Comparative transcriptome reveals the potential modulation mechanisms of estradiol affecting ovarian development of female Portunus trituberculatus

Abstract

Estradiol is an important sex steroid hormone that is involved in the regulation of crustacean ovarian development. However, the molecular regulatory mechanisms of estradiol on ovarian development are largely unknown. This study performed transcriptome sequencing of ovary, hepatopancreas, brain ganglion, eyestalk, and mandibular organ of crabs after estradiol treatment (0.1μg g-1 crab weight). A total of 23, 806 genes were annotated, and 316, 1300, 669, 142, 383 genes were expressed differently in ovary, hepatopancreas, brain ganglion, eyestalk, and mandibular organ respectively. Differentially expressed gene enrichment analysis revealed several crucial pathways including protein digestion and absorption, pancreatic secretion, insect hormone biosynthesis, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450 and signal transduction pathway. Through this study, some key genes in correlation with the ovarian development and nutrition metabolism were significantly affected by estradiol, such as vitelline membrane outer layer 1-like protein, heat shock protein 70, Wnt5, JHE-like carboxylesterase 1, cytochrome P302a1, crustacean hyperglycemic hormone, neuropeptide F2, trypsin, carboxypeptidase B, pancreatic triacylglycerol lipase-like, and lipid storage droplet protein. Moreover, RT-qPCR validation demonstrated that expression of transcripts related to ovarian development (vitelline membrane outer layer 1-like protein and cytochrome P302a1) and nutrition metabolism (trypsin, glucose dehydrogenase and lipid storage droplet protein) were significantly affected by estradiol treatment. This study not only has identified relevant genes and several pathways that are involved in estradiol regulation on ovarian development of P. trituberculatus, but also provided new insight into the understanding of the molecular function mechanisms of estradiol in crustacean.

Characterization and expression pattern of Wnt5b gene in Pelodiscus sinensis

“…In addition, significant expression of Wnt5b was observed in the ovaries, and it was significantly higher than that in the testes. These results indicated that Wnt5b is involved in the development of the reproductive system (testes and ovaries), which is consistent with previous reports in Muscovy ducks, swimming crab, and common carp (Liu et al, 2019; Bai et al, 2020; Deepa and Senthilkumaran, 2021). Notably, in adult carp, high expression levels of Wnt5b were observed in both testes and ovaries, indicating the functional differences of Wnt5b gene among different species.…”

Morphological, Histological, and Physiological Responses of Female Orange Mud Crab, Scylla olivacea (Herbst, 1796), Fed with Different Dietary Lipid Levels

“…The presence of hormones, particularly the vertebrate-type steroids such as progesterone (Pg) and estradiol (E 2 ) hormones, have been reported in the hepatopancreas, ovary, and hemolymph of Chinese white shrimp Penaeus chinensis [7], green mud crab Scylla serrata [8], blue pearl crayfish Cherax albidus [9], narrow-clawed crayfish Astacus leptodactylus [10], and swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus [6]. In general, E 2 and Pg play a vital role in crustacean reproduction via enhancing the initiation of related metabolic pathways during vitellogenesis [11,12], but their concentrations with ovarian maturation stages vary between species. Interestingly, the changes in the vertebrate type of steroids titer during oocyte maturation indicate their importance in governing the vitellogenesis process, which involves the mobilization of lipids from the storage sites [13].…”

On the Origin of Obligate Parthenogenesis inDaphnia pulex

“…We also note that steroid hormones previously described in crustaceans include ecdysteroids, which play an essential role in regulating the molting cycle, as well as vertebrate-type steroids such as estrogen and progesterone which fulfil functions in vitellogenesis and ovarian development (Lafont and Mathieu 2007, Liu et al . 2019, Nakagawa and Henrich 2009).…”