BIOCHEMICAL-CHARACTERIZATION OF GONADAL DEVELOPMENT IN THE SHRIMP PENAEUS-VANNAMEI

1. Mini-two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) was used to analyze polypeptides extracted from eggs and gonadal tissues from different developmental stages of male and female P. vannamei shrimp. 2. Gel patterns of polypeptides from immature and mature ovaries showed notable differences. 3. Several biochemical differences between ovarian and egg samples indicated that the majority of egg polypeptides may be synthesized towards the end of oogenesis. 4. Five polypeptides present in the eggs, immature and mature ovaries may be synthesized early in oogenesis. 5. Qualitative polypeptide differences between testes from adult and juvenile shrimp suggest differential expression of genes in a developmentally controlled program.