Che Silu, Gao Jiancao, Zhu Haojun, Du Jinliang, Cao Liping, Zheng Yao, Xu Gangchun, Liu Bo
Wuxi Fisheries College, Nanjing Agricultural University, Wuxi 214081, China.
Key Laboratory of Integrated Rice-Fish Farming Ecology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Wuxi 214081, China.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 May 12;26(10):4617. doi: 10.3390/ijms26104617.
The Chinese mitten crab, , is a water-dwelling crustacean that is widely distributed in northern hemisphere water systems. Body size is one of the crucial indicators determining the economic value of . However, research on the genetic basis and regulatory mechanisms of body size in this species is limited, with only a few relevant genes reported. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate the regulatory pathways associated with its growth. This study first utilized transcriptomic profiling and metabolomic sequencing to construct gene expression profiles and metabolite profiles of of different body sizes. Subsequently, through integrated omics analysis, the key genes and regulatory pathways involved in controlling the growth and size of crabs were preliminarily identified. This study found that larger female crabs exhibited significantly enhanced digestive functions, primarily reflected in the upregulation of expression, suggesting its potentially pivotal role in regulating the growth and development of crabs. Interestingly, a variety of tissue-specific proteins such as APOLPP, RICK A, AGMO, and NEPHRIN, as well as REXO1L1P and ZCCHC24, indirectly influence the growth and development of crabs through their respective functional pathways. In addition, the key KEGG pathways, such as ECM-receptor interaction, cell adhesion, and the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, were revealed to play central roles in the growth regulation of . These findings expand our understanding of the growth regulation mechanisms in crustaceans and offer potential molecular targets for body-size improvement in aquaculture.
中华绒螯蟹是一种生活在水中的甲壳类动物，广泛分布于北半球的水系中。体型是决定中华绒螯蟹经济价值的关键指标之一。然而，该物种体型的遗传基础和调控机制的研究有限，仅有少数相关基因被报道。因此，研究其生长相关的调控途径势在必行。本研究首先利用转录组分析和代谢组测序构建了不同体型中华绒螯蟹的基因表达谱和代谢物谱。随后，通过多组学综合分析，初步鉴定了参与控制螃蟹生长和体型的关键基因和调控途径。本研究发现，体型较大的雌蟹消化功能显著增强，主要体现在[未提及具体基因名称]表达上调，表明其在调节螃蟹生长发育中可能起关键作用。有趣的是，多种组织特异性蛋白，如APOLPP、RICK A、AGMO和NEPHRIN，以及REXO1L1P和ZCCHC24，通过各自的功能途径间接影响螃蟹的生长发育。此外，关键的KEGG途径，如细胞外基质-受体相互作用、细胞黏附以及PI3K-Akt信号通路，在中华绒螯蟹的生长调节中发挥核心作用。这些发现扩展了我们对甲壳类动物生长调节机制的理解，并为水产养殖中体型改良提供了潜在的分子靶点。
