisms for monitoring microplastic contamination in coastal waters.

2023
Article Tier 2

Polyethylene microbeads induce transcriptional responses with tissue-dependent patterns in the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Researchers exposed fish to polyethylene microbeads and measured gene expression across tissues, finding tissue-dependent transcriptional responses that suggest microplastic ingestion affects multiple physiological systems in distinct ways.

2017 Journal of Molluscan Studies 90 citations
Article Tier 2

Unraveling the interplay between environmental microplastics and salinity stress on Mytilus galloprovincialis larval development: A holistic exploration

Researchers studied how environmental microplastics and increased salinity together affect the early development of Mediterranean mussel larvae. The combination caused larval deformities, developmental problems, and changes in gene activity related to shell formation, stress response, and cell damage. These findings are concerning because climate change is altering ocean salinity in coastal areas where microplastic pollution is also heavy, and mussels are a food source that could pass accumulated microplastics to humans.

2024 The Science of The Total Environment 13 citations