Multi-Omics Reprogramming Drives a Counterintuitive Reversal of Disease Susceptibility During Ageing

Abstract

Ageing is a progressive and irreversible biological process characterized by the deterioration of physiological functions and increased vulnerability to mortality. Although extensively studied in vertebrates, ageing in long-lived invertebrates remains comparatively unexplored. While ageing typically leads to greater susceptibility to infectious diseases, a striking and unexpected reversal was identified in oysters: older oysters exhibit markedly increased tolerance to the Pacific Oyster Mortality Syndrome (POMS), a panzootic disease primarily driven by the OsHV-1 herpesvirus and responsible for severe losses in global aquaculture. To investigate this counterintuitive pattern, we challenged oysters aged 4, 16, and 28 months from four biparental families and conducted an integrative multi-omics analysis, including epigenomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics on the two families showing the strongest age-related increase in survival. Our results reveal that ageing in Magallana gigas is characterized by coordinated epigenetic, transcriptional, and metabolic reprogramming that reduces host permissiveness to POMS. We show that the epigenetic remodeling of key immune regulators (e.g., Toll-like receptors, MyD88) aligns with transcriptional rewiring of NF-{kappa}B and ubiquitin pathways, producing a finely tuned innate immune state marked by enhanced antiviral activity but reduced antibacterial responsiveness. We also identify age-related repression of mTOR signaling, likely promoting autophagy and improving viral control. These regulatory changes are tightly linked to metabolic adjustments, including reduced TCA cycle flux, remodeled nitrogen metabolism, and altered glutathione dynamics, which collectively support a stress-tolerant, energy-conserving phenotype. Together, our findings reveal a fundamental evolutionary trade-off: juveniles prioritize growth at the cost of viral susceptibility, whereas adults invest in cellular maintenance and antiviral preparedness.