Sex-specific lipidomic profiling of the marine mussel Mytilus coruscus: A comparative analysis of male and female lipid metabolism.

Sex-dependent lipid metabolism plays a pivotal role in physiological adaptation and reproduction in marine bivalves, yet its molecular basis remains poorly understood. Here, UPLC-HRMS-based lipidomics was applied to characterize sex-specific lipid profiles in mussels. Females showed higher levels of glycerophospholipids, particularly phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine enriched with polyunsaturated fatty acids, whereas males contained more glycerolipids, especially saturated fatty acid-rich triacylglycerols. Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis revealed clear metabolic separation between sexes. A total of 140 differential lipids were identified, with glycerophospholipids mainly enriched in females, while glycerolipids exhibited bidirectional regulation in males. Pathway analysis indicated coordinated remodeling of glycerophospholipid metabolism, glycerolipid turnover, and polyunsaturated fatty acid-related pathways. Females also accumulated higher ceramide levels, suggesting altered sphingolipid metabolism and potential differences in lipid remodeling between sexes. These findings reveal distinct sex-dependent lipid metabolic strategies and provide insights into nutritional evaluation and precision mussel aquaculture.