外源胆固醇对三疣梭子蟹（Portunus trituberculatus）幼蟹蜕皮的调控机制研究

Studies showed that crustaceans can not synthesize cholesterol by themselves, while supplemented cholesterol can significantly affect crustacean growth and molting. However, the mechanisms of these functions are unknown. Swimming crab (Portunus trituberculatus) is an important cultured marine crab species in China, which occupies an important position in the marine fishing and aquaculture industry. In recent years, many problems, such as molt syndrome, molting too frequently, massacre seriously etc., are often encountered during breeding and culturing process. Although the reasons are unknown, researchers generally agreed that direct or indirect relationship between these problems and physiological molting should be noticed. Therefore, this project uses juvenile Portunus trituberculatus as research subject. Also, a systematical study will be conducted to estimate the effects of supplemented cholesterol on the growth performance, specific activities of digestive enzymes, histological observation, molting steroid hormone, molt-inhibiting hormone and genes expression of juvenile Portunus trituberculatus, with the aim to clarify the mechanism of cholesterol in regulating the growth and molting of this species. The research results will provide theoretical basis and technical support in regulating during molt process artificially, solving the questions of sexual precocity and molt syndrome in the actual production, and developing the commercial diets of Portunus trituberculatus.

甲壳类动物自身不能合成胆固醇，但是胆固醇可以显著地影响甲壳类的生长和蜕皮，其调控机制尚未开展相关研究。三疣梭子蟹是我国重要的海产经济蟹类，在海洋捕捞和海水养殖业中占有极其重要的地位。近年来，在三疣梭子蟹全人工苗种养殖过程中经常会遇到蜕皮综合症、蜕皮次数过频、蜕皮不同步、残杀严重等问题，尽管对其原因尚不清楚，但普遍认为与生理蜕皮有着直接或间接的关系。因此，本项目以我国重要的海产经济蟹类三疣梭子蟹为研究对象，从生长性能、消化酶活性、组织学观察、内分泌（蜕皮类固醇激素、蜕皮抑制激素）、蜕皮调控基因表达水平等角度系统研究外源胆固醇对三疣梭子蟹生长、蜕皮的影响，以阐明外源胆固醇对三疣梭子蟹蜕皮的调控机制，为实现三疣梭子蟹蜕皮的人工调控、生产实践中蜕皮不同步和蜕皮综合症等问题的解决以及为商业配合饲料的研制提供理论依据和技术支持。