Macrobrachium nipponense transcriptome

In order to expand our knowledge of the transcriptome, facilitate future whole-genome sequence assembly in the oriental river prawn, and provide genes for the study of molecular mechanisms involved in sex determination/differentiation in M. nipponense in future, we sequenced ESTs from a cDNA library prepared from a mixture of total RNAs isolated from various organs and tissues, including eyestalk, gill, heart, ovary, testis, hepatopancreas, muscle, and embryos at cleavage, gastrula, nauplius and zoea stage. This transcriptome dataset provides an invaluable new resource for a functional genomics and biological research in M. nipponense. The developed molecular markers provide the material basis for future genetic linkage and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis, and will be essential to speed up aquaculture breeding programs to increase culture production in the future.