Isolation and Characterization of Gonad Inhibiting Hormone (GIH)-coding Gene in black tiger shrimp (Penaeusmonodon Fabricius, 1798)

Abstract One of the methods to increase the production in crustaceans is a highly complex hormonal process that requires precise coordination of external and internal factors to be successful. One of the important peptide hormones controlling reproduction in crustaceans is the gonad-inhibiting hormone (GIH). This gene is believed to be capable of encoding important components of the reproduction process, primarily inhibiting gonadal maturation in shrimp. As a key component in understanding the reproduction of Penaeus monodon, we characterised the expression pattern of the GIH gene in the eyestalks. This study aimed to isolate and characterize the gonad inhibiting hormone-encoding gene. The GIH gene was isolated using PCR with GIH-F and GIH-R primers. The PCR products (cDNA fragments) were sequenced. Sequence analysis was conducted in GENETYX version 7 and BLAST-N (basic local alignment search tool-nucleotide) was used to determine the similarity of sequences generated with existing sequences in GenBank. The cDNA sequences were 316 bp, and had 96%-99% identity with P. monodon GIH accessions in GenBank. We conclude that the PCR amplified cDNA fragments of the GIH encoding gene sequences from the shrimp.