Characterization of red pigment concentrating hormone (RPCH) in the female mud crab (Scylla olivacea) and the effect of 5-HT on its expression

Feb 5, 2013General and comparative endocrinology

Red pigment concentrating hormone in female mud crabs and how serotonin affects its levels

AI simplified

Circadian Biology on OpenScience ↗PubMed ↗DOI ↗

Abstract

A full-length cDNA for the red pigment concentrating hormone (RPCH) preprohormone gene (Scyol-RPCH) was isolated from the eyestalks of female mud crabs.

The open reading frame of Scyol-RPCH consists of 642 nucleotides, encoding a 108 amino acid precursor protein.
The RPCH peptide exhibits 100% identity with similar peptides from 15 other decapods.
Expression of Scyol-RPCH occurs in the eyestalk, brain, and ventral nerve cord of adult mud crabs.
In situ hybridization reveals specific expression in various neuronal clusters within the eyestalk and brain.
Administration of 5-HT up-regulates RPCH gene expression in the eyestalk, indicating a potential link between 5-HT and RPCH.

AI simplified

Red pigment concentrating hormone (RPCH) is a member of the chromatophorotropic hormones and, in crustaceans, it is synthesized in the eyestalk. We have isolated a full-length cDNA for a RPCH preprohormone gene (Scyol-RPCH) from the eyestalks of female mud crabs, Scylla olivacea. The open reading frame consists of 642 nucleotides, and encodes a deduced 108 amino acid precursor protein, which includes a signal peptide, the RPCH (pQLNFSPGWamide), and an associated peptide. We show that the mud crab RPCH peptide exhibits 100% identity with 15 other decapods. Expression of Scyol-RPCH within adult mud crab takes place in the eyestalk, brain, and ventral nerve cord, comprising subesophageal ganglion, thoracic ganglion, and abdominal ganglion. In situ hybridization demonstrates specific expression within neuronal clusters 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the eyestalk X-organ, clusters 6, 8, 9, 10, and 17 of the brain, and in neuronal clusters of the ventral nerve cord. We found that administration of 5-HT up-regulates RPCH gene expression in the eyestalk, suggesting that RPCH may play a role as a downstream hormone of 5-HT.

Full Text

Full text is available at the source.

View full text (XML) ↗View full text ↗

Characterization of red pigment concentrating hormone (RPCH) in the female mud crab (Scylla olivacea) and the effect of 5-HT on its expression

Abstract

Full Text

You found one interesting study. We’ll send the next 7.

what lands in your inbox each week:

Recent issues from the circadian biology brief