Yang Hao, Chen Ting, Zhang Xin, Zhou Mingyu, Zhang Lvping, Yan Aifen, Chen Weihao, Tan Guiling, Liang Jingxuan, Ren Chunhua, Chen Xiaoli, Li Zhi, Ruan Yao, Li Jiaxi, Li Hongmei, Luo Peng, Wang Yanhong, Jiang Xiao, Yin Jiayue, Ma Bo, Zhu Chunhua, Wu Xugan, Zhang Jiquan, Hu Chaoqun
Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Application of Hebei Province, College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, China.
Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture, Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Applied Marine Biology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, China.
J Biol Chem. 2025 May 27;301(7):110297. doi: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110297.
Methyl farnesoate (MF) serves as an essential regulator of key developmental processes in crustaceans, similar to juvenile hormones (JHs) in insects. However, it is susceptible to degradation in circulation. Despite the detection of proteins binding to MF in crustacean hemolymph for 3 decades, the precise genes encoding these proteins remain unclear. The present study identifies genes in crustaceans containing the juvenile hormone-binding protein (JHBP) domain. Among the 11 JHBPs found in the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), XP_027209752.1, which is primarily expressed in the hepatopancreas, emerges as the predominant form. This protein exhibits selective binding to MF rather than to JHs, leading to its designation as a methyl farnesoate-binding protein (MFBP) in crustaceans. Alterations in the amino acid sequence are predicted to induce structural changes that enhance the affinity of MFBP for MF. Endogenous MFBP inhibits molting, consistent with the function of MF. Furthermore, positive regulation of MFBP by MF has been observed in hepatopancreatic primary cells, with similar trends of hepatopancreatic MFBP mRNA and hemolymph MF levels during molting and ovarian development. This study identifies a novel MFBP in crustaceans that, despite being a homolog of insect JHBP, specifically binds MF to regulate molting in penaeid shrimp. These findings may advance our understanding of crustacean endocrine regulation and provide a molecular basis for improving their aquaculture techniques.
法尼酸甲酯（MF）是甲壳类动物关键发育过程的重要调节因子，类似于昆虫中的保幼激素（JHs）。然而，它在循环中易降解。尽管在30年里已检测到甲壳类动物血淋巴中有与MF结合的蛋白质，但编码这些蛋白质的具体基因仍不清楚。本研究鉴定了甲壳类动物中含有保幼激素结合蛋白（JHBP）结构域的基因。在凡纳滨对虾中发现的11种JHBP中，主要在肝胰腺中表达的XP_027209752.1成为主要形式。该蛋白对MF具有选择性结合，而非对JHs，因此在甲壳类动物中被命名为法尼酸甲酯结合蛋白（MFBP）。预测氨基酸序列的改变会引起结构变化，从而增强MFBP对MF的亲和力。内源性MFBP抑制蜕皮，这与MF的功能一致。此外，在肝胰腺原代细胞中观察到MF对MFBP的正向调节，在蜕皮和卵巢发育过程中，肝胰腺MFBP mRNA和血淋巴MF水平呈现相似趋势。本研究在甲壳类动物中鉴定出一种新型MFBP，尽管它是昆虫JHBP的同源物，但能特异性结合MF以调节对虾蜕皮。这些发现可能会增进我们对甲壳类动物内分泌调节的理解，并为改进其水产养殖技术提供分子基础。
