# Integrative Application of Transcriptomics and Metabolomics Reveals Molecular Insight into Metabolomic Variations in Chinese Mitten Crab Eriocheir sinensis Harvested from Lake Datong and Adjacent Pond

## TL;DR

This study uses transcriptomics and metabolomics to compare Chinese mitten crabs from lake and pond environments, revealing how farming conditions affect their metabolism and growth.

## Contribution

The study provides novel integrative insights into how rearing environments influence crab physiology through combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses.

## Key findings

- Crabs from lake environments showed enhanced antioxidant and detoxification capacities.
- Lake-reared crabs had reduced protein synthesis and energy metabolism, along with increased apoptosis.
- AMPK signaling and xenobiotic metabolism pathways were key in influencing crab growth performance.

## Abstract

Distinct rearing environments and farming models exert a significant impact on the physiological metabolism and overall quality of cultured aquatic organisms. In this study, we aimed to investigate the physiological and metabolic differences in the Chinese mitten crab, Eriocheir sinensis, farmed in lake and pond environments using integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. The combined analysis revealed that key pathways, including AMPK signaling, cytochrome P450-mediated xenobiotic metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and apoptosis, collectively influence crab growth performance. Specifically, crabs from the lake group exhibited enhanced antioxidant and detoxification capacities. However, this was accompanied by reduced protein synthesis, lower energy metabolism, and increased apoptosis. These findings offer valuable insights for optimizing crab farming practices in different aquaculture systems.

As an important economic aquatic product in China, the farming method of Eriocheir sinensis significantly impacts its quality and physiological metabolism. In this study, the effects of lake (LK) farm and pond (PD) farm on the gene expression profiles and metabolic pathways in E. sinensis were evaluated by integrating transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. A total of 812 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the hepatopancreas of crabs. The DEGs were mainly enriched in nutrient reservoir activity, regulation of response to oxidative stress, and lipid transporter activity. In addition, LC-MS analysis identified 410 significantly differential metabolites, and KEGG pathway enrichment showed that these metabolites were mainly enriched in the MAPK signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and glycerolipid metabolism. Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed that the AMPK signaling pathway, cytochrome P450-mediated xenobiotic metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, and the apoptosis signaling pathway collectively exert a significant influence on the growth performance of crabs. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that the crabs in the LK group exhibit enhanced antioxidant and detoxification capacities, concomitant with reduced protein synthesis and energy metabolism, and underwent increased apoptotic events. The finding of this study will provide valuable and novel insight into crab farming practices in different aquaculture environments, providing theoretical foundations for optimizing ecological aquaculture models in Datong Lakes’ crab farms. Specifically, combined supplementation with natural feed organisms and mechanical aeration may effectively mitigate benthic hypoxia and nutritional deficits, thereby promoting sustainable production in the lake-based culture of crabs.