Gonadal transcriptome of Macrobrachium rosenbergii for sex-specific growth-related gene networks
This study aimed to explore the sex-specific molecular mechanisms underlying growth heterogeneity in Macrobrachium rosenbergii (giant river prawn), a commercially important freshwater crustacean. Experimental prawns were obtained from Jiangsu Shufeng Aquatic Seed Industry Co., Ltd., belonging to the same family to ensure consistent genetic background. They were reared under uniform conditions (water temperature: 28±1°C; dissolved oxygen: =5 mg/L) for 3 months, then grouped by body weight into three size classes (large, medium, small) for both males and females (male weight: 64.2±1.48 g, 40.8±0.90 g, 20.3±0.70 g; female weight: 61.4±1.46 g, 43.6±0.85 g, 23.2±0.44 g). Gonadal tissues (testis for males, ovary for females) were dissected for total RNA extraction, and RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed on the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform (paired-end 150 bp). Raw sequencing data generated in this study will support weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), identification of sex-specific growth-related hub genes, and comparative transcriptomic studies in crustaceans. Phenotypic trait data (13 traits including body weight, carapace weight, propodus length) were simultaneously measured to associate gene expression with growth phenotypes.