Genome-wide identification of the NHE gene family in Coilia nasus and its response to salinity challenge and ammonia stress

BACKGROUND: In aquatic environments, pH, salinity, and ammonia concentration are extremely important for aquatic animals. NHE is a two-way ion exchange carrier protein, which can transport Na(+) into cells and exchange out H(+), and also plays key roles in regulating intracellular pH, osmotic pressure, and ammonia concentration. RESULTS: In the present study, ten NHEs, the entire NHE gene family, were identified from Coilia nasus genome and systemically analyzed via phylogenetic, structural, and synteny analysis. Different expression patterns of C. nasus NHEs in multiple tissues indicated that expression profiles of NHE genes displayed tissue-specific. Expression patterns of C. nasus NHEs were related to ammonia excretion during multiple embryonic development stages. To explore the potential functions on salinity challenge and ammonia stress, expression levels of ten NHEs were detected in C. nasus gills under hypotonic stress, hypertonic stress, and ammonia stress. Expression levels of all NHEs were upregulated during hypotonic stress, while they were downregulated during hypertonic stress. NHE2 and NHE3 displayed higher expression levels in C. nasus larvae and juvenile gills under ammonia stress. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that NHE genes played distinct roles in embryonic development, salinity stress, and ammonia exposure. Syntenic analysis showed significant difference between stenohaline fish and euryhaline fishes. Our findings will provide insight into effects of C. nasus NHE gene family on ion transport and ammonia tolerance and be beneficial for healthy aquaculture of C. nasus. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08761-9.