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Article

Integrative Transcriptome and GWAS Analyses Reveal Growth-Associated Molecular Architecture in Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai)

by
Hyejung Jung
1,
Eun Soo Noh
1,
Hyejin Kim
2,
Hee-Bok Park
3,
Young-Su Seo
4,
In Jun Hwang
1,
Hee Jeong Kong
2,
Jung-Ha Kang
1 and
Jungwook Park
1,*
1
Biotechnology Research Division, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Busan 46083, Republic of Korea
2
Genetics and Breeding Research Center, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Geoje 53334, Republic of Korea
3
Department of Animal Resources Science, Kongju National University, Yesan 32439, Republic of Korea
4
Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Republic of Korea
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Fishes 2026, 11(5), 293; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050293
Submission received: 19 April 2026 / Revised: 11 May 2026 / Accepted: 13 May 2026 / Published: 15 May 2026
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Applications of Genome-Based Technologies in Aquaculture)
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Abstract

Pacific abalone (Haliotis discus hannai) is a widely cultured and economically important abalone species in aquaculture yet improving growth performance remains a major challenge for stable production. To clarify the molecular architecture associated with growth performance in Pacific abalone, we integrated transcriptome and genome-wide association study (GWAS) data from high-growth and low-growth groups showing significant growth differences. Transcriptome profiles from hepatopancreas and mantle tissues were used to construct a co-expression network of 43,125 genes, summarized into 22 modules associated with tissue specificity and growth-related variation. In parallel, analysis of a custom 60K SNP array identified 67 significant growth-associated SNPs. Integration of these GWAS signals into the co-expression network revealed a core module most strongly correlated with growth index and enriched for SNP-derived candidate genes. Functional enrichment indicated that the core module was associated with proteostasis and growth-related signaling pathways, including insulin, Ras, and MAPK signaling. Protein–protein interaction analysis further identified 11 hub genes with high intramodular connectivity and direct interactions with SNP-derived genes, most of which participate in receptor-mediated and intracellular growth-regulatory functions. These findings provide an integrated molecular framework for growth performance in Pacific abalone and candidate targets for future molecular breeding strategies.
Keywords: Pacific abalone; growth; WGCNA; GWAS; multi-omics Pacific abalone; growth; WGCNA; GWAS; multi-omics

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MDPI and ACS Style

Jung, H.; Noh, E.S.; Kim, H.; Park, H.-B.; Seo, Y.-S.; Hwang, I.J.; Kong, H.J.; Kang, J.-H.; Park, J. Integrative Transcriptome and GWAS Analyses Reveal Growth-Associated Molecular Architecture in Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai). Fishes 2026, 11, 293. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050293

AMA Style

Jung H, Noh ES, Kim H, Park H-B, Seo Y-S, Hwang IJ, Kong HJ, Kang J-H, Park J. Integrative Transcriptome and GWAS Analyses Reveal Growth-Associated Molecular Architecture in Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai). Fishes. 2026; 11(5):293. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050293

Chicago/Turabian Style

Jung, Hyejung, Eun Soo Noh, Hyejin Kim, Hee-Bok Park, Young-Su Seo, In Jun Hwang, Hee Jeong Kong, Jung-Ha Kang, and Jungwook Park. 2026. "Integrative Transcriptome and GWAS Analyses Reveal Growth-Associated Molecular Architecture in Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai)" Fishes 11, no. 5: 293. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050293

APA Style

Jung, H., Noh, E. S., Kim, H., Park, H.-B., Seo, Y.-S., Hwang, I. J., Kong, H. J., Kang, J.-H., & Park, J. (2026). Integrative Transcriptome and GWAS Analyses Reveal Growth-Associated Molecular Architecture in Pacific Abalone (Haliotis discus hannai). Fishes, 11(5), 293. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11050293

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