A mannose-specific C-type lectin from Fenneropenaeus merguiensis exhibited antimicrobial activity to mediate shrimp innate immunity.

Being one type of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), lectins exhibit a crucial role in the defense mechanism of invertebrates which are deficient in an adaptive immune system. A new C-type lectin called FmLC3 was isolated from hepatopancreas of Fenneropenaeus merguiensis by cloning approaches, RT-PCR and 5' and 3' RACE (rapid amplification of cDNA ends). A full-length cDNA of FmLC3 contains 607 bp with one open reading frame of 480bp, encoding a 159-amino acids peptide.

Dynamics of vitellogenin mRNA expression during vitellogenesis in the banana shrimp Penaeus (Fenneropenaeus) merguiensis using real-time PCR.

An open reading frame (ORF) of vitellogenin (Vg) cDNA was amplified from the ovaries of the banana shrimp, Penaeus merguiensis. An examination of Vg-deduced amino acid sequence revealed the presence of cleavage sites at a consensus motif for subtilisin-like endoproteases prior to the N-terminal sequences of purified vitellin (Vt) subunits. A comparison of the primary structures of Vg molecules in decapod crustacean species revealed the existence of a common characteristic structure, and phylogenetic analysis reflected the current taxonomic classifications of crustaceans.