The hepatopancreas and ovary are the sites of vitellogenin synthesis in female red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852)) (Decapoda: Astacoidea: Cambaridae)

Abstract

Vitellogenin (Vg) is the precursor of vitellin, the major yolk protein. The site of Vg synthesis in crustaceans remains controversial. This study investigated the synthesis site of Vg in female red swamp crayfish Procambarus clarkii (Girard, 1852). Results revealed that the mRNA of Vg was detected in the tissues of hepatopancreas of P. clarkii . The mRNA expression level of Vg increased in the previtellogenic stage and peaked in the vitellogenic stage in the hepatopancreas and ovary; the mRNA expression level of Vg in the hepatopancreas was approximately 20-25-fold of that of the ovary in the same ovarian stage. Eyestalk ablation could upregulate the mRNA expression level of Vg in both organs. Our RNAi experiment verified that the hepatopancreas and ovary are the Vg synthesis sites in female P. clarkii .