Quantitative DIA-based proteomics unveils ribosomal biogenesis pathways associated with increased final size in three-year-old Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis).

Background: Temperature is a key determinant of ectotherms distribution and growth. During the Eriocheir sinensis breeding process, it was observed that crabs in high latitudes and altitude areas with low temperatures undergo diapause, they would overwinter and continue to grow into three-year-old individuals, whose final body size is significantly larger than the normal two-year-old crabs. The hepatopancreas is responsible for maintaining the nutritional balance and energy required for the crab survival.

A comprehensive analysis of hepatopancreas metabolomics and transcriptomics provides insights into the growth of three-year-old crabs (Eriocheir sinensis) under low temperature.

Low water temperature is a critical environmental factor limiting the size of cultivated aquatic individuals. However, it has found that a proportion of Eriocheir sinensis cultured in low water temperature with high-altitude can mature into three-year-old crabs, which present larger body size than conventional two-year-old crabs. Based on integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis, the significantly difference focuses on metabolic pathways involving glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, cysteine and methionine metabolism, pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis, arginine and proline metabolism, and vitamin digestion and absorption.