Expression and function analysis of crustacyanin gene family involved in resistance to heavy metal stress and body color formation in Exopalaemon carinicauda

Abstract

Crustacyanin has the function of binding astaxanthin which is the best antioxidant, and plays an important role in the body color variation of crustaceans. To investigate the causes of body color variation of the ridgetail white prawn, Exopalaemon carinicauda, the present study obtained four subtypes of crustacyanin gene: C1, C2, A1, and A2. Based on fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, lipocalin-C1 is mainly expressed in the eyestalk, lipocalin-C2 is in the ventral nerve cord, and lipocalin-A1 and lipocalin-A2 are in subcutaneous adipose tissues. Under the inhibiting effect of Cd 2+ stress, the expression of four subtypes first increases and then decreases within 24 h, and reaches the maximum at 6 or 12 h. RNA interference experiments showed a decrease in the expression of lipocalin genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue for each subtype, with the body color changing from transparent to red, and the dark red spots on the epidermis changing to bright red. Moreover, the blue protein in the subcutaneous adipose tissue largely disappeared, based on the light micrographs. In view of these findings, the crustacyanin gene appears to fulfill some function in the resistance to heavy metal stress and body color formation of E. carinicauda.

The Mechanism of Carbonate Alkalinity Exposure on Juvenile Exopalaemon carinicauda With the Transcriptome and MicroRNA Analysis

“…Acute carbonate alkalinity stress breaks the balance between the individual and the environment of E. carinicauda, which leads to a disorder in its physiological function. Up-regulation of immune-related genes could be interpreted as an attempt to improve the immune system to adapt to highly alkaline environments, which was consistent with the results of this study (Gao et al, 2021). The results suggested that in order to maintain the stability of the internal environment and normal life activities, the over-expression of immune-related genes was a protective mechanism.…”

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Adaptation Mechanism to High Salinity in Litopenaeus vannamei

“…It is interesting to note that multiple crustacyanin-encoding genes were present in GO terms of response to a stimulus with higher expressions in tolerant families. Crustacyanins are members of the lipocalin family of proteins, which can bind to astaxanthin to contribute to antioxidation in crustaceans (Ferrari et al, 2012;Gao et al, 2021). Their high expressions in tolerant families might indicate that more astaxanthin could be stored in shrimp however, the content of astaxanthin in shrimps has not been measured yet.…”

Cloning and function of the cyclin‐dependent kinase 9 gene in ovarian development of the ridgetail white prawn, Exopalaemon carinicauda

“…The qRT‐PCR primers for the CDK 9 gene were designed using full‐length cDNA as a template (Table 1), and the 18S rRNA was used as an internal reference gene (Gao et al, 2021). The cDNA from nine different tissues of adult shrimp and the ovarian tissues from different development stages were used as a template, and the reaction system and procedures were in accordance with the instructions for the SYBR Premix Ex TaqII kit (TaKaRa, Japan) for qRT‐PCR amplification.…”