Abstract
BackgroundSexual precocity is a common biological phenomenon in animal species. A large number of precocity individuals were identified in Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis, which caused huge economic loss annually. However, the underlying genetic basis of precocity in E. sinensis remains unclear to date.ResultsIn this study, morphological and histological observation and comparative transcriptome analysis were conducted among different stages of precocious one-year-old and normal two-year-old sexually mature E. sinensis. The expression profiles of the ovary, hepatopancreas, and eyestalk tissues were presented and compared. Genes associated with lipid metabolic process, lipid transport, vitelline membrane formation, vitelline synthesis, and neuropeptide hormone-related genes were upregulated in the ovary, hepatopancreas, and eyestalk of precocious E. sinensis. Our results indicated that the eyestalk was involved in the neuroendocrine system providing neuropeptide hormones that may induce vitellogenesis in the hepatopancreas and further stimulate ovary development. The hepatopancreas is a site for energy storage and vitellogenin synthesis, and it may assist oogenesis through lipid transport in precocious E. sinensis.ConclusionWe provided not only an effective and convenient phenotype measurement method for the identification of potential precocious E. sinensis detection but also valuable genetic resources and novel insights into the molecular mechanism of precocity in E. sinensis. The genetic basis of precocity in E. sinensis is an integrated gene regulatory network of eyestalk, hepatopancreas, and ovary tissues.
Highlights
Sexual precocity is a common biological phenomenon in animal species
In group I, the ratio was less than 0.7 and no ovary tissue was clearly discovered; in group II, the ratio ranged from 0.71 to 0.85, the ovary developmental stage was in major growth stage I; in group III, the ratio was 0.86 to 1.0, and the ovary developmental stage was in major growth stage II; in group IV, the ratio was greater than 1.0, and the ovary stage was completely mature with clear oocytes (Table 1, Fig. 1b)
Tissue gene expression profiles in precocious E. sinensis Regarding ovary tissue, 957 Differentially expressed genes (DEG) were identified among different groups of precocious E. sinensis
Summary
Sexual precocity is a common biological phenomenon in animal species. A large number of precocity individuals were identified in Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis, which caused huge economic loss annually. Sexual precocity, which refers to the early maturity of the reproductive system (gonad) during puberty, is a natural phenomenon in most animal species, even humans [1,2,3]. This phenomenon can cause growth and development retardation, increased illness rate, and other associated physiological defects [1, 4]. Huge economic losses in the E. sinensis aquaculture industry are
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