On the other hand, in the NH4Cl group, the relative expression of MAP1LC3A, ULK2, and SQSTM1 was higher at early (6 to 14 hpe) and late time points (18 to 30 hpe) of the experimental infection in comparison with the artificial seawater group (p ≤ 0.05). Here, ULK2 is linked to infection.