Zhong Zhaowei, Xu Yan, Jiang Yonghua, Zhang Ziping, Zeng Xianyuan, Zou Zhihua, Wang Yilei
State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; College of Ocean and Earth Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China.
State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China; Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College, Jimei University, Xiamen 361021, China.
Int J Biol Macromol. 2025 Aug;319(Pt 1):145394. doi: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2025.145394. Epub 2025 Jun 19.
Vitellogenins (VTGs), being lipoproteins with high molecular weight, are the primary nutrient source for the embryonic development, and they are synthesized and accumulated massively in eggs during vitellogenesis. In this study, a novel vtg gene, Spvtg3, was discovered from our embryo transcriptome data of mud crab (Scylla paramamosain). This gene encodes a 2304-amino-acid protein featuring conserved vitellogenin domains (LPD_N, DUF1943, and VWD) and has a predicted molecular weight of 281.45 kDa. The Spvtg3 was exclusively expressed in the hepatopancreas and ovaries. During embryonic development, Spvtg3 expression dramatically increased in five pairs of appendages period. Liposome-mediated Spvtg3 dsRNA interference resulted in slower embryonic development, reduced hatching rate, and deformities. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses found some important differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in embryonic development signaling pathways (e.g., GAP junction, Wnt, and the MAPK signaling pathway), and some vital differential metabolites in metabolic pathways (e.g., lipid metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism). Furthermore, Spvtg3 and Lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE) expression levels were positively correlated with the expression of genes associated with embryonic development (sox21, eg, sox2, sox3, soxb2, foxl2-like, nr2e1, and fshr9). These results indicated that Spvtg3 plays a crucial role in mud crab embryonic development, potentially regulating VTG synthesis, transport, and metabolism.
卵黄蛋白原（VTGs）是高分子量脂蛋白，是胚胎发育的主要营养来源，在卵黄发生过程中它们在卵中大量合成并积累。在本研究中，从我们的拟穴青蟹胚胎转录组数据中发现了一个新的vtg基因Spvtg3。该基因编码一种含有保守卵黄蛋白原结构域（LPD_N、DUF1943和VWD）的2304个氨基酸的蛋白质，预测分子量为281.45 kDa。Spvtg3仅在肝胰腺和卵巢中表达。在胚胎发育过程中，Spvtg3在五对附肢期表达显著增加。脂质体介导的Spvtg3双链RNA干扰导致胚胎发育减缓、孵化率降低和畸形。转录组和代谢组分析发现胚胎发育信号通路（如缝隙连接、Wnt和MAPK信号通路）中有一些重要的差异表达基因（DEGs），以及代谢通路（如脂质代谢和嘧啶代谢）中有一些重要的差异代谢物。此外，Spvtg3和溶血磷脂酰乙醇胺（LPE）的表达水平与胚胎发育相关基因（sox21、eg、sox2、sox3、soxb2、foxl2-like、nr2e1和fshr9）的表达呈正相关。这些结果表明，Spvtg3在拟穴青蟹胚胎发育中起关键作用，可能调节VTG的合成、运输和代谢。
