Abstract
BACKGROUND: Rising ocean temperatures and salinity fluctuations driven by climate change are reshaping marine microbial communities, including pathogenic Vibrio species. Vibrio campbellii, a major marine pathogen in shrimp aquaculture, needs to adapt to these environmental changes to survive and maintain virulence. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying its response to combined thermal and osmotic stress are largely unexplored. RESULTS: This study examines the physiological responses of pathogenic V. campbellii strain HY01 and non-pathogenic strain ATCC BAA-1116 under combined temperature (25 °C, 30 °C, and 35 °C) and salinity (20, 30, and 60 ppt) conditions. Strain HY01 exhibited remarkable adaptability across all tested conditions, whereas ATCC BAA-1116 demonstrated reduced resilience under specific temperature-salinity combinations. Growth at 30-35 °C with elevated salinity promoted bioluminescence, swimming motility, and biofilm formation in both strains. Using transcriptomic analysis, our findings reveal that increased salinity enhances bacterial resilience under thermal stress by upregulating genes associated with metabolic pathways, oxidative phosphorylation, and ribosomal function. While elevated temperature and salinity suppress certain virulence traits (e.g., T6SS, flagellar assembly), they concurrently promote biofilm formation, enabling persistence in marine environments. Additionally, genes involved in osmoadaptation, such as those encoding compatible solutes, were highly expressed under extreme salinity. The observed shifts in gene expression highlight a coordinated regulatory network that balances cellular energy production, stress defense mechanisms, and colonization potential. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a better understanding into the adaptive strategies of V. campbellii in response to thermal and osmotic stressors. These findings are particularly relevant for understanding how climate change-driven environmental shifts influence the ecology and pathogenicity of marine vibrios. Future studies should explore the functional consequences of these adaptations in shrimp-pathogen interactions, contributing to sustainable aquaculture practices.