Abstract

REVIEW ON ANTIMICROBIAL PROTEIN STUDIES IN PORTUNUS TRITUBERCULATUS CRAB SPECIES

Moganapriya S. and Shoba K.*

ABSTRACT

Portunus trituberculatus, the gazami crab, South Korea's blue crab or horse crab, is the most widely fished species of crab in the world. Habiting sandy and sand-muddy depths in shallow waters to 50 m depth. Maximum carapace width 15 cm (males). A male of 149 mm cw has a carapace length of 70 mm. Caught mainly by trawling. It is an important commercial species in Japan, where it is a common edible crab, and it is collected in large numbers in some areas. Crustin is an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) that plays a key role in the innate immunity of crustaceans in Portunus trituberculatus. Two Types were identified type I crustins was characterized from eyestalk of swimming crab. Three and two introns were identified in genomic DNA of Portunus trituberculatus Crustins, respectively. Their transcripts were mainly detected in eyestalk and gills. Portunus trituberculatus Crustins mRNA in hemocytes was up-regulated after three microorganisms challenge. Recombinant Portunus trituberculatus Crustins exhibited antimicrobial activity against bacteria and fungus.

Keywords: Portunus trituberculatus, Crustin, Antimicrobial peptide, Exon and Transcripts.