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New Molecular Perspectives in Crustacean Neuroendocrinology
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New Molecular Perspectives in Crustacean Neuroendocrinology

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2025 | Viewed by 1795

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Tomer Ventura

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centre for Bioinnovation, School of Science, Engineering and Technology, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia
Interests: androgenic gland; aquaculture; crustaceans; disease management; gene silencing; genetic modification; monosex; selective breeding; sex reversal; yield improvement
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

With the expansion of the aquaculture production of crustaceans, there are still many challenges for its fast and sustainable development.  The bottleneck in the successful breeding of crustacean species is mainly due to the non-availability of information about reproductive biology, the life functions (e.g., endocrine, nutrition, immunity, heredity) involved in crustacean reproduction have become an area of focus. The past decade has seen an exponential increase in the availability of next-generation sequencing from multiple arthropod species, enabling a rapid rate of endocrine factor discovery, including ligands, their putative cognate receptors and their putative regulatory pathways.

While the sequences of endocrine factors are readily available in multiple Pancrustacea species, their functions remain elusive given their pleiotropic roles and lineage-specific family expansions, which leads to neofunctionalization across lineages. A key example includes the crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) superfamily of neuropeptides which is expanded in decapods. The CHH receptors are a longstanding key gap in our understanding. Insulin-like peptides (ILPs), as another example, have up to eight members in insects with yet unresolved functions for the most part. Over the past decade, a total of four ILPs were identified across decapods, only one of which was assigned a clear function.

This Special Issue intends to provide a timely and concise account of recent advances in crustacean endocrinology through the publication of high-quality articles with an emphasis on diverse crustacean species, including Decapoda, Amphipoda, Isopoda, Copepoda and Cladocera, among others, to advance our knowledge of neuroendocrine and endocrine regulation in insects and crustaceans

Dr. Tomer Ventura
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • neuroendocrinology
  • neuropeptides
  • functional genomics
  • arthropods development and reproduction
  • crustacean aquaculture

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

28 pages, 8608 KiB  
Article
Identification and Functional Analysis of a Key Gene in the CHH Gene Family for Glucose Metabolism in the Pacific White Shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei
by Chengyi Zhang, Xiaojun Zhang, Shuqing Si, Mingzhe Sun, Aixin Li, Jianbo Yuan and Fuhua Li
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4612; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104612 - 12 May 2025
Abstract
The crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) is a unique multifunctional neuroendocrine hormone superfamily in crustaceans, crucial for maintaining physiological homeostasis and stress adaptation. To explore the role of CHHs in shrimp metabolism and growth, we identified LvCHH Ia, a CHH family member who [...] Read more.
The crustacean hyperglycemic hormone (CHH) is a unique multifunctional neuroendocrine hormone superfamily in crustaceans, crucial for maintaining physiological homeostasis and stress adaptation. To explore the role of CHHs in shrimp metabolism and growth, we identified LvCHH Ia, a CHH family member who regulates glucose metabolism in the Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), through CHH family gene classification, phylogenetic analysis, gene structure analysis, and transcription factor binding site (TFBS) prediction. Subsequently, we cloned two alternative splicing variants of this gene, LvCHH Ia-1 and LvCHH Ia-2, both expressed in the nervous system but with different expression levels, and LvCHH Ia-2 exhibiting a broader tissue distribution. Using interference (RNAi)-mediated gene silencing and recombinant protein injection, we investigated the functional similarities and differences between the two variants. Our results show that both variants affect glucose metabolism by modulating the expression of key enzyme genes involved in gluconeogenesis/glycolysis, such as HK, TPI, PCK1, ALD. Specifically, they likely regulate hemolymph glucose levels via the Wnt and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways, with LvCHH Ia-1 exerting a more sustained effect on glucose metabolism compared to LvCHH Ia-2. Furthermore, LvCHH Ia may also act as a molting inhibitory hormone by suppressing the expression of ecdysone synthesis-related genes, where LvCHH Ia-2 plays a more significant role. These findings deepen our understanding of CHH regulatory mechanisms in crustaceans and provide potential applications for shrimp physiological research and aquaculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Molecular Perspectives in Crustacean Neuroendocrinology)
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18 pages, 4669 KiB  
Article
Integrative ATAC-Seq and RNA-Seq Analysis Reveals Key Transcription Factors Mediating Low Salinity Adaptation in Penaeid Shrimp
by Chuntao Zhang, Jianbo Yuan, Roujing Li, Zhanyuan Yang, Man Luo, Xiaoyun Zhong, Jie Hu, Shuqing Si, Xiaojun Zhang and Fuhua Li
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4605; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104605 - 11 May 2025
Viewed by 87
Abstract
Salinity serves as an important environmental factor in ecosystems, driving the evolution of adaptive strategies in euryhaline species. The Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, is a representative euryhaline species. However, the molecular mechanisms, particularly the roles of cis-regulatory elements, remain elusive in [...] Read more.
Salinity serves as an important environmental factor in ecosystems, driving the evolution of adaptive strategies in euryhaline species. The Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, is a representative euryhaline species. However, the molecular mechanisms, particularly the roles of cis-regulatory elements, remain elusive in penaeid shrimp. This study tackles this gap by subjecting L. vannamei to a gradual reduction in salinity from 30‰ to 3‰, and then applying ATAC-seq and RNA-seq techniques to dissect the cis-regulation mechanisms underlying low salinity adaptation. A key finding reveals a positive correlation between chromatin accessibility and gene expression, with 36.8% of differentially expressed genes directly associated with changes in chromatin accessibility. The cis-regulation of many osmoregulation-related pathways, such as betaine synthesis and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways, appeared to be a crucial strategy for salinity adaptation in shrimp. By analyzing differentially accessible regions under low salinity stress, we uncovered two known and seven novel candidate transcription factors (TFs) that may play pivotal roles in salinity adaptation. We further conducted a comprehensive analysis of these TFs, including their functions, expression profiles, consensus TFBS motifs, and the functional enrichment and expression profiles of their targeted genes. This study elucidates a complex cis-regulatory network that enables exceptional salinity tolerance in L. vannamei, which provides a foundation for the refinement of genetic breeding programs and desalination aquaculture for penaeid shrimp. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Molecular Perspectives in Crustacean Neuroendocrinology)
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18 pages, 3892 KiB  
Article
Silencing Multiple Crustacean Hyperglycaemic Hormone-Encoding Genes in the Redclaw Crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus Induces Faster Molt Rates with Anomalies
by Nickolis Black, Thomas M. Banks, Susan Glendinning, Gourab Chowdhury, Donald L. Mykles and Tomer Ventura
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(22), 12314; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252212314 - 16 Nov 2024
Viewed by 1275
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi)-based biotechnology has been previously implemented in decapod crustaceans. Unlike traditional RNAi methodologies that investigate single gene silencing, we employed a multigene silencing approach in decapods based on chimeric double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules coined ‘gene blocks’. Two dsRNA constructs, each targeting [...] Read more.
RNA interference (RNAi)-based biotechnology has been previously implemented in decapod crustaceans. Unlike traditional RNAi methodologies that investigate single gene silencing, we employed a multigene silencing approach in decapods based on chimeric double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules coined ‘gene blocks’. Two dsRNA constructs, each targeting three genes of the crustacean hyperglycaemic hormone (CHH) superfamily of neuropeptides, were produced: Type II construct targeting Cq-Molt-inhibiting hormone 1 (MIH1), Cq-MIH-like 1 (MIHL1), and Cq-MIHL2 isoforms and Type I construct targeting Cq-ion transport peptide (Cq-ITP; a putative hybrid of CHH and MIH) and Cq-CHH and Cq-CHH-like (CHHL) isoforms. Both constructs were injected into juvenile redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, to determine the effects of multigene knockdown on molting and developmental processes. A 20-Hydroxyecdysone (20E) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and glucose assay were used to determine the effects of RNAi on molting and hemolymph glycemic activities, respectively. Multigene silencing reduced the intermolt interval by 23%. Statistically significant elevated 20E was recorded in treated intermolt individuals, consistent with the reduced intermolt interval as well as unique and abnormal phenotypes related to the molting process, which indicates a shift in 20E-induced cascade. There was no effect of RNAi treatment on hemolymph glucose level or molt increment. Through multigene silencing and subsequent annotation of gene networks, gene blocks may provide a tailored approach to investigate complex polygenic traits with RNAi in a more efficient and scalable manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Molecular Perspectives in Crustacean Neuroendocrinology)
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