Ovarian maturation in crustacean is under the control of gonad-inhibiting hormone (GIH); a neuropeptide secreted from X-organ sinus gland complex in eyestalks. Unilateral eyestalk ablation that partially destroys GIH source is therefore a general practice in Penaeus monodon hatchery to induce ovarian maturation and spawning. Our previous report showed that silencing of GIH expression by GIH-specific double-stranded RNA (GIH-dsRNA) resulted in an increased expression level of vitellogenin in P. monodon, thus suggesting that GIH-dsRNA could be an alternative method to induce ovarian maturation in female P. monodon broodstock. In this study, we further demonstrated that a single injection of GIH-dsRNA into previtellogenic female P. monodon at the concentration of 3 µg GIH-dsRNA per gram body weight of shrimp was able to inhibit GIH expression for a minimum of 30 days. This dsRNA-mediated GIH silencing led to ovarian maturation and eventual spawning in both domesticated and wild female broodstock, particularly with a comparable effect to eyestalk ablation in wild shrimp. This is the first report that demonstrates a potential strategy to induce ovarian maturation in female P. monodon broodstock by GIH-dsRNA and thus provides a possible substitute for the cruel and detrimental eyestalk ablation practice.
