Embryonic Genome Activation (EGA) Occurred at 1-Cell Stage of Embryonic Development in the Mud Crab, Scylla paramamosain, Revealed by RNA-Seq.

As a prerequisite for the success of embryo development, embryonic genome activation (EGA) is an important biological event in which zygotic gene products in the embryo are activated to replace maternal-derived transcripts. Although EGA has been extensively studied in a large number of vertebrates and invertebrates, there is a lack of information regarding this event in crustacean crab. In this study, the timing of EGA was confirmed by examining a transcriptomic dataset of early embryonic development, including mature oocytes and embryos through six early developmental stages, and signaling pathways associated with EGA were identified in the mud crab, S.

Transcriptional changes revealed water acidification leads to the immune response and ovary maturation delay in the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis.

Nowadays, due to increasing carbon dioxide released, water acidification poses a series of serious impacts on aquatic organisms. To evaluate the effects of water acidification on crustaceans, we focused on the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis, which is a spawning migration and farmed species in China. Based on histological and oocyte transparent liquid observation, we found that the acidified environment significantly delayed the ovarian maturation of E.

Identification of a novel germ cell marker MnTdrd from the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense.

Germ cell-specific genes play an important role in establishing the reproductive system in sexual organisms and have been used as valuable markers for studying gametogenesis and sex differentiation. Previously, we isolated a vasa transcript as a germ cell marker to trace the origin and migration of germ cells in the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense. Here, we identified a new germ cell-specific marker MnTdrd RNA and assessed its temporal and spatial expression during oogenesis and embryogenesis.

Molecular characterization of ovary-specific gene Mrfem-1 and siRNA-mediated regulation on targeting Mrfem-1 in the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

Characterized by ankyrin repeat motifs, the feminization-1 (fem-1) gene plays an essential role in sex determination/differentiation in Caenorhabditis elegans. However, there are only a few reports on fem-1 in crustaceans. In this study, a fem-1 gene (Mrfem-1) was first isolated from the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

Alternative splice variants and differential relative abundance patterns of vasa mRNAs during gonadal development in the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis.

Gonadal development usually involves alternative splicing of sex-related genes. Vasa, a highly conserved ATP-dependent RNA helicase present mainly in germ cells, has an important function in gonadal development. As an important sex-related gene, recent evidence indicates that different splice variants of vasa exist in many species.

Identification and profiling of microRNAs during gonadal development in the giant freshwater prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

As post-transcriptional regulators, microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in growth and reproductive processes. So far, there is limited information regarding crustacean miRNAs. To explore the potential role of miRNAs in the gonadal development of the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii, we constructed seven small RNA libraries from ovarian and testicular tissues at various stages using somatic tissue as the control.

Construction of a Genomic Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) Library for the Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii and Initial Analysis of ZW Chromosome-Derived BAC Inserts.

Knowledge on sex determination has proven valuable for commercial production of the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii due to sex dimorphism of the male and female individuals. Previous studies indicated that prawn sex is determined by a ZW-ZZ chromosomal system, but no genomic information is available for the sex chromosome. Herein, we constructed a genomic bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library and identified the ZW-derived BAC clones for initial analysis of the sex chromosomal DNA sequence.

Transcriptome analysis of the brain of the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, for neuropeptide abundance profiles during ovarian development.

Neuropeptides, important messenger molecules, regulate various physiological processes, such as growth, development, and reproduction. In the present study, cDNA libraries from brains of E. sinensis were constructed and sequenced using the Illumina technique for transcript analysis and neuropeptides discovery.

Characterization of the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of and phylogenetic analysis.

In this study, the complete mitogenome of was sequenced and annotated. The mitogenome is 15,441 bp in length, containing 37 classical eukaryotic mitochondrial regions (13 typical protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes) and a non-coding control region. Most of the genes are initiated with ATA, ATG, and ATT, though GTG is also used as an initiation codon.

Molecular cloning and characterization of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor homolog in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis.

As an essential mediator in the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) signaling pathway, GnRH receptor (GnRHR) coupled to GnRH, plays an important role in activating the downstream pathway after stimulating a series of cascades to regulate reproduction. To detect the existence of GnRHR and potential GnRH signaling pathway, we cloned and characterized GnRHR in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis (named EsGnRHR). The full-length EsGnRHR cDNA is 2038 bp in length, including an open reading frame (ORF) of 1566 bp, a 57 bp 5'-untranslated region (5'-UTR) and a 415 bp 3'-UTR.

Identification of putative regulatory region of insulin-like androgenic gland hormone gene (IAG) in the prawn Macrobrachium nipponense and proteins that interact with IAG by using yeast two-hybrid system.

Insulin-like androgenic gland hormone gene (IAG) is a sex regulator specifically expressed in male crustaceans, controlling the male sexual differentiation, spermatogenesis and reproductive strategy. Our previous study reported the cloning and characterization of the prawn Macrobrachium nipponense IAG (MnIAG). In this study, we further identified a 2214-bp MnIAG 5'-flanking region, and analyzed its transcription factor binding sites and transcriptional activity.

Molecular characterization of a novel ovary-specific gene fem-1 homolog from the oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense.

The feminization-1 (fem-1) gene is characterized by one of the most common protein-protein interaction motifs, ankyrin repeat motifs, displays many expression patterns in vertebrates and invertebrates, and plays an essential role in the sex-determination/differentiation pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans. In this study, a fem-1 homolog, designated as Mnfem-1, was first cloned from the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense. The prawn Mnfem-1 gene consists of six exons and five introns.

Molecular cloning and characterization of perlucin from the freshwater pearl mussel, Hyriopsis cumingii.

Perlucin is an important functional protein that regulates shell and pearl formation. In this study, we cloned the perlucin gene from the freshwater pearl mussel Hyriopsis cumingii, designated as Hcperlucin. The full-length cDNA transcribed from the Hcperlucin gene was 1460 bp long, encoding a putative signal peptide of 20 amino acids and a mature protein of 141 amino acids.

Molecular characterization and expression analysis of an insulin-like gene from the androgenic gland of the oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense.

The androgenic gland (AG), a male-specific endocrine organ in crustacean, is responsible for the maintenance of male characteristics and gender differentiation. In this study, an AG-specific gene, the Macrobrachium nipponesne insulin-like androgenic gland factor (MnIAG) was isolated from a transcriptome library of M. nipponesne and its full-length cDNA sequences were obtained by RACE method.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Channa argus, Channa maculata and hybrid snakehead fish [Channa maculata (♀) × Channa argus (♂)].

We sequenced and characterized the complete mitochondrial genome of Channa argus, Channa maculata and their hybrid [C. maculata (♀) and C. argus (♂)].

[Genetic structure of wild Macrobrachium nipponense populations in Taihu Lake based on microsatellite analysis].

By using eight highly polymorphic microsatellite DNA loci, this paper analyzed the genetic structure of wild Macrobrachium nipponense populations in Taihu Lake. For the 15 M. nipponense populations in the Lake, there were at least three of the loci presenting heterozygosity deficiency and obvious deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction.

[Microsatellite analysis of genetic variation of the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense in Qiantang River].

Genetic diversity and genetic structure of 7 wild stocks of oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense in Qiantang River, i.e. Wen-yan, Fu-yang, Chang-kou, Tong-lu, Xin-an-jiang, She-xian and Xiu-ning, were investigated using 10 microsatellite DNA markers.