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Li Z, Zhang G, Pan K, Niu X, Shu-Chien AC, Chen T, Zhang X, Wu X. Functional transcriptome reveals hepatopancreatic lipid metabolism during the molting cycle of the Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023; 284:111474. [PMID: 37406959 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Crustacean molting is highly related to energy and lipid metabolism. This study was conducted to detect the changes of total lipids (TL), triacylglyceride (TAG), phospholipid (PL) and lipid droplets in hepatopancreas, and then to investigate the gene expression patterns related to hepatopancreatic lipid metabolism during the molting cycle of Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis. Hepatopancreatic TL and TAG increased significantly from post-molt stage to pre-molt stage, then decreased significantly from pre-molt stage to ecdysis stage, which is consistent to the changes of neutral lipid-rich adipocytes in hepatopancreas. By transcriptomic analysis, 65,325 transcripts were sequenced and assembled, and 28,033 transcripts were annotated. Most genes were related to energy metabolism, and the enriched genes were involved in carbohydrate and lipid metabolism and biosynthesis, especially in de novo synthesis of fatty acids and TAG, and ketone body production. Compared to the inter-molt stages, acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase and other genes related to the synthesis of fatty acids were upregulated in the pre-molt stage. TAG synthesis related genes, including Glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase and 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferases, were upregulated in the post-molt stage compared to the inter-molt stage. The expression of ketone body-related genes had no significant changes during the molting cycle. Compared to the TAG synthetic pathway, ketone body biosynthesis may contribute less/secondarily to fatty acid metabolic processes, which could be involved in the other physiological processes or metabolism. In conclusion, these results showed that TAG is the major lipid deposition during inter- and pre-molt stages, and the most genes are related to the fatty acids and TAG metabolism in the hepatopancreas during the molting cycle of E. sinensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Li
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology (LMB), South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guangbao Zhang
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Kewu Pan
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Xingjian Niu
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | | | - Ting Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology (LMB), South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology (LMB), South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xugan Wu
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for Aquatic Animal Genetics and Breeding, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800, Penang, Malaysia; Centre for Research on Environmental Ecology and Fish Nutrition of the Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai, China.
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Weiner AC, Chen HY, Roegner ME, Watson RD. Calcium signaling and regulation of ecdysteroidogenesis in crustacean Y-organs. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 314:113901. [PMID: 34530000 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Crustacean Y-organs secrete ecdysteroid molting hormones. Ecdysteroids are released in increased amount during premolt, circulate in hemolymph, and stimulate the events in target cells that lead to molting. During much of the molting cycle, ecdysteroid production is suppressed by molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH), a peptide neurohormone produced in the eyestalks. The suppressive effect of MIH is mediated by a cyclic nucleotide second messenger. A decrease in circulating MIH is associated with an increase in the hemolymphatic ecdysteroid titer during pre-molt. Nevertheless, it has long been hypothesized that a positive regulatory signal or stimulus is also involved in promoting ecdysteroidogenensis during premolt. Data reviewed here are consistent with the hypothesis that an intracellular Ca2+ signal provides that stimulus. Pharmacological agents that increase intracellular Ca2+ in Y-organs promote ecdysteroidogenesis, while agents that lower intracellular Ca2+ or disrupt Ca2+ signaling suppress ecdysteroidogenesis. Further, an increase in the hemolymphatic ecdysteroid titer after eyestalk ablation or during natural premolt is associated with an increase in intracellular free Ca2+ in Y-organ cells. Several lines of evidence suggest elevated intracellular calcium is linked to enhanced ecdysteroidogenesis through activation of Ca2+/calmodulin dependent cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase, thereby lowering intracellular cyclic nucleotide second messenger levels and promoting ecdysteroidogenesis. Results of transcriptomic studies show genes involved in Ca2+ signaling are well represented in Y-organs. Several recent studies have focused on Ca2+ transport proteins in Y-organs. Complementary DNAs encoding a plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA) and a sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) have been cloned from crab Y-organs. The relative abundance of PMCA and SERCA transcripts in Y-organs is elevated during premolt, a time when Ca2+ levels in Y-organs are likewise elevated. The results are consistent with the notion that these transport proteins act to maintain the Ca2+ gradient across the cell membrane and re-set the cell for future Ca2+ signals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda C Weiner
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Hsiang-Yin Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Megan E Roegner
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - R Douglas Watson
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States.
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Roegner ME, Watson RD. De novo transcriptome assembly and functional annotation for Y-organs of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus), and analysis of differentially expressed genes during pre-molt. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2020; 298:113567. [PMID: 32710897 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Revised: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus) undergo incremental growth involving the shedding (molting) of the old exoskeleton, and subsequent expansion and re-calcification of the newly synthesized one. The cellular events that lead to molting are triggered by steroid hormones termed ecdysteroids released from Y-organs, paired endocrine glands located in the anterior cephalothorax. The regulatory pathways leading to increased synthesis and release of ecdysteroids are not fully understood, and no transcriptome has yet been published for blue crab Y-organs. Here we report de novo transcriptome assembly and annotation for adult blue crab Y-organs, and differential gene expression (DGE) analysis between Y-organs of intermolt and premolt crabs. After trimming and quality assessment, a total of 91,819,458 reads from four cDNA libraries were assembled using Trinity to form the reference transcriptome. Trinity produced a total of 171,530 contigs coding for 150,388 predicted genes with an average contig length of 613 and an N50 of 940. Of these, TransDecoder predicted 31,661 open reading frames (ORFs), and 10,210 produced non-redundant blastx results through Trinotate annotation. Genes involved in multiple cell signaling pathways, including Ca2+ signaling, cGMP signaling, cAMP signaling, and mTOR signaling were present in the annotated reference transcriptome. DGE analysis showed in premolt Y-organs up-regulated genes involved in energy production, cholesterol metabolism, and exocytosis. The results provide insights into the transcriptome of blue crab Y-organs during a natural (rather than experimentally induced) molting cycle, and constitute a step forward in understanding the cellular mechanisms that underlie stage-specific changes in the synthesis and secretion of ecdysteroids by Y-organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Roegner
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - R Douglas Watson
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States.
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Roegner ME, Chen HY, Watson RD. Molecular cloning and characterization of a sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca 2+ ATPase (SERCA) from Y-organs of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus). Gene 2018; 673:12-21. [PMID: 29886036 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2018.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Existing data indicate that a Ca2+ signal stimulates ecdysteroid hormone production by crustacean molting glands (Y-organs). Ca2+ signaling is dependent on a tightly regulated Ca2+ gradient, with intracellular free Ca2+ maintained at a low basal level (typically sub-micromolar). This is achieved through the action of proteins intrinsic to the plasma membrane and the membranes of organelles. One such protein, the sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA), pumps Ca2+ from cytosol to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. As a step toward understanding Ca2+-mediated regulation of ecdysteroidogenesis, we have begun investigating Ca2+ transport proteins in Y-organs. In studies reported here, we used a PCR-based strategy to clone from Y-organs of the blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) a cDNA encoding a putative SERCA protein. The cloned Cas-SERCA cDNA (3806 bp) includes a 3057-bp open reading frame that encodes a 1019-residue protein (Cas-SERCA). The conceptually translated protein has a predicted molecular mass of 111.42 × 103 and contains all signature domains of an authentic SERCA, including ten transmembrane domains and a phosphorylation site at aspartate 351. A homology model of Cas-SERCA closely resembles models of related SERCA proteins. Phylogenetic analysis shows Cas-SERCA clusters with SERCA proteins from other arthropods. An assessment of tissue distribution indicates the Cas-SERCA transcript is widely distributed across tissues. Studies using quantitative PCR showed Cas-SERCA transcript abundance increased significantly in Y-organs activated by eyestalk ablation, a pattern consistent with the hypothesis that Cas-SERCA functions to maintain Ca2+ homeostasis in Y-organs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan E Roegner
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - Hsiang-Yin Chen
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States
| | - R Douglas Watson
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL 35294, United States.
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