title: Identification and Characterization of an Insulin-Like Receptor Involved in Crustacean Reproduction.
abstract: Sexual differentiation and maintenance of masculinity in crustaceans has been suggested as being regulated by a single androgenic gland (AG) insulin-like peptide (IAG). However, downstream elements involved in the signaling cascade remain unknown. Here we identified and characterized a gene encoding an insulin-like receptor in the prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (Mr-IR), the first such gene detected in a decapod crustacean. In mining for IRs and other insulin signaling-related genes, we constructed a comprehensive M. rosenbergii transcriptomic library from multiple sources. In parallel we sequenced the complete Mr-IR cDNA, confirmed in the wide transcriptomic library. Mr-IR expression was detected in most tissues in both males and females, including the AG and gonads. To study Mr-IR function, we performed long-term RNA interference (RNAi) silencing in young male prawns. Although having no effect on growth, Mr-IR silencing advanced the appearance of a male-specific secondary trait. The most noted effects of Mr-IR silencing were hypertrophy of the AG and the associated increased production of Mr-IAG, with an unusual abundance of immature sperm cells being seen in the distal sperm duct. A ligand blot assay using de novo recombinant Mr-IAG confirmed the existence of a ligand-receptor interaction. Whereas these results suggest a role for Mr-IR in the regulation of the AG, we did not see any sexual shift after silencing of Mr-IR, as occurred when the ligand-encoding Mr-IAG gene was silenced. This suggests that sexual differentiation in crustaceans involve more than a single Mr-IAG receptor, emphasizing the complexity of sexual differentiation and maintenance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sharabi
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Manor
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Weil
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Aflalo
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lezer
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Aizen
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ventura
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: P B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Mather
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Khalaila
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences (O.S., R.M., S.W., E.D.A., Y.L., T.L., A.S.), The National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (S.W., E.D.A., A.S.), and Avram and Stella Goldstein-Goren Department of Biotechnology Engineering (I.K.), Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel; GeneCology Research Centre (J.A., T.V.), Faculty of Science, Health, Education, and Engineering, University of the Sunshine Coast, Maroochydore, Queensland 4558, Australia; and Department of Earth, Environmental, and Biological Sciences (P.B.M.), Science and Engineering Faculty, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sagi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D005260:Female; D015723:Gene Library; D042341:Gonadal Hormones / Q000378:metabolism*; D006066:Gonads / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D033541:Palaemonidae / Q000235:genetics*; D034622:RNA Interference; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011972:Receptor, Insulin / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000235:genetics*; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018076:DNA, Complementary; D042341:Gonadal Hormones; C053644:androgenic gland hormone (Armadillidium); D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases; D011972:Receptor, Insulin