Expression dynamics of solute carrier family 15 member 4 (SLC15A4) and its potential regulatory role in ovarian development of the Indian white shrimp, Penaeus indicus

Solute carrier proteins (SLC) are essential membrane transport proteins responsible for transporting lipids, amino acids, sugars, neurotransmitters, and drugs across the biological membranes. Dysfunction of these carrier proteins may lead to an imbalance of biological mechanisms and also in the failure of the transporting pathways of several signaling neurotransmitters. In the present study, a 646 bp of a solute carrier protein (SLC15A4) was cloned and sequenced from the Indian white shrimp, Penaeus indicus. Multiple sequence alignment using ClustalW and phylogenetic analysis of putative SLC15A4 fragment from P. indicus (PiSLC15A4) was performed using Mega X tool. Tissue distribution analysis was carried out using real-time PCR. The differential expressions of PiSLC15A4 were also analyzed in the ovaries and brain tissues of wild-caught female shrimps at different maturation stages and in the brain tissues of captive females subjected to induce maturation by eyestalk ablation. Significant diversity in SLC15A4 sequence obtained from P. indicus was observed when compared to the other species. Tissue distribution analysis confirmed the ubiquitous expression of PiSLC15A4 in all the tissues examined. The differential expressions of PiSLC15A4 indicated higher expression of the gene in brain tissue of females at the vitellogenic stage, while the expressions in ovaries were significantly higher in the immature stage. The differential expressions of PiSLC15A4 in the brain tissues were substantially higher in eyestalk ablated shrimps compared to the eyestalk intact females. The study suggests a role for SLC15A4 in the endocrine signaling pathways stimulating ovarian maturation in P. indicus.