Tissue-expression profiles unveils the gene interaction of hepatopancreas, eyestalk, and ovary in precocious female Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis

Sexual precocity is a serious and common biological phenomenon in animal species. Large amount of precocity individuals was identified in Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, which caused huge economical loss every year. However, the underlying genetic basis of precocity in E. sinensis is still lack. In this study, histology observation, comparative transcriptome was conducted among different stages of precocious one-year old and normal two-year old E. sinensis, tissue-expression profiles of ovary, hepatopancreas, and eyestalk tissues were presented and compared. Genes associated with lipid metabolic process, lipid transport, vitelline membrane formation, vitelline synthesis and neuropeptide hormone related genes were upregulated in the ovary, hepatopancreas and eyestalk of precocious E. sinensis. Our results indicated eyestalk involved in neuroendocrine system providing neuropeptide hormone that may induce vitellogenesis in hepatopancreas and further stimulate ovary development. Hepatopancreas is a site for energy storage, vitellogenin synthesis and may assist to induce oogenesis through lipid transport in precocious E. sinensis. The genetic basis of precocity in E. sinensis is an integrated gene regulatory network of eyestalk, hepatopancreas, and ovary tissues. Our study provides effective convenient phenotype measurement method for identification of potential precocious E. sinensis detection, and valuable genetic resources and novel insights into the research of molecular mechanism of precocity in E. sinensis.