Chromosome studies provide the foundation for comprehending inheritance, variation, systematics, and evolution. Penaeid shrimps are a group of crustaceans with great economic importance. Basic cytogenetic information obtained from these shrimps can be used to study their genome structure, chromosome relationships, chromosome variation, polyploidy manipulation, and breeding. The study of shrimp chromosomes experienced significant growth in the 1990s and has been closely linked to the progress of genome research since the application of next-generation sequencing technology. To date, the genome sequences of five penaeid shrimp species have been published. The availability of these genomes has ushered the study of shrimp chromosomes into the post-genomic era. Currently, research on shrimp cytogenetics not only involves chromosome counting and karyotyping, but also extends to investigating submicroscopic changes; exploring genome structure and regulation during various cell divisions; and contributing to the understanding of mechanisms related to growth, sexual control, stress resistance, and genome evolution. In this article, we provide an overview of the progress made in chromosome research on penaeid shrimp. We emphasize the mutual promotion between studies on chromosome structure and genome research and highlight the impact of chromosome-level assembly on studies of genome structure and function. Additionally, we summarize the emerging trends in post-genomic-era shrimp chromosome research.
Keywords: Hi-C; Litopenaeus vannamei; cytogenetics; genome; structure and function.