Telomere length analysis in crustacean species: Metapenaeus macleayi, Sagmariasus verreauxi, and Jasus edwardsii

Estimates of age and growth in crustaceans have been historically problematic and presented significant challenges to researchers. Current techniques of age determination provide valuable data, but also suffer from disadvantages. Telomeric DNA has been proposed as an age biomarker because it shortens with age in some species. In this study, the feasibility of using telomere length (TL) to estimate age was examined in the school prawn Metapenaeus macleayi and the spiny lobsters Sagmariasus verreauxi and Jasus edwardsii. Carapace length (CL) was used as a surrogate for age, and terminal restriction fragment assays were used to test the relationship between TL and size. Degradation of telomeric DNA with time during storage significantly influenced TL estimates, particularly for M. macleayi. TLs obtained from species in this study were 10–20 kb. No relationship between CL and TL was detected for any of the test species, and TL did not differ between male and female M. macleayi. TLs of J. edwardsii pueruli were unexpectedly shorter than those of J. edwardsii adults. The suitability of TL as an age biomarker in crustaceans may be limited, but further research is needed to elucidate telomere dynamics in these species with their different life histories and lifespans.