Identification of a Putative CFSH Receptor Inhibiting IAG Expression in Crabs.

The crustacean female sex hormone (CFSH) is a neurohormone peculiar to crustaceans that plays a vital role in sexual differentiation. This includes the preservation and establishment of secondary female sexual traits, as well as the inhibition of insulin-like androgenic gland factor (IAG) expression in the androgenic gland (AG). There have been no reports of CFSH receptors in crustaceans up to this point. In this study, we identified a candidate CFSH receptor from the mud crab (named -SEFIR) via protein interaction experiments and biological function experiments. Results of GST pull-down assays indicated that -SEFIR could combine with CFSH. Findings of in vitro and in vivo interference investigations exhibited that knockdown of -SEFIR could significantly induce -IAG and -STAT expression in the AG. In brief, -SEFIR is a potential CFSH receptor in , and -CFSH controls -IAG production through the CFSH-SEFIR-STAT-IAG axis.