| Abstract: | In crustaceans, the male sexual dif ferentiation and maintenance are specially regulated by androgenic gland(AG). However, little is known about the genes involved in the regulation process.RNA-Seq was performed on AG with ejaculatory duct(AG_ED) and ejaculatory duct(ED) as control in Eriocheir sinensis, one of the most important economic and ?shery crabs with typically sex dimorphism. A total of 925 unigenes were identi?ed as dif ferentially expressed genes(DEGs) and the expression of nine genes randomly selected was con?rmed by qRT-PCR. 667 unigenes were up-regulated in AG_ED, being supposed to be AG preferential genes. Among them, the full length of i nsulin-like androgenic gland factor( IAG) cDNA named as Es-IAG was obtained as a logo gene of AG, which together with the genes i nsulin-like receptor( INR), and s ingle insulin binding domain protein( SIBD), might constitute the sex regulation pathway. Several sex related genes were identi?ed, and their function will have to be investigated. Also,the identi?cation of j uvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase 1( JHEH1), ecdysteroid 22-hydroxylase( DIB) and e cdysone receptor( ECR) preliminarily clari?ed the molecular regulation mechanism of eyestalk-AG-testis axis, which plays important roles in molting and reproduction. The results will enhance our understanding for the molecular basis of the AG involved in male sex regulation in crabs. |
