Hidden-break diversity in pancrustacean rRNA profiles

Background In the 28S rRNA molecule of many invertebrates, a hidden break splits this large subunit into two noncovalently associated fragments (28Sa and 28Sb), masking 28S in electrophoretic profiles and biasing the standard measurements of RNA quality in extracted tissue samples. Pancrustacean diversity in RNA hidden breaks remains incompletely surveyed, particularly for Oligostraca. Methods We sampled 12 species spanning Branchiopoda, Malacostraca, and Oligostraca around Valencia (Spain). RNA was stabilized with DNA/RNA Shield, extracted with Quick-RNA MagBead, and profiled on an Agilent 5200 Fragment Analyzer. Peaks were assigned to 18S and 28S fragments using BLAST-inferred gene lengths from reference genomes and annotated rDNA. We analyzed 28S secondary-structure domains (D-regions) using RNAfold and focusing on D3 and D7a. Results Oligostracans and most branchiopods analyzed showed the canonical single-peak profile consistent with 18S, 28Sa, and 28Sb of similar size. Malacostracans exhibited greater profile diversity, including multiple distinct peaks attributable to expansions that alter the relative sizes of 28Sa and b, including expansions near D7a. Comparative analyses indicate conserved D3/D7a architecture across Oligostraca/Branchiopoda and higher variability with frequent expansions in Malacostraca. Conclusions Our data extend RNA profile diversity to Oligostraca, refine fragment-size estimates with higher-resolution capillary electrophoresis, and link malacostracan profile heterogeneity to D7a and other expansions. We recommend rRNA-aware quality control for arthropod samples and targeted sequencing of poorly sampled lineages ( e.g. , Mystacocarida, Cephalocarida, Remipedia) to resolve mechanisms and the phylogenetic distribution of the hidden break.