Characterization and Analysis of the Role of Corazonin in Regulating Ovarian Development in the Mud Crab <i>Scylla paramamosain</i>
Corazonin (Crz) is widely found in insects and crustaceans. In insects, Crz participates in the regulation of various physiological activities, including heartbeat, body color change, molting, and reproduction. However, the physiological effects of Crz in crustaceans remain largely unclear. In this...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Fishes |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2410-3888/10/7/329 |
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| Summary: | Corazonin (Crz) is widely found in insects and crustaceans. In insects, Crz participates in the regulation of various physiological activities, including heartbeat, body color change, molting, and reproduction. However, the physiological effects of Crz in crustaceans remain largely unclear. In this study, the cDNAs encoding Crz and its putative receptor were isolated from the mud crab <i>Scylla paramamosain</i>. Tissue distribution analysis revealed that <i>Sp-Crz</i> was predominantly expressed in neural tissues, while its receptor (<i>Sp-CrzR</i>) was widely expressed in <i>S. paramamosain</i>, with a high expression level in the Y-organ. During ovarian development, <i>Sp-Crz</i> expression in the eyestalk ganglion was upregulated at the early and late vitellogenic stages, whereas its expression level in the cerebral ganglion displayed an initial downregulation at the early stage, followed by a remarkable upregulation at the late vitellogenic stage. The expression level of <i>Sp-CrzR</i> mRNA in the ovary increased significantly at the late vitellogenic stage. However, an opposite expression pattern was observed in the hepatopancreas and Y-organ. The immunohistochemistry result showed that <i>Sp</i>-Crz was distributed in the cells of the lamina ganglionaris, the medulla interna, and the X-organ of the eyestalk ganglion. It was revealed that the level of <i>Sp-Vg</i> in the hepatopancreas was not affected by the addition of <i>Sp</i>-Crz in vitro. However, the expression of <i>Sp-VgR</i> in ovarian explants was significantly induced by 6 h treatment with <i>Sp</i>-Crz at a concentration of 1 nM. In addition, the level of <i>Sp-VgR</i> in the ovary was significantly upregulated by 12 h injection of <i>Sp</i>-Crz. After long-term administration of <i>Sp</i>-Crz, the expression of <i>Sp-VgR</i> in the ovary, the E<sub>2</sub> content in hemolymph, the oocyte diameter, and the gonadosomatic index of <i>S. paramamosain</i> were significantly increased. In summary, these findings collectively indicate that the <i>Sp</i>-Crz signaling system participates in regulating the ovarian development of the mud crab. This study provides a new insight into the biological function of Crz during the ovarian development of the mud crab, which is of great significance for the sustainable development and utilization of mud crab resources. |
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| ISSN: | 2410-3888 |