Transcriptomic characterization and curation of candidate neuropeptides regulating reproduction in the eyestalk of Cherax quadricarinatus. Cherax quadricarinatus

The Australian redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) has recently received attention as an emerging candidate for sustainable aquaculture production in Australia and worldwide. More importantly, C. quadricarinatus serves as a good model organism for the commercially important group of decapod crustaceans as it is distributed world-wide, easy to maintain in the laboratory and its reproductive cycle has been well documented. In order to better understand the key reproduction and development regulating mechanisms in decapod crustaceans, the molecular toolkit available for model organisms such as C. quadricarinatus must be expanded. One of the hallmarks in reproduction and development regulation is the intricate interplay of the neuropeptides, the sum of which in an organism is referred to as a neuropeptidome. Measuring changes in neuropeptide expression throughout development and during reproduction phases can elucidate this complex mode of regulation. However, there has been no study undertaken to establish the C. quadricarinatus neuropeptidome. This study characterised 52 putative neuropeptide-encoding transcripts in C. quadricarinatus, based on key features of neuropeptides characterised in other species. Tissue distribution assessed for several neuropeptides is discussed in relation to potential applications. The resulting data lays the foundation for future gene-based neuroendocrinology studies in C. quadricarinatus.