Abstract：Molting is a vital biological phenomenon of crustaceans and is closely related to the growth and leg regeneration of Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis). In order to detect the mechanism of molting and growth of Chinese mitten crab, the concentration of ecdysteroid hormone (EH), the expression of ecdysone receptor gene (EcR) and molt-inhibiting hormone (MIH) gene at different molting stages were investigated by ELISA and qRT-PCR, respectively. Meanwhile, the correlation analysis was also conducted between growth traits and the concentration of EH, expression of EcR or MIH genes. The results showed that the concentration of EH fluctuated regularly in one molt cycle, and molting would started when EH content reached about 12 U/mL. The concentration of EH was significantly positive correlation with expression of EcR(P＜0.01), but was significantly negative correlation with expression of MIH(P＜0.01). The concentration of EH and expression of EcR at premolt stage were significant higher than that at postmolt stage (P＜0.05), and they were the lowest at intermolt stage compared with that at other molting stages (P＜0.05). However, the expression of MIH showed completely opposite trend compared with the concentration of EH and expression of EcR, indicating the highest at intermolt stage compared with that at other molting stages (P＜0.05). There was a significantly negative correlation for the expression of EcR between intermolt and postmolt stage (P＜0.05), and significantly positive correlation for the expression of MIH between premolt and intermolt stage, as well as between premolt and postmolt stage (P＜0.05), while there was no significant correlation for the EcR and MIH genes at other molting stages (P＞0.05), which indicated that the expression of MIH at premolt stage had a remarkably effect on the expression of MIH at postmolt and intermolt stage; while the expression of EcR at intermolt stage had a significant effect on the expression of EcR at postmolt stage. The correlation analysis showed that the concentration of EH was remarkably positively correlated with body weight at both premolt and intermolt stages (P＜0.05), the expression of EcR at different molting stages was significantly positively correlated with body weight (P＜0.05), and it was also notably positively correlated with carapace length and carapace width (P＜0.05) at intermolt stage. However, the expression level of MIH was negatively correlated with body weight at postmolt stages (P＜0.05), while remarkably negatively correlated at premolt and intermolt stages (P＜0.05). and it was remarkably significantly negatively correlated with carapace length, carapace width at intermolt stage (P＜0.01). Briefly, the results indicated that the concentration of EH had a significant effect on body weight of Chinese mitten crab at premolt and intermolt stage. The expression of EcR and MIH at different molting stages had significant effect on body weight, and their expression at intermolt stage also had significant effect on morphological traits. This study gives new insight into molecular mechanism of molting and growth of Chinese mitten crab, and provides a theoretically molecular and physiological basis for weight increment differences after molting in this crab.
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