Abstract:
                                      E75 is an important regulator of the ecdysone signaling pathway in shrimp. In order to gain insight into the structure and function of this gene, we screened and analyzed all 
E75 gene transcripts based on the transcriptome and genome data of 
Litopenaeus vannamei, and identified 6 alternatively spliced 
LvE75 isoforms (named 
LvE75-1, 
LvE75-2, 
LvE75-3, 
LvE75-4, 
LvE75-5 and 
LvE75-6). LvE75-1/2/4/5/6 contained DBD and LBD domains consistent with E75A/C of 
Drosophila melanogaster, and 
LvE75-3 only had LBD domains consistent with Drosophila E75D. During molting process, 
LvE75
s were highly expressed in D3–D4 stage. In adult tissues, various isoforms of 
LvE75 were expressed in all tissues and were highly expressed in the epidermis, gut and gill, with only
 LvE75-3 being highly expressed in hepatopancreas, blood cells and lymphoid tissues. According to the conserved domain sequence, we designed primers for double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) interference. In 
LvE75 gene RNAi samples, qRT-PCR results showed that 
spo, 
phm and 
dib were down-regulated, and 
shd was up-regulated, indicating that 
LvE75 might regulate 
Halloween genes to influence ecdysone synthesis. 
Br-C and 
Ftz-f1 were down-regulated and 
HR3 was up-regulated after 
LvE75 were interfered, indicating 
LvE75 might influence the downstream early response genes of ecdysone signal pathway. After continued interference in 
LvE75 for 12 days, the molting rate was significantly lower compared with control group, but the death rate of dsLvE75 group was significantly higher, suggesting 
LvE75 gene played an important role in shrimp molting and survival.