Hsp70 knockdown reduced the tolerance of Litopenaeus vannamei post larvae to low pH and salinity

To better understand stress tolerance of the White leg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, RNA interference (RNAi) was used to assess the role of the molecular chaperone, Hsp70 in protecting post larvae against low pH and salinity. As revealed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoprobing of western blots, injection of L. vannamei post larvae with Hsp70 and Hsc70 dsRNA reduced Hsp70 but had no apparent effect on survival. However, the survival of post larvae lacking Hsp70, as compared to those containing the heat shock protein, was reduced more than two-fold 48 h after exposure to low salinity and pH, strongly indicating that Hsp70 is required for protection against these abiotic stressors. This is the first time to our knowledge that RNAi has been used to demonstrate a role for Hsp70 in protecting L. vannamei post larvae against salinity and pH stress, an effect undoubtedly due to the importance Hsp70 assumes in maintaining protein homeostasis within cells. Information generated in this work provides further understanding of Hsp70 function in the stress response of Penaeid shrimp and will assist in the development of strategies to mitigate abiotic stresses experienced by aquatic invertebrates during aquaculture.