Molecular characterization and expression analysis of the inverbrate Dmrt1 homologs in the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus (Miers, 1876) (Decapoda, Portunidae)

Abstract The doublesex/mab-3 related transcription factor (Dmrt) gene family plays a conserved sexual regulatory role in different phyla, thus providing an important clue for studying the sex mechanism of crustaceans. In this study, cDNAs of three Dmrt homologs were cloned and characterized in the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus (Miers, 1876). Sequence analysis indicated the obtained Dmrts might be orthologs of the invertebrate Dmrt1 (iDmrt1) described in the spiny lobster, Sagmariasus verreauxi (H. Milne-Edwards, 1851). Real-time quantitative PCR revealed that the PtiDmrt1 transcripts were highly expressed in testis, muscle, Y-organ, and gill, and in the C2 stage during the developmental process. In addition, RNAi of PtiDmrt1 showed that the gene expression of insulin-like androgenic gland hormone (IAG) decreased remarkably at 24 h after injection, but increased to a higher level than in the control group at 48 h post injection. The results suggested that the PtiDmrt1 is a potential regulator of IAG, although the underlying mechanism may be complicated.