Meeting Abstract
Petrolisthes cinctipes and P. manimaculis are two closely related species of anomurans that live in the upper intertidal zone along the Central California coast. Morphometric measurements were collected to gain insight on the reproductive cycles of these species. Ovary weights of P. cinctipes increased from July (0.2 ± 0.1µg) to September (18.0 ± 6.0µg), and remained similar through January (19.0 ± 7.0µg). Vitellin (Vn), an egg yolk protein, is metabolized from a larger hemolymph protein, vitellogenin (Vg). Using SDS-PAGE, it was determined that the Vn of the conspecifics, P. cinctipes and P. manimaculis, consist of three major subunits that have a MW of 93±2 kDa, 82±2 kDa, and 65.7±1.4 kDa. Two minor bands were also detected at 111±2.3 kDa and 40±1.3 kDa. Using HPLC, the native molecular mass of P. cinctipes vitellin was found to be 301±14 kDa with a small doublet. The native molecular mass for P. manimaculis vitellin is 324±11 kDa with a more pronounced doublet of 160±13 kDa. A Western blot was used to test the reactivity of the Petrolisthes vitellin with various antibodies. It revealed that two of the major Petrolisthes vitellin subunits, 93±2 kDa and 65.7±1.4 kDa, successfully bound with Homarus anti-vitellin antibodies. An ELISA was developed that can measure Vn and Vg in the hemolymph of both Petrolisthes species, with an effective range from 9-3000 ng. This ELISA was used to determine that the average vitellogenin concentration each month for P. cinctipes, which ranged from 30.6 µg/mL in May 2015 to 385.9 µg/mL in October 2014. We will present an annual profile of this reproductive event.
