The genetics of the golden mussel (Limnoperna fortunei): Are genes related to invasiveness?

Successful invasive species often share some ecological traits, such as rapid growth and rapid sexual maturation, both of which are characteristic of Limnoperna fortunei. In addition, phenotypic plasticity, i.e., the capability to express different phenotypes as a response to diverse environmental challenges, may play a fundamental role in the geographic expansion of many invasive species, including the golden mussel. Little is known about the genetics of L. fortunei, but the first transcriptome for L. fortunei has recently been sequenced and gene-environment relationships that are likely associated with the successful invasions of this species have begun to be elucidated. Over 24,000 transcripts have been functionally annotated, and results suggest the expansion of the gene families’ heat shock protein 70 and cytochrome P450. This may indicate that L. fortunei has a broad genetic repertoire that confers it an advantage to deal with stressors presented in new locations. Several other key genes such as byssus proteins, immune system-related genes, and antioxidant enzymes have been characterized and are now available for gene expression studies. A genome project is being carried out in Brazil to characterize the entire set of genes and gene families of L. fortunei. This will expand our current knowledge of the genetic characteristics of the invasion helping to forecast new invasion events and develop biotechnology-based strategies to control the infestation.