Multiple isoforms of immune-related genes from hemocytes and eyestalk cDNA libraries of swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus

Identification and comparative analysis of the Eriocheir sinensis microRNA transcriptome response to Spiroplasma eriocheiris infection using a deep sequencing approach

“…The crustacean haemocyte is the main immune cell, and it plays a critical role in the host's innate immune activities, including recognition, phagocytosis, melanization, cytotoxicity, and intercellular signal communication [22,23,34,81,82]. In recent years, more and more immune-related genes have been successfully identified from haemocyte samples [24,25,27], but the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulation of these genes in crustaceans remain unclear. Hence, identifying and characterizing the regulatory factors (e.g., non-coding RNAs and transcription factors) involved in the innate immune response is crucial.…”

Identification and characterization of a serine protease inhibitor (PtSerpin) in the swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus

“…Random sequencing of the haemocyte cDNA library yielded 4452 successful sequencing reactions [20]. BLAST analysis of all the EST sequences revealed that one contig sequence was highly homologous to previously identified serpin serine protease inhibitor (SPI).…”

Sequence diversity and evolution of antimicrobial peptides in invertebrates

“…were originally identified in the crab Carcinus 585 maenas as an 11.5 kDa antibacterial peptide named carcinin with 586 anti-Gram-positive bacterial activities (Relf et al, 1999). Subse-587 quently, based on genomics research, several cDNAs of crustin 588 and crustin-like peptides have been identified from several tissues 589 of crustaceans (Afsal et al, 2011, 2013; Antony et al, 2010, 2011; 590 Arockiaraj et al, 2013; Battison et al, 2008; Brockton and Smith, 591 2008; Cui et al, 2012; Donpudsa et al, 2010; Hauton et al, 2006; 592Imjongjirak et al, 2009;Jiravanichpaisal et al, 2007; Kim et al, 593 2012;Liu et al, 2011;Mu et al, 2010Mu et al, , 2011 Pisuttharachai et al, 594 2009b;Smith, 2011;Smith et al, 2008; Soonthornchai et al, 595 2010;Sperstad et al, 2009Sperstad et al, , 2010Sun et al, 2010; Tassanakajon 596 et al, 2010;Yue et al, 2010) and different species from the insect 597 order Hymenoptera(Zhang and Zhu, 2012).598 Crustins are cationic cysteine-rich AMPs that contain a multi-599 domain region (glycine-rich, proline-rich or cysteine-rich) at the 600 N-terminus and a four-disulfide core (4-DSC) with a whey acidic 601 protein (WAP) domain at the C-terminus(Smith, 2011; Smith 602 et al, 2008;Tassanakajon et al, 2010). Crustins are currently clas-603 sified into three major groups (types I-III), but 604 recently double WAP domain (DWD)-containing proteins have 605 been discovered in crustaceans and found to exhibit antimicrobial 606 activities(Chen et al, 2008;Du et al, 2009; Jiménez-Vega and 607 Vargas-Albores,2007;Li et al, 2012Smith, 2011; 608 Suthianthong et al, 2011), whilst based on comparative genomic 609 analysis, a novel type of insect crustin has been identified in an 610 ant(Zhang and Zhu, 2012).…”