Proteomic profiling of the aqueous extract from the antennal gland of the Pacific white shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei.

Abstract

The antennal gland (AnG) of decapod crustaceans has been proposed as a potential source of bioactive molecules involved in chemical communication; however, its protein composition remains largely unexplored. Here, we present the first reference proteomic map of the aqueous extract from the antennal gland of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. Protein extracts from immature and mature females were analyzed using an integrated workflow combining one-dimensional SDS-PAGE, reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), and nanoLC-tandem mass spectrometry. Electrophoretic and chromatographic analyses revealed a high degree of qualitative similarity between reproductive stages. SDS-PAGE resolved six major protein bands (~227, 166, 77, 42, 35, and 17 kDa), most comprising multiple co-migrating proteins as revealed by LC-MS/MS. Hemocyanin was identified as the predominant protein and was detected across several electrophoretic bands. Additional proteins were associated with innate immunity, including β-1,3-glucan-binding protein and coagulable hemolymph protein; reproductive processes, including vitellogenin, spermatogonial stem-cell renewal factor, farnesoic acid O-methyltransferase, estrogen sulfotransferase, and prostaglandin reductase 1; as well as energy metabolism, protein homeostasis, cytoskeletal organization, and intracellular trafficking. Because several identified proteins are widely distributed or known hemolymph components, their detection cannot be assumed to reflect AnG-specific expression or function. Collectively, these findings establish a molecular reference for the L. vannamei AnG and reveal protein components associated with multiple physiological processes. This dataset provides a proteomic framework for future comparative and functional studies aimed at elucidating antennal gland physiology and experimentally evaluating the potential involvement of proteinaceous or peptide-based molecules in chemical communication in decapod crustaceans.