Figure 3.

Time course analysis of alpha-2-macroglobulin, the 14-3-3 protein epsilon and hemocyanin gene transcript levels after Vibrio harveyi challenge, assayed using quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Total RNA was extracted from hemocytes of saline-injected and V. harveyi-challenged shrimps collected at 0, 6, 24 and 48 hpi and the cDNA was then synthesized. The mRNA expression levels of (A) alpha-2-macroglobulin, (B) 14-3-3 protein epsilon and (C) hemocyanin upon V. harveyi challenge were determined using the beta-actin gene as an internal control. Data are shown as the mean ± 1S.D. Means with different letters are significantly different (p < 0.05).