The nuclear receptor E75 from the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus: cDNA cloning, transcriptional analysis, and putative roles on expression of ecdysteroid-related genes

The nuclear receptor E75 is an early-responsive gene in 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) signaling pathway, and is found to play essential roles in many aspects of arthropods development. In this study, a cDNA encoding the E75 nuclear receptor of the swimming crab, Portunus trituberculatus was cloned using RT-PCR and RACE. The PtE75 cDNA was 3211 bp in length, and encodes a protein of 795 amino acids. The DBD region of the predicted amino acid sequence for PtE75 was highly conserved with other arthropoda E75s, while its LBD region was more similar to decapod E75s. Tissue distribution analysis showed that PtE75 transcript was widespread among tissues and relatively abundant in Y-organ, epidermis, eyestalk, and muscles. PtE75 exhibited tissue-specific expression patterns in these four tissues, which may depend on the distinct action of 20E on different tissues. The expression of PtE75 in Y-organ and epidermis were induced by eyestalk ablation (ESA), indicating its responsiveness to the increasing hemolymph 20E titer. To identify potential targets for ecdysteroid control the in Y-organ, epidermis, and eyestalk, the expression change of an ecdysteroid synthesis gene PtSad in Y-organ, a chitin degradation gene PtChi1 in epidermis, and the molt-inhibiting hormone gene PtMIH in eyestalk were investigated after silencing of PtE75 mRNA. The double stranded RNA (dsRNA) of PtE75 caused a loss in PtChi and PtMIH expression, while an increase in PtSad expression. The results suggested that the ecdysteroids may act through E75, and play a stimulatory role on chitin degradation in epidermis and MIH synthesis in eyestalk, and an negative feedback effect on ecdysteroid synthesis in Y-organ.