Reproductive Mechanisms in Crustacea Focusing on Selected Prawn Species: Vitellogenin Structure, Processing and Synthetic Control

In recent years, shrimp culture has become a significant world-wide industry. Current production levels reach over 3 million tons per year, corresponding to a market volume of over 10 billion U.S. dollars (FAO 2008). Especially in Southeast Asia, where more than 75% of the world’s shrimp culture occurs, shrimp farming has been considered to be the cause of myriad environmental problems such as the destruction of mangrove forest, and deterioration of the coastal environment due to efflux from intensive shrimp farms. Thankfully, much effort has been extended by governments and researchers/technical specialists to address these concerns, and there has been a significant amelioration of the adverse affects of shrimp farming (SEAFDEC 2004). In addition to environmentally-related issues, the Abstract Shrimp culture is a significant world-wide industry, with current production levels reaching over 3 million tons per year. The expansion of the industry has given rise to the problems of environmental deterioration due to intensive-scale culture, and the outbreak of disease. While many of these issues are now being sufficiently addressed, the establishment of sustainable seed production technology is an area that should be given continued attention. In this regard, it remains difficult to control reproduction under hatchery conditions for a large number of commercially-important species. At present, an understanding of reproductive mechanisms in Crustacea is not complete, although in recent years, a great deal of knowledge has accumulated on vitellogenin structure, processing, and synthetic site in a number of economically-important species. This monograph will cover the current status of research on vitellogenin in decapod crustaceans, especially prawns and shrimp, and discuss mechanisms of vitellogenin synthetic control, both demonstrated and postulated. The monograph will also present current knowledge of crustacean vitellogenin receptors, and cover related facets of reproductive development, such as mechansisms of cortical rod formation and the utilization of vitellin during embryogenesis. Finally, future directions for this research and potential applications to aquaculture will be discussed. Reproductive Mechanisms in Crustacea Focusing on Selected Prawn Species: Vitellogenin Structure, Processing and Synthetic Control