Moult cycle specific differential gene expression profiling of the crab Portunus pelagicus

Abstract

BackgroundCrustacean moulting is a complex process involving many regulatory pathways. A holistic approach to examine differential gene expression profiles of transcripts relevant to the moulting process, across all moult cycle stages, was used in this study. Custom cDNA microarrays were constructed for Portunus pelagicus. The printed arrays contained 5000 transcripts derived from both the whole organism, and from individual organs such as the brain, eyestalk, mandibular organ and Y-organ from all moult cycle stages.ResultsA total of 556 clones were sequenced from the cDNA libraries used to construct the arrays. These cDNAs represented 175 singletons and 62 contigs, resulting in 237 unique putative genes. The gene sequences were classified into the following biological functions: cuticular proteins associated with arthropod exoskeletons, farnesoic acid O-methyltransferase (FaMeT), proteins belonging to the hemocyanin gene family, lectins, proteins relevant to lipid metabolism, mitochondrial proteins, muscle related proteins, phenoloxidase activators and ribosomal proteins. Moult cycle-related differential expression patterns were observed for many transcripts. Of particular interest were those relating to the formation and hardening of the exoskeleton, and genes associated with cell respiration and energy metabolism.ConclusionsThe expression data presented here provide a chronological depiction of the molecular events associated with the biological changes that occur during the crustacean moult cycle. Tracing the temporal expression patterns of a large variety of transcripts involved in the moult cycle of P. pelagicus can provide a greater understanding of gene function, interaction, and regulation of both known and new genes with respect to the moulting process.

Molecular characterization and upregulation of cytosolic manganese superoxide dismutase by imidazole derivative KK-42 in Macrobrachium nipponense

“…Crustacean molting is a complex physiological process, which may be influenced by physiological states and environmental signals (Engel et al, 2001;Kuballa et al, 2011). Few studies have investigated the relationship between the molting cycle and MnSOD expression.…”

Effect of the copepod parasite Nicothoë astaci on haemolymph chemistry of the European lobster Homarus gammarus

“…One lobster examined here (R in Table 1) was found to be pre-moult when dissected at the final sampling point. Since cryptocyanin and haemocyanin also have an absorbance peak at A 340 , and both in crease markedly in pre-moult crustaceans (Terwilliger et al 1999, Kuballa et al 2011, haemocyanin levels quantified for this individual might have been anomalous and were thus omitted from the dataset. In invertebrates, the enzyme phenoloxidase catalyses melanin formation via the prophenoloxidase cascade (Cerenius et al 2008).…”

The proteomic response of cheliped myofibril tissue in the eurythermal porcelain crabPetrolisthes cinctipesto heat shock following acclimation to daily temperature fluctuations

“…Farnesoic acid O-methyltransferase (FaMeT) catalyzes the conversion from farnesoic acid to methyl farnesoate, a sesquiterpenoid that is involved in crustacean morphogenesis, reproduction and molting (Kuballa et al, 2011;Nagaraju, 2011). Transcripts for FaMeT have been detected in multiple crustacean tissues, including muscle (Nagaraju, 2011;Ruddell et al, 2003).…”