Sample records for tallfin croaker micropogonias

  1. Distribution of whitemouth croaker ( Micropogonias furnieri, Desmarest 1823) larvae in the Río de la Plata estuarine front

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Braverman, Mara S.; Acha, E. Marcelo; Gagliardini, Domingo A.; Rivarossa, Martín

    2009-05-01

    Whitemouth croaker ( Micropogonias furnieri) larvae obtained and hydrographic data collected in the Rio de la Plata estuary (35°S-56°W) between 1987 and 2000 were used to explore the early life stages spatial and temporal distribution patterns and their relation to oceanographic features. The spatial distribution, restricted to a band in the inner part of the estuary, coincided with the bottom salinity front and the maximum turbidity zone (MTZ, turbidity front). Larvae were present during the warmest months (October through May) within a range of 14-24.5 °C temperature and 0.9-33 salinity. A vertically stratified sampling performed in the region where the largest abundance was found (December 2005 and March 2006) was used to test the hypothesis that larvae retention occurs in the bottom salinity front. The vertically stratified sampling showed larvae throughout the water column with high predominance in the river-estuary transition zone. A positive correlation between abundance and the bottom salinity horizontal gradient was found. The size analysis showed that the largest individuals (>10 mm SL), probably undergoing the settlement process, inhabited near the bottom and that the smallest (<10 mm SL) were present in the whole water column. Length distribution along the front showed no trend. Results support the estuarine retention hypothesis of previous studies on whitemouth croaker gravid females, eggs distribution and outcomes from a numerical simulation model. Retention in the salinity front/MTZ would allow larvae to benefit from food accumulation in the region, the high turbidity level provide shelter against predators and retention in the estuary secure closeness to the main nursery ground.

  2. Trichodinids (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) of Mugil platanus (Mugiliformes: Mugilidae) and Micropogonias furnieri (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) from Samborombón Bay, Argentina, with the description of a new species.

    PubMed

    Marcotegui, Paula S; Martorelli, Sergio R

    2009-09-01

    During surveys of parasites of the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Desmarest) and the mullet Mugil platanus Günther from Samborombón Bay, Argentina, Trichodina puytoraci, T. lepsii, T. jadranica, T. murmanica, Diparitella simplex and Trichodina scalensis sp. n. were morphologically studied. Taxonomic and morphometric data for these trichodinids based on dry silver nitrate-impregnated specimens are presented. This study is the first formal report of these trichodinids from the southwest Atlantic Ocean, and the description of a new species from M. platanus.

  3. Films based on protein isolated from croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) and palm oil.

    PubMed

    Halal, Shanise Lisie Mello El; Zavareze, Elessandra da Rosa; Rocha, Meritaine da; Pinto, Vânia Zanella; Nunes, Michael Ramos; Luvielmo, Márcia de Mello; Prentice, Carlos

    2016-05-01

    The microstructure and the physical, mechanical, barrier and thermal properties of films based on different concentrations of protein isolated from croaker waste (CPI) and palm oil (PO) were analyzed. Films were elaborated by a casting technique using 2, 3 and 4 g CPI 100 g(-1) of a filmogenic solution and 0, 10 and 20 g of PO 100 g(-1) CPI. Microstructure of the film surfaces of CPI with PO showed no presence of lipid droplets dispersed in the filmogenic matrix, although a rough surface was present. Films with 3% and 4% CPI and 20% PO had the lowest rates of water vapor permeability. When there was an addition of PO to the reduced tensile strength of the films, regardless of the concentration of CPI, this addition reduced the elongation of films with 3% and 4% CPI; however, it did not influence films with 2% CPI, which did not differ from the control film (0% OP). Thermal analysis revealed that films with the highest PO percentage had a lower initial weight loss when compared with other films, due to higher hydrophobicity. The use of protein isolate obtained from fish residues of low commercial value and palm oil is viable for the production of biodegradable films because the latter constitute good barrier properties and thermal stability. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

  4. Habitat Suitability Index Models: Juvenile Atlantic Croaker

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Diaz, Robert J.; Onuf, Christopher P.

    1982-01-01

    INTRODUCTION The Atlantic croaker is an important commercial and recreational species. In the 1940's, the foodfish catch of Atlantic croakers was concentrated in Chesapeake Bay; in the 1950's and early 1970's, the catch was concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico; and in the late 1970's, the catch was concentrated in the South Atlantic States (Wilk 1981). Industrial and recreational catches of Atlantic croakers have been concentrated in the Gulf of Mexico, where the Atlantic croaker is the most important species of bottomfish for industrial uses (Knudsen and Herke 1978), and has ranked first, second, or third in number caught by recreational anglers, depending on survey year (Nakamura 1981). Today, Virginia or Delaware is considered to be the northern extent of the species. During climatically warmer periods, such as the 1930's and 1940's, the croaker extended its range north at least to New York, where it was commercially fished. The southern extent of its range is Argentina.

  5. CHEMICAL INTERFERENCE WITH GENOMIC AND NONGENOMIC ACTIONS OF STEROIDS IN FISHES: ROLE OF RECEPTOR BINDING. (R826125)

    EPA Science Inventory

    Abstract

    The characteristics of steroid nuclear and membrane receptors and their interactions with xenobiotic chemicals in two marine perciform species, Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) and spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) are briefly revi...

  6. Changes in homologous and heterologous gap junction contacts during maturation-inducing hormone-dependent meiotic resumption in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Bolamba, D.; Patino, R.; Yoshizaki, G.; Thomas, P.

    2003-01-01

    Homologous (granulosa cell-granulosa cell) gap junction (GJ) contacts increase in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) during the early (first) stage of maturation, but their profile during the second stage [i.e., during maturation-inducing hormone (MIH)-mediated meiotic resumption] is unknown. The profile of homologous GJ contacts during the second stage of maturation in croaker follicles was examined in this study and compared to that of heterologous (granulosa cell-oocyte) GJ, for which changes have been previously documented. Follicles were incubated with human chorionic gonadotropin to induce maturational competence (first stage), and then with MIH to induce meiotic resumption. The follicles were collected for examination immediately before and after different durations of MIH exposure until the oocyte had reached the stage of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD; index of meiotic resumption). Ultrathin sections were observed by transmission electron microscopy, and homologous and heterologous GJ contacts were quantified along a 100-??m segment of granulosa cell-zona radiata complex per follicle (three follicles/time/fish, n=3 fish). Relatively high numbers of both types of GJ were observed before and after the first few hours of MIH exposure (up to the stage of oil droplet coalescence). GJ numbers declined during partial yolk globule coalescence (at or near GVBD) and were just under 50% of starting values after the completion of GVBD (P<0.05). These results confirm earlier observations that GVBD temporally correlates with declining heterologous GJ contacts, and for the first time in teleosts show that there is a parallel decline in homologous GJ. The significance of the changes in homologous and heterologous GJ is uncertain and deserves further study. ?? 2003 Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.

  7. A fast and indirect fluorescent antibody assay for the vibrio in large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea (Richardson)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Jun; Su, Yongquan; Yan, Qingpi

    2003-03-01

    A fast and indirect fluorescent antibody assay for the Vibrio alginolyticus and V. parahaemolyticus infecting the large yellow croaker has been developed. The specific antisera for the two strains of vibrio were prepared with New Zealand rabbit and the antiserum and cross-reactive efficacy was tested by coagulation in tube. It showed that the goat anti-rabbit IgG had been labeled by fluorescence isothiocyanate (FITC). The results showed that positive reactions were 100% for the large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea with typical symptom of vibrio infection, while the positive reaction to the pathogen in healthy yellow croakers reached 40%, but seemed negative for aquaculture water. The results demonstrated that this fast and indirect fluorescent antibody assay can be used not only to test the vibrio pathogen in diseased yellow croaker but also in infected animals with no symptom.

  8. Role of arachidonic acid and protein kinase C during maturation-inducing hormone-dependent meiotic resumption and ovulation in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Patino, R.; Yoshizaki, G.; Bolamba, D.; Thomas, P.

    2003-01-01

    The roles of arachidonic acid (AA) and protein kinase C (PKC) during in vitro maturation-inducing hormone (MIH)-dependent meiotic resumption (maturation) and ovulation were studied in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus). The requirement for cyclooxygenase (COX) metabolites of AA was examined using a nonspecific COX inhibitor, indomethacin (IM), as well as two COX products, prostaglandin (PG) F2?? and PGE2, whereas the role of lipoxygenase (LOX) was investigated using a specific LOX inhibitor, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA). The involvement of PKC was examined using phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), a PKC activator, as well as GF109203X (GF), a specific inhibitor of PKC and 1-(5-isoquin- olinesulfonyl)-2-methylpiperazine (H7), nonspecific inhibitor of protein kinases. Genomic mechanisms were examined with the transcription-inhibitor actinomycin D (ActD) and the functionality of heterologous (oocyte-granulosa) gap junctions (GJ) with a dye transfer assay. The AA (100 ??M) and PGF2?? (5 ??M) did not induce maturation, and NDGA (10 ??M) did not affect MIH-dependent maturation. However, IM (100 ??M) partially inhibited MIH-dependent maturation. Conversely, AA and both PGs induced, and IM and NDGA inhibited, MIH-dependent ovulation in matured follicles. The PMA (1 ??g/ml) did not induce maturation but caused ovulation in matured follicles, whereas PKC inhibitors (GF, 5 ??M; H7, 50??M) did not affect MIH-dependent maturation but inhibited MIH- and PMA-dependent ovulation. The PMA-dependent ovulation was inhibited by IM but not by NDGA. In addition, ActD (5 ??M) blocked MIH-dependent, but not PMA-dependent, ovulation, and PGF2?? restored MIH-dependent ovulation in ActD-blocked follicles. The AA and PGs did not induce, and GF did not inhibit, MIH-dependent heterologous GJ uncoupling. In conclusion, AA and PKC mediate MIH-dependent ovulation but not meiotic resumption or heterologous GJ uncoupling in croaker follicles, but a permissive role

  9. Comparison of nutritional quality in fish maw product of croaker Protonibea diacanthus and perch Lates niloticus

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wen, Jing; Zeng, Ling; Chen, Ziming; Xu, Youhou

    2016-08-01

    Fish maw (the dried swimbladders of fish) is ranked in the list of the four sea treasures in Chinese cuisine. Fish maw is mainly produced from croaker, which is the most highly priced. However, some of the fish maw being sold as croaker maw are in fact not from croaker, but from the Nile perch Lates niloticus. The present work determined and compared the proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid composition of croaker Protonibea diacanthus maw and perch L. niloticus maw. The results indicated that both maws were high protein sources and low in fat content. The dominant amino acids in both maws were glycine, proline, glutamic acid, alanine and arginine. These amino acids constituted 66.2% and 66.4% of the total amino acids in P. diacanthus and L. niloticus, respectively. The ratio of FAA: TAA (functional amino acids: total amino acids) in both maws were 0.69. This is a good explanation for why fish maws have been widely utilized as a traditional tonic and remedy in Asia. Except valine and histidine, all the essential amino acid contents in P. diacanthus were higher than in L. niloticus. Moreover, croaker P. diacanthus maw contained more AA and DHA than perch L. niloticus maw, showing a higher ratio of n-3 / n-6, which is more desirable.

  10. Dietary leucine requirement for juvenile large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea (Richardson, 1846)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Yan; Ai, Qinghui; Mai, Kangsen; Xu, Wei; Cheng, Zhenyan; He, Zhigang

    2010-12-01

    Dietary leucine requirement for juvenile large yellow croaker, Pseudosciaena crocea Richardson 1846 (initial body weight 6.0 g ± 0.1 g) was determined using dose-response method. Six isonitogenous (crude protein 43%) and isoenergetic (19 kJ g-1) practical diets containing six levels of leucine (Diets 1-6) ranging from 1.23% to 4.80% (dry matter) were made at about 0.7% increment of leucine. Equal amino acid nitrogen was maintained by replacing leucine with glutamic acid. Triplicate groups of 60 individuals were fed to apparent satiation by hand twice daily (05:00 and 17:30). The water temperature was 26-32°C, salinity 26-30 and dissolved oxygen approximately 7 mg L-1 during the experimental period. Final weight (FW) of large yellow croaker initially increased with increasing level of dietary leucine but then decreased at further higher level of leucine. The highest FW was obtained in fish fed diet with 3.30% Leucine (Diet 4). FW of fish fed the diet with 4.80% Leucine (Diet 6) was significantly lower than those fed Diet 4. However, no significant differences were observed between the other dietary treatments. Feed efficiency (FE) and whole body composition were independent of dietary leucine contents ( P > 0.05). The results indicated that leucine was essential for growth of juvenile large yellow croaker. On the basis of FW, the optimum dietary leucine requirement for juvenile large yellow croaker was estimated to be 2.92% of dry matter (6.79% of dietary protein).

  11. [Oropharyngeal morphology and food habits of Micropogonias furnieri (Pisces: Sciaenidae) in the North coast of Estado Sucre, Venezuela].

    PubMed

    Ruiz, L J; Prieto, A; Lemus, M

    2001-01-01

    Morphology of the mandibular and pharyngeal region, and the feeding habits of Micropogonias furnieri were examined in 256 male and female specimens, between 28.7 and 54.3 cm total length, collected around Morro Puerto Santo, in northeast Sucre State, Venezuela (10 degrees 45'00" N-63 degrees 8'0" W), from May 1989 to April 1990. Micropogonias furnieri has a small ventral mouth; protrusible premaxillary and dentary; first branchial arches with 21 to 27 gill rakers, generally 24 to 25; and 7 to 11 pyloric caecae. The index of vacuity was low, with mean value of 7.00%. The mean intestinal index was 0.72, indicative of carnivorous species. Analysis of frequency of occurrence, indicates preference for crustaceans (45.70%), mainly crabs (34.90%), followed by polychaetes (28.00%), fishes (11.41%) and occasionally mollusks and echinoderms (4.0 and 3.9%, respectively). The diet of this species did not vary with sex.

  12. Synthesis of calcium carbonate using extract components of croaker gill as morphology and polymorph adjust control agent.

    PubMed

    Chen, Hao; Qing, Chengsong; Zheng, Jiaoling; Liu, Yuxi; Wu, Gang

    2016-06-01

    Biomimetic synthesis of calcium carbonate with various polymorphs, sizes and morphologies by using organic substrates has become an interesting topic for the last years. Calcium carbonate has been synthesized by the reaction of Na2CO3 and CaCl2 in the presence of extract components of croaker gill. The products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectrum, and particle morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that at lower concentration yellow croaker gill extract has no effect on calcium carbonate crystal polymorph. Calcite was obtained only. But the morphologies of calcite particle change with the increase of the concentration. The corners of the particle change from angular to curved. However, with the further increase of the concentration of yellow croaker gill extract, the calcium carbonate obtained is a mixture of calcite and vaterite. The vaterite component in the mixture rises with increasing concentration of extract solution, indicating that the proteins from the yellow croaker gill during growth play a crucial role in stabilizing and directing the crystal growth. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  13. Impaired gamete production and viability in Atlantic croaker collected throughout the 20,000 km(2) hypoxic region in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Thomas, Peter; Rahman, Md Saydur; Picha, Matthew E; Tan, Wenxian

    2015-12-15

    The long-term impacts of recent marked increases in the incidence and extent of hypoxia (dissolved oxygen <2 mg/L) in coastal regions worldwide on fisheries and ecosystems are unknown. Reproductive impairment was investigated in Atlantic croaker collected in 2010 from the extensive coastal hypoxic region in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Potential fecundity was significantly lower in croaker collected throughout the ~20,000 km(2) hypoxic region than in croaker from normoxic sites. In vitro bioassays of gamete viability showed reductions in oocyte maturation and sperm motility in croaker collected from the hypoxic sites in response to reproductive hormones which were accompanied by decreases in gonadal levels of membrane progestin receptor alpha, the receptor regulating these processes. The finding that environmental hypoxia exposure reduces oocyte viability in addition to decreasing oocyte production in croaker suggests that fecundity estimates need to be adjusted to account for the decrease in oocyte maturation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Tyrosinase, a new innate humoral immune parameter in large yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena crocea R)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Wang, Shuhong; Wang, Yilei; Zhang, Ziping; Xie, Fangjing; Lin, Peng; Tai, Zhengang

    2009-09-01

    We evaluated the immune response to infection with a pathogen in large yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena crocea Richardson). The fish were given an intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection of Vibrio parahaemolyticus or sterile sea water (control). We collected blood sera from the fish 0.17, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, or 16 d after injection (dpi). We measured tyrosinase activity and the concentrations of lysozyme, NOS, and antibodies. Serum tyrosinase activity was significantly higher at 0.17 and 4 dpi than in the control group, and peaked at 8 dpi. Lysozyme activity was significantly higher at 2 and 12 dpi than in the control group, but lower at 16 dpi. There is no statistical difference in the level of nitric oxides synthase (NOS) activity or antibodies between the control and injection groups. This is the first report of the tyrosinase activity in the serum of large yellow croaker. Our results indicate that tyrosinase plays an important role in the immediate immune defense against V. parahaemolyticus in large yellow croaker. Tyrosinase is a candidate parameter for investigation of fish innate immune defense.

  15. Daily variation in ingress of fall-spawned larval fishes into Delaware Bay in relation to alongshore and along-estuary wind components

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Schieler, Brittany M.; Hale, Edward A.; Targett, Timothy E.

    2014-12-01

    Identifying factors that affect ingress of larval fishes from offshore spawning areas into estuarine nurseries is important to improve understanding of variability in recruitment of many coastal marine species. This study investigated the ingress of larval Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus), Atlantic menhaden (Brevoortia tyrannus), and summer flounder (Paralichthys dentatus) at Roosevelt Inlet, near the mouth of Delaware Bay, USA in relation to short-term wind events. Nightly abundances, from November 15 to December 15, 2010, were analyzed with alongshore and along-estuary wind components (direction and speed) using cross-correlation analysis to determine if winds affect larval ingress. Ingress of Atlantic croaker and summer flounder correlated with along-estuary winds, whereas Atlantic menhaden showed no significant correlations with either alongshore or along-estuary winds. Although along-estuary winds during this period were predominantly down-estuary, Atlantic croaker ingress was correlated with positive along-estuary winds (blowing up-estuary), with a three-day lag; and a particularly large ingress peak occurred following the largest up-estuary wind peak. Ingress of summer flounder was correlated with negative along-estuary winds (blowing down-estuary), with a two-day lag. These results suggest that species-specific vertical position in the water column influenced ingress into Delaware Bay. The lag results also suggest that ingressing Atlantic croaker and summer flounder may have a pooling stage outside the mouth of Delaware Bay.

  16. Preservation of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) by Coagulin L1208, a novel bacteriocin produced by Bacillus coagulans L1208.

    PubMed

    Fu, Linglin; Wang, Chong; Ruan, Xinming; Li, Gang; Zhao, Yu; Wang, Yanbo

    2018-02-02

    Large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) is a cultivated fish of great economic importance and abundant nutritional value. However, due to its high protein and water contents, it is susceptible to decomposition, leading to considerable economic loss and adverse effects on consumer health. Here, we assessed the function of the bacterial strain Bacillus coagulans L1208 (Bcoa) in preserving large yellow croaker during storage at 4°C and found that Bcoa elongates the shelf-life significantly. Further investigations showed that Bcoa prolongs the storage time mainly by suppressing the growth of spoilage bacteria. Moreover, a novel bacteriocin, designated as Coagulin L1208 and produced by Bcoa, was purified and identified by N-terminal sequencing. Finally, the activity of Coagulin L1208 for suppressing spoilage bacteria during the preservation of large yellow croaker was assessed. Our results reveal the mechanism by which Bcoa aids the preservation of large yellow croaker and identify Coagulin L1208 as a potential novel antiseptic. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. Movement patterns, habitat use and site fidelity of the white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus) in the Palos Verdes Superfund Site, Los Angeles, California.

    PubMed

    Wolfe, Barrett W; Lowe, Christopher G

    2015-08-01

    White croaker (Genyonemus lineatus family: Sciaenidae) are a schooling, benthic foraging fish historically associated with soft sediment and wastewater outfalls in southern California. While they are often used as an indicator species due to their high organochlorine contaminant loads, little is known of their movements in relation to contaminated habitats. A Vemco Positioning System acoustic telemetry array was used to collect fine-scale movement data and characterize the site fidelity, area use, and dispersal of 83 white croaker on the Palos Verdes Shelf Superfund Site, California over 27 months. White croaker generally demonstrated low residency and recurrence to the Palos Verdes Shelf, and were observed to be largely nomadic. However, individual behavior was highly variable. Although the entire monitored shelf was visited by tagged white croaker, habitats in 0-200 m proximity to wastewater outfalls and between 25 and 35 m depth were used most frequently. Approximately half of white croaker migrated into Los Angeles and Long Beach Harbors; areas where they may be targeted by subsistence fishers. A model framework for incorporating fish movement data into contaminant exposure estimates was developed to better understanding organochlorine contaminant exposure for planning future remediation and monitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Rapid construction of genome map for large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) by the whole-genome mapping in BioNano Genomics Irys system.

    PubMed

    Xiao, Shijun; Li, Jiongtang; Ma, Fengshou; Fang, Lujing; Xu, Shuangbin; Chen, Wei; Wang, Zhi Yong

    2015-09-03

    Large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) is an important commercial fish in China and East-Asia. The annual product of the species from the aqua-farming industry is about 90 thousand tons. In spite of its economic importance, genetic studies of economic traits and genomic selections of the species are hindered by the lack of genomic resources. Specifically, a whole-genome physical map of large yellow croaker is still missing. The traditional BAC-based fingerprint method is extremely time- and labour-consuming. Here we report the first genome map construction using the high-throughput whole-genome mapping technique by nanochannel arrays in BioNano Genomics Irys system. For an optimal marker density of ~10 per 100 kb, the nicking endonuclease Nt.BspQ1 was chosen for the genome map generation. 645,305 DNA molecules with a total length of ~112 Gb were labelled and detected, covering more than 160X of the large yellow croaker genome. Employing IrysView package and signature patterns in raw DNA molecules, a whole-genome map of large yellow croaker was assembled into 686 maps with a total length of 727 Mb, which was consistent with the estimated genome size. The N50 length of the whole-genome map, including 126 maps, was up to 1.7 Mb. The excellent hybrid alignment with large yellow croaker draft genome validated the consensus genome map assembly and highlighted a promising application of whole-genome mapping on draft genome sequence super-scaffolding. The genome map data of large yellow croaker are accessible on lycgenomics.jmu.edu.cn/pm. Using the state-of-the-art whole-genome mapping technique in Irys system, the first whole-genome map for large yellow croaker has been constructed and thus highly facilitates the ongoing genomic and evolutionary studies for the species. To our knowledge, this is the first public report on genome map construction by the whole-genome mapping for aquatic-organisms. Our study demonstrates a promising application of the whole

  19. Effects of maturation-inducing hormone on heterologous gap junctional coupling in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Yoshizaki, G.; Patino, R.; Thomas, P.; Bolamba, D.; Chang, Xiaotian

    2001-01-01

    A previous ultrastructural study of heterologous (granulosa cell-oocyte) gap junction (GJ) contacts in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker suggested that these contacts disappear late during the process of resumption of oocyte meiosis. This observation suggested that, unlike scenarios proposed for a number of other species, uncoupling of GJ is not necessary for the onset of meiotic resumption in croaker follicles. However, the functionality of heterologous GJ contacts and the temporal association between maturation-inducing hormone (MIH)-induced changes in heterologous coupling and resumption of oocyte meiosis have not been examined in Atlantic croaker. These questions were addressed with a cell-cell coupling assay that is based on the transfer of a GJ marker, Lucifer Yellow, from oocytes to granulosa cells. Follicle-enclosed oocytes injected with Lucifer Yellow allowed transfer of the dye into the follicle cell layer, thus confirming that there is functional heterologous coupling between the oocyte and the granulosa cells. Dye transfer was observed in vitellogenic, full-grown/maturation-incompetent, and full-grown /maturation-competent follicles. Treatment of maturation-competent follicles with MIH caused a time-dependent decline in the number of follicles transferring dye. However, although GJ uncoupling in some of the follicles was observed before germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD, index of meiotic resumption), about 50% of the follicles maintained the ability to transfer dye even after GVBD had occurred. Further, a known GJ inhibitor (phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) blocked heterologous GJ within a time frame similar to that seen with MIH but without inducing any of the morphological changes (including GVBD) associated with follicular maturation. In conclusion, uncoupling of heterologous GJ seems insufficient and unnecessary for the onset of meiotic resumption in ovarian follicles of Atlantic croaker. ?? 2001 Elsevier Science.

  20. Molecular and biochemical responses of hypoxia exposure in Atlantic croaker collected from hypoxic regions in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Md Saydur; Thomas, Peter

    2017-01-01

    A major impact of global climate change has been the marked increase worldwide in the incidence of coastal hypoxia (dissolved oxygen, DO<2.0 mg l-1). However, the extent of hypoxia exposure to motile animals such as fish collected from hypoxic waters as well as their molecular and physiological responses to environmental hypoxia exposure are largely unknown. A suite of potential hypoxia exposure biomarkers was evaluated in Atlantic croaker collected from hypoxic and normoxic regions in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGOM), and in croaker after laboratory exposure to hypoxia (DO: 1.7 mg l-1). Expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-α, hif-α; neuronal nitric oxide synthase, nNOS; and insulin-like growth factor binding protein, igfbp mRNAs and protein carbonyl (PC, an oxidative stress indicator) content were elevated several-fold in brain and liver tissues of croaker collected from nGOM hypoxic sites. All of these molecular and biochemical biomarkers were also upregulated ~3-10-fold in croaker brain and liver tissues within 1-2 days of hypoxia exposure in controlled laboratory experiments. These results suggest that hif-αs, nNOS and igfbp-1 transcripts and PC contents are useful biomarkers of environmental hypoxia exposure and some of its physiological effects, making them important components for improved assessments of long-term impacts of environmental hypoxia on fish populations.

  1. Liver Transcriptome Analysis of the Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea) during Fasting by Using RNA-Seq

    PubMed Central

    Qian, Baoying; Xue, Liangyi; Huang, Hongli

    2016-01-01

    The large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) is an economically important fish species in Chinese mariculture industry. To understand the molecular basis underlying the response to fasting, Illumina HiSeqTM 2000 was used to analyze the liver transcriptome of fasting large yellow croakers. A total of 54,933,550 clean reads were obtained and assembled into 110,364 contigs. Annotation to the NCBI database identified a total of 38,728 unigenes, of which 19,654 were classified into Gene Ontology and 22,683 were found in Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). Comparative analysis of the expression profiles between fasting fish and normal-feeding fish identified a total of 7,623 differentially expressed genes (P < 0.05), including 2,500 upregulated genes and 5,123 downregulated genes. Dramatic differences were observed in the genes involved in metabolic pathways such as fat digestion and absorption, citrate cycle, and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and the similar results were also found in the transcriptome of skeletal muscle. Further qPCR analysis confirmed that the genes encoding the factors involved in those pathways significantly changed in terms of expression levels. The results of the present study provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the metabolic response of the large yellow croaker to fasting as well as identified areas that require further investigation. PMID:26967898

  2. Effects of chitosan combined with nisin treatment on storage quality of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea).

    PubMed

    Hui, Guohua; Liu, Wei; Feng, Hailin; Li, Jian; Gao, Yuanyuan

    2016-07-15

    Effects of chitosan combined with different concentrations of nisin on quality enhancement of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) stored at 4 °C were evaluated for 8 days. Changes in sensory score and volatile spoilage products, total viable counts (TVC), and physiochemical indexes including weight loss, colour, pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and K-value were examined. Results demonstrated that nisin-treated samples presented better quality preservation effects than chitosan alone. 1% chitosan combined with 0.6% nisin presented optimal quality enhancement effects, such as moisture loss control, volatile spoilage inhibition, TVB-N reduction, TVC growth control, and colour and sensory acceptability maintenance. Therefore, chitosan combined with nisin is promising in large yellow croaker shelf life extension. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. [Study on freshness evaluation of ice-stored large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) using near infrared spectroscopy].

    PubMed

    Liu, Yuan; Chen, Wei-Hua; Hou, Qiao-Juan; Wang, Xi-Chang; Dong, Ruo-Yan; Wu, Hao

    2014-04-01

    Near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) was used in this experiment to evaluate the freshness of ice-stored large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) during different storage periods. And the TVB-N was used as an index to evaluate the freshness. Through comparing the correlation coefficent and standard deviations of calibration set and validation set of models established by singly and combined using of different pretreatment methods, different modeling methods and different wavelength region, the best TVB-N models of ice-stored large yellow croaker sold in the market were established to predict the freshness quickly. According to the research, the model shows that the best performance could be established by using the normalization by closure (Ncl) with 1st derivative (Dbl) and normalization to unit length (Nle) with 1st derivative as the pretreated method and partial least square (PLS) as the modeling method combined with choosing the wavelength region of 5 000-7 144, and 7 404-10 000 cm(-1). The calibration model gave the correlation coefficient of 0.992, with a standard error of calibration of 1.045 and the validation model gave the correlation coefficient of 0.999, with a standard error of prediction of 0.990. This experiment attempted to combine several pretreatment methods and choose the best wavelength region, which has got a good result. It could have a good prospective application of freshness detection and quality evaluation of large yellow croaker in the market.

  4. Characterization and SNP variation analysis of a HSP70 gene from miiuy croaker and its expression as related to bacterial challenge and heat shock.

    PubMed

    Wei, Tao; Sun, Yuena; Shi, Ge; Wang, Rixin; Xu, Tianjun

    2012-09-01

    Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play crucial roles in the immune response of vertebrates. In order to study immune defense mechanism of heat shock protein gene in miiuy croaker (Miichthys miiuy), a cDNA encoding heat shock protein 70 (designated Mimi-HSP70) gene was cloned from miiuy croaker. The cDNA was 2195 bp in length, consisting of an open reading frame (ORF) of 1917 bp encoding a polypeptide of 638 amino acids with estimated molecular mass of 70.3 kDa and theoretical isoelectric point of 5.55. Genomic DNA structure analysis revealed that the Mimi-HSP70 gene contain no introns in coding region and four SNPs with 373 C/T, 789 G/A, 1005 C/T, and 1185 G/A were detected by direct sequencing of 20 samples from six different populations. BLAST analysis, structure comparison and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Mimi-HSP70 should be an inducible cytosolic member of the HSP70 family. The deduced amino acid sequence of Mimi-HSP70 had 82.4%-92.2% identity with those of vertebrate. A real-time quantitative RT-PCR demonstrated that the HSP70 gene was ubiquitously expressed in ten normal tissues. Under different temperature shock stress, the expression of Mimi-HSP70 gene in miiuy croaker increased at first and then decreased with the rise of temperature, finally, reached a maximum level in liver, spleen and kidney tissues. Infection of miiuy croaker with Vibrio anguillarum resulted in significant changes expression of Mimi-HSP70 gene in the immune-related tissues. These results indicated that expression analysis of Mimi-HSP70 gene provide theoretical basis to further study the mechanism of anti-adverseness in the miiuy croaker. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Lipid oxidation and fatty acid composition in salt-dried yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena polyactis) during processing

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Qiuxing; Wu, Yanyan; Li, Laihao; Wang, Yueqi; Yang, Xianqing; Zhao, Yongqiang

    2017-10-01

    Lipid oxidation in salt-dried yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena polyactis) was evaluated during processing with commonly used analytical indices, such as the peroxide value (POV), the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value, and oxidative-relative lipoxygenase (LOX) activity. Additionally, fatty acids were analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Both POV and TBARS increased significantly ( P < 0.05) at the rinsing stage. POV reached its peak value of 3.63 meq O2 per kg sample at the drying stage, whereas TBARS constantly increased from 0.05 to 0.20 mg MDA per kg sample. Processing of salt-dried yellow croaker had an extremely significant ( P < 0.01) effect on LOX activity. Twenty-six fatty acids were identified. Combined eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5n3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6n3) content varied between (19.20 ± 0.37) mg g-1 and (23.45 ± 1.05) mg g-1. The polyunsaturated fatty acid/saturated fatty acid (PUFA/SFA) ratio in yellow croaker was 0.73-1.10, and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio was approximately 0.13-0.20. The contents of most fatty acids varied significantly ( P < 0.05) during the different processing stages, and these differences were caused by lipid oxidation. C18:0, C16:1n7, C19:0, and C22:6n3 showed clear changes in principle component one of a principle components analysis. These fatty acids are potential markers for evaluating lipid oxidation in fish muscle because there was a significant correlation between these markers and TBARS and LOX activity ( P < 0.05) with Pearson's coefficients > 0.931.

  6. Vegetable oil induced inflammatory response by altering TLR-NF-κB signalling, macrophages infiltration and polarization in adipose tissue of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

    PubMed

    Tan, Peng; Dong, Xiaojing; Mai, Kangsen; Xu, Wei; Ai, Qinghui

    2016-12-01

    High level of vegetable oil (VO) in diets could induce strong inflammatory response, and thus decrease nonspecific immunity and disease resistance in most marine fish species. The present study was conducted to investigate whether dietary VO could exert these anti-immunological effects by altering TLR-NF-κB signalling, macrophages infiltration and polarization in adipose tissue of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Three iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipid diets with 0% (FO, fish oil, the control), 50% (FV, fish oil and vegetable oil mixed) and 100% (VO, vegetable oil) vegetable oil were fed to fish with three replicates for ten weeks. The results showed that activities of respiratory burst (RB) and alternative complement pathway (ACP), as well as disease resistance after immune challenge were significantly decreased in large yellow croaker fed VO diets compared to FO diets. Inflammatory response of experimental fish was markedly elevated by VO reflected by increase of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL1β and TNFα) and decrease of anti-inflammatory cytokine (arginase I and IL10) genes expression. TLR-related genes expression, nucleus p65 protein, IKKα/β and IκBα phosphorylation were all significantly increased in the AT of large yellow croaker fed VO diets. Moreover, the expression of macrophage infiltration marker proteins (cluster of differentiation 68 [CD68] and colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor [CSF1R]) was significantly increased while the expression of anti-inflammatory M2 macrophage polarization marker proteins (macrophage mannose receptor 1 [MRC1] and cluster of differentiation 209 [CD209]) was significantly decreased in the AT of large yellow croaker fed VO diets. In conclusion, VO could induce inflammatory responses by activating TLR-NF-κB signalling, increasing macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue and polarization of macrophage in large yellow croaker. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  7. Spatiotemporal variability and sound characterization in silver croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus (Sciaenidae) in the Central Amazon.

    PubMed

    Borie, Alfredo; Mok, Hin-Kiu; Chao, Ning L; Fine, Michael L

    2014-01-01

    The fish family Sciaenidae has numerous species that produce sounds with superfast muscles that vibrate the swimbladder. These muscles form post embryonically and undergo seasonal hypertrophy-atrophy cycles. The family has been the focus of numerous passive acoustic studies to localize spatial and temporal occurrence of spawning aggregations. Fishes produce disturbance calls when hand-held, and males form aggregations in late afternoon and produce advertisement calls to attract females for mating. Previous studies on five continents have been confined to temperate species. Here we examine the calls of the silver croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus, a freshwater equatorial species, which experiences constant photoperiod, minimal temperature variation but seasonal changes in water depth and color, pH and conductivity. Dissections indicate that sonic muscles are present exclusively in males and that muscles are thicker and redder during the mating season. Disturbance calls were recorded in hand-held fish during the low-water mating season and high-water period outside of the mating season. Advertisement calls were recorded from wild fish that formed aggregations in both periods but only during the mating season from fish in large cages. Disturbance calls consist of a series of short individual pulses in mature males. Advertisement calls start with single and paired pulses followed by greater amplitude multi-pulse bursts with higher peak frequencies than in disturbance calls. Advertisement-like calls also occur in aggregations during the off season, but bursts are shorter with fewer pulses. Silver croaker produce complex advertisement calls that vary in amplitude, number of cycles per burst and burst duration of their calls. Unlike temperate sciaenids, which only call during the spawning season, silver croaker produce advertisement calls in both seasons. Sonic muscles are thinner, and bursts are shorter than at the spawning peak, but males still produce complex calls

  8. Spatiotemporal Variability and Sound Characterization in Silver Croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus (Sciaenidae) in the Central Amazon

    PubMed Central

    Borie, Alfredo; Mok, Hin-Kiu; Chao, Ning L.; Fine, Michael L.

    2014-01-01

    Background The fish family Sciaenidae has numerous species that produce sounds with superfast muscles that vibrate the swimbladder. These muscles form post embryonically and undergo seasonal hypertrophy-atrophy cycles. The family has been the focus of numerous passive acoustic studies to localize spatial and temporal occurrence of spawning aggregations. Fishes produce disturbance calls when hand-held, and males form aggregations in late afternoon and produce advertisement calls to attract females for mating. Previous studies on five continents have been confined to temperate species. Here we examine the calls of the silver croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus, a freshwater equatorial species, which experiences constant photoperiod, minimal temperature variation but seasonal changes in water depth and color, pH and conductivity. Methods and Principal Findings Dissections indicate that sonic muscles are present exclusively in males and that muscles are thicker and redder during the mating season. Disturbance calls were recorded in hand-held fish during the low-water mating season and high-water period outside of the mating season. Advertisement calls were recorded from wild fish that formed aggregations in both periods but only during the mating season from fish in large cages. Disturbance calls consist of a series of short individual pulses in mature males. Advertisement calls start with single and paired pulses followed by greater amplitude multi-pulse bursts with higher peak frequencies than in disturbance calls. Advertisement-like calls also occur in aggregations during the off season, but bursts are shorter with fewer pulses. Conclusions and Significance Silver croaker produce complex advertisement calls that vary in amplitude, number of cycles per burst and burst duration of their calls. Unlike temperate sciaenids, which only call during the spawning season, silver croaker produce advertisement calls in both seasons. Sonic muscles are thinner, and bursts are

  9. Pseudempleurosoma haywardi sp. nov. (Monogenea: Ancyrocephalidae (sensu lato) Bychowsky & Nagibina, 1968): An endoparasite of croakers (Teleostei: Sciaenidae) from Indonesia

    PubMed Central

    Palm, Harry W.; Al-Jufaili, Sarah H.; Kleinertz, Sonja

    2017-01-01

    An endoparasitic monogenean was identified for the first time from Indonesia. The oesophagus and anterior stomach of the croakers Nibea soldado (Lacépède) and Otolithes ruber (Bloch & Schneider) (n = 35 each) sampled from the South Java coast in May 2011 and Johnius amblycephalus (Bleeker) (n = 2) (all Sciaenidae) from Kedonganan fish market, South Bali coast, in November 2016, were infected with Pseudempleurosoma haywardi sp. nov. Prevalences in the first two croakers were 63% and 46%, respectively, and the two J. amblycephalus harboured three and five individuals. All three croakers represent new hosts for this monogenean genus. We provide infection rates, light microscopical observations, 3D confocal microscopical illustrations, and a morphometric comparison with all congeners. The new species differs in body size, the position and shape of the ovary and testes, and especially in the composition of the dorsal anchor complex, with the dorsal bar being anteriorly concave rather than planar or convex as in its congeners. The dorsal and ventral anchors of this new species are the longest in the genus, whereas the male copulatory organ is the smallest. The first DNA sequences for a member of this genus demonstrate the greatest similarity with endoparasitic freshwater monogeneans from African cichlid fishes. This suggests a freshwater origin for these marine endoparasitic monogeneans. PMID:28880928

  10. [Spatial heterogeneity in body condition of small yellow croaker in Yellow Sea and East China Sea based on mixed-effects model and quantile regression analysis].

    PubMed

    Liu, Zun-Lei; Yuan, Xing-Wei; Yan, Li-Ping; Yang, Lin-Lin; Cheng, Jia-Hua

    2013-09-01

    By using the 2008-2010 investigation data about the body condition of small yellow croaker in the offshore waters of southern Yellow Sea (SYS), open waters of northern East China Sea (NECS), and offshore waters of middle East China Sea (MECS), this paper analyzed the spatial heterogeneity of body length-body mass of juvenile and adult small yellow croakers by the statistical approaches of mean regression model and quantile regression model. The results showed that the residual standard errors from the analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and the linear mixed-effects model were similar, and those from the simple linear regression were the highest. For the juvenile small yellow croakers, their mean body mass in SYS and NECS estimated by the mixed-effects mean regression model was higher than the overall average mass across the three regions, while the mean body mass in MECS was below the overall average. For the adult small yellow croakers, their mean body mass in NECS was higher than the overall average, while the mean body mass in SYS and MECS was below the overall average. The results from quantile regression indicated the substantial differences in the allometric relationships of juvenile small yellow croakers between SYS, NECS, and MECS, with the estimated mean exponent of the allometric relationship in SYS being 2.85, and the interquartile range being from 2.63 to 2.96, which indicated the heterogeneity of body form. The results from ANCOVA showed that the allometric body length-body mass relationships were significantly different between the 25th and 75th percentile exponent values (F=6.38, df=1737, P<0.01) and the 25th percentile and median exponent values (F=2.35, df=1737, P=0.039). The relationship was marginally different between the median and 75th percentile exponent values (F=2.21, df=1737, P=0.051). The estimated body length-body mass exponent of adult small yellow croakers in SYS was 3.01 (10th and 95th percentiles = 2.77 and 3.1, respectively). The

  11. Characterization of a RacGTPase up-regulated in the large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea immunity.

    PubMed

    Han, Fang; Wang, Xiaoqing; Yang, Qilian; Cai, Mingyi; Wang, Zhi Yong

    2011-02-01

    The Rac proteins are members of the Rho family of small G proteins and are implicated in the regulation of several pathways, including those leading to cytoskeleton reorganization, gene expression, cell proliferation, cell adhesion and cell migration and survival. In this investigation, a Rac gene (named as LycRac gene) was obtained from the large yellow croaker and it was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. Subsequently the specific antibody was raised using the purified fusion protein (GST-LycRac). Moreover, the GTP-binding assay showed that the LycRac protein had GTP-binding activity. The LycRac gene was ubiquitously transcribed and expressed in 9 tissues. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis revealed the highest expression in gill and the weakest expression in spleen. Time-course analysis revealed that LycRac expression was obviously up-regulated in blood, spleen and liver after immunization with polyinosinic polycytidynic acid (poly I:C), formalin-inactive Gram-negative bacterium Vibrio parahemolyticus and bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPS). These results suggested that LycRac protein might play an important role in the immune response against microorganisms in large yellow croaker. Crown Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Genomic organization, evolution and functional characterization of soluble toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5S) in miiuy croaker (Miichthys miiuy).

    PubMed

    Huo, Ruixuan; Zhao, Xueyan; Han, Jingjing; Xu, Tianjun

    2018-05-30

    Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play the key role in host defense of invasion of pathogens, not only in the innate immunity, but also in adaptive immunity. There are significant varieties and distinct features in fish TLRs, the TLR5 subfamily have two members (TLR5M and TLR5S). However, the exact role of TLR5 was lack of research in fish. In this study, a soluble form of TLR5 (TLR5S) was identified in miiuy croaker. The bioinformatics analysis showed that miiuy croaker TLR5S lacked the transmembrane domain and TIR domain. In other words, mmiTLR5S only has leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) domain, it is one of differences between TLR5M and TLR5S. Comparative genomic analysis showed that TLR5S might have happened an evolution between species. Expression analysis showed that mmiTLR5S was expressed in all tested miiuy croaker tissues and the mmiTLR5S expressions were significantly upregulated at 12 h in liver and kidney after Vibrio harveyi infection. Further functional experiments showed that NF-кB can be actived by mmiTLR5S, TLR5S might be an indispensable role in organism immune response. In short, the study of mmiTLR5S enriches the information of TLR5S and lays the foundation for future research on teleost TLRs system. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Effect of sodium lactate as cryostabilizer on physico-chemical attributes of croaker (Johnius gangeticus) muscle protein.

    PubMed

    Dey, S S; Dora, K C

    2010-08-01

    Effect of sodium lactate as cryostabilizer on physico-chemical attributes of croaker (Johnius gangeticus) fish muscle protein was studied during freezing and frozen (-20 ± 2°C) storage for 3 months. Minced meat was mixed with 4% sucrose, 4% sorbitol, and 0.3% sodium tri poly phosphate (STPP) (T1), minced meat was mixed with 6% (w/v) sodium lactate and 0.3% STPP (T2) and control (C) was without any additive. The decreasing rate of Ca(2+) ATPase activity, thaw drip, water holding capacity and relative viscosity in T1 and T2 samples from that of C was significantly lower, indicating higher protective effect of additives. In case of cryoprotectant treated samples, the degradation of myosin heavy chain was much lower than that of C which prevents the aggregation and subsequent insolubilization of myosin during frozen storage. The sodium lactate prevented Ca(2+)ATPase activity more than that of sucrose/sorbitol during isothermal storage at -20 ± 2°C for 3 months. This inferred that sodium lactate can effectively be used as an alternative cryostabilizer to sucrose/sorbitol for stabilization of croaker muscle protein native structure.

  14. Linear mixed-effects models to describe length-weight relationships for yellow croaker (Larimichthys Polyactis) along the north coast of China.

    PubMed

    Ma, Qiuyun; Jiao, Yan; Ren, Yiping

    2017-01-01

    In this study, length-weight relationships and relative condition factors were analyzed for Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys polyactis) along the north coast of China. Data covered six regions from north to south: Yellow River Estuary, Coastal Waters of Northern Shandong, Jiaozhou Bay, Coastal Waters of Qingdao, Haizhou Bay, and South Yellow Sea. In total 3,275 individuals were collected during six years (2008, 2011-2015). One generalized linear model, two simply linear models and nine linear mixed effect models that applied the effects from regions and/or years to coefficient a and/or the exponent b were studied and compared. Among these twelve models, the linear mixed effect model with random effects from both regions and years fit the data best, with lowest Akaike information criterion value and mean absolute error. In this model, the estimated a was 0.0192, with 95% confidence interval 0.0178~0.0308, and the estimated exponent b was 2.917 with 95% confidence interval 2.731~2.945. Estimates for a and b with the random effects in intercept and coefficient from Region and Year, ranged from 0.013 to 0.023 and from 2.835 to 3.017, respectively. Both regions and years had effects on parameters a and b, while the effects from years were shown to be much larger than those from regions. Except for Coastal Waters of Northern Shandong, a decreased from north to south. Condition factors relative to reference years of 1960, 1986, 2005, 2007, 2008~2009 and 2010 revealed that the body shape of Yellow Croaker became thinner in recent years. Furthermore relative condition factors varied among months, years, regions and length. The values of a and relative condition factors decreased, when the environmental pollution became worse, therefore, length-weight relationships could be an indicator for the environment quality. Results from this study provided basic description of current condition of Yellow Croaker along the north coast of China.

  15. Total and inorganic arsenic in Mid-Atlantic marine fish and shellfish and implications for fish advisories.

    PubMed

    Greene, Richard; Crecelius, Eric

    2006-10-01

    Sampling was conducted in 2002 to determine the total concentration and chemical speciation of arsenic in several marine fish and shellfish species collected from the Delaware Inland Bays and the Delaware Estuary, both of which are important estuarine waterbodies in the US Mid-Atlantic region that support recreational and commercial fishing. Edible meats from summer flounder (Paralicthys dentatus), striped bass (Marone saxatilis), Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulates), and hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) were tested. Total arsenic was highest in summer flounder, followed by hard clam, then striped bass, and finally, Atlantic croaker. Total arsenic was higher in summer flounder collected during the spring, as these fish migrated into the Inland Bays from the continental shelf, compared with levels in summer flounder collected during the fall, after these fish had spent the summer in the Inland Bays. Similarly, striped bass collected in the early spring close to the ocean had higher total arsenic levels compared with levels detected in striped bass collected later during the year in waters with lower salinity. Speciation of arsenic revealed low concentrations (0.00048-0.02 microg/g wet wt) of toxic inorganic arsenic. Dimethylarsinic acid was more than an order of magnitude greater in hard clam meats than in the other species tested, a finding that was attributed to arsenic uptake by phytoplankton and subsequent dietary uptake by the clam. Risk assessment using the inorganic arsenic concentrations was used to conclude that a fish consumption advisory is not warranted.

  16. An internal X-cell pseudotumor in a black croaker (Cheilotrema saturnum).

    PubMed

    Kent, M L; Myers, M S; Wellings, S R; Elston, R A

    1988-01-01

    Cells closely resembling X-cells were the primary cellular component of a large pseudotumor in the viscera of a black croaker (Cheilotrema saturnum). The fish was captured in coastal waters off San Diego, California and was maintained at the Scripps Aquarium. After 2 years in captivity the fish exhibited extreme abdominal swelling due to a visceral mass, which weighed approximately one-fifth the total body weight. The cells associated with the pseudotumor were identified as X-cells due to their great variability in size, vesicular nuclei which stained negative for DNA and their formation of a pseudotumor. This is the first report of an X-cell pseudotumor in the visceral cavity. We agree with the hypothesis that the X-cell is a protozoan, and the description here of X-cells in a visceral pseudotumor in a fish of the family Sciaenidae associates an additional type of lesion with this enigmatic parasite.

  17. microRNA-145 regulates the RLR signaling pathway in miiuy croaker after poly(I:C) stimulation via targeting MDA5.

    PubMed

    Han, Jingjing; Sun, Yuena; Song, Weihua; Xu, Tianjun

    2017-03-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous small non-coding RNAs that participate in diverse biological processes via degrading the target mRNAs or repressing translation. In this study, the regulation of miRNA to the RLR (RIG-I-like receptor) signaling pathway by degrading the target mRNAs was researched in miiuy croaker. MDA5, a microRNA-145-5p (miR-145-5p) putative target gene, was predicted by bioinformatics, and the target sites from the 3'untranslated region of MDA5 transcripts were confirmed using luciferase reporter assays. Pre-miR-145 was more effective in inhibiting MDA5 than miR-145-5p mimic, and the effect was dose- and time-dependent. The expression patterns of miR-145-5p and MDA5 were analyzed in liver and kidney from miiuy croaker. Results implied that miR-145-5p may function via degrading the MDA5 mRNAs, thereby regulating the RLR signaling pathway. Studies on miR-145-5p will enrich knowledge of its functions in immune response regulation in fish, as well as offer a basis for regulatory networks that are composed of numerous miRNAs. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Cloning, tissue distribution, functional characterization and nutritional regulation of a fatty acyl Elovl5 elongase in chu's croaker Nibea coibor.

    PubMed

    Lin, Zhideng; Huang, Yisheng; Zou, Weiguang; Rong, Hua; Hao, Meiling; Wen, Xiaobo

    2018-06-15

    Enzymes that lengthen the carbon chain of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are key to the biosynthesis of the long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA). Here we report on the molecular cloning, tissue distribution, functional characterization and nutritional regulation of a elovl5 gene from Nibea coibor. The full-length cDNA was 1315 bp, including a 5-untranslated region (UTR) of 134 bp, a 3-UTR of 296 bp and an open reading frame of 885 bp, which specified a peptide of 294 amino acids. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the deduced peptide sequence possessed all the characteristic features of microsomal fatty acyl elongases, including the so-called histidine box (HXXHH), the canonical C-terminal endoplasmic reticulum retention signal, several predicted transmembrane regions and other highly conserved motifs. Expression of elovl5 was strongly observed in stomach, and more weakly in kidney, spleen, intestine, brain, eye, liver, gill, muscle and heart. Functional characterization revealed that the chu's croaker Elovl5 was able to elongate both C18 and C20 PUFA substrates. Nutritional study indicated that the hepatic expression of elovl5 could be up-regulated by low dietary n-3 LC-PUFA. These results may contribute to better understanding the LC-PUFA biosynthetic pathway and regulation mechanism in chu's croaker. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Blood flukes Cardicola parvus and C. laruei (Trematoda: Aporocotylidae): life cycles and cryptic infection in spotted seatrout, Cynoscion nebulosus (Teleost: Sciaenidae).

    PubMed

    Siegel, Sasha V; Rivero, Andrea V; Oberstaller, Jenna; Colon, Beatrice L; de Buron, Isaure; Kyle, Dennis E

    2018-04-01

    Aporocotylidae comprises a diverse family of fish blood flukes, with adults found in blood or body cavity of marine, brackish, or freshwater fish. Aporocotylids are unique among the Digenea with many developing in polychaetes. The life cycle has been elucidated for only a few species that develop in polychaetes from marine/brackish environments and none for western Atlantic aporocotylids. The basis for this study was observations of blood fluke larvae in annelids from South Carolina, USA in 1982 prior to possible usage of molecular tools to specifically identify parasite larvae. Recent description of aporocotylid species and genotyping tools prompted revisiting original collection sites to examine polychaetes and fish as potential hosts. Polycirrid Enoplobranchus sanguineus and terebellids Amphitrite ornata, and Terebella lapidaria revealed infections with aporocotylid larvae. Adult blood flukes were also collected from fish commonly encountered in the same habitat: spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus), red drum (Sciaenops ocellatus), black drum (Pogonias cromis), and Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus). Sporocysts containing cercariae were found in individuals of each annelid species. Adult Cardicola parvus were found in spotted seatrout and Atlantic croaker, C. laruei in spotted seatrout, C. currani in red drum, and C. palmeri in black drum. Genotype analysis of ITS-2 and lsrDNA of all forms confirmed conspecific infections by C. parvus in E. sanguineus and A. ornata and C. laruei in T. lapidaria. This is the first description of complete life cycles of aporocotylids in the Western Atlantic and first evidence of cryptic infections of Cy. nebulosus with C. parvus. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  20. Effects of oxidised dietary fish oil and high-dose vitamin E supplementation on growth performance, feed utilisation and antioxidant defence enzyme activities of juvenile large yellow croaker (Larmichthys crocea).

    PubMed

    Wang, Jun; Xu, Houguo; Zuo, Rantao; Mai, Kangsen; Xu, Wei; Ai, Qinghui

    2016-05-01

    This study was conducted to elucidate the effects of oxidised dietary lipids and high-dose vitamin E (VE) on growth performance and immune responses of large yellow croaker. Juvenile fish (initial average body weight of 7·82 (sem 0·68) g) were fed diets containing either fresh fish oil (fresh diet, peroxide value (POV)=1·72 mEq/kg) or fish oil oxidised to varying degrees (oxidised diets, POV=28·29-104·21 mEq/kg), with or without supplementary 600 mg VE/kg diet, for 10 weeks in floating cages. Growth was significantly lower and feed intake (g/100 g body weight per d) was higher in fish fed the oxidised diet. Supplementation with VE increased the growth of fish fed the oxidised diets, but significantly decreased the growth of fish fed the fresh diet. Hepatosomatic index increased with increasing dietary POV and decreased with VE supplementation. Hepatic catalase activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde content were significantly higher in fish fed the oxidised diets, and these values decreased significantly following VE supplementation. However, hepatic SOD activity was enhanced by VE supplementation in fish fed the fresh diet. Air-exposure mortality was significantly increased by dietary POV, and this effect was inhibited by VE supplementation. These results suggest that dietary oxidised fish oil could stimulate the activities of antioxidant defence enzymes in stressed large yellow croaker. High-dose VE supplementation can alleviate oxidative stress of large yellow croaker fed oxidised fish oil, but can exert deleterious effects on fish in the absence of oxidative stress.

  1. De Novo Characterization of the Spleen Transcriptome of the Large Yellow Croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) and Analysis of the Immune Relevant Genes and Pathways Involved in the Antiviral Response

    PubMed Central

    Ding, Yang; Ao, Jingqun; Hu, Songnian; Chen, Xinhua

    2014-01-01

    The large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) is an economically important marine fish in China. To understand the molecular basis for antiviral defense in this species, we used Illumia paired-end sequencing to characterize the spleen transcriptome of polyriboinosinic:polyribocytidylic acid [poly(I:C)]-induced large yellow croakers. The library produced 56,355,728 reads and assembled into 108,237 contigs. As a result, 15,192 unigenes were found from this transcriptome. Gene ontology analysis showed that 4,759 genes were involved in three major functional categories: biological process, cellular component, and molecular function. We further ascertained that numerous consensus sequences were homologous to known immune-relevant genes. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes orthology mapping annotated 5,389 unigenes and identified numerous immune-relevant pathways. These immune-relevant genes and pathways revealed major antiviral immunity effectors, including but not limited to: pattern recognition receptors, adaptors and signal transducers, the interferons and interferon-stimulated genes, inflammatory cytokines and receptors, complement components, and B-cell and T-cell antigen activation molecules. Moreover, the partial genes of Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, RIG-I-like receptors signaling pathway, Janus kinase-Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription (JAK-STAT) signaling pathway, and T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway were found to be changed after poly(I:C) induction by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis, suggesting that these signaling pathways may be regulated by poly(I:C), a viral mimic. Overall, the antivirus-related genes and signaling pathways that were identified in response to poly(I:C) challenge provide valuable leads for further investigation of the antiviral defense mechanism in the large yellow croaker. PMID:24820969

  2. Abrupt salinity stress induces oxidative stress via the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway in large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea.

    PubMed

    Zeng, Lin; Ai, Chun-Xiang; Wang, Yong-Hong; Zhang, Jian-She; Wu, Chang-Wen

    2017-08-01

    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of abrupt salinity stress (12, 26 (control), and 40) on lipid peroxidation, activities and mRNA levels of antioxidant enzymes (Cu/Zn-SOD, CAT, GPx, and GR), and gene expression of the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling molecules at different times (6, 12, 24, and 48 h) in the liver of large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea. The results showed that lipid peroxidation was sharply reduced at 6 h and increased at 12 h before returning to control levels in the hypo-salinity group. Similarly, lipid peroxidation was significantly decreased at 6 h followed by a sharp increase towards the end of the exposure in the hyper-salinity group. Negative relationships between lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities and positive relationships between activities and gene expression of antioxidant enzymes were observed, suggesting that the changes at molecular levels and enzyme activity levels may provide protective roles against damage from salinity stress. Obtained results also showed a coordinated transcriptional regulation of antioxidant genes, suggesting that Nrf2 is required for regulating these genes. Furthermore, there was a positive relationship between the mRNA levels of Nrf2 and Keap1, indicating that Keap1 plays an important role in switching off the Nrf2 response. In conclusion, this is the first study to elucidate effects of salinity stress on antioxidant responses in large yellow croaker through the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway.

  3. Effects of tea polyphenols on the post-mortem integrity of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea) fillet proteins.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Jin; Lv, Weijin; Wang, Jinlin; Li, Jianrong; Liu, Xiaoxiang; Zhu, Junli

    2013-12-01

    Tea polyphenols (TP) are known to be important for the post-mortem deterioration of fish muscle and can enhance food quality. To shed light on the influence of TP on the status of large yellow croaker muscle proteins, control and treated fillets (0.1% TP, 0.2% TP and 0.3% TP, w/v) were analysed periodically for myofibrillar protein functional properties (Ca(2+)-ATPase activity, surface hydrophobicity, total sulfhydryl content, emulsion stability index and rheological behaviour). Degradation of the myofibrillar protein myosin could be clearly observed; several proteins were also observed to vary in abundance following post-mortem storage for 25 days. The present study offers new evidence that TP have an effective impact on muscle protein integrity post-mortem. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Molecular identification and morphological description of Micropogonias megalops, Cynoscion othonopterus, C. reticulatus and Menticirrhus nasus larvae, collected in the upper Gulf of California during Summer 2012.

    PubMed

    Camacho-Gastélum, Rosabel; Díaz-Viloria, Noé; Sánchez-Velasco, Laura; Jiménez-Rosenberg, Sylvia P A; Perez-Enriquez, Ricardo

    2017-05-01

    Sciaenidae fish larvae were collected from the upper Gulf of California during September 2012 using a conical net (505 μm) through surface tows. These were pre-classified into four larval morphotypes, based on external characteristics (mainly meristic and pigmentation). Partial sequences of cytochrome c oxidase, subunit 1 and 16S rRNA (16S) genes of mitochondrial DNA, were used in molecular genetic identification from each larval morphotype. Genetic results indicated the identification of four larval morphotypes as Micropogonias megalops, Cynoscion othonopterus, C. reticulatus and Menticirrhus nasus. Pigmentation patterns of larvae described after molecular genetic identification made it possible to distinguish between M. megalops, M. nasus and C. othonopterus (postflexion). However, pigmentation was not reliable for differentiating between preflexion larvae of C. othonopterus and C. reticulatus. From these results, both morphological and genetic approaches were proposed as complementary tools in taxonomic studies of ichthyoplankton, particularly in early fish larvae identification of congeneric species with similar morphological characteristics.

  5. The miiuy croaker microRNA transcriptome and microRNA regulation of RIG-I like receptor signaling pathway after poly(I:C) stimulation.

    PubMed

    Han, Jingjing; Xu, Guoliang; Xu, Tianjun

    2016-07-01

    MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as endogenous small non-coding RNAs play key regulatory roles in diverse biological processes via degrading the target mRNAs or inhibiting protein translation. Previously many researchers have reported the identification, characteristic of miRNAs and the interaction with its target gene. But, the study on the regulation of miRNAs to biological processes via regulatory the key signaling pathway was still limited. In order to comprehend the regulatory mechanism of miRNAs, two small RNA libraries from the spleen of miiuy croaker individuals with or without poly(I:C) infection were constructed. The 197 conserved miRNAs and 75 novel miRNAs were identified, and 14 conserved and 8 novel miRNAs appeared significant variations. Those differently expressed miRNAs relate to immune regulation of miiuy croaker. Furthermore, expressions of four differently expressed miRNAs were validated by qRT-PCR, and the result was consistent with sequencing data. The target genes of the differently expressed miRNAs in the two libraries were predicted, and some candidate target genes were involved in the RIG-I-like receptor (RLR) signaling pathway. The negative regulation of miRNAs to target genes were confirmed by comparing the expression pattern of miRNAs and their target genes. The results of regulating target genes were that firstly directly or indirectly activating the downstream signaling cascades and subsequent inducting the type I interferon, inflammatory cytokines and apoptosis. These studies could help us to deeper understand the roles of miRNAs played in the fish immune system, and provide a new way to investigate the defense mechanism of fish. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Organ-specific effects of low-dose zinc pre-exposure on high-dose zinc induced mitochondrial dysfunction in large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea.

    PubMed

    Zheng, Jia-Lang; Yuan, Shuang-Shuang; Shen, Bin; Wu, Chang-Wen

    2017-04-01

    The study was carried out to evaluate the effects of low-dose zinc (Zn) pre-exposure on survival rate, new Zn accumulation, and mitochondrial bioenergetics in the liver and spleen of large yellow croaker exposed to high-dose Zn. To the end, fish were pre-exposed to 0 and 2 mg L -1 Zn for 48 h and post-exposed to 0 and 12 mg L -1 Zn for 48 h. Twelve milligrams Zn per liter exposure alone reduced survival rate, but the effect did not appear in the 2 mg L -1 Zn pre-exposure groups. Two milligrams per liter Zn pre-exposure also ameliorated 12 mg Zn L -1 induced new Zn accumulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and mitochondrial swelling in the liver. However, these effects did not appear in the spleen. In the liver, 2 mg L -1 Zn pre-exposure apparently relieved 12 mg L -1 Zn induced down-regulation of activities of ATP synthase (F-ATPase), succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), and malate dehydrogenase (MDH). The mRNA levels of these genes remained relatively stable in fish exposed to 12 mg L -1 Zn alone, but increased in fish exposed to 12 mg L -1 Zn with 2 mg L -1 Zn pre-treatment. In the spleen, 2 mg Zn L -1 pre-exposure did not mitigate the down-regulation of mRNA levels of genes and activities of relative enzymes induced by 12 mg L -1 Zn. In conclusion, our study demonstrated low-dose zinc pre-exposure ameliorated high-dose zinc induced mitochondrial dysfunction in the liver but not in the spleen of large yellow croaker, indicating an organ-specific effect.

  7. Interactive effects of hypoxia and PCB co-exposure on expression of CYP1A and its potential regulators in Atlantic croaker liver.

    PubMed

    Rahman, Md Saydur; Thomas, Peter

    2018-04-01

    Although marine and coastal environments which are contaminated with xenobiotic organic compounds often become hypoxic during the summer, the interactive effects of hypoxia and xenobiotic exposure on marine species such as teleost fishes remain poorly understood. The expression and activity of monooxygenase enzyme cytochrome P450-1A (CYP1A) in fishes are upregulated by exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), whereas they are down-regulated during hypoxia exposure. We investigated the interactive effects of hypoxia and PCB co-exposure on hepatic CYP1A expression in Atlantic croaker and on potential regulators of CYP1A. Croaker were exposed to hypoxia (1.7 mg/L dissolved oxygen), 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 77, dose: 2 and 8 µg/g body weight), and Aroclor 1254 (a common PCB mixture, dose: 0.5 and 1 µg/g body weight), alone and in combination for 4 weeks. PCB 77 exposure markedly increased hepatic CYP1A mRNA and protein expression, and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD, an indicator of CYP1A enzyme) activity and increased endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) protein expression. PCB 77 treatment also increased interleukin-1β (IL-1β, a cytokine) mRNA levels and protein carbonyl (PC, an indicator of reactive oxygen species, ROS) contents. These marked PCB 77- and Aroclor 1254-induced increases in CYP1A mRNA levels and EROD activity were significantly attenuated by co-exposure to hypoxia, whereas the increases in hepatic eNOS protein and IL-1β mRNA expression, and PC contents were augmented by hypoxia co-exposure. The results suggest that biotransformation of organic xenobiotics by CYP1A is reduced in fish during co-exposure to hypoxia and is accompanied by alterations in eNOS, ROS, and IL-1β levels. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  8. Replacement of dietary fish oil with vegetable oils improves the growth and flesh quality of large yellow croaker ( Larmichthys crocea)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Duan, Qingyuan; Mai, Kangsen; Shentu, Jikang; Ai, Qinghui; Zhong, Huiying; Jiang, Yujian; Zhang, Lu; Zhang, Chunxiao; Guo, Sitong

    2014-06-01

    We investigated the effect of the replacement of dietary fish oil with vegetable oils on the growth and flesh quality of large yellow croaker ( Larmichthys crocea). The basal diet (FO) was formulated to contain 66.5% fish meal and 6.4% menhaden fish oil; whereas the other 3 experimental diets were formulated by replacing the fish oil with 50% soybean oil (SO50), 100% soybean oil (SO100) and 100% palm oil (PO100), respectively. The 4 diets were randomly assigned to 4 floating sea cages (3.0 m × 3.0 m × 3.0 m), and each was stocked with 250 fish individuals with an initial average weight of 245.29 g ± 7.45 g. The fish were fed to apparent satiation twice a day at 5:00 and 17:00, respectively, for 12 weeks. Experimental analysis showed that the specific growth rate of fish fed SO50 or PO100 were significantly higher than that of fish fed FO or SO100 ( P<0.05), and crude lipid contents of ventral muscle and viscera were significantly lower in fish fed FO than in those fed the other 3 diets ( P<0.05). No significant differences in condition factor, viscerosomatic index, hepatosomatic index, gutted yield and colorimetric values of fish among the dietary treatments were observed ( P>0.05). Compared to FO diet, SO50, SO100 and PO100 diets led to substantial decreases in the liquid loss and water loss from fresh fillets (1 d, 4°C) ( P<0.05). Similarly, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values of fillets under different storage conditions (1 d, 4°C; 7 d, 4°C; 4 weeks, -20°C; 8 weeks, -20°C) decreased significantly after partial or complete replacement of fish oil with vegetable oils. These findings indicated that the growth performance and selected flesh quality properties (liquid holding capacity and TBARS value) of large yellow croaker were substantially improved by replacing dietary fish oil with vegetable oils.

  9. The effect of insulin, TNFα and DHA on the proliferation, differentiation and lipolysis of preadipocytes isolated from large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena Crocea R.).

    PubMed

    Wang, Xinxia; Huang, Ming; Wang, Yizhen

    2012-01-01

    Fish final product can be affected by excessive lipid accumulation. Therefore, it is important to develop strategies to control obesity in cultivated fish to strengthen the sustainability of the aquaculture industry. As in mammals, the development of adiposity in fish depends on hormonal, cytokine and dietary factors. In this study, we investigated the proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes isolated from the large yellow croaker and examined the effects of critical factors such as insulin, TNFα and DHA on the proliferation, differentiation and lipolysis of adipocytes. Preadipocytes were isolated by collagenase digestion, after which their proliferation was evaluated. The differentiation process was optimized by assaying glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GPDH) activity. Oil red O staining and electron microscopy were performed to visualize the accumulated triacylglycerol. Gene transcript levels were measured using SYBR green quantitative real-time PCR. Insulin promoted preadipocytes proliferation, stimulated cell differentiation and decreased lipolysis of mature adipocytes. TNFα and DHA inhibited cell proliferation and differentiation. While TNFα stimulated mature adipocyte lipolysis, DHA showed no lipolytic effect on adipocytes. The expressions of adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), fatty acid synthase (FAS), lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α, γ (PPARα, PPARγ) were quantified during preadipocytes differentiation and adipocytes lipolysis to partly explain the regulation mechanisms. In summary, the results of this study indicated that although preadipocytes proliferation and the differentiation process in large yellow croaker are similar to these processes in mammals, the effects of critical factors such as insulin, TNFα and DHA on fish adipocytes development are not exactly the same. Our findings fill in the gaps in the basic data regarding the effects of critical factors on adiposity development in fish

  10. Otolith shape analysis for stock discrimination of two Collichthys genus croaker (Pieces: Sciaenidae,) from the northern Chinese coast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Bo; Liu, Jinhu; Song, Junjie; Cao, Liang; Dou, Shuozeng

    2017-08-01

    The otolith morphology of two croaker species (Collichthys lucidus and Collichthys niveatus) from three areas (Liaodong Bay, LD; Huanghe (Yellow) River estuary, HRE; Jiaozhou Bay, JZ) along the northern Chinese coast were investigated for species identification and stock discrimination. The otolith contour shape described by elliptic Fourier coefficients (EFC) were analysed using principal components analysis (PCA) and stepwise canonical discriminant analysis (CDA) to identify species and stocks. The two species were well differentiated, with an overall classification success rate of 97.8%. And variations in the otolith shapes were significant enough to discriminate among the three geographical samples of C. lucidus (67.7%) or C. niveatus (65.2%). Relatively high mis-assignment occurred between the geographically adjacent LD and HRE samples, which implied that individual mixing may exist between the two samples. This study yielded information complementary to that derived from genetic studies and provided information for assessing the stock structure of C. lucidus and C. niveatus in the Bohai Sea and the Yellow Sea.

  11. Molecular cytogenetic of the Amoy croaker, Argyrosomus amoyensis (Teleostei, Sciaenidae)

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liao, Mengxiang; Zheng, Jiao; Wang, Zhiyong; Wang, Yilei; Zhang, Jing; Cai, Mingyi

    2017-08-01

    The family Sciaenidae is remarkable for its species richness and economic importance. However, the cytogenetic data available in this fish group are still limited, especially those obtained using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). In the present study, the chromosome characteristics of a sciaenid species, Argyrosomus amoyensis, were examined with several cytogenetic methods, including dual-FISH with 18S and 5S rDNA probes, and a self-genomic in situ hybridization procedure (Self-GISH). The karyotype of A. amoyensis comprised 2n=48 acrocentric chromosomes. A single pair of nucleolar organizer regions (NORs) was located at the proximal position of chromosome 1, which was positive for silver nitrate impregnation (AgNO3) staining and denaturation-propidium iodide (DPI) staining but negative for Giemsa staining and 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining, and was confirmed by FISH with 18S rDNA probes. The 5S rDNA sites were located at the centromeric region of chromosome 3. Telomeric FISH signals were detected at all chromosome ends with different intensities, but internal telomeric sequences (ITSs) were not found. Self-GISH resulted in strong signals distributed at the centromeric regions of all chromosomes. C-banding revealed not only centromeric heterochromatin, but also heterochromatin that located on NORs, in interstitial and distal telomeric regions of specific chromosomes. These results suggest that the karyotype of Amoy croaker was relatively conserved and primitive. By comparison with the reported cytogenetic data of other sciaenids, it can be deduced that although the karyotypic macrostructure and chromosomal localization of 18S rDNA are conserved, the distribution of 5S rDNA varies dynamically among sciaenid species. Thus, the 5S rDNA sites may have different evolutionary dynamics in relation to other chromosomal regions, and have the potential to be effective cytotaxonomic markers in Sciaenidae.

  12. The freshwater artisanal fishery of Patos Lagoon.

    PubMed

    Ceni, G; Fontoura, N F; Cabral, H N

    2016-07-01

    In this study data relative to the fishery in the freshwater area of the Patos Lagoon are analysed, and the dynamics, fishing gears used and catches evaluated. The results reveal the existence of two fishery strategies: forbidden mesh size gillnets (FMG; <35 mm; square measure) and allowed mesh size gillnets (AMG; ≥35 mm; square measure). In total, 31 species were caught (AMG = 27 and FMG = 24), but selectivity due to mesh size was significant (P < 0·001). The FMG may be very harmful since it captures individuals of most species below size at first maturity, including the target species, the armoured catfish Loricariichthys anus (61% of the total catch). In addition, this gear is used throughout the year, including the closed season (CS; November to January), when the target species is reproducing. Target species for the AMG are larger in size, comprising mainly the mullet Mugil liza, the marine catfish Genidens barbus and the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri. AMS gillnets were not used during the CS. The use of FMG reveals the need for effective fishery law enforcement and the need for additional studies to assess the status of populations of the exploited species. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  13. Stress, antioxidant defence and mucosal immune responses of the large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea challenged with Cryptocaryon irritans.

    PubMed

    Yin, Fei; Gong, Hui; Ke, Qiaozhen; Li, Anxing

    2015-11-01

    To clarify the effects of a Cryptocaryon irritans infection on the stress, antioxidant and mucosal immune response of the large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea, this study utilized C. irritans at dose of 12,000 (group I); 24,000 (group II); and 36,000 (group III) theronts/fish to infect large yellow croaker weighing 100 ± 10 g. The food intake, survival and relative infection intensity (RII); levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin C (VC), activities of super oxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) in liver; variation patterns of lysozyme (LZM), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), complement component 3 (C3) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) levels in the body surface mucus at different time points after infection were compared. These results showed that with the increase of the infection dose and the passage of time, the food intake and survival of the fish gradually decreased. The final survival of the control group (0 theronts/fish), group I, group II, and group III was 100, 100, 96.67 ± 5.77, and 48.33 ± 7.64. Group I, II, and III stopped feeding respectively on the third, third and second days after infection. RII increased significantly with increased infection dose. The RII of the control group, group I, group II, and group III was 0, 0.73 ± 0.06, 1.30 ± 0.26, and 1.84 ± 0.02. With the infection dose increased, ROS contents showed an overall upward trend; MDA contents of the group I, group II and group III did not show significant changes at any timepoint compared with the control group; Activities of SOD and CAT and the overall VC levels in the liver of P. crocea dropped; LZM activity showed an overall upward trend; AKP activity increased first then dropped at each timepoint with its highest level appearing at group II; Complement C3 and IgM levels in body surface mucus were significantly increased. In conclusion, P. crocea has a strong ability to resist oxidative stress caused by the infection of C. irritans. The body surface

  14. Modelling the nitrogen loadings from large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) cage aquaculture.

    PubMed

    Cai, Huiwen; Ross, Lindsay G; Telfer, Trevor C; Wu, Changwen; Zhu, Aiyi; Zhao, Sheng; Xu, Meiying

    2016-04-01

    Large yellow croaker (LYC) cage farming is a rapidly developing industry in the coastal areas of the East China Sea. However, little is known about the environmental nutrient loadings resulting from the current aquaculture practices for this species. In this study, a nitrogenous waste model was developed for LYC based on thermal growth and bioenergetic theories. The growth model produced a good fit with the measured data of the growth trajectory of the fish. The total, dissolved and particulate nitrogen outputs were estimated to be 133, 51 and 82 kg N tonne(-1) of fish production, respectively, with daily dissolved and particulate nitrogen outputs varying from 69 to 104 and 106 to 181 mg N fish(-1), respectively, during the 2012 operational cycle. Greater than 80 % of the nitrogen input from feed was predicted to be lost to the environment, resulting in low nitrogen retention (<20 %) in the fish tissues. Ammonia contributed the greatest proportion (>85 %) of the dissolved nitrogen generated from cage farming. This nitrogen loading assessment model is the first to address nitrogenous output from LYC farming and could be a valuable tool to examine the effects of management and feeding practices on waste from cage farming. The application of this model could help improve the scientific understanding of offshore fish farming systems. Furthermore, the model predicts that a 63 % reduction in nitrogenous waste production could be achieved by switching from the use of trash fish for feed to the use of pelleted feed.

  15. Artificial induction of mito-gynogenetic diploids in large yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena crocea) by hydrostatic pressure

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Cai, Mingyi; Wu, Qingming; Liu, Xiande; Yao, Cuiluan; Chen, Qingkai; Wang, Zhiyong

    2010-07-01

    The present study investigated conditions for inducing mito-gynogenetic (endomitosis) diploids by hydrostatic pressure in the large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea. In haploid control groups, the development of eggs was activated with ultraviolet radiated semen. All fry presented typical haploid syndrome in the haploid control groups, and were verified as haploids using cytometry. After hydrostatic pressure treatment, morphologically normal fry reappeared at different frequencies according to the intensity and time of pressure shock. Fry with normal appearance in the pressure treated groups were verified as gynogenetic double haploids (GDHs), containing only one allele from the female parent at all four diagnostic microsatellite loci. For a fixed duration of 3 min, the optimal intensity of blocking the first mitosis was determined to be 40 Mpa, which was similar to that of blocking the second meiosis. There was a “window” of starting time, from 36.1 min to 38.1 min post-insemination at 25.0±1.0°C, within which the production of GDHs was not significantly different. Maximum production of morphologically normal fries, 9.36%±2.97% of developed eggs, was found when the eggs were shocked with hydrostatic pressure at 40 Mpa for 3 min, starting from 38.1 min post insemination at 25.0±1.0°C.

  16. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids alleviate hepatic steatosis-induced inflammation through Sirt1-mediated nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit in hepatocytes of large yellow croaker (Larmichthys crocea).

    PubMed

    Wang, Tianjiao; Yang, Bo; Ji, Renlei; Xu, Wei; Mai, Kangsen; Ai, Qinghui

    2017-12-01

    Hepatic steatosis induced inflammation is becoming increasingly prevalent in farmed fish. This study was conducted to investigate the protective effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) against hepatic steatosis-induced inflammation and its potential molecular mechanisms in hepatocyte of large yellow croaker (Larmichthys crocea). We found that the hepatic steatosis-induced inflammation was relieved by ω-3 PUFAs, meanwhile, the Sirt1 activity and transcript expression was increased by ω-3 PUFAs. The increased Sirt1 activity can decrease the hepatic steatosis-induced inflammation. The protective effects of ω-3 PUFAs against hepatic steatosis-induced inflammation was reversed by the treatment with Sirt1 inhibitor EX-527. The nuclear translocation of nuclear transcription factor kappa-B (NF-κB) p65 was significantly decreased after ω-3 PUFAs treatments compared to the palmitic acid stimulation group. The ω-3 PUFAs induced cytoplasm translocation of NF-κB p65 was reversed by EX-527. Together, ω-3 PUFAs alleviate hepatic steatosis-induced inflammation through Sirt1-mediated nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 subunit in hepatocytes of large yellow croaker. The present study provides important insight into the mechanisms of the protective effects of ω-3 PUFAs, providing theory bases for alleviating the hepatic steatosis induced inflammation of farmed fish, thereby offering great benefits to the aquaculture industry and fish consumers. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  17. Applicability of stable C and N isotope analysis in inferring the geographical origin and authentication of commercial fish (Mackerel, Yellow Croaker and Pollock).

    PubMed

    Kim, Heejoong; Suresh Kumar, K; Shin, Kyung-Hoon

    2015-04-01

    Globalisation of seafood and aquaculture products and their convenient marketing worldwide, increases the possibility for the distribution of mislabelled products; thereby, underlining the need to identify their origin. Stable isotope analysis is a promising approach to identify the authenticity and traceability of seafood and aquaculture products. In this investigation, we measured carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios (δ(13)C and δ(15)N) of three commercial fish, viz. Mackerel, Yellow Croaker and Pollock, originating from various countries. Apart from the species-dependent variation in the isotopic values, marked differences in the δ(13)C and δ(15)N ratios were also observed with respect to the country of origin. This suggests that C and N isotopic signatures could be reliable tools to identify and trace the origin of commercial fish. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  18. Effect of dietary olaquindox on the growth of large yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena crocea R.) and the distribution of its residues in fish tissues

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Huitao; Wang, Weifang; Mai, Kangsen; Ai, Qinghui; Zhang, Chunxiao; Zhang, Lu

    2014-10-01

    Olaquindox (OLA), one of quinoxaline-N, N-dioxides, has been put under ban. However it was used as a medicinal feed additive early; it promotes the growth of livestock and prevents them from dysentery and bacterial enteritis. In this study, we evaluated the effect of dietary OLA on the growth of large yellow croaker ( Pseudosciaena crocea R.) and the histological distribution of OLA and its metabolite 3-methyl-quinoxaline-2-carboxylic acid (MQCA) in fish tissues. Four diets containing 0 (control), 42.5, 89.5 and 277.2 mg kg-1 OLA, respectively, were formulated and tested, 3 cages (1.0 m × 1.0 m × 1.5 m) each diet and 100 juveniles (9.75 ± 0.35 g) each cage. The fish were fed to satiation twice a day at 05:00 am and 17:00 pm for 8 weeks. The survival rate of fish fed the diet containing 42.5 and 89.5 mg kg-1 OLA was significantly higher than that of fish fed the diet containing 0 and 277.2 mg kg-1 OLA ( P < 0.05), while the weight gain rate of fish fed the diet containing 42.5 and 89.5 mg·kg-1 OLA was significantly higher than that of fish fed the diet without OLA (control) ( P<0.05), but similar to that of fish fed the diet with 277.2 mg kg-1 OLA. Fish fed the diet with 277.2 mg kg-1 OLA had the highest content of OLA and MQCA in liver (3.44 and 0.39 mg kg-1, respectively), skin (0.46 and 0.09 mg kg-1, respectively) and muscle (0.24 and 0.06 mg kg-1, respectively). In average, fish fed the diet containing OLA had the highest content of OLA and MQCA in liver which was followed by skin and muscle ( P < 0.05), whereas OLA and MQCA were not detectable in control. Our findings demonstrated that OLA and MQCA accumulated in large yellow croaker when it was fed with the diet containing OLA, thus imposing a potential safety risk to human health.

  19. High level of dietary soybean oil depresses the growth and anti-oxidative capacity and induces inflammatory response in large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea.

    PubMed

    Mu, Hua; Shen, Haohao; Liu, Jiahuan; Xie, Fangli; Zhang, Wenbing; Mai, Kangsen

    2018-06-01

    Increasing demand, uncertain availability and high price of fish oil with the expansion of aquaculture made it essential to search alternative lipid sources. Vegetable oil has been proved to be the best candidate for the replacement of fish oil in aquafeeds. However, this replacement especially in high level potentially has some negative effects on fish. The present study was conducted to investigate the growth performance, anti-oxidative and inflammatory responses of large yellow croaker to replacement of dietary fish oil by soybean oil. Three isonitrogenous (46% crude protein) and isolipidic (13% crude lipids) diets were formulated to feed fish (initial body weight: 36.80 ± 0.39 g) for 12 weeks. The control diet was designed to contain 6.5% of fish oil, and named as FO. On the basis of the control diet, the fish oil was 50% and 100% replaced by soybean oil, and these two diets were named as FS and SO, respectively. Results showed that the specific growth rate significantly decreased in the SO group. Crude lipid contents in muscle and liver of fish fed SO diet were significantly higher than those in the FO group. The ratio of n-3 poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) to identified fatty acids in liver decreased significantly, while n-6 PUFAs increased significantly with increasing dietary soybean oil inclusion. The levels of triacylglycerol, non-esterified fatty acid and tumour necrosis factor α, and the activity of aspartate aminotransferase in serum significantly increased in SO group. The total anti-oxidative capacity and expressions of the anti-oxidation-related genes (superoxide dismutase 1 and 2, catalase, glutathion peroxidase and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) were significantly decreased by dietary soybean inclusion. Dietary soybean oil significantly decreased the gene expressions of the anti-inflammatory cytokines (arginase I and interleukin 10), and increased the pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumour necrosis factor α and interleukin

  20. A comparative study: In vitro effects of EPA and DHA on immune functions of head-kidney macrophages isolated from large yellow croaker (Larmichthys crocea).

    PubMed

    Li, Qingfei; Ai, Qinghui; Mai, Kangsen; Xu, Wei; Zheng, Yuefu

    2013-09-01

    Comparative effects of different concentrations of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on immune responses of head-kidney macrophages isolated from large yellow croaker were studied in vitro. After exposing to serum-free medium for 1 day, cultured cells were incubated in medium supplemented with graded levels of EPA or DHA (0, 5, 25, 100, 200 and 1000 μM, respectively) in the form of fatty acid bovine serum albumin (FA-BSA) complex for 12 h, 24 h and 36 h, respectively. Control samples were incubated in the absence of EPA or DHA (2% bovine serum albumin, BSA). Following stimulation, cell viability, lipid peroxidation, secretary phopholipase A2 (sPLA2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production as well as some immune parameters including phagocytosis, respiratory burst activity and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) production were determined. Results showed that EPA and DHA affected cell viability in dose-dependent and time-dependent manners. In particular, cell viability was significantly decreased after 24 h and 36 h incubation with 1000 μM EPA or DHA (P < 0.05). Higher levels of EPA (200 and 1000 μM) caused a significant increase in the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P < 0.05), while DHA did not significantly affect the MDA production. EPA significantly increased the intracellular superoxide anion synthesis which, on the contrary, was significantly reduced by DHA. Phagocytosis percentage (PP) values were significantly higher in treatments with 5 μM DHA (P < 0.05), but significantly decreased by 200 and 1000 μM EPA and DHA compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Decreased PGE2 production was produced by cells treated with relatively low doses of EPA or DHA. When high levels of stimulants (1000 μM EPA or DHA) were used, PGE2 levels were elevated and reached a significant level (P < 0.05). Both EPA and DHA significantly inhibited the production of sPLA2, where DHA exerted the more potent inhibitory effects than EPA. No pronounced effect was

  1. A comparison study on flesh quality of large yellow croaker ( Larimichthys croceus) cultured with three different modes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, Xiaoqin; Li, Baian; Chen, Naisong; Huang, Xuxiong; Hua, Xuemin; Leng, Xiangjun

    2017-12-01

    To compare the flesh quality of large yellow croaker cultured with three different modes, enclosure culture (EC), cage culture with feeding trash fish (CCF) and cage culture with feeding formula diet (CCD), thirty six fish individuals of EC (484.6 ± 79.8 g), CCF (432.7 ± 87.9 g) and CCD (416.9 ± 49.5 g) were sampled to measure body color, flesh water holding capacity, flesh proximate composition, amino acids and fatty acids composition, and collagen and inosinic acid contents. The analysis showed that there was no significant difference in the yellowness of skin and the contents of crude protein and inosinic acid between CCD and EC (P >0.05), and the two modes showed higher values than CCF ( P < 0.05). Most of the amino acids (AA) in flesh were higher in EC than in CCF ( P < 0.05), but CCD showed no difference in AA composition from the other two modes ( P > 0.05). EC and CCD had higher contents of collagen, free AA and lower drip loss than CC ( P < 0.05). In polyunsaturated fatty acids, EC showed significantly higher levels of C20:5n-3 and C22:6n-3 than CCF and CCD ( P < 0.05), but CCD had significantly higher C18:2n-6 than CCF and EC ( P < 0.05). In conclusion, the flesh quality of CCD fish is similar to EC fish, and these two modes have better flesh quality than CCF.

  2. Dietary Lipid Sources Influence Fatty Acid Composition in Tissue of Large Yellow Croaker (Larmichthys crocea) by Regulating Triacylglycerol Synthesis and Catabolism at the Transcriptional Level

    PubMed Central

    Qiu, Hong; Jin, Min; Li, Yi; Lu, You; Hou, Yingmei; Zhou, Qicun

    2017-01-01

    An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary lipid sources on growth performance, fatty acid composition, rate-limiting enzyme activities and gene expression related to lipid metabolism in large yellow croaker (Larmichthys crocea). Five iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipidic experimental diets were formulated to contain different lipid sources, such as fish oil (FO), soybean oil (SO), linseed oil (LO), rapeseed oil (RO) and peanut oil (PO), respectively. Triplicate groups of 50 fish (initial weight 13.77±0.07g) were stocked in 15 floating net cages (1.5m×1.5m×2.0m). Fish fed the diets containing RO and LO had lower weight gain and specific growth rates than those fed the FO, SO and PO diets. Survival, feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio, hepatosomatic index, viscerasomatic index and condition factor were not significantly affected by different dietary lipid sources. Fish fed the diet containing FO had higher lipid content in whole body compared with the other groups, whereas fish fed the SO diet had the lowest muscle lipid content. Fatty acid profiles of muscle and liver reflected the fatty acid composition of the diets. Plasma glucose, triglyceride, and the enzymatic activity of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase were significantly influenced by different dietary lipid sources, while total protein, cholesterol, superoxide dismutase or malondialdehyde in plasma were not affected by the different dietary lipid sources. Fish fed the LO diet had lower adipose triglyceride lipase and fatty acid synthase activities in liver than those fed the diets containing FO and RO, while the LO diet resulted in the highest hepatic carnitine palmitoultransferase-1 activity. Hepatic gene relative expression of adipose triglyceride lipase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 in fish fed PO diet was significantly higher than all other groups, whereas fish fed the SO and LO diets had lower relative expression levels of lipoprotein

  3. Characterization of an exo-chitinase from a Citrobacter strain isolated from the intestine content of large yellow croakers.

    PubMed

    Xu, Jie; Yang, Yalin; Liu, Yang; Ran, Chao; Li, Juan; He, Suxu; Xu, Li; Ai, Xhunxiang; Zhou, Zhigang

    2016-07-04

    We isolated bacterial strains with chitin-degrading activity from the digesta of large yellow croakers (Pseudosciaena crocea) fed with chitin-enriched trash fish, and characterized potential chitinases thereof. Chitin-degrading strains were screened with colloidal chitin agar from the digesta of P. crocea fed with trash fish. The chitinase gene (chi-X) was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli, and the enzymatic properties of the chitinase (CHI-X) were characterized. A Citrobacter freundii strain with chitin-degrading activity was isolated. The chitinase gene encodes a protein containing 493 amino acid residues, with a proposed glycoside hydrolase family-18 catalytic domain. CHI-X could hydrolyze colloidal chitin. The optimal pH for CHI-X was 4.0 at optimal temperature (60 ℃). CHI-X was active over a broad pH range, with around 90% of the activity maintained after incubation at pH between 3.0 and 11 for 1 h. The enzymatic activity of CHI-X was stimulated by Mn2+, Li+, and K+, but inhibited by Ag+. The enzyme was stable after treatment by proteases and grouper intestinal juice. CHI-X hydrolyzes colloidal chitin into GlcNAc and (GlcNAc)2. Furthermore, an synergic effect was observed between CHIX and ChiB565 (a chitinase from Aeromonas veronii B565) on colloidal chitin. CHI-X from intestinal bacterium may be potentially used as feed additive enzyme for warm water marine fish.

  4. Pollution biomarkers in estuarine animals: critical review and new perspectives.

    PubMed

    Monserrat, José M; Martínez, Pablo E; Geracitano, Laura A; Amado, Lílian Lund; Martins, Camila Martinez Gaspar; Pinho, Grasiela Lopes Leães; Chaves, Isabel Soares; Ferreira-Cravo, Marlize; Ventura-Lima, Juliane; Bianchini, Adalto

    2007-01-01

    In this review, recent developments in monitoring toxicological responses in estuarine animals are analyzed, considering the biomarker responses to different classes of pollutants. The estuarine environment imposes stressful conditions to the organisms that inhabit it, and this situation can alter their sensitivity to many pollutants. The specificity of some biomarkers like metallothionein tissue concentration is discussed in virtue of its dependence on salinity, which is highly variable in estuaries. Examples of cholinesterase activity measurements are also provided and criteria to select sensitive enzymes to detect pesticides and toxins are discussed. Regarding non-specific biomarkers, toxic responses in terms of antioxidant defenses and/or oxidative damage are also considered in this review, focusing on invertebrate species. In addition, the presence of an antioxidant gradient along the body of the estuarine polychaete Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae) and its relationship to different strategies, which deal with the generation of oxidative stress, is reviewed. Also, unusual antioxidant defenses against environmental pro-oxidants are discussed, including the mucus secreted by L. acuta. Disruption of osmoregulation by pollutants is of paramount importance in several estuarine species. In some cases such as in the estuarine crab Chasmagnathus granulatus, there is a trade off between bioavailability of toxicants (e.g. metals) and their interaction with key enzymes such as Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase and carbonic anhydrase. Thus, the metal effect on osmoregulation is also discussed in the present review. Finally, field case studies with fish species like the croaker Micropogonias furnieri (Scianidae) are used to illustrate the application of DNA damage and immunosuppressive responses as potential biomarkers of complex mixture of pollutants.

  5. Physiological performance of warm-adapted marine ectotherms: Thermal limits of mitochondrial energy transduction efficiency.

    PubMed

    Martinez, Eloy; Hendricks, Eric; Menze, Michael A; Torres, Joseph J

    2016-01-01

    Thermal regimes in aquatic systems have profound implications for the physiology of ectotherms. In particular, the effect of elevated temperatures on mitochondrial energy transduction in tropical and subtropical teleosts may have profound consequences on organismal performance and population viability. Upper and lower whole-organism critical temperatures for teleosts suggest that subtropical and tropical species are not susceptible to the warming trends associated with climate change, but sub-lethal effects on energy transduction efficiency and population dynamics remain unclear. The goal of the present study was to compare the thermal sensitivity of processes associated with mitochondrial energy transduction in liver mitochondria from the striped mojarra (Eugerres plumieri), the whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) and the palometa (Trachinotus goodei), to those of the subtropical pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) and the blue runner (Caranx crysos). Mitochondrial function was assayed at temperatures ranging from 10 to 40°C and results obtained for both tropical and subtropical species showed a reduction in the energy transduction efficiency of the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) system in most species studied at temperatures below whole-organism critical temperature thresholds. Our results show a loss of coupling between O2 consumption and ATP production before the onset of the critical thermal maxima, indicating that elevated temperature may severely impact the yield of ATP production per carbon unit oxidized. As warming trends are projected for tropical regions, increasing water temperatures in tropical estuaries and coral reefs could impact long-term growth and reproductive performance in tropical organisms, which are already close to their upper thermal limit. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular Characterization and Biological Effects of a C-Type Lectin-Like Receptor in Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

    PubMed

    Ao, Jingqun; Ding, Yang; Chen, Yuanyuan; Mu, Yinnan; Chen, Xinhua

    2015-12-10

    The C-type lectin-like receptors (CTLRs) play important roles in innate immunity as one type of pattern recognition receptors. Here, we cloned and characterized a C-type lectin-like receptor (LycCTLR) from large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea. The full-length cDNA of LycCTLR is 880 nucleotides long, encoding a protein of 215 amino acids. The deduced LycCTLR contains a C-terminal C-type lectin-like domain (CTLD), an N-terminal cytoplasmic tail, and a transmembrane region. The CTLD of LycCTLR possesses six highly conserved cysteine residues (C1-C6), a conserved WI/MGL motif, and two sugar binding motifs, EPD (Glu-Pro-Asp) and WYD (Trp-Tyr-Asp). Ca(2+) binding site 1 and 2 were also found in the CTLD. The LycCTLR gene consists of five exons and four introns, showing the same genomic organization as tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and guppy (Poecilia retitculata) CTLRs. LycCTLR was constitutively expressed in various tissues tested, and its transcripts significantly increased in the head kidney and spleen after stimulation with inactivated trivalent bacterial vaccine. Recombinant LycCTLR (rLycCTLR) protein produced in Escherichia coli BL21 exhibited not only the hemagglutinating activity and a preference for galactose, but also the agglutinating activity against two food-borne pathogenic bacteria E. coli and Bacillus cereus in a Ca(2+)-dependent manner. These results indicate that LycCTLR is a potential galactose-binding C-type lectin that may play a role in the antibacterial immunity in fish.

  7. Genomic structure and promoter functional analysis of GnRH3 gene in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea).

    PubMed

    Huang, Wei; Zhang, Jianshe; Liao, Zhi; Lv, Zhenming; Wu, Huifei; Zhu, Aiyi; Wu, Changwen

    2016-01-15

    Gonadotropin-releasing hormone III (GnRH3) is considered to be a key neurohormone in fish reproduction control. In the present study, the cDNA and genomic sequences of GnRH3 were cloned and characterized from large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea. The cDNA encoded a protein of 99 amino acids with four functional motifs. The full-length genome sequence was composed of 3797 nucleotides, including four exons and three introns. Higher identities of amino acid sequences and conserved exon-intron organizations were found between LcGnRH3 and other GnRH3 genes. In addition, some special features of the sequences were detected in partial species. For example, two specific residues (V and A) were found in the family Sciaenidae, and the unique 75-72 bp type of the open reading frame 2 and 3 existed in the family Cyprinidae. Analysis of the 2576 bp promoter fragment of LcGnRH3 showed a number of transcription factor binding sites, such as AP1, CREB, GATA-1, HSF, FOXA2, and FOXL1. Promoter functional analysis using an EGFP reporter fusion in zebrafish larvae presented positive signals in the brain, including the olfactory region, the terminal nerve ganglion, the telencephalon, and the hypothalamus. The expression pattern was generally consistent with the endogenous GnRH3 GFP-expressing transgenic zebrafish lines, but the details were different. These results indicate that the structure and function of LcGnRH3 are generally similar to the other teleost GnRH3 genes, but there exist some distinctions among them. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  8. Subcellular Localization of Large Yellow Croaker ( Larimichthys crocea) TLR21 and Expression Profiling of Its Gene in Immune Response

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Sun, Qingxue; Fan, Zejun; Yao, Cuiluan

    2018-04-01

    Toll-like receptor 21 (TLR21) is a non-mammalian type TLR, and plays an important role in innate immune response in fish. In this paper, the full-length cDNA sequence of TLR21 gene was identified and characterized from large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea and was termed as LcTLR21. It consists of 3365 bp, including a 5'-terminal untranslated region (UTR) of 97 bp, a 3'-terminal UTR of 331 bp, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 2937 bp encoding a polypeptide of 978 amino acid residues. The deduced LcTLR21 contains a signal peptide domain at N-terminal, 12 leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) at the extracellular region, a transmembrane domain and a cytoplasmic toll-interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain at the C-terminal. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the LcTLR21-GFP was constitutively expressed in cytoplasm. Tissue expression analysis indicated that LcTLR21 gene broadly expressed in most of the examined tissues, with the most predominant abundance in spleen, followed by head-kidney and liver, while the weakest expression was detected in brain. The expression level of LcTLR21 after LPS, poly I:C and Vibrio parahaemolyticus challenges was investigated in spleen, head-kidney and liver. LcTLR21 gene transcripts increased significantly in all examined tissues after the challenges, and the highest expression level was detected in liver at 24 h after poly I:C stimulation ( P < 0.05), suggesting that LcTLR21 might play a crucial role in fish resistance to viral and bacterial infections.

  9. Cloning, expression pattern and promoter functional analysis of cyp19a1a gene in miiuy croaker.

    PubMed

    Huang, Wei; Yang, Pan; Lv, Zhenming; Wu, Changwen; Gui, Jianfang; Lou, Bao

    2017-09-05

    Gonadal-specific aromatase encoded by cyp19a1a is the important enzyme controlling estrogen biosynthesis in teleosts. In the present study, the cDNA sequence of cyp19a1a was cloned and characterized from miiuy croaker Miichthys miiuy. The cDNA encoded a protein of 519 amino acids with five structural regions. Higher identities of amino acid sequences and conserved structural regions were found between Mmcyp19a1a and other cyp19a1a genes. In addition, Mmcyp19a1a was clustered together with other seawater fishes. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that Mmcyp19a1a was localized exclusively in the cytoplasmic of thecal and granulosa cells surrounding the oocytes. Both the protein and mRNA levels of Mmcyp19a1a were increased significantly at the stage III follicles (mid-vitellogenic) and then decreased along with vitellogenesis. Interestingly, strong immunoreactive signals were also detected in the supporting cells of connective tissues during ovarian development. A 1777bp promoter fragment of Mmcyp19a1a was also isolated, and functional analysis using an EGFP reporter fusion in zebrafish larvae presented positive signals in the above of yolk sac, where is the region of pronephros and germ plasm occur. The Mmcyp19a1a:EGFP expression pattern was generally consistent with the endogenous cyp19a1a genesis. These results indicate that the Mmcyp19a1a gene plays an important role during vitellogenesis and oocyte maturation. The constructor of Mmcyp19a1a:EGFP may provide a useful tool for genetic analysis of gonad development in teleost. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  10. Passive acoustic monitoring, development of disturbance calls and differentiation of disturbance and advertisement calls in the Argentine croaker Umbrina canosai (Sciaenidae).

    PubMed

    Tellechea, J S; Fine, M L; Norbis, W

    2017-04-01

    Disturbance and advertisement calls of the Argentine croaker Umbrina canosai were recorded from coastal Uruguayan waters. Dissections indicate typical sciaenid extrinsic swimbladder muscles present exclusively in males. Disturbance calls were produced when captive U. canosai were startled, chased with a net or grabbed by the tail. Calls were unusual for sciaenids because each pulse consisted of multiple cycles. The number of cycles per pulse and dominant frequency did not change with U. canosai size, but pulse duration and interpulse interval increased. Advertisement calls were recorded from unseen choruses in the field and confirmed with captive individuals in a large tank. Advertisement calls were recorded throughout the known range of the species in Uruguay indicating a continuous belt of spawning populations. Tank recordings of the same individuals permitted explicit comparisons between the two calls. Advertisement call pulses averaged 2·4 more cycles (11·0-8·6) although pulses of both calls were basically similar as were durations and dominant frequencies. Pulse number, however, differed markedly, averaging 13·6 and 3·4 pulses for disturbance and advertisement calls respectively. Furthermore, disturbance calls were produced as a rapid series with an interpulse interval of 26-31 ms whereas advertisement call patterns were less stereotyped and ranged from <100 to 450 ms. Multicycle pulses distinguished U. canosai from other sympatric sciaenids. © 2017 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  11. Origin of resources and trophic pathways in a large SW Atlantic estuary: An evaluation using stable isotopes

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Botto, Florencia; Gaitán, Esteban; Mianzan, Hermes; Acha, Marcelo; Giberto, Diego; Schiariti, Agustín; Iribarne, Oscar

    2011-03-01

    The Río de la Plata (34° 36' S, 55° 58' W; Argentina and Uruguay) estuary, one of the most important South American estuarine environments, is characterized by weak seasonal freshwater discharge, low tidal amplitude (<1 m), a wide and permanent connection to the sea, and a salt-wedge regime. Using stable isotope analysis, we explored the relative importance of the different sources of primary production in the food web. Our results show that phytoplankton and macrodetritus from terrestrial salt and freshwater marshes both contribute to the food web of the Río de la Plata estuary. On the basis of the sampled species, we identified four trophic levels. The clam Mactra isabelleana, the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa, and the opossum shrimp Neomysis americana are the primary consumers. The rays Atlantoraja castelnaui and Squatina guggenheim and the shark Galeorhinus galeus are the top predators. The Río de la Plata food web shows an important input of nutrients derived from phytoplankton. Rays, sharks, and predatory gastropods reveal an important contribution of C4 plants (likely Spartina spp.). However, production derived from C3 plants is also important for some species. The fishes Brazilian menhaden, Brevoortia aurea; the stripped weakfish Cynoscion guatucupa; and the whitemouth croaker, Micropogonias furnieri, showed differences in their isotopic signatures as juveniles and adults, indicating different food sources, and they were therefore treated as different components of the food web. Our data suggest that detritus from salt and freshwater marshes is reaching the Río de la Plata estuary and can be an important allocthonous source of energy to this environment.

  12. Nanos3 not nanos1 and nanos2 is a germ cell marker gene in large yellow croaker during embryogenesis.

    PubMed

    Han, Kunhuang; Chen, Shihai; Cai, Mingyi; Jiang, Yonghua; Zhang, Ziping; Wang, Yilei

    2018-04-01

    In this study, three nanos gene subtypes (Lcnanos1, Lcnanos2 and Lcnanos3) from Larimichthys crocea, were cloned and characterized. We determined the spatio-temporal expression patterns of each subtype in tissues as well as the cellular localization of mRNA in embryos. Results showed that deduced Nanos proteins have two main homology domains: N-terminal CCR4/NOT1 deadenylase interaction domain and highly conserved carboxy-terminal region bearing two conserved CCHC zinc-finger motifs. The expression levels of Lcnanos1 in testis were significantly higher than other tissues, followed by heart, brain, eye, and ovary. Nevertheless, both Lcnanos2 and Lcnanos3 were restrictedly expressed in testis and ovary, respectively. No signals of Lcnanos1 and Lcnanos2 expression were detected at any developmental stages during embryogenesis. On the contrary, the signals of Lcnanos3 were detected in all stages examined. Lcnanos3 transcripts were firstly localized to the distal end of cleavage furrow at the 2-cell stage. Subsequently, mounting positive signals started to appear in a small number of cells as the embryo developed to blastula stage and early-gastrula stage. As development proceeded, positive signals were found in the primitive gonadal ridge. These cells of Lcnanos3 positive signals implied the specification of the future PGCs at this stage. It also suggested that PGCs of croaker originate from four clusters of cells which inherit maternal germ plasm at blastula stage. Furthermore, we preliminarily analyzed the migration route of PGCs in embryos of L. crocea. In short, this study laid the foundation for studies on specification and development of germ cell from L. crocea during embryogenesis. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Cloning and functional characterization of IRAK4 in large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) that associates with MyD88 but impairs NF-κB activation.

    PubMed

    Zou, Peng Fei; Huang, Xue Na; Yao, Cui Luan; Sun, Qing Xue; Li, Ying; Zhu, Qian; Yu, Zhen Xing; Fan, Ze Jun

    2017-04-01

    As crucial signaling transducer in Toll-like receptor (TLR) and interleukin (IL)-1 receptor (IL-1R) signaling pathway, IL-1R-associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) mediates downstream signaling cascades and plays important roles in innate and adaptive immune responses. In the present study, an IRAK4 orthologue was characterized from large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea), named Lc-IRAK4, with a conservative N-terminal death domain and a C-terminal protein kinase domain. The genome of Lc-IRAK4 is structured into eleven exons and ten introns. Expression analysis indicated that Lc-IRAK4 was widely expressed in tested tissues, with the highest level in liver and weakest in muscle. Additionally, in the spleen, liver tissues and blood, it could be induced by poly I:C and LPS stimulation, but not be induced by Vibrio parahemolyticus infection. Fluorescence microscopy assays revealed that Lc-IRAK4 localized in the cytoplasm in HEK 293T cells. It was also determined that Lc-IRAK4 could interact with MyD88, whereas MyD88-mediated NF-κB activation was significantly impaired when co-transfected the two in HEK 293T cells. These findings collectively indicated that although Lc-IRAK4 was evolutionarily conserved in vertebrates, the exact function especially the signaling transduction mediated by IRAK4 in fish immune response was different from that in mammals, which impaired MyD88-mediated NF-κB activation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  14. Evaluation of removal of the size effect using data scaling and elliptic Fourier descriptors in otolith shape analysis, exemplified by the discrimination of two yellow croaker stocks along the Chinese coast

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Zhao, Bo; Liu, Jinhu; Song, Junjie; Cao, Liang; Dou, Shuozeng

    2017-11-01

    Removal of the length effect in otolith shape analysis for stock identification using length scaling is an important issue; however, few studies have attempted to investigate the effectiveness or weakness of this methodology in application. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether commonly used size scaling methods and normalized elliptic Fourier descriptors (NEFDs) could effectively remove the size effect of fish in stock discrimination. To achieve this goal, length groups from two known geographical stocks of yellow croaker, Larimichthys polyactis, along the Chinese coast (five groups from the Changjiang River estuary of the East China Sea and three groups from the Bohai Sea) were subjected to otolith shape analysis. The results indicated that the variation of otolith shape caused by intra-stock fish length might exceed that due to inter-stock geographical separation, even when otolith shape variables are standardized with length scaling methods. This variation could easily result in misleading stock discrimination through otolith shape analysis. Therefore, conclusions about fish stock structure should be carefully drawn from otolith shape analysis because the observed discrimination may primarily be due to length effects, rather than differences among stocks. The application of multiple methods, such as otoliths shape analysis combined with elemental fingering, tagging or genetic analysis, is recommended for sock identification.

  15. Species Profiles. Life Histories and Environmental Requirements of Coastal Fishes and Invertebrates (Mid-Atlantic). Spot

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1989-02-01

    lateral line scales, 72-77; Norfolk spot, golden croaker (during gill rakers short, 8 to 12 on the spawning season ), croaker, goody, upper limb and 20 to... pteropods , larval Sinc lage-cal motaltie of pelecypods, and cyclopoid copepods juveniles are not observed in the elecypodst and cyc)opo copepodsnursry...and R.S. Birdsong. 1985. Beaufort, N.C. Seasonal occurrence of larval and juvenile fishes in a Virginia Engle, D.W., and R.M. Thuotte. 1976

  16. [Effect of stock abundance and environmental factors on the recruitment success of small yellow croaker in the East China Sea].

    PubMed

    Liu, Zun-lei; Yuan, Xing-wei; Yang, Lin-lin; Yan, Li-ping; Zhang, Hui; Cheng, Jia-hua

    2015-02-01

    Multiple hypotheses are available to explain recruitment rate. Model selection methods can be used to identify the best model that supports a particular hypothesis. However, using a single model for estimating recruitment success is often inadequate for overexploited population because of high model uncertainty. In this study, stock-recruitment data of small yellow croaker in the East China Sea collected from fishery dependent and independent surveys between 1992 and 2012 were used to examine density-dependent effects on recruitment success. Model selection methods based on frequentist (AIC, maximum adjusted R2 and P-values) and Bayesian (Bayesian model averaging, BMA) methods were applied to identify the relationship between recruitment and environment conditions. Interannual variability of the East China Sea environment was indicated by sea surface temperature ( SST) , meridional wind stress (MWS), zonal wind stress (ZWS), sea surface pressure (SPP) and runoff of Changjiang River ( RCR). Mean absolute error, mean squared predictive error and continuous ranked probability score were calculated to evaluate the predictive performance of recruitment success. The results showed that models structures were not consistent based on three kinds of model selection methods, predictive variables of models were spawning abundance and MWS by AIC, spawning abundance by P-values, spawning abundance, MWS and RCR by maximum adjusted R2. The recruitment success decreased linearly with stock abundance (P < 0.01), suggesting overcompensation effect in the recruitment success might be due to cannibalism or food competition. Meridional wind intensity showed marginally significant and positive effects on the recruitment success (P = 0.06), while runoff of Changjiang River showed a marginally negative effect (P = 0.07). Based on mean absolute error and continuous ranked probability score, predictive error associated with models obtained from BMA was the smallest amongst different

  17. Characterization of the duplicate L-SIGN and DC-SIGN genes in miiuy croaker and evolutionary analysis of L-SIGN in fishes.

    PubMed

    Shu, Chang; Wang, Shanchen; Xu, Tianjun

    2015-05-01

    Dendritic cell-specific ICAM-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN/CD209) and liver/lymph node-specific ICAM-grabbing non-integrin (L-SIGN/CD299) which are homologues of DC-SIGN are important members in C-type lectin receptors family as key molecules to recognize and eliminate pathogens in the innate immune system. DC-SIGN and L-SIGN have become hot topics in recent studies which both served as cell adhesion and phagocytic pathogen recognition receptors in mammals. However, there have been almost no studies of DC-SIGN and L-SIGN structure and characters in fish, only DC-SIGN in the zebrafish had been studied. In our study, we identified and characterized the full-length miiuy croaker (Miichthys miiuy) DC-SIGN (mmDC-SIGN) and L-SIGN (mmL-SIGN) genes. The sequence analysis results showed that mmDC-SIGN and mmL-SIGN have the same domains with other vertebrates except primates, and share some conserved motifs in CRD among all the vertebrates which play a crucial role in interacting with Ca(2+) and for recognizing mannose-containing motifs. Gene synteny of DC-SIGN and L-SIGN were analyzed for the first time and gene synteny of L-SIGN was conserved among the five fishes. Interestingly, one gene next to L-SIGN from gene synteny had high similarity with L-SIGN gene that was described as L-SIGN-like in fish species. While only one L-SIGN gene existed in other vertebrates, two L-SIGN in fish may be in consequence of the fish-specific genome duplication to adapt the specific environment. The evolutionary analysis showed that the ancestral lineages of L-SIGN gene in fishes experienced purifying selection and the current lineages of L-SIGN gene in fishes underwent positive selection, indicating that the ancestral lineages and current lineages of L-SIGN gene in fishes underwent different evolutionary patterns. Both mmDC-SIGN and mmL-SIGN were expressed in all tested tissues and ubiquitously up-regulated in infected liver, spleen and kidney at different sampling time points

  18. Shared Physiological and Molecular Responses in Marine Fish and Invertebrates to Environmental Hypoxia: Potential Biomarkers of Adverse Impacts on Marine Communities

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Thomas, P.; Rahman, S.

    2016-02-01

    Knowledge of the effects of environmental exposure to hypoxia (dissolved oxygen: <2 mg/L) on critical physiological functions such as reproduction, growth and metabolism in both fish and invertebrates is essential for accurate predictions of its chronic impacts on marine communities. Marked disruption of reproduction and its endocrine control was observed in Atlantic croaker collected from the hypoxic region in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Recent research has shown that growth and its physiological upregulation is also impaired in hypoxia-exposed marine fish. Expression of insulin-like growth factor (IGF) binding protein (IGFBP), which inhibits growth, was increased in croaker livers, whereas plasma levels of IGF, the primary regulator of growth, were decreased in snapper after hypoxia exposure. In addition, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1), which regulates changes in metabolism during adaptation to hypoxia, was upregulated in croaker collected from hypoxic environments. Interestingly, similar changes in the expression of IGFBP and HIF-1 have been found in marine crustaceans after hypoxia exposure, suggesting these responses to hypoxia are common to marine fish and invertebrates. Preliminary field studies indicate that hypoxia exposure also causes epigenetic modifications, including increases in global DNA methylation, and that these epigenetic changes can influence reproduction and growth in croaker. Epigenetic modifications can be passed to offspring and persist in future generations no longer exposed to an environmental stressor further aggravating its long-term adverse impacts on population abundance and delaying recovery. The growing availability of complete invertebrate genomes and high-throughput DNA sequencing indicates similar epigenetic studies can now be conducted with marine invertebrates. Collectively, the results indicate that environmental hypoxia exposure disrupts major physiological functions in fish and invertebrates critical for maintenance of

  19. Seasonal composition, abundance and biomass of the subestuarine fish assemblage in Solís Chico (Río de la Plata estuary, Uruguay).

    PubMed

    Plavan, A Acuña; Gurdek, R; Muñoz, N; Gutierrez, J M; Spósito, M; Correa, P; Caride, A

    2017-01-01

    The large estuaries can present long narrow branches called subestuaries or tidal creeks. These types of subsystems are distributed along the Uruguayan coast of the Río de la Plata estuary and are very important as nursery and refuge areas for fish. For the first time, the seasonal composition and abundance of the fish community of the Solís Chico subestuary was studied by using beach and gill nets. Fourteen species, mainly euryhaline (86%) presented a significant representation of juvenile stages. The fish community was dominated by Odontesthes argentinensis, Platanichthys platana, Mugil liza, Brevoortia aurea, Micropogonias furnieri and Paralichthys orbignyanus, similar to adjacent subestuaries. While Micropogonias furnieri and B. aurea were the most abundant species, some other species were rarely caught. A seasonal variation of the fish assemblage abundance was detected, with higher values in autumn showing a positive correlation with temperature. Species that complete their life cycle in the Río de la Plata estuary, some of which are relevant to fisheries (64% of the analyzed species) were captured in the Solís Chico subestuary. The importance of this environment as a transitional system for some estuarine fish species is advised.

  20. Dietary Lipid Levels Influence Lipid Deposition in the Liver of Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea) by Regulating Lipoprotein Receptors, Fatty Acid Uptake and Triacylglycerol Synthesis and Catabolism at the Transcriptional Level.

    PubMed

    Yan, Jing; Liao, Kai; Wang, Tianjiao; Mai, Kangsen; Xu, Wei; Ai, Qinghui

    2015-01-01

    Ectopic lipid accumulation has been observed in fish fed a high-lipid diet. However, no information is available on the mechanism by which dietary lipid levels comprehensively regulate lipid transport, uptake, synthesis and catabolism in fish. Therefore, the present study aimed to gain further insight into how dietary lipids affect lipid deposition in the liver of large yellow croaker(Larimichthys crocea). Fish (150.00±4.95 g) were fed a diet with a low (6%), moderate (12%, the control diet) or high (18%) crude lipid content for 10 weeks. Growth performance, plasma biochemical indexes, lipid contents and gene expression related to lipid deposition, including lipoprotein assembly and clearance, fatty acid uptake and triacylglycerol synthesis and catabolism, were assessed. Growth performance was not significantly affected. However, the hepato-somatic and viscera-somatic indexes as well as plasma triacylglycerol, non-esterified fatty acids and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly increased in fish fed the high-lipid diet. In the livers of fish fed the high-lipid diet, the expression of genes related to lipoprotein clearance (LDLR) and fatty acid uptake (FABP11) was significantly up-regulated, whereas the expression of genes involved in lipoprotein assembly (apoB100), triacylglycerol synthesis and catabolism (DGAT2, CPT I) was significantly down-regulated compared with fish fed the control diet, and hepatic lipid deposition increased. In fish fed the low-lipid diet, the expression of genes associated with lipoprotein assembly and clearance (apoB100, LDLR, LRP-1), fatty acid uptake (CD36, FATP1, FABP3) and triacylglycerol synthesis (FAS) was significantly increased, whereas the expression of triacylglycerol catabolism related genes (ATGL, CPT I) was reduced compared with fish fed the control diet. However, hepatic lipid content in fish fed the low-lipid diet decreased mainly due to low dietary lipid intake. In summary, findings of this study provide molecular

  1. Dietary Lipid Levels Influence Lipid Deposition in the Liver of Large Yellow Croaker (Larimichthys crocea) by Regulating Lipoprotein Receptors, Fatty Acid Uptake and Triacylglycerol Synthesis and Catabolism at the Transcriptional Level

    PubMed Central

    Yan, Jing; Liao, Kai; Wang, Tianjiao; Mai, Kangsen; Xu, Wei; Ai, Qinghui

    2015-01-01

    Ectopic lipid accumulation has been observed in fish fed a high-lipid diet. However, no information is available on the mechanism by which dietary lipid levels comprehensively regulate lipid transport, uptake, synthesis and catabolism in fish. Therefore, the present study aimed to gain further insight into how dietary lipids affect lipid deposition in the liver of large yellow croaker(Larimichthys crocea). Fish (150.00±4.95 g) were fed a diet with a low (6%), moderate (12%, the control diet) or high (18%) crude lipid content for 10 weeks. Growth performance, plasma biochemical indexes, lipid contents and gene expression related to lipid deposition, including lipoprotein assembly and clearance, fatty acid uptake and triacylglycerol synthesis and catabolism, were assessed. Growth performance was not significantly affected. However, the hepato-somatic and viscera-somatic indexes as well as plasma triacylglycerol, non-esterified fatty acids and LDL-cholesterol levels were significantly increased in fish fed the high-lipid diet. In the livers of fish fed the high-lipid diet, the expression of genes related to lipoprotein clearance (LDLR) and fatty acid uptake (FABP11) was significantly up-regulated, whereas the expression of genes involved in lipoprotein assembly (apoB100), triacylglycerol synthesis and catabolism (DGAT2, CPT I) was significantly down-regulated compared with fish fed the control diet, and hepatic lipid deposition increased. In fish fed the low-lipid diet, the expression of genes associated with lipoprotein assembly and clearance (apoB100, LDLR, LRP-1), fatty acid uptake (CD36, FATP1, FABP3) and triacylglycerol synthesis (FAS) was significantly increased, whereas the expression of triacylglycerol catabolism related genes (ATGL, CPT I) was reduced compared with fish fed the control diet. However, hepatic lipid content in fish fed the low-lipid diet decreased mainly due to low dietary lipid intake. In summary, findings of this study provide molecular

  2. Environmental Guide to the Virginia Capes Operating Area

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1973-03-01

    invertebrates occupy the waters over the shelf. Among fishes found here are croakers, sea robins, sea bass, sharks, rays, bluefish , alewives, and...pelagic forms such as tuna, billfish, and bluefish migrate seasonally, occurring in greatest abun- dance along the Gulf Stream boundary in spring and

  3. LIPID METHODOLOGY AND POLLUTANT NORMALIZATION RELATIONSHIPS FOR NEUTRAL NONPOLAR ORGANIC POLLUTANTS

    EPA Science Inventory

    This work compares the ability of hexane and chloroform with methanol (C/M) to extract lipid, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and p,p'-DDE from white croaker (Geneonus lineatus) muscle tissue. Hexane extracted on average 25% of the lipid and 73% of the PCB congeners that were e...

  4. Contaminant concentrations in sport fish from San Francisco Bay, 1997.

    PubMed

    Davis, Jay A; May, Michael D; Greenfield, Ben K; Fairey, Russell; Roberts, Cassandra; Ichikawa, Gary; Stoelting, Matt S; Becker, Jonathan S; Tjeerdema, Ronald S

    2002-10-01

    In 1997, seven sport fish species were sampled from seven popular fishing areas in San Francisco Bay. Mercury exceeded a human health screening value in 44 of 84 (52%) samples. All collected samples of leopard shark and striped bass exceeded the mercury screening value of 0.23 microg/g wet weight. PCBs exceeded the screening value in 51 of 72 (71%) samples. DDT, chlordane, and dieldrin, had lower numbers of samples above screening values: 16 of 72 (22%) for DDT, 11 of 72 (15%) for chlordanes, and 27 of 72 (37%) for dieldrin. Concentrations of PCBs and other trace organics were highest in white croaker and shiner surfperch, the two species with the highest fat content in their muscle tissue. Fish from one location, Oakland Harbor, had significantly elevated wet weight concentrations of mercury, PCBs, DDTs, and chlordanes compared to other locations. Removal of skin from white croaker fillets reduced lipid concentrations by 27-49% and concentrations of trace organics by 33-40%.

  5. Factors affecting the abundance of selected fishes near oil and gas platforms in the northern Gulf of Mexico

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Stanley, D.R.; Wilson, C.A.

    1991-01-01

    A logbook program was initiated to determine the relative abundance of selected fish species around oil and gas platforms off the Louisiana coast. Logbooks were maintained by 55 anglers and 10 charterboat operators from March 1987 to March 1988. A total of 36,839 fish were caught representing over 46 different species. Principal component analysis (PCA) grouped the seventeen most abundant species into reef fish, pelagic fish, bluefish-red drum, Atlantic croaker-silver/sand seatrout, and cobia-shark-blue runner associations. Multiple regression analyses were used to compare PCA groupings to physical platform, temporal, geological, and angler characteristic variables and their interactions. Reef fish, Atlantic croaker,more » and silver/sand seatrout abundances were highest near large, structurally complex platforms in relatively deep water. High spotted seatrout abundances were correlated with small, unmanned oil and gas platforms in shallow water. Pelagic fish, bluefish, red drum, cobia, and shark abundances were not related to the physical parameters of the platforms.« less

  6. Curvulamine, a new antibacterial alkaloid incorporating two undescribed units from a Curvularia species.

    PubMed

    Han, Wen Bo; Lu, Yan Hua; Zhang, Ai Hua; Zhang, Gao Fei; Mei, Ya Ning; Jiang, Nan; Lei, Xinxiang; Song, Yong Chun; Ng, Seik Weng; Tan, Ren Xiang

    2014-10-17

    The white croaker (Argyrosomus argentatus) derived Curvularia sp. IFB-Z10 produces curvulamine as a skeletally unprecedented alkaloid incorporating two undescribed extender units. Curvulamine is more selectively antibacterial than tinidazole and biosynthetically unique in the new extenders formed through a decarboxylative condensation between an oligoketide motif and alanine.

  7. Scientific Encounters of the Mysterious Sea. Reading Activities That Explore the Mysterious Creatures of the Deep Blue Sea. Grades 4-7.

    ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

    Embry, Lynn

    This activity book presents reading activities for grades 4-7 exploring the mysterious creatures of the deep sea. The creatures include: angel sharks; argonauts; barberfish; comb jelly; croakers; electric rays; flying fish; giganturid; lantern fish; narwhals; northern basket starfish; ocean sunfish; Portuguese man-of-war; sea cucumbers; sea…

  8. Modelling Kepone in the striped bass food chain of the James River estuary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Connolly, John P.; Tonelli, Rosella

    1985-03-01

    A mathematical model that computes the accumulation of Kepone in the striped bass food chain of the James River estuary was developed. The purpose of the model was to help understand the relationship of Kepone levels in important fish species to sediment and water column Kepone concentrations and then to address the question of why these levels still exceed Food and Drug Administration limits eight years after discharge ceased. The model considers exposure through diet and respiration at rates based on species bioenergetics. It was successfully calibrated to the Kepone concentrations observed in the period 1976 through 1982 in striped bass, white perch, and Atlantic croaker. The model indicates that for the upper levels of the food chain, diet is the major route of contamination, accounting for 87-88% of the observed concentration in croaker and white perch and 91% of the observed concentration in striped bass. The two Kepone sources; sediment and water column, contribute approximately equally to the croaker and white perch. The water column is more significant for striped bass, being the original source for approximately 60% of the observed body burdens. It was estimated that a criterion requiring Kepone concentrations in fish to be at or below 0·3 μg g -1 would require dissolved water column and sediment Kepone concentrations to be reduced to somewhere between 3 and 9 ng l -1 and 13-39 ng g -1, respectively, depending on the species. Striped bass require the greatest reductions in dissolved water column and sediment Kepone concentrations to somewhere between 3 and 5 ng l -1 and 13 and 24 ng g -1, respectively.

  9. Whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker discovery and association analysis with the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content in Larimichthys crocea

    PubMed Central

    Xiao, Shijun; Wang, Panpan; Dong, Linsong; Zhang, Yaguang; Han, Zhaofang; Wang, Qiurong

    2016-01-01

    Whole-genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers are valuable genetic resources for the association and conservation studies. Genome-wide SNP development in many teleost species are still challenging because of the genome complexity and the cost of re-sequencing. Genotyping-By-Sequencing (GBS) provided an efficient reduced representative method to squeeze cost for SNP detection; however, most of recent GBS applications were reported on plant organisms. In this work, we used an EcoRI-NlaIII based GBS protocol to teleost large yellow croaker, an important commercial fish in China and East-Asia, and reported the first whole-genome SNP development for the species. 69,845 high quality SNP markers that evenly distributed along genome were detected in at least 80% of 500 individuals. Nearly 95% randomly selected genotypes were successfully validated by Sequenom MassARRAY assay. The association studies with the muscle eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) content discovered 39 significant SNP markers, contributing as high up to ∼63% genetic variance that explained by all markers. Functional genes that involved in fat digestion and absorption pathway were identified, such as APOB, CRAT and OSBPL10. Notably, PPT2 Gene, previously identified in the association study of the plasma n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid level in human, was re-discovered in large yellow croaker. Our study verified that EcoRI-NlaIII based GBS could produce quality SNP markers in a cost-efficient manner in teleost genome. The developed SNP markers and the EPA and DHA associated SNP loci provided invaluable resources for the population structure, conservation genetics and genomic selection of large yellow croaker and other fish organisms. PMID:28028455

  10. Modeling the population-level effects of hypoxia on a coastal fish: implications of a spatially-explicit individual-based model

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Rose, K.; Creekmore, S.; Thomas, P.; Craig, K.; Neilan, R.; Rahman, S.; Wang, L.; Justic, D.

    2016-02-01

    The northwestern Gulf of Mexico (USA) currently experiences a large hypoxic area ("dead zone") during the summer. The population-level effects of hypoxia on coastal fish are largely unknown. We developed a spatially-explicit, individual-based model to analyze how hypoxia effects on reproduction, growth, and mortality of individual Atlantic croaker could lead to population-level responses. The model follows the hourly growth, mortality, reproduction, and movement of individuals on a 300 x 800 spatial grid of 1 km2 cells for 140 years. Chlorophyll-a concentration and water temperature were specified daily for each grid cell. Dissolved oxygen (DO) was obtained from a 3-D water quality model for four years that differed in their severity of hypoxia. A bioenergetics model was used to represent growth, mortality was assumed stage- and age-dependent, and movement behavior was based on temperature preferences and avoidance of low DO. Hypoxia effects were imposed using exposure-effects sub-models that converted time-varying exposure to DO to reductions in growth and fecundity, and increases in mortality. Using sequences of mild, intermediate, and severe hypoxia years, the model predicted a 20% decrease in population abundance. Additional simulations were performed under the assumption that river-based nutrients loadings that lead to more hypoxia also lead to higher primary production and more food for croaker. Twenty-five percent and 50% nutrient reduction scenarios were simulated by adjusting the cholorphyll-a concentrations used as food proxy for the croaker. We then incrementally increased the DO concentrations to determine how much hypoxia would need to be reduced to offset the lower food production resulting from reduced nutrients. We discuss the generality of our results, the hidden effects of hypoxia on fish, and our overall strategy of combining laboratory and field studies with modeling to produce robust predictions of population responses to stressors under

  11. Organochlorines and polychlorinated biphenyl environmental pollution in south coast of Rio De Janeiro state.

    PubMed

    da Silva, Ana Maria Ferreira; Pavesi, Thelma; Rosa, Ana Cristina Simões; Santos, Tatyane Pereira Dos; de Medeiros Tabalipa, Marianne; Lemes, Vera Regina Rossi; Alves, Sergio Rabello; de Novaes Sarcinelli, Paula

    2016-07-15

    The objective of this study was to evaluate the burden of environmental pollution by Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Organochlorine Pesticides (OCs) in two localities of Rio de Janeiro coast, through the determination of these levels in specimens of mullets and croakers collected from May to August 2008, at Guanabara Bay (GB) and from Araújo Island (AI), at Paraty Bay. Twenty three organochlorine pollutants were detected in croakers at GB and twenty in mullets and all PCBs congeners investigated in the study were present in the two species. Ratio ∑DDT/∑PCB of 1.4 shows an important contribution of agricultural residues in GB and p,p'-DDE/∑DDT of 0.1 demonstrates a reintroduction of DDT. Consumption of mullet may represent a risk to the health of fishermen families from GB, with average and maximum estimated daily intake of ∑DDT of 9.012μg/kg p.c. and 26,174μg/kg p.c., representing 45% and 131% of ADI established by WHO. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Mesh size selectivity of the gillnet in East China Sea

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Li, L. Z.; Tang, J. H.; Xiong, Y.; Huang, H. L.; Wu, L.; Shi, J. J.; Gao, Y. S.; Wu, F. Q.

    2017-07-01

    A production test using several gillnets with various mesh sizes was carried out to discover the selectivity of gillnets in the East China Sea. The result showed that the composition of the catch species was synthetically affected by panel height and mesh size. The bycatch species of the 10-m nets were more than those of the 6-m nets. For target species, the effect of panel height on juvenile fish was ambiguous, but the number of juvenile fish declined quickly with the increase in mesh size. According to model deviance (D) and Akaike’s information criterion, the bi-normal model provided the best fit for small yellow croaker (Larimichthy polyactis), and the relative retention was 0.2 and 1, respectively. For Chelidonichthys spinosus, the log-normal was the best model; the right tilt of the selectivity curve was obvious and well coincided with the original data. The contact population of small yellow croaker showed a bi-normal distribution, and body lengths ranged from 95 to 215 mm. The contact population of C. spinosus showed a normal distribution, and the body lengths ranged from 95 to 205 mm. These results can provide references for coastal fishery management.

  13. Fin Fish Seasonality and Utilization of Hampton Roads and Entrance Channel.

    DTIC Science & Technology

    1984-10-01

    SUBJECT TERMS (Continue on revers if necessary and identify by block number) FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP fin fish, seasonality, distribution, seasonal use...Existing life history information for C. regalis has been reviewed by ’. *Chao and Musick (1977). I Weakfish apparently spawn in and near the mouth of...1981). Spawning of the Chesapeake croakers apparently occurs in the near shelf waters east and southeast of the Chesapeake Bay mouth (Pearson, 1941

  14. Effects of temperature on the development and survival of eggs of four coastal California fishes

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Gadomski, D.M.; Caddell, S.M.

    1996-01-01

    Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effects of temperature on egg development and survival of four fish species found off southern California. Our objectives were to further understanding ofnatural spawning patterns and to aid in identifying and ageing field-collected specimens. An egg-staging procedure was devised and eggs were observed every two hours during development at a range of temperatures (8-28°Cl. Barred sand bass, Parolabrax nebulifer, eggs survived to hatching and produced viable embryos at the highest temperature range (l6-28°C), reflecting this species'summerspawning season. Fantail sole, Xystreurys liolepis, eggs also hatched at a higher temperature range (l6-24°C). This species spawns primarily from summer through fall. Eggs of the two species with winter-spring spawning peaks, white croaker, Genyonemuslineatus, and California halibut, Paralichthys californicus, had lower temperature-tolerance ranges (12- 2O"C). Developmental rate at a specific temperature did not significantly differ between species, whereas within tolerance limits, temperature strongly affected rate of development for all species. Time to hatching for all species was inversely related to temperature, and the relationship was approximately exponential. Species-specific differences in egg-stage sequence were observed; embryonic organogenesisin relation to germ-ring migration and blastopore closure was faster for barred sand bass and fantail sole than for white croaker and California halibut.

  15. [Spontaneous spawning, ontogeny and growth in captivity of Cynoscion squamipinnis (Perciformes: Sciaenidae)].

    PubMed

    Boza-Abarca, Jorge; Ramírez-Alvarado, Marvin; Barquero-Chanto, Juan; Calvo-Vargas, Emilia; Berrocal-Artavia, Karen

    2016-09-01

    The croakers or drums are commercial species, which have been overfished in the Nicoya Gulf, Costa Rica. This study aimed to describe, for the first time, the reproduction and the ontogeny of weakfish, Cynoscion squamipinnis in captivity, in order to perform restocking and mariculture proyects. Wild fish (n= 6, 1-2 Kg) were captured and maintained in the Estación de Biología Marina Juan Bertoglia Richards (Puntarenas, Costa Rica) for a two years period (October 2006- December 2008). During this period, maturation stage was monitored periodically by cannula samples in the females (n= 3) and gentle massage in males (n= 3). All fish were stocked in an 18 t tank, with aeration, 33-35 ups of salinity, and a constant temperature (29 ± 1 °C). The spawning period occurred from January to March 2009, producing 162 000 eggs in three spontaneous spawns. The fertilization percentage was 50-60%, and survival after hatching was 60-85%. The egg diameter was 0.852 mm (Standard deviation (SD)= 0.039), and oil drop of 0.269 mm (SD= 0.016). In the embryonary development, the first mitotic division (MD) was observed one hour after spawning (has), the second MD was 1:30 has, the third MD was 2:00 has, the fourth MD was 2:30 has, and fifth MD at 3:00 has. Morule was observed 3:30 has, the blastule 4:30 has, the gastrule 8:30 has, C shape at 10:00 has, and C shape at 12:00 has. After 19 has hatching larvae occurred. The total length (TL) of the larvae was 2.234 mm (SD= 0.122), and the nothochordial length (NL) was 2.179 mm (SD= 0.119). Preflexion stage was observed 49 has, flexion stage was 11 days after spawn (das) (3.767 mm LT (SD= 0.209)), and postflexion stage was 14 das (4.015 mm LT (SD= 0.302)). After 45 das, the juvenile weights 3.68 g (SD= 1.09). Hatch time of the weakfish larvae was minor than of others croaker species. The stages times of embrionary development were a little different from others croaker species, and probably respond to genetic characteristics of each

  16. Immunogenic activity of the fish tapeworm Pterobothrium heteracanthum (Trypanorhyncha: Pterobothriidae) in BALB/c mice.

    PubMed

    Mattos, D P B G; Verícimo, M A; Lopes, L M S; São Clemente, S C

    2015-03-01

    The aim of this study was to verify the immunogenicity of Pterobothrium heteracanthum (Cestoda: Trypanorhyncha) crude protein extract (PH-CPE) in BALB/c mice. The parasites were obtained from Micropogonias furnieri (Osteichthyes: Sciaenidae). Groups of six mice were each immunized with 10, 50 or 100 μg of PH-CPE, on days 0 and 35. Both specific IgG and IgE responses were developed after immunization. The immunoblot assay revealed that specific IgG recognizes PH-CPE proteins with two molecular weight ranges, 60-75 and 30-40 kDa, and that IgE recognizes larger proteins over 120 kDa. This appears to be the first report on the immunogenicity of metacestodes within the Pterobothriidae and that PH-CPE is a potential inducer of a specific IgE response.

  17. Relationship between ecomorphology and trophic segregation in four closely related sympatric fish species (Teleostei, Sciaenidae).

    PubMed

    Blasina, Gabriela; Molina, Juan; Lopez Cazorla, Andrea; Díaz de Astarloa, Juan

    This study explores the relationship between ecomorphology and trophic segregation in four closely related sympatric fish species (Teleostei, Sciaenidae) that are known to differ in their trophic habits. Only adult specimens were analyzed: 103 Cynoscion guatucupa, 77 Pogonias cromis, 61 Micropogonias furnieri, and 48 Menticirrhus americanus. The four species presented divergent ecomorphological traits related to swimming agility, prey spotting and capture, and the potential size of prey they were able to swallow. Results suggest that these sciaenid species can partition the food resources, even though they completely overlap in space. Differences in their ecomorphological traits appear to correlate closely with the diet and consequently could explain the trophic differentiation observed. Arguably, these ecomorphological differences play a significant role in the coexistence of the adults of these sympatric fish species. Copyright © 2016 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

  18. Contaminant levels in fish tissue from San Francisco Bay

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Fairey, R.; Taberski, K.

    1995-12-31

    Edible fish species were collected from thirteen locations throughout San Francisco Bay, during the spring of 1994, for determination of contaminants levels in muscle tissue. Species collected included white croaker, surfperch, leopard and brown smoothhound sharks, striped bass, white sturgeon and halibut Sixty six composite tissue samples were analyzed for the presence of PAHs, PCBs, pesticides, trace elements and dioxin/furans. The US EPA approach to assessing chemical contaminant data for fish tissue consumption was used for identifying the primary chemicals of concern. Six chemicals or chemical groups were found to exceed screening levels established using the US EPA approach. PCBsmore » (as total Aroclors) exceeded the screening level of 3 ppb in all sixty six tissue samples, with the highest concentrations (638 ppb) found near San Francisco`s industrial areas. Mercury was elevated (> 0.14 ppm) in forty of the sixty-six samples with the highest levels (1.26 ppm) occurring in shark muscle tissues. Concentrations of the organochlorine pesticides dieldrin, total chlordanes and total DDTs exceeded screening levels in a number of samples. Dioxin/furans (as TEQs) were elevated (above 0.15 ppt) in 16 of the 19 samples analyzed. Fish with high lipid content (croaker and surfperch) in their muscle tissue generally exhibited higher contaminant levels while fish with low lipid levels (halibut and shark) exhibited lower organic contaminant levels. Tissue samples taken from North Bay stations most often exhibited high levels of chemical contamination. The California Office of Health Hazard Assessment is currently evaluating the results of this study and has issued an interim Health Advisory concerning the human consumption of fish tissue from San Francisco Bay.« less

  19. National benthic surveillance project: Pacific coast. Fish histopathology and relationships between toxicopathic lesions and exposure to chemical contaminants for cycles 1 to 5 (1984-88). Technical memo

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Myers, M.S.; Stehr, C.M.; Olson, O.P.

    1993-02-01

    The report presents and interprets the results of histopathology studies conducted on 17 species of bottomfish captured at 45 sites between 1984 and 1988 as part of the Pacific Coast portion of the National Benthic Surveillance Program (NBSP) in conjunction with NOAA's National Status and Trends Program (NS T). The location of sampling sites ranged from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to San Diego Bay in California, and incorporated sites. Twenty-three were located in or near urban embayments, and the 22 remaining sites were in nonurban embayments, five of which served as comparison or reference sites on the basis of minimalmore » levels of sediment contaminants detected (Kamishak Bay, AK; Nisqually Reach, WA; and Bodega Bay, Dana Point, and outer Mission Bay, CA). These comparison sites were selected so that the same fish species could be collected from minimally contaminated environments as opposed to those obtained at urban or more contaminated sites. Six primary target species were identified for statistical analyses that examined the relationships between occurrence of particular toxicopathic diseases or lesions in the liver and kidney and levels of potential or actual exposure to contaminants. These species were selected because they were broadly distributed geographically and were abundant among the sampling sites, they had previously documented significant prevalences of contaminant-associated diseases, or the geographic distribution of similar diseases among the sites suggested an association with contaminant exposure. These primary target species were flathead sole, English sole, starry flounder, hornyhead turbot, white croaker, and black croaker. All specimens were examined for the presence of necrotic, sclerotic and proliferative lesions in the kidney, as well as lesions.« less

  20. Distribution and human health risk assessment of PAHs in four fish species from a SW Atlantic estuary.

    PubMed

    Oliva, Ana L; La Colla, Noelia S; Arias, Andrés H; Blasina, Gabriela E; Lopez Cazorla, Andrea; Marcovecchio, Jorge E

    2017-08-01

    The aim of this study is to assess-for the first time-the concentration of the 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the muscle tissues of four fish species (Micropogonias furnieri, Cynoscion guatucupa, Ramnogaster arcuata, and Mustelus schmitti) from Bahía Blanca estuary, Argentina and to evaluate their sources, distribution, and the human health risks implicated. Considering the four species under study, mean total PAH concentrations showed the following decreasing accumulation trend: M. schmitti, R. arcuata, C. guatucupa, and M. furnieri. Low molecular weight PAHs, such as naphthalene and phenanthrene, were generally predominant, displaying properties of PAH mixtures generated from petrogenic pollution. Of the four fish species analyzed, M. furnieri was the only one that did not raise any human consumption warning. In the case of the other species, exceeding values were found above the safety human consumption guidelines. Nevertheless, the screening criteria for carcinogenic PAHs proposed by the USEPA indicated a good quality status for these fish species.

  1. Inducible MicroRNA-3570 Feedback Inhibits the RIG-I-Dependent Innate Immune Response to Rhabdovirus in Teleost Fish by Targeting MAVS/IPS-1.

    PubMed

    Xu, Tianjun; Chu, Qing; Cui, Junxia; Bi, Dekun

    2018-01-15

    Effectively recognizing invading viruses and subsequently inducing innate antiviral immunity are essential for host antiviral defense. Although these processes are closely regulated by the host to maintain immune balance, viruses have evolved the ability to downregulate or upregulate these processes for their survival. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a family of small noncoding RNAs that play vital roles in modulating host immune response. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that host miRNAs as mediators are involved in regulating viral replication and host antiviral immunity in mammals. However, the underlying regulatory mechanisms in fish species are still poorly understood. Here, we found that rhabdovirus infection significantly upregulated host miR-3570 expression in miiuy croaker macrophages. Induced miR-3570 negatively modulated RNA virus-triggered type I interferon (IFN) and antiviral gene production, thus facilitating viral replication. Furthermore, miR-3570 was found to target and posttranscriptionally downregulate mitochondrial antiviral signaling protein (MAVS), which functions as a platform for innate antiviral signal transduction. Moreover, we demonstrated that miR-3570 suppressed the expression of MAVS, thereby inhibiting MAVS-mediated NF-κB and IRF3 signaling. The collective results demonstrated a novel regulation mechanism of MAVS-mediated immunity during RNA viral infection by miRNA. IMPORTANCE RNA viral infection could upregulate host miR-3570 expression in miiuy croaker macrophages. Induced miR-3570 negatively modulates RNA virus-triggered type I IFN and antiviral gene production, thus facilitating viral replication. Remarkably, miR-3570 could target and inhibit MAVS expression, which thus modulates MAVS-mediated NF-κB and IRF3 signaling. The collective results of this study suggest a novel regulation mechanism of MAVS-mediated immunity during RNA viral infection by miR-3570. Thus, a novel mechanism for virus evasion in fish is proposed. Copyright

  2. Identification by GeLC-MS/MS of trypsin inhibitor in sarcoplasmic proteins of three tropical fish and characterization of their inhibitory properties.

    PubMed

    Siriangkanakun, Siriphon; Li-Chan, Eunice C Y; Yongsawadigul, Jirawat

    2014-07-01

    Sarcoplasmic proteins from 3 fish species were fractionated by 50% to 70% ammonium sulfate precipitation. Lyophilized fractionated sarcoplasmic proteins of threadfin bream (TB-SP), bigeye snapper (BS-SP), and yellow croaker (YC-SP) showed 80% to 92% trypsin inhibitory activity. Trypsin inhibitory activity staining gel electrophoresis revealed bands at 32, 33, 37, 45, 48, and 50 kDa for the 3 species, and a band at 95 kDa was observed for TB-SP and YC-SP. Alpha-1-antitrypsin with molecular mass of 45 to 50 kDa was identified in YC-SP by gel-based liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (GeLC-MS/MS). Other major protein bands appeared on trypsin activity staining included phosphorylase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, and creatine kinase with molecular mass of 95 and 35 to 40 kDa, respectively. But, these 3 proteins did not show true trypsin inhibitory activity. Trypsin inhibitory activity of fractionated sarcoplasmic proteins showed good stability, with >80% activity retained at 60 °C and up to 0.6 M NaCl. TB-SP showed the highest inhibitory activity against autolysis of washed threadfin bream mince at 65 °C. Addition of 0.5% or 1% TB-SP improved textural properties of threadfin bream surimi gels preincubated at 37 or 65 °C followed by heating at 90 °C. Therefore, TB-SP could be a promising protein ingredient for enhancing surimi gel texture. Threadfin bream, bigeye snapper, and yellow croaker are the main species used as raw material for tropical surimi production. Sarcoplasmic proteins from 3 species contain trypsin inhibitor(s) that can minimize proteolytic activity and improve gel texture of proteinase-laden fish muscle. Therefore, sarcoplasmic proteins that are byproducts from surimi processing of these species could be recovered, fractionated, and utilized as a functional protein ingredient. © 2014 Institute of Food Technologists®

  3. Salton Sea sampling program: baseline studies

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Tullis, R.E.; Carter, J.L.; Langlois, G.W.

    1981-04-13

    Baseline data are provided on three species of fish from the Salton Sea, California. The fishes considered were the orange mouth corvina (Cynoscion xanthulus), gulf croaker (Bairdiella icistius) and sargo (Anisotremus davidsonii). Morphometric and meristic data are presented as a baseline to aid in the evaluation of any physiological stress the fish may experience as a result of geothermal development. Analyses were made on muscle, liver, and bone of the fishes sampled to provide baseline data on elemental tissue burdens. The elements measured were: As, Br, Ca, Cu, Fe, Ga, K, Mn, Mi, Pb, Rb, Se, Sr, Zn, and Zr.more » These data are important if an environmentally sound progression of geothermal power production is to occur at the Salton Sea.« less

  4. Diversity of fish sound types in the Pearl River Estuary, China

    PubMed Central

    Wang, Zhi-Tao; Nowacek, Douglas P.; Akamatsu, Tomonari; Liu, Jian-Chang; Duan, Guo-Qin; Cao, Han-Jiang

    2017-01-01

    Background Repetitive species-specific sound enables the identification of the presence and behavior of soniferous species by acoustic means. Passive acoustic monitoring has been widely applied to monitor the spatial and temporal occurrence and behavior of calling species. Methods Underwater biological sounds in the Pearl River Estuary, China, were collected using passive acoustic monitoring, with special attention paid to fish sounds. A total of 1,408 suspected fish calls comprising 18,942 pulses were qualitatively analyzed using a customized acoustic analysis routine. Results We identified a diversity of 66 types of fish sounds. In addition to single pulse, the sounds tended to have a pulse train structure. The pulses were characterized by an approximate 8 ms duration, with a peak frequency from 500 to 2,600 Hz and a majority of the energy below 4,000 Hz. The median inter-pulsepeak interval (IPPI) of most call types was 9 or 10 ms. Most call types with median IPPIs of 9 ms and 10 ms were observed at times that were exclusive from each other, suggesting that they might be produced by different species. According to the literature, the two section signal types of 1 + 1 and 1 + N10 might belong to big-snout croaker (Johnius macrorhynus), and 1 + N19 might be produced by Belanger’s croaker (J. belangerii). Discussion Categorization of the baseline ambient biological sound is an important first step in mapping the spatial and temporal patterns of soniferous fishes. The next step is the identification of the species producing each sound. The distribution pattern of soniferous fishes will be helpful for the protection and management of local fishery resources and in marine environmental impact assessment. Since the local vulnerable Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) mainly preys on soniferous fishes, the fine-scale distribution pattern of soniferous fishes can aid in the conservation of this species. Additionally, prey and predator relationships can be

  5. Diversity of fish sound types in the Pearl River Estuary, China.

    PubMed

    Wang, Zhi-Tao; Nowacek, Douglas P; Akamatsu, Tomonari; Wang, Ke-Xiong; Liu, Jian-Chang; Duan, Guo-Qin; Cao, Han-Jiang; Wang, Ding

    2017-01-01

    Repetitive species-specific sound enables the identification of the presence and behavior of soniferous species by acoustic means. Passive acoustic monitoring has been widely applied to monitor the spatial and temporal occurrence and behavior of calling species. Underwater biological sounds in the Pearl River Estuary, China, were collected using passive acoustic monitoring, with special attention paid to fish sounds. A total of 1,408 suspected fish calls comprising 18,942 pulses were qualitatively analyzed using a customized acoustic analysis routine. We identified a diversity of 66 types of fish sounds. In addition to single pulse, the sounds tended to have a pulse train structure. The pulses were characterized by an approximate 8 ms duration, with a peak frequency from 500 to 2,600 Hz and a majority of the energy below 4,000 Hz. The median inter-pulsepeak interval (IPPI) of most call types was 9 or 10 ms. Most call types with median IPPIs of 9 ms and 10 ms were observed at times that were exclusive from each other, suggesting that they might be produced by different species. According to the literature, the two section signal types of 1 + 1 and 1 + N 10 might belong to big-snout croaker ( Johnius macrorhynus ), and 1 + N 19 might be produced by Belanger's croaker ( J. belangerii ). Categorization of the baseline ambient biological sound is an important first step in mapping the spatial and temporal patterns of soniferous fishes. The next step is the identification of the species producing each sound. The distribution pattern of soniferous fishes will be helpful for the protection and management of local fishery resources and in marine environmental impact assessment. Since the local vulnerable Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin ( Sousa chinensis ) mainly preys on soniferous fishes, the fine-scale distribution pattern of soniferous fishes can aid in the conservation of this species. Additionally, prey and predator relationships can be observed when a database of

  6. Purification of a novel myofibril-bound serine proteinase inhibitor (MBSPI) from the skeletal muscle of lizard fish.

    PubMed

    Cao, M J; Osatomi, K; Hara, K; Ishihara, T

    2001-01-01

    A novel myofibril-bound serine proteinase inhibitor (MBSPI) was purified to homogeneity from the skeletal muscle of lizard fish (Saurida wanieso). Purification was carried out by ammonium sulfate fractionation, followed by column chromatographies on DEAE-Sephacel, SP-Sepharose and Sephadex G-150. MBSPI was purified 7.7-fold starting from the DEAE-Sephacel fraction, with a yield of 0.2%. It is a monomeric protein with the molecular mass of 50 kDa as estimated by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. MBSPI reveals high inhibition specificity toward a myofibril-bound serine proteinase (MBSP) purified from lizard fish muscle. No inhibition is detected toward bovine trypsin, bovine chymotrypsin, two trypsins from carp hepatopancreas and a serine proteinase isolated from the sarcoplasmic fraction of white croaker muscle. It does not exert any inhibitory activity toward a myofibril-bound serine proteinase from carp muscle.

  7. Proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid composition of fish maws.

    PubMed

    Wen, Jing; Zeng, Ling; Xu, Youhou; Sun, Yulin; Chen, Ziming; Fan, Sigang

    2016-01-01

    Fish maws are commonly recommended and consumed in Asia over many centuries because it is believed to have some traditional medical properties. This study highlights and provides new information on the proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid composition of fish maws of Cynoscion acoupa, Congresox talabonoides and Sciades proops. The results indicated that fish maws were excellent protein sources and low in fat content. The proteins in fish maws were rich in functional amino acids (FAAs) and the ratio of FAAs and total amino acids in fish maws ranged from 0.68 to 0.69. Among species, croaker C. acoupa contained the most polyunsaturated fatty acids, arachidonic acid, docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapntemacnioc acid, showing the lowest value of index of atherogenicity and index of thrombogenicity, showing the highest value of hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, which is the most desirable.

  8. Characterization of Toll-like receptor 3 gene in large yellow croaker, Pseudosciaena crocea.

    PubMed

    Huang, Xue-Na; Wang, Zhi-Yong; Yao, Cui-Luan

    2011-07-01

    Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) plays an important role in innate immune responses. In this report, the full-length cDNA sequence and genomic structure of Pseudosciaena crocea TLR3 (PcTLR3) were identified and characterized. The full-length cDNA of PcTLR3 was of 3384 bp, including a 5'-terminal untranslated region (UTR) of 65 bp, a 3'-terminal UTR of 589 bp and an open reading frame (ORF) of 2730 bp encoding a polypeptide of 909 amino acid residues. The full-length genome sequence of PcTLR3 was composed of 5721 nucleotides, including five exons and four introns. The putative PcTLR3 protein contained a signal peptide sequence, 16 leucine-rich repeat (LRR) motifs, a transmembrane region and a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR analysis revealed a broad expression of PcTLR3 in most tissues, with the predominant expression in liver, then intestine, and the weakest expression in blood cells. The expression of PcTLR3 after injection with poly inosinic:cytidylic (I:C) and Vibrio parahemolyticus was tested in spleen, blood cells and liver. The results indicated that PcTLR3 transcripts could be induced in the three tissues by injection with poly I:C. The highest expression was in the blood cells with 43.5 times (at 6h) greater expression than in the control (p<0.05). In addition, after V. parahemolyticus challenge, a moderate up-regulation and down-regulation of PcTLR3 was found in blood cells and liver, respectively. Our results suggested that PcTLR3 might play an important role in fish's defense against both viral and bacterial infection. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Day and night trophic variations of dominant fish species in a lagoon influenced by freshwater seeps.

    PubMed

    Arceo-Carranza, D; Vega-Cendejas, M E; Hernández de Santillana, M

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to determine the trophic structure and nycthemeral variations in the diet of dominant fish species (Ariopsis felis, Bairdiella chrysoura, Micropogonias undulatus, Eucinostomus gula, Eucinostomus argenteus, Lagodon rhomboides and Sphoeroides testudineus) in Celestun Lagoon, a biosphere reserve located in the southern Gulf of Mexico, and influenced by freshwater seeps. A total of 1473 stomachs were analysed and nine trophic groups were recorded. Bray-Curtis analyses with analyses of similarity (ANOSIM) statistical tests were used to determine two groups of feeding guilds: zoobenthivores and omnivores, with significant differences between time and habitat. The relationships between fish feeding habits, size class and environmental variables were investigated using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). Most of the species showed a low niche breadth with high specialization towards amphipod consumption, with the exception of L. rhomboides (0·60), which indicated generalist feeding. This study in a protected area is an important source of information for drawing up conservation policies in relation to the management of aquatic resources, and will aid in the establishment of priority areas for conservation. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2012 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.

  10. Analysis of the Body Distribution of Absorbed Dose in the Organs of Three Species of Fish from Sepetiba Bay

    DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

    Pereira, Wagner de S; Universidade Federal Fluminense, Programa de Pos-graduacao em Biologia Marinha; Kelecom, Alphonse

    2008-08-07

    The body distribution of Polonium-210 in three fishes from the Sepetiba Bay (Macrodon ancylodon, Micropogonias furnieri and Mugil curema) has been studied under the approach of the Department of Energy of the United States of America (DOE) that set the limit of absorbed dose rate in biota equal to 3.5x10{sup 3} {mu}Gy/y, and that also established the relation between dose rate (D) and radionuclide concentration (c) on a fish muscle fresh weight basis, as follows: D = 5.05 ExNxC, assuming that the radionuclide distribution is homogenous among organs. Two hypotheses were tested here, using statistical tools: 1) is the bodymore » distribution of absorbed dose homogenous among organs? and 2) is the body distribution of absorbed dose identical among studied fishes? It was concluded, as expected, that the distribution among organs is heterogeneous; but, unexpectedly, that the three fishes display identical body distribution pattern, although they belong to different trophic levels. Hence, concerning absorbed dose calculation, the statement that data distribution is homogenous must be understood merely as an approximation, at least in the case of Polonium-210.« less

  11. Ichthyoplankton spatial pattern in the inner shelf off Bahía Blanca Estuary, SW Atlantic Ocean

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Hoffmeyer, Mónica Susana; Clara, Menéndez María; Florencia, Biancalana; Mabel, Nizovoy Alicia; Ramón, Torres Eduardo

    2009-09-01

    This study focuses on the composition, abundance and distribution of ichthyoplankton in the inner shelf area off Bahía Blanca Estuary on the SW Atlantic Ocean during late spring. Eggs and larvae of Brevoortia aurea, Engraulis anchoita, Parona signata, Sciaenidae spp. - such as Cynoscion guatucupa and Micropogonias furnieri -, and Odontesthes argentinensis were found. Species richness was low probably as a result of season and shallow depths. Ichthyoplankton abundance reached values close to 10 000 per 10 m -3 (eggs) and 4000 per 10 m -3 (larvae) and displayed a spatial distribution pattern with maximum abundance values restricted to a band parallel to the coast. Differences between egg and larval patterns, probably derived from a different displacement and hydrodynamic behavior, were observed. Egg and larvae distribution patterns were found related with spawning areas and to directly depend on salinity and mesozooplankton. The larvae distribution pattern, in particular, was found to inversely depend on particulate organic carbon. In addition, the geographic location of egg and larvae maxima strongly coincided with a saline front reported for this area in springtime, thus suggesting a direct relationship with it.

  12. Ground-water flow in the shallow aquifer system at the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Smith, Barry S.

    2001-01-01

    The Environmental Directorate of the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Virginia, is concerned about possible contamination of ground water at the Station. Ground water at the Station flows through a shallow system of layered aquifers and leaky confining units. The units of the shallow aquifer system are the Columbia aquifer, the Cornwallis Cave confining unit, the Cornwallis Cave aquifer, the Yorktown confining unit, and the Yorktown-Eastover aquifer. The Eastover-Calvert confining unit separates the shallow aquifer system from deeper confined aquifers beneath the Station. A three-dimensional, finite-difference, ground-water flow model was used to simulate steady-state ground-water flow of the shallow aquifer system in and around the Station. The model simulated ground-water flow from the peninsular drainage divide that runs across the Lackey Plain near the southern end of the Station north to King Creek and the York River and south to Skiffes Creek and the James River. The model was calibrated by minimizing the root mean square error between 4 7 measured and corresponding simulated water levels. The calibrated model was used to determine the ground-water budget and general directions of ground-water flow. A particle-tracking routine was used with the calibrated model to estimate groundwater flow paths, flow rates, and traveltimes from selected sites at the Station. Simulated ground-water flow velocities of the Station-area model were small beneath the interstream areas of the Lackey Plain and Croaker Flat, but increased outward toward the streams and rivers where the hydraulic gradients are larger. If contaminants from the land surface entered the water table at or near the interstream areas of the Station, where hydraulic gradients are smaller, they would migrate more slowly than if they entered closer to the streams or the shores of the rivers where gradients commonly are larger. The ground-water flow simulations indicate that some ground water leaks downward from

  13. Effects of ecological interactions and environmental conditions on community dynamics in an estuarine ecosystem

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Liu, H.; Minello, T.; Sutton, G.

    2016-02-01

    Coastal marine ecosystems are both productive and vulnerable to human and natural stressors. Examining the relative importance of fishing, environmental variability, and habitat alteration on ecosystem dynamics is challenging. Intensive harvest and habitat loss have resulted in widespread concerns related to declines in fisheries production, but causal mechanisms are rarely clear. In this study, we modeled trophic dynamics in Galveston Bay, Texas, using fishery-independent catch data for blue crab, shrimp, red drum, Atlantic croaker and spotted seatrout along with habitat information collected by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department during 1984 - 2014. We developed a multispecies state-space model to examine ecological interactions and partition the relative effects of trophic interactions and environmental conditions on the community dynamics. Preliminary results showed the importance of salinity, density-dependence, and trophic interactions. We are continuing to explore these results from a perspective of fish community compensatory responses to exploitation, reflecting both direct and indirect effects of harvesting under the influence of climate variability.

  14. Derelict fishing gear in Chesapeake Bay, Virginia: spatial patterns and implications for marine fauna.

    PubMed

    Bilkovic, Donna Marie; Havens, Kirk; Stanhope, David; Angstadt, Kory

    2014-03-15

    Derelict fishing gear is a source of mortality for target and non-target marine species. A program employing commercial watermen to remove marine debris provided a novel opportunity to collect extensive spatially-explicit information for four consecutive winters (2008-2012) on the type, distribution, and abundance of derelict fishing gear and bycatch in Virginia waters of Chesapeake Bay. The most abundant form of derelict gear recovered was blue crab pots with almost 32,000 recovered. Derelict pots were widely distributed, but with notable hotspot areas, capturing 40 species and over 31,000 marine organisms. The target species, blue crab, experienced the highest mortality from lost pots with an estimated 900,000 animals killed each year, a potential annual economic loss to the fishery of $300,000. Important fishery species were captured and killed in derelict pots including Atlantic croaker and black sea bass. While some causes of gear loss are unavoidable, others can be managed to minimize loss. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Marine protected area and the spatial distribution of the gill net fishery in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Amorim, R B; Monteiro-Neto, C

    2016-02-01

    This study characterizes the gill net fishery at Colônia de Pescadores Z13 (CPZ13), in Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro, and its relationship with the marine protected area 'Monumento Natural do Arquipélago das Ilhas Cagarras - MoNa Cagarras', describing the fleet and fishing gears, identifying fishing spots, species and their associations by gillnet type. From June 2012 to May 2013, every Tuesday to Sunday, gill net landings were monitored and fishers interviewed regarding their catch. Small boats (dory whaleboats) are used to set three types of gillnets: "Corvineira" (target species - whitemouth croaker), "linguadeira" (target species - flounders) and "rede-alta" (target species - bluefish). Fifty-nine species within 37 families were captured at 14 fishing spots, showing association with bottom type and distance from shore. The use of fisher's local ecological knowledge defines gear placement at specific sites targeting fisheries resources. All fishing sites are not within the limits of MoNa Cagarras but would benefit from management plans including an MPA buffering zone.

  16. Two gonad-infecting species of Philometra (Nematoda: Philometridae) from marine fishes off the northern coast of Australia

    PubMed Central

    Moravec, František; Barton, Diane P.

    2015-01-01

    Two different gonad-infecting species of Philometra Costa, 1845 were collected from the ovary of marine perciform fishes, the blackspotted croaker Protonibea diacanthus (Sciaenidae) and the John’s snapper Lutjanus johnii (Lutjanidae), from off the northern coast of Australia. Nematodes (males and females) from P. diacanthus represent a new taxon, Philometra protonibeae n. sp., which is mainly characterized by the body length of the males (3.37–3. 90 mm), broad, equally long spicules (length 126–141 μm) and the shape and structure of the gubernaculum with a dorsally lamellate distal tip. The nematodes (only females) from L. johnii may represent an undescribed species, but, because of the absence of conspecific males, they could not be specifically identified. Philometra protonibeae is the fifth nominal gonad-infecting species of this genus recorded from marine fishes in Australian waters and the seventh species of these parasites described from fishes of the family Sciaenidae. PMID:25654578

  17. The relationships between mercury and selenium in plankton and fish from a tropical food web.

    PubMed

    do A Kehrig, Helena; Seixas, Tércia G; Palermo, Elisabete A; Baêta, Aida P; Castelo-Branco, Christina W; Malm, Olaf; Moreira, Isabel

    2009-01-01

    Selenium (Se) has been shown to reduce mercury (Hg) bioavailability and trophic transfer in aquatic ecosystems. The study of methylmercury (MeHg) and Se bioaccumulation by plankton is therefore of great significance in order to obtain a better understanding of the estuarine processes concerning Hg and Se accumulation and biomagnification throughout the food web. In the western South Atlantic, few studies have documented trace element and MeHg in fish tissues. No previous study about trace elements and MeHg in plankton has been conducted concerning tropical marine food webs. Se, Hg, and MeHg were determined in two size classes of plankton, microplankton (70-290 microm) and mesoplankton (>or=290 microm), and also in muscle tissues and livers of four fish species of different trophic levels (Mugil liza, a planktivorous fish; Bagre spp., an omnivorous fish; Micropogonias furnieri, a benthic carnivorous fish; and Centropomus undecimalis, a pelagic carnivorous fish) from a polluted estuary in the Brazilian Southeast coast, Guanabara Bay. Biological and ecological factors such as body length, feeding habits, and trophic transfer were considered in order to outline the relationships between these two elements. The differences in trace element levels among the different trophic levels were investigated. Fish were collected from July 2004 to August 2005 at Guanabara Bay. Plankton was collected from six locations within the bay in August 2005. Total mercury (THg) was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry (CV-AAS) with sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. MeHg analysis was conducted by digesting samples with an alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution followed by dithizone-toluene extraction. MeHg was then identified and quantified in the toluene layer by gas chromatography with an electron capture detector (GC-ECD). Se was determined by AAS using graphite tube with Pin platform and Zeeman background correction. Total mercury, MeHg, and Se increased with

  18. Molecular identification of Anisakis and Hysterothylacium larvae in marine fishes from the East China Sea and the Pacific coast of central Japan.

    PubMed

    Kong, Qingming; Fan, Lanfen; Zhang, Junhe; Akao, Nobuaki; Dong, Kewei; Lou, Di; Ding, Jianzu; Tong, Qunbo; Zheng, Bin; Chen, Rui; Ohta, Nobuo; Lu, Shaohong

    2015-04-16

    Anisakiasis is a human disease caused by the accidental ingestion of larvae belonging to the family Anisakidae. Three fish species, the small yellow croaker Pseudosciaena polyactis, the mackerel Pneumatophorus japonicus and the hairtail Trichiurus haumela are important source for food products in the East China Sea. The prevalence and the identification of Anisakidae larvae in these fishes will benefit the prevention and control of anisakiasis. In this study, fish samples were obtained from fish markers in the East China Sea and the Pacific coast of central Japan during April 2011 and July 2013. For species identification, the PCR-based restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis of the entire ITS region (ITS1, 5.8 S and ITS2) of nuclear ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was performed. In total, 2004 larvae were collected from 80 hairtail fish, 20 small yellow croaker, and 27 mackerel from the East China Sea and the Pacific coast of central Japan. High prevalence of Anisakidae larvae infection (116/122, 95.1%) was detected in the East China Sea. Seven species were identified belonging to the genera Anisakis (Nematoda: Anisakidae) and Hysterothylacium (Nematoda: Anisakidae). Anisakis pegreffii was the predominant species accounting for 84.8% of all larvae examined in East China Sea, while all Anisakidae larvae isolated from Japan were identified as Anisakis simplex sensu stricto (s.s.). In the East China Sea, A. simplex s.s. and Anisakis typica were 0.6% (4/619) and 1.5% (9/619) of the identified nematodes, respectively. Interestingly, one larva was identified as a recombinant genotype of A. simplex s.s. and A. pegreffii. In addition, four species of the genus Hysterothylacium, namely, Hysterothylacium amoyense (31/619, 5.0%), Hysterothylacium aduncum (10/619, 1.6%), Hysterothylacium fabri (21/619, 3.4%) and Hysterothylacium spp. (18/619, 2.9%) were also identified in the present study. This is a comprehensive epidemiological dataset for the family Anisakidae in

  19. Wildlife hazards from Furadan 3G applications to rice in Texas

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Flickinger, Edward L.; King, K.A.; Stout, W.F.; Mohn, M.M.

    1980-01-01

    Mortality of birds, fish, frogs, crayfish, earthworms, and nontarget insects occurred in rice fields after treatments of Furadan 3G granules in 3 Texas counties in 1970 and 1973-75. Three western sandpipers (Ereunetes mauri), 1 pectoral sandpiper (Erolia melanotos), and 2 red-winged blackbirds (Agelaius phoeniceus) were found dead or moribund between 17 and 24 hours after treatment. Cricket frogs (Acris crepitans blanchardi) were intoxicated 15 minutes post-treatment, and mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis) showed effects 1 hour post-treatment. Mortality of mosquito fish, Gulf menhaden (Brevoortia patronus), Atlantic croaker (Micropogon undulatus), and European carp (Cyprinus carpio) usually occurred between 24 and 28 hours after treatment. Mortality of frogs, crayfish, and nontarget insects generally occurred in rice field water between 1 and 45 hours after treatment. Mortality of earthworms in soil persisted for 52 hours. As a replacement for aldrin in Texas rice fields, Furadan 3G appeared to cause Iess mortality of birds than aldrin, but Furadan 3G was toxic to birds, fish, and invertebrates.

  20. A novel biphasic calcium phosphate derived from fish otoliths

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Montañez-Supelano, N. D.; Sandoval-Amador, A.; Estupiñan-Durán, H. A.; Y Peña-Ballesteros, D.

    2017-12-01

    Calcium phosphates are bioceramics that have been widely used as bone substitutes because they encourage the formation of bone on their surface and can improve the healing of the bone. Hydroxyapatite HA (calcium/phosphorus ratio of 1.67) and tricalcium phosphate TCP (calcium/phosphorus ratio of 1.50) are the most common calcium phosphates. Natural materials have begun to be tested to make HA or TCP such as shells of cardiidae (family of mollusks) and eggshells. The calcium phosphate obtained has a high ability to precipitate apatite. In this work, the mixed phase ceramic of beta-Tri-calcium phosphate / hydroxyapatite (β-TCP/HA) was synthesized by aqueous precipitation from fish otoliths, which are monomineralic species composed of aragonite. Otoliths of the specie Plagioscion squamosissimus, commonly called the river croaker, were used. Techniques such as DRX, Raman spectroscopy and SEM-EDS were used to characterize the raw material and the obtained material. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed the presence of two crystalline phases of calcium phosphates with 86.2% crystallinity. SEM micrographs showed agglomeration of particles with porous structure and submicron particle sizes.

  1. The ambient acoustic environment in Laguna San Ignacio, Baja California Sur, Mexico.

    PubMed

    Seger, Kerri D; Thode, Aaron M; Swartz, Steven L; Urbán, Jorge R

    2015-11-01

    Each winter gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) breed and calve in Laguna San Ignacio, Mexico, where a robust, yet regulated, whale-watching industry exists. Baseline acoustic environments in LSI's three zones were monitored between 2008 and 2013, in anticipation of a new road being paved that will potentially increase tourist activity to this relatively isolated location. These zones differ in levels of both gray whale usage and tourist activity. Ambient sound level distributions were computed in terms of percentiles of power spectral densities. While these distributions are consistent across years within each zone, inter-zone differences are substantial. The acoustic environment in the upper zone is dominated by snapping shrimp that display a crepuscular cycle. Snapping shrimp also affect the middle zone, but tourist boat transits contribute to noise distributions during daylight hours. The lower zone has three source contributors to its acoustic environment: snapping shrimp, boats, and croaker fish. As suggested from earlier studies, a 300 Hz noise minimum exists in both the middle and lower zones of the lagoon, but not in the upper zone.

  2. Simultaneous determination of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in common seafood using ultrasonic cell crusher extraction combined with gas chromatography.

    PubMed

    Zhao, Juanjuan; Ren, Yan; Yu, Chen; Chen, Xiangming; Shi, Yanan

    2017-02-01

    An effective method for the simultaneous determination of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in common seafood by gas chromatography was developed and validated. Total docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid were extracted from seafood by ultrasonic cell crusher assisted extraction and methyl esterified for gas chromatography analysis in the presence of the internal standard. The linearity was good (r > 0.999) in 9.59 ∼ 479.5 μg/mL for docosahexaenoic acid and 9.56 ∼ 477.8 μg/mL for eicosapentaenoic acid. The intrarun and interrun precisions were both within 4.8 and 6.1% for the two analytes, while the accuracy was less than 5.8%. The developed method was applied for determination of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid in six kinds of seafood. The result showed the content of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid was all higher than 1 mg/g in yellow croaker, hairtail, venerupis philippinarum, mussel, and oyster. Our work may be helpful for dietary optimization and production of docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

  3. 75 FR 1753 - Fisheries of the Atlantic; Southeast Data, Assessment, and Review (SEDAR); Atlantic croaker and...

    Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

    2010-01-13

    ... Management Councils, in conjunction with NOAA Fisheries and the Atlantic and Gulf States Marine Fisheries... researchers; constituency representatives including fishermen, environmentalists, and NGO's; international... Conservation and Management Act, provided the public has been notified of the Council's intent to take final...

  4. Effects of multi-environmental factors on physiological and biochemical responses of large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea.

    PubMed

    Wang, Qian-Feng; Shen, Wei-Liang; Liu, Cheng; Mu, Dan-Li; Wu, Xiong-Fei; Guo, Nian-Gang; Zhu, Jun-Quan

    2017-10-01

    Land-based recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) and cage culture are important methods of Larimichthys crocea production. The effects of environmental factors on physiological and biochemical aspects of L. crocea require clarification. Temperature and salinity are controlled in RAS and directly affect L. crocea growth and survival. To explore optimal parameters, the oxygen consumption rate (R O ), ammonium excretion rate (R N ), and O/N ratio at different temperatures (8, 14, 20, 26, and 32 °C) and salinities (5, 15, 25, and 35‰) were determined. R O , R N , and O/N first increased and then decreased with elevated temperature and salinity, peaking at 26 °C and 25‰, respectively. This suggests that the metabolism of L. crocea was maximal at 26 °C and 25‰ salinity, which promote its growth and survival. Additionally, hypoxia affects cage culture, and has significant effects on enzymatic activities and stress-inducible gene expression. To accelerate the selective breeding of hypoxia-tolerant L. crocea in cage culture, we measured adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activities, and hypoxia-inducing factor 1 (HIF-1) mRNA expression in the myocardium under hypoxia (2.5, 3.5, and 4.5 mg L -1 ). ATPase and SDH activities first decreased and then increased under hypoxia, whereas LDH activity and HIF-1α expression first increased and then decreased. Thus, under hypoxia, the myocardial mitochondria switched from being susceptible to being resistant to injury induced by energy metabolism, and respiration in L. crocea likely converted from aerobic to anaerobic during adaptation. Furthermore, the upregulation of HIF-1α mRNA suggests it has an active role in protection against anoxic damage. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Mercury in commercial fish: optimizing individual choices to reduce risk.

    PubMed

    Burger, Joanna; Stern, Alan H; Gochfeld, Michael

    2005-03-01

    Most attention to the risks from fish consumption has focused on recreational anglers and on fish caught by individuals, but the majority of fish that people eat are purchased from commercial sources. We examined mercury levels in three types of fish (tuna, flounder, bluefish) commonly available in New Jersey stores, sampling different regions of the state, in communities with high and low per capita incomes, and in both supermarkets and specialty fish markets. We were interested in species-specific levels of mercury in New Jersey fish and whether these levels were similar to data generated nationally by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA; mainly from 1990 to 1992) on the same types of fish. Such information is critical for providing public health advice. We were also interested in whether mercury levels in three common species of fish differed by region of the state, economic neighborhood, or type of store. We found significant species differences, with tuna having the highest levels and flounder the lowest levels. There were no significant differences in mercury levels as a function of type of store or economic neighborhood. There was only one regional difference: flounder from fish markets along the Jersey shore had higher mercury levels than flounder bought in other markets. We also examined mercury levels in six other commonly available fish and two shellfish from central New Jersey markets. There were significant differences in availability and in mercury levels among fish and shellfish. Both shrimp and scallops had total mercury levels < 0.02 ppm (wet weight). Large shrimp had significantly lower levels of mercury than small shrimp. For tuna, sea bass, croaker, whiting, scallops, and shrimp, the levels of mercury were higher in New Jersey samples than those reported by the FDA. Consumers selecting fish for ease of availability (present in > 50% of markets) would select flounder, snapper, bluefish, and tuna (tuna had the highest mercury value), and those

  6. Mercury in Commercial Fish: Optimizing Individual Choices to Reduce Risk

    PubMed Central

    Burger, Joanna; Stern, Alan H.; Gochfeld, Michael

    2005-01-01

    Most attention to the risks from fish consumption has focused on recreational anglers and on fish caught by individuals, but the majority of fish that people eat are purchased from commercial sources. We examined mercury levels in three types of fish (tuna, flounder, bluefish) commonly available in New Jersey stores, sampling different regions of the state, in communities with high and low per capita incomes, and in both supermarkets and specialty fish markets. We were interested in species-specific levels of mercury in New Jersey fish and whether these levels were similar to data generated nationally by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA; mainly from 1990 to 1992) on the same types of fish. Such information is critical for providing public health advice. We were also interested in whether mercury levels in three common species of fish differed by region of the state, economic neighborhood, or type of store. We found significant species differences, with tuna having the highest levels and flounder the lowest levels. There were no significant differences in mercury levels as a function of type of store or economic neighborhood. There was only one regional difference: flounder from fish markets along the Jersey shore had higher mercury levels than flounder bought in other markets. We also examined mercury levels in six other commonly available fish and two shellfish from central New Jersey markets. There were significant differences in availability and in mercury levels among fish and shellfish. Both shrimp and scallops had total mercury levels < 0.02 ppm (wet weight). Large shrimp had significantly lower levels of mercury than small shrimp. For tuna, sea bass, croaker, whiting, scallops, and shrimp, the levels of mercury were higher in New Jersey samples than those reported by the FDA. Consumers selecting fish for ease of availability (present in > 50% of markets) would select flounder, snapper, bluefish, and tuna (tuna had the highest mercury value), and those

  7. Hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in marine fishes along the Chinese coastline.

    PubMed

    Xia, Chonghuan; Lam, James C W; Wu, Xiaoguo; Sun, Liguang; Xie, Zhouqing; Lam, Paul K S

    2011-03-01

    This study reports concentrations of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in two species of marine fish, large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaenacrocea) and silver pomfret (Pampusargenteus) (n = 46), from nine Chinese coastal cities (Dalian, Tianjin, Qingdao, Shanghai, Zhoushan, Wenzhou, Fuzhou, Quanzhou and Xiamen). HBCDs were detectable in all samples analyzed, indicating ubiquitous contamination of these compounds in the Chinese coastal environment. The average total HBCD concentration was 3.7 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight (range: 0.57-10.1 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight), which is relatively lower than other regions of the world, especially Europe, where HBCDs are intensively used. Among the three individual HBCD isomers (α-, β- and γ-HBCD) in all fish samples, the α-isomer showed a remarkable predominance (from 87.5% to 100% of total contribution), indicating its higher bioaccumulative potential. Geographically, the highest HBCD level present in fish was found in Dalian in northern China, and the lowest occurred in Wenzhou. Estimated daily intakes of HBCDs via fish consumption for the Chinese population were 0.004-1.00 ng kg body weight⁻¹ d⁻¹. These exposure levels were much lower than the effect levels. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  8. Involvement of estradiol-17beta and its membrane receptor, G protein coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) in regulation of oocyte maturation in zebrafish, Danio rario.

    PubMed

    Pang, Yefei; Thomas, Peter

    2009-03-01

    The orphan G protein coupled receptor, GPR30, has the characteristics of a high affinity, specific estrogen membrane receptor on Atlantic croaker oocytes and mediates estrogen inhibition of oocyte maturation in this perciform fish. In order to determine the broad applicability of these findings to other teleosts, similar experiments were conducted in a cyprinid fish, zebrafish, in the present study. GPR30 mRNA expression was detected in zebrafish oocytes but not in the ovarian follicular cells. Both spontaneous and 17, 20beta-dihyroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (DHP)-induced maturation of follicle-enclosed zebrafish oocytes was significantly decreased when they were incubated with either estradiol-17beta, or the GPR30 agonists, ICI 182 780 and tamoxifen, or with the GPR30 specific agonist G-1. On the other hand spontaneous oocyte maturation increased two-fold when zebrafish ovarian follicles were incubated with an aromatase inhibitor, ATD. Moreover, the stimulatory effects of ATD on germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) were partially reversed by co-treatment with 100 nM of E2 or G-1. These results suggest that endogenous estrogens acting through GPR30 are involved in maintaining meiotic arrest of zebrafish oocytes.

  9. Amino acid and proximate composition of fish bone gelatin from different warm-water species: A comparative study

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Atma, Y.

    2017-03-01

    Research on fish bone gelatin has been increased in the last decade. The quality of gelatin depends on its physicochemical properties. Fish bone gelatin from warm-water fishes has a superior amino acid composition than cold-water fishes. The composition of amino acid can determine the strength and stability of gelatin. Thus, it is important to analyze the composition of amino acid as well as proximate composition for potential gelatin material. The warm water fish species used in this study were Grass carp, Pangasius catfish, Catfish, Lizard fish, Tiger-toothed croaker, Pink perch, Red snapper, Brown spotted grouper, and King weakfish. There werre five dominant amino acid in fish bone gelatin including glycine (21.2-36.7%), proline (8.7-11.7%), hydroxyproline (5.3-9.6%), alanine (8.48-12.9%), and glutamic acid (7.23-10.15%). Different warm-water species has some differences in amino acid composition. The proximate composition showed that fishbone gelatin from Pangasius catfish has the highest protein content. The water composition of all fishbone gelatin was well suited to the standard. Meanwhile, based on ash content, only gelatin from gelatin Pangasius catfish met the standard for food industries.

  10. Transcriptome analysis demonstrates that long noncoding RNA is involved in the hypoxic response in Larimichthys crocea.

    PubMed

    Liu, Wei; Liu, Xiaoxu; Wu, Changwen; Jiang, Lihua

    2018-06-15

    The large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) has low hypoxia tolerance compared with other fish species, and the mRNA levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in its brain do not change markedly under hypoxic conditions. In this study, we investigated noncoding transcription in the hypoxic response mechanism of L. crocea. We generated a catalog of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) from the brain of L. crocea individuals under hypoxic stress, investigated lncRNA expression patterns, and analyzed the HIF signaling pathway by RNA sequencing. Prolyl hydroxylase domain 2 (PHD2) expression significantly increased after 6 and 12 h of hypoxia, and a lncRNA (Linc_06633.1) was found in the upstream, antisense region of PHD2. Linc_06633.1 may be an important regulator that promotes PDH2 expression under hypoxia in L. crocea, and we constructed a regulatory profile of L. crocea under hypoxic conditions. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study that has been conducted on hypoxia signaling pathway regulation by lncRNAs in L. crocea and elucidates the role played by lncRNAs in the regulation of the hypoxia stress response in teleost fish.

  11. Effect of flood pulses on the trophic ecology of four piscivorous fishes from the eastern Amazon.

    PubMed

    Barbosa, T A P; Rosa, D C O; Soares, B E; Costa, C H A; Esposito, M C; Montag, L F A

    2018-06-08

    This study investigated the effect of hydrological periods on the feeding activity and trophic interactions of four piscivorous fishes from the middle Xingu River, Brazil: pike-characid Boulengerella cuvieri, dogtooth characin Hydrolycus armatus, dogtooth characin Hydrolycus tatauaia and South American silver croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus. Repletion Index (I R %), Alimentary Index (I Ai %) and food web properties were calculated for each species. A total of 825 specimens were collected. The I R showed changes in feeding intensity of B. cuvieri, H. armatus and H. tatauaia among hydrological periods. Flood pulse showed no influence on composition and importance of food items consumed. Trophic connections showed that connectivity ranged from 0.025 to 0.038. The highest number of trophic connections (75) occurred in the high-water period, when 51 food items were recorded and the lowest number of trophic connections (43) occurred in receding water, with 31 food items. In all food webs, over 45% of food items were consumed by only one species (ultra-peripheral items), which is common in piscivorous fishes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

  12. Nematode parasites of commercially important fish from the southeast coast of Brazil: Morphological and genetic insight.

    PubMed

    Di Azevedo, Maria Isabel N; Iñiguez, Alena M

    2018-02-21

    Studies of nematofauna of teleost fish from the Brazilian coast are relatively scarce and limited to identification based on morphology. The objective of the present study was to determine the diversity and prevalence of nematode parasites in teleost fish from the southeast Atlantic coast of Rio de Janeiro, through morphological, molecular, and ecological approaches. Parasites were collected from sixty specimens each of Genypterus brasiliensis, Micropogonias furnieri, and Mullus argentinae obtained in winters and summers of 2012–2014. Morphological and genetic characterization was conducted using light microscopy and the molecular targets 18S rDNA, ITS1, and mtDNA cox2. Nematodes identified in M. furnieri were Cucculanus genypteri (n = 1575, P = 98.3%) and Hysterothylacium deardorffoverstreetorum (s.l.) (n = 2, P = 3.3%); in G. brasiliensis were Dichelyne (Cucullanellus) sciaenidicola (n = 99, P = 33.3%), Cucculanus pulcherrimus (n = 45, P = 18.3%), Hysterothylacium deardorffoverstreetorum (s.l.) (n = 3, P = 5%), and Anisakis typica (n = 1, P = 1.7%); and, in M. argentinae, were H. deardorffoverstreetorum (s.l.) (n = 146, P = 48.3%), and Procamallanus (Spirocamallanus) halitrophus (n = 4, P = 6.7%). DNA sequence data of C. genypteri, C. pulcherrimus, D. (C.) sciaenidicola, and P. (S.) halitrophus were reported for the first time. New host records are M. argentinae for P. (S.) halitrophus, M. furnieri for A. typica, while H. deardorffoverstreetorum (s.l.) was found in all three fish species. Intestine showed significantly higher intensity than other sites, and no significant seasonal variation in parasitological indices was observed. Hysterothylacium specimens (n = 6) were found in fish muscle, potentially a public health concern.

  13. Estimation of Bottom Trawl Catch Efficiency for Two Demersal Fishes, Atlantic Croaker and White Perch in Chesapeake Bay

    EPA Science Inventory

    We present an efficiency analysis of a fisheries-independent demersal trawl survey in Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the United States, that is presently being used for multi-species fisheries assessment and management. The manuscript presents an in situ analysis of demer...

  14. Effect of virgin coconut oil on properties of surimi gel.

    PubMed

    Gani, Asir; Benjakul, Soottawat; Nuthong, Pornpot

    2018-02-01

    Effects of virgin coconut oil (VCO) at various levels (0-25%) on the properties of croaker surimi gels were studied. As the levels of VCO increased up to 15%, breaking force continuously decreased. No differences in breaking force, deformation and fracture constant were noticeable when VCO of 15-25% was incorporated. Based on texture profile analysis, hardness and chewiness decreased as the level of added VCO increased up to 10%, while no marked changes were observed with the addition of 10-25% VCO. Addition of VCO had no profound impact on springiness, cohesiveness and resilience. No remarkable change in protein pattern among all surimi gel samples was noticed, regardless of VCO levels. Lower elastic (G') as well as loss moduli (G″) of surimi paste were observed when VCO was added, compared to the control. Nevertheless, there was no marked difference in the moduli among samples containing VCO at all levels. Whiteness of surimi gel increased, whereas expressible moisture content decreased as VCO levels increased. Microstructure study revealed that VCO droplets were distributed uniformly in gel network. Overall likeness of surimi gel was also increased for gel added with VCO. Therefore, VCO addition directly affected textural properties and improved the whiteness as well as sensory property of surimi gel.

  15. Isolation of infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (serotype Ab) from diverse species of estuarine fish

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McAllister, P. E.; Newman, M. W.; Sauber, J. H.; Owens, W. J.

    1984-03-01

    Two significant fish kills occurred in the Pamlico River estuary (North Carolina, USA), one in December 1981 and January 1982, and the other in June 1982. The first involved only the southern flounder (Paralichthys lethostigma). Histopathologic examination of morbid and moribund flounder revealed extensive sloughing and necrosis of the mucosa of the pyloric caeca and intestine, and inflammation of the submucosa of the pyloric caeca. Brain and internal organ homogenates from morbid and moribund flounder were assayed on CHSE-214 cells, and a virus was isolated. Virus titers ranged from≤8.4 · 102 to 6.3 · 107 TCID50 per gram of tissue. Cross-plaque neutralization assays indicated that the southern flounder virus was infectious pancreatic necrosis virus serotype Ab. Immersion challenge showed the isolate is only slightly virulent for fry of brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis). The second fish kill involved the southern flounder and six other species: hogchoker (Trinectes maculatus), Atlantic silverside (Menidia menidia), spot (Leiostomus xanthurus), Atlantic croaker (Micropogon undulatus), silver perch (Bairdiella chrysura), and striped mullet (Mugil cephalus). Virus was isolated from southern founder, hogchoker, Atlantic silverside, and spot. Neutralization assays indicated that the four isolates were nearly identical; however, the diversity of species affected suggests that the virus might not have been the specific cause of mortality.

  16. Anisakid larva parasitizing Plagioscion squamosissimus in Marajó Bay and Tapajós River, state of Pará, Brazil.

    PubMed

    Fontenelle, Gabrielle; Knoff, Marcelo; Felizardo, Nilza Nunes; Torres, Eduardo José Lopes; Matos, Edilson Rodrigues; Gomes, Delir Corrêa; São Clemente, Sérgio Carmona de

    2016-01-01

    In November 2014 and May 2015, a total of 44 specimens of the South American silver croaker Plagioscion squamosissimus were collected: 30 in Marajó Bay and 14 in the Tapajós River, state of Pará, Brazil. The aim was to investigate the presence of anisakid nematodes and determine their parasitism indices and sites of infection, because of their importance regarding health inspection. Sixty-nine Anisakis sp. larvae were found; among them, 16 larvae in seven fish collected in Marajó Bay and 53 larvae in four fish in the Tapajós River. The parasitism indices of the nematodes collected from the fish in Marajó Bay comprised prevalence (P) of 23%, mean infection intensity (MI) of 2.28, mean abundance (MA) of 0.53, range of infection (RI) of 1-4, and infection site (IS) in the mesentery. The fish from the Tapajós River showed P = 28%, MI = 13.2, MA = 3.8, RI = 1-22, and IS = mesentery and intestine. To assist in taxonomic identification, images of the specimens obtained through optical microscopy with Nomarski's interferential contrast system and scanning electron microscopy were used. This is the first record of Anisakis sp. parasitizing P. squamosissimus.

  17. Evaluation of a Fast and Simple Sample Preparation Method for Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) Flame Retardants and Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) Pesticides in Fish for Analysis by ELISA Compared with GC-MS/MS.

    PubMed

    Sapozhnikova, Yelena; Simons, Tawana; Lehotay, Steven J

    2015-05-13

    A simple, fast, and cost-effective sample preparation method, previously developed and validated for the analysis of organic contaminants in fish using low-pressure gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LPGC-MS/MS), was evaluated for the analysis of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) pesticides using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The sample preparation technique was based on the quick, easy, cheap, rugged, effective, and safe (QuEChERS) approach with filter-vial dispersive solid phase extraction (d-SPE). Incurred PBDEs and DDTs were analyzed in three types of fish with 3-10% lipid content: Pacific croaker, salmon, and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Standard Reference Material 1947 (Lake Michigan fish tissue). LPGC-MS/MS and ELISA results were in agreement: 108-111 and 65-82% accuracy ELISA versus LPGC-MS/MS results for PBDEs and DDTs, respectively. Similar detection limits were achieved for ELISA and LPGC-MS/MS. Matrix effects (MEs) were significant (e.g., -60%) for PBDE measurement in ELISA, but not a factor in the case of DDT pesticides. This study demonstrated that the sample preparation method can be adopted for semiquantitative screening analysis of fish samples by commercial kits for PBDEs and DDTs.

  18. Dichelyne (Dichelyne) spinigerus sp. nov. (Nematoda: Cucullanidae) from the marine fish Otolithes ruber (Sciaenidae) off Iran and first description of the male of Philometra otolithi Moravec et Manoharan, 2013 (Nematoda: Philometridae).

    PubMed

    Moravec, František; Khosheghbal, Maryam; Pazooki, Jamileh

    2014-06-01

    Recent parasitological examinations of the marine perciform fish (tigerteeth croaker) Otolithes ruber (Bloch et Schneider) (Sciaenidae) from off Iran yielded one new and one previously known nematode species: Dichelyne (Dichelyne) spinigerus sp. nov. (Cucullanidae) from the host's intestine in the Persian Gulf and Philometra otolithi Moravec et Manoharan, 2013 (Philometridae) from the ovary in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of Oman. The new species D. spinigerus is mainly characterized by the tail tip of both sexes terminating in two shaply pointed spikes (one dorsal and one ventral) and bearing a pair of minute lateral cuticular spines at its base, situation of both deirids and the excretory pore well posterior to the level of the posterior end of oesophagus, absence of a precloacal sucker and the presence of one or two intestinal caeca. The male and small mature females of the gonad-infecting species P. otolithi are described for the first time, based on light and scanning electron microscopical studies. The male of P. otolithi is most similar to that of P. johnii Moravec et Ali, 2013, but differs from it by the structure of the cephalic end and the number of caudal papillae; both species also differ from each other by the presence of transverse lamellae in the buccal cavity of gravid and subgravid females of P. otolithi, which are missing in those of P. johnii.

  19. Artisanal fisheries of the Xingu River basin in Brazilian Amazon.

    PubMed

    Isaac, V J; Almeida, M C; Cruz, R E A; Nunes, L G

    2015-08-01

    The present study characterises the commercial fisheries of the basin of the Xingu River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, between the towns of Gurupá (at the mouth of the Amazon) and São Félix do Xingu. Between April, 2012, and March, 2014, a total of 23,939 fishing trips were recorded, yielding a total production of 1,484 tons of fish, harvested by almost three thousand fishers. The analysis of the catches emphasizes the small-scale and artisanal nature of the region's fisheries, with emphasis on the contribution of the motorised canoes powered by "long-tail" outboard motors. Larger motorboats operate only at the mouth of the Xingu and on the Amazon. Peacock bass (Cichla spp.), croakers (Plagioscion spp.), pacu (a group containing numerous serrasalmid species), aracu (various anostomids), and curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans) together contributed more than 60% of the total catch. Mean catch per unit effort was 18 kg/fisher-1.day-1, which varied among fishing methods (type of vessel and fishing equipment used), river sections, and time of the year. In most cases, yields varied little between years (2012 and 2013). The technical database provided by this study constitutes an important resource for the regulation of the region's fisheries, as well as for the evaluation of future changes resulting from the construction of the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu River.

  20. A trans-ecosystem fishery: Environmental effects on the small-scale gillnet fishery along the Río de la Plata boundary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Jaureguizar, Andrés Javier; Cortés, Federico; Milessi, Andrés Conrado; Cozzolino, Ezequiel; Allega, Lucrecia

    2015-12-01

    To improve the understanding of the environmental processes affecting small-scale gillnet fisheries along neighboring waters of estuaries, we analyzed the main climatic forcing and the environmental conditions, the fishery landing spatial and temporal variation, including the relative importance of site, distance to coast, temperature and salinity in the structuring of landed species profile. Data were collected monthly in two sites along the adjacent south coast of the Río de la Plata between October 2009 and September 2010. The gillnet fishery was dominated by four species (Cynoscion guatucupa, Micropogonias furnieri, Mustelus schmitti and Parona signata) from a total of 38 species landed, which accounted for 98.6% of total landings. The fishing effort and landings by the fishery were largely conditioned by the availability of fish species in the fishing grounds resulting from the combination of the species reproductive behavior and the predominant environmental conditions. The highest abundances for some species occurred before (M. furnieri, C. guatucupa, P. signata) or during the reproductive period (M. schmitti, Squatina guggenheim), while in other species it was associated with favorable environmental conditions during cold months (Squalus acanthias, Callorhinchus callorhynchus, Galeorhinus galeus) or warm months (Trichiurus lepturus). The predominant seasonal environmental conditions along the coast were mainly determined by the location of Río de la Plata boundary, whose spatial extent was forced by the wind patterns and freshwater discharge. The strong environmental dependence means that the small-scale fishery is in fact a seasonal trans-ecosystem fishery. This attribute, together that shared the resources with the industrial fishery and the overlap of the fishery ground with essential habitat of sharks, make this kind of small-scale gillnet fishery particularly relevant to be included in the development of a coastal ecosystem-based management approach.

  1. Resolution of fine biological structure including small narcomedusae across a front in the Southern California Bight

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    McClatchie, Sam; Cowen, Robert; Nieto, Karen; Greer, Adam; Luo, Jessica Y.; Guigand, Cedric; Demer, David; Griffith, David; Rudnick, Daniel

    2012-04-01

    We sampled a front detected by SST gradient, ocean color imagery, and a Spray glider south of San Nicolas Island in the Southern California Bight between 14 and 18 October 2010. We sampled the front with an unusually extensive array of instrumentation, including the Continuous Underway Fish Egg Sampler (CUFES), the undulating In Situ Ichthyoplankton Imaging System (ISIIS) (fitted with temperature, salinity, oxygen, and fluorescence sensors), multifrequency acoustics, a surface pelagic trawl, a bongo net, and a neuston net. We found higher fluorescence and greater cladoceran, decapod, and euphausiid densities in the front, indicating increased primary and secondary production. Mesopelagic fish were most abundant in oceanic waters to the west of the front, market squid were abundant in the front associated with higher krill and decapod densities, and jack mackerel were most common in the front and on the shoreward side of the front. Egg densities peaked to either side of the front, consistent with both offshore (for oceanic squid and mesopelagic fish) and shelf origins (for white croaker and California halibut). We discovered unusually high concentrations of predatory narcomedusae in the surface layer of the frontal zone. Potential ichthyoplankton predators were more abundant either in the front (decapods, euphausiids, and squid) or shoreward of the front (medusae, chaetognaths, and jack mackerel). For pelagic fish like sardine, which can thrive in less productive waters, the safest place to spawn would be offshore because there are fewer potential predators.

  2. [Diet composition and seasonal variation in feeding habits of Collichthy lucidus in Yangtze Estuary, China].

    PubMed

    Wang, Jian-feng; Zhao, Feng; Song, Chao; Yang, Gang; Hou, Jun-li; Zhuang, Ping

    2016-01-01

    Spiny head croaker (Collichthy lucidus) is an important bottom fish distributing from the East China Sea to the Yellow Sea. In order to investigate the seasonal variation in diet composition and feeding habits, a total of 270 specimens were collected in the Yangtze Estuary from November, 2013 to August, 2014, and analyzed by using the stomach contents analysis method. The importance of different prey items was evaluated by the frequency of occurrence, abundance and mass followed by using these data to calculate the index of relative importance (IRI) and the index of preponderance (Ip) for each taxonomic category. The results showed that the diet of C. lucidus consisted of 30 species belonging to 8 orders, in which shrimps, with 38.5 IRI% and 79.1 Ip values, was the most important prey species. The followings were Mysidacea and Amphipoda. The dominant species in the diet of C. lucidus were Palaemon gravieri, Exopalaemon annandalei, E. carinicauda, Acanthomysis longirostris, A. brevirostris, Synidotea laevidorsalis and Calanus sinicus. The dominant species in the diet varied in different seasons. P. gravieri, E. annandalei and A. brevirostris were dominant species in spring and summer, A. longirostris, A. brevirostris and E. carinicauda in autumn, and P. gravieri, C. sinicus and Pesudeuphausia sinica in winter. There was 10.4% of total samples with empty stomachs, and the highest percent appeared in winter, and the lowest in autumn. The mean stomach fullness index of the whole samples was 0.6%, with the highest found in spring, the lowest in winter, indicating the feeding activity of C. lucidus varied significantly among seasons.

  3. Development and optimization of a novel sample preparation method cored on functionalized nanofibers mat-solid-phase extraction for the simultaneous efficient extraction of illegal anionic and cationic dyes in foods.

    PubMed

    Qi, Feifei; Jian, Ningge; Qian, Liangliang; Cao, Weixin; Xu, Qian; Li, Jian

    2017-09-01

    A simple and efficient three-step sample preparation method was developed and optimized for the simultaneous analysis of illegal anionic and cationic dyes (acid orange 7, metanil yellow, auramine-O, and chrysoidine) in food samples. A novel solid-phase extraction (SPE) procedure based on nanofibers mat (NFsM) was proposed after solvent extraction and freeze-salting out purification. The preferred SPE sorbent was selected from five functionalized NFsMs by orthogonal experimental design, and the optimization of SPE parameters was achieved through response surface methodology (RSM) based on the Box-Behnken design (BBD). Under the optimal conditions, the target analytes could be completely adsorbed by polypyrrole-functionalized polyacrylonitrile NFsM (PPy/PAN NFsM), and the eluent was directly analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). The limits of detection (LODs) were between 0.002 and 0.01 mg kg -1 , and satisfactory linearity with correlation coefficients (R > 0.99) for each dye in all samples was achieved. Compared with the Chinese standard method and the published methods, the proposed method was simplified greatly with much lower requirement of sorbent (5.0 mg) and organic solvent (2.8 mL) and higher sample preparation speed (10 min/sample), while higher recovery (83.6-116.5%) and precision (RSDs < 7.1%) were obtained. With this developed method, we have successfully detected illegal ionic dyes in three common representative foods: yellow croaker, soybean products, and chili seasonings. Graphical abstract Schematic representation of the process of the three-step sample preparation.

  4. De novo characterization of Larimichthys crocea transcriptome for growth-/immune-related gene identification and massive microsatellite (SSR) marker development

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Zhaofang; Xiao, Shijun; Liu, Xiande; Liu, Yang; Li, Jiakai; Xie, Yangjie; Wang, Zhiyong

    2017-03-01

    The large yellow croaker, Larimichthys crocea is an important marine fish in China with a high economic value. In the last decade, the stock conservation and aquaculture industry of this species have been facing severe challenges because of wild population collapse and degeneration of important economic traits. However, genes contributing to growth and immunity in L. crocea have not been thoroughly analyzed, and available molecular markers are still not sufficient for genetic resource management and molecular selection. In this work, we sequenced the transcriptome in L. crocea liver tissue with a Roche 454 sequencing platform and assembled the transcriptome into 93 801 transcripts. Of them, 38 856 transcripts were successfully annotated in nt, nr, Swiss-Prot, InterPro, COG, GO and KEGG databases. Based on the annotation information, 3 165 unigenes related to growth and immunity were identified. Additionally, a total of 6 391 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified from the transcriptome, among which 4 498 SSRs had enough flanking regions to design primers for polymerase chain reactions (PCR). To access the polymorphism of these markers, 30 primer pairs were randomly selected for PCR amplification and validation in 30 individuals, and 12 primer pairs (40.0%) exhibited obvious length polymorphisms. This work applied RNA-Seq to assemble and analyze a live transcriptome in L. crocea. With gene annotation and sequence information, genes related to growth and immunity were identified and massive SSR markers were developed, providing valuable genetic resources for future gene functional analysis and selective breeding of L. crocea.

  5. The formation of zona radiata in Pseudosciaena crocea revealed by light and transmission electron microscopy.

    PubMed

    Ma, Xiao-Xin; Zhu, Jun-Quan; Zhou, Hong; Yang, Wan-Xi

    2012-02-01

    The egg envelope is an essential structure occurring during oogenesis. It plays an important role during the process of fertilization in the large yellow croaker Pseudosciaena crocea. Elucidation of egg envelope formation helps us to understand fertilization mechanisms in teleosts. In the present work, we studied the formation of egg envelope in P. crocea by light microscopy, as well as by transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Four layers exist outside the oocyte plasmalemma, i.e., theca cell layer, basal membrane, granulosa cell layer and zona radiata. According to our observation, zona radiata is a multilaminar structure just like the same structure reported in teleosts, but the origin of this structure is a little different. Before it is formed, a peripheral space filled with different density of vesicles is the place where zona radiata is formed. Zona radiata (Z1) is secreted only by oocyte itself, it belongs to the primary envelope; zona radiata 2 (Z2) and zona radiata 3 (Z3) belong to the secondary envelope, because the two layers are formed after granulosa cells appear, and microvilli participate this process. It is very interesting that Z2 and Z3 are situated between Z1 and the granulosa cell first, but they translocate to the other side of Z1. This microanatomy difference may due to the participation of microvilli. The new finding about egg envelope formation in P. crocea will help us to do further investigation on fertilization mechanisms and will make artificial breeding possible which may contribute to the resource recovery of this species. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Transcriptome Profiling of the Abdominal Skin of Larimichthys crocea in Light Stress

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Han, Zhaofang; Lv, Changhuan; Xiao, Shijun; Ye, Kun; Zhang, Dongling; Tsai, Huai Jen; Wang, Zhiyong

    2018-04-01

    Large yellow croaker ( Larimichthys crocea), one of the most important marine fish species in China, can change its abdominal skin color when it is shifted from light to dark or from dark to light, providing us an opportunity of investigating the molecular responding mechanism of teleost in light stress. The gene expression profile of fish under light stress is rarely documented. In this research, the transcriptome profiles of the abdominal skin of L. crocea exposed to light or dark for 0 h, 0.5 h and 2 h were produced by next-generation sequencing (NGS). The cluster results demonstrated that stress period, rather than light intensity ( e.g., light or dark), is the major influencing factor. Differently expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between 0 h and 0.5 h groups, between 0 h and 2 h groups, between 0.5 h light and 0.5 h dark, and between 2 h light and 2 h dark, respectively. The gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotation revealed that the genes relating to immunity, energy metabolism, and cytoskeletal protein binding were significantly enriched. The detailed analysis of transcriptome profiles also revealed regular gene expression trends, indicating that the elaborate gene regulation networks underlined the molecular responses of the fish to light stress. This transcriptome analysis suggested that systematic and complicated regulatory cascades were functionally activated in response to external stress, and coloration change caused by light stress was mainly attributed to the change in the density of chromatophores for L. crocea. This study also provided valuable information for skin coloration or light stress research on other marine fish species.

  7. The Path towards Endangered Species: Prehistoric Fisheries in Southeastern Brazil.

    PubMed

    Lopes, Mariana Samôr; Bertucci, Thayse Cristina Pereira; Rapagnã, Luciano; Tubino, Rafael de Almeida; Monteiro-Neto, Cassiano; Tomas, Acácio Ribeiro Gomes; Tenório, Maria Cristina; Lima, Tânia; Souza, Rosa; Carrillo-Briceño, Jorge Domingo; Haimovici, Manuel; Macario, Kita; Carvalho, Carla; Aguilera Socorro, Orangel

    2016-01-01

    Brazilian shellmounds are archaeological sites with a high concentration of marine faunal remains. There are more than 2000 sites along the coast of Brazil that range in age from 8,720 to 985 cal BP. Here, we studied the ichthyoarchaeological remains (i.e., cranial/postcranial bones, otoliths, and teeth, among others) at 13 shellmounds on the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, which are located in coastal landscapes, including a sandy plain with coastal lagoons, rocky islands, islets and rocky bays. We identified patterns of similarity between shellmounds based on fish diversity, the ages of the assemblages, littoral geomorphology and prehistoric fisheries. Our new radiocarbon dating, based on otolith samples, was used for fishery characterization over time. A taxonomical study of the ichthyoarchaeological remains includes a diversity of 97 marine species, representing 37% of all modern species (i.e., 265 spp.) that have been documented along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. This high fish diversity recovered from the shellmounds is clear evidence of well-developed prehistoric fishery activity that targeted sharks, rays and finfishes in a productive area influenced by coastal marine upwelling. The presence of adult and neonate shark, especially oceanic species, is here interpreted as evidence of prehistoric fisheries capacity for exploitation and possibly overexploitation in nursery areas. Various tools and strategies were used to capture finfish in seasonal fisheries, over rocky reef bottoms and in sandy littoral environments. Massive catches of whitemouth croaker, main target dermersal species of South Atlantic coast, show evidence of a reduction in body size of approximately 28% compared with modern fisheries. Fishery activity involving vulnerable species, especially in nursery areas, could mark the beginning of fish depletion along the southeastern Brazilian coast and the collapse of natural fish populations.

  8. The Path towards Endangered Species: Prehistoric Fisheries in Southeastern Brazil

    PubMed Central

    Lopes, Mariana Samôr; Bertucci, Thayse Cristina Pereira; Rapagnã, Luciano; Tubino, Rafael de Almeida; Monteiro-Neto, Cassiano; Tomas, Acácio Ribeiro Gomes; Tenório, Maria Cristina; Lima, Tânia; Souza, Rosa; Carrillo-Briceño, Jorge Domingo; Haimovici, Manuel; Macario, Kita; Carvalho, Carla; Aguilera Socorro, Orangel

    2016-01-01

    Brazilian shellmounds are archaeological sites with a high concentration of marine faunal remains. There are more than 2000 sites along the coast of Brazil that range in age from 8,720 to 985 cal BP. Here, we studied the ichthyoarchaeological remains (i.e., cranial/postcranial bones, otoliths, and teeth, among others) at 13 shellmounds on the southern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, which are located in coastal landscapes, including a sandy plain with coastal lagoons, rocky islands, islets and rocky bays. We identified patterns of similarity between shellmounds based on fish diversity, the ages of the assemblages, littoral geomorphology and prehistoric fisheries. Our new radiocarbon dating, based on otolith samples, was used for fishery characterization over time. A taxonomical study of the ichthyoarchaeological remains includes a diversity of 97 marine species, representing 37% of all modern species (i.e., 265 spp.) that have been documented along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state. This high fish diversity recovered from the shellmounds is clear evidence of well-developed prehistoric fishery activity that targeted sharks, rays and finfishes in a productive area influenced by coastal marine upwelling. The presence of adult and neonate shark, especially oceanic species, is here interpreted as evidence of prehistoric fisheries capacity for exploitation and possibly overexploitation in nursery areas. Various tools and strategies were used to capture finfish in seasonal fisheries, over rocky reef bottoms and in sandy littoral environments. Massive catches of whitemouth croaker, main target dermersal species of South Atlantic coast, show evidence of a reduction in body size of approximately 28% compared with modern fisheries. Fishery activity involving vulnerable species, especially in nursery areas, could mark the beginning of fish depletion along the southeastern Brazilian coast and the collapse of natural fish populations. PMID:27355355

  9. Nutrients and contaminants in tissues of five fish species obtained from Shanghai markets: Risk-benefit evaluation from human health perspectives.

    PubMed

    Geng, Jing-Jing; Li, Huan; Liu, Jin-Pin; Yang, Yi; Jin, Ze-Lin; Zhang, Yun-Ni; Zhang, Mei-Ling; Chen, Li-Qiao; Du, Zhen-Yu

    2015-12-01

    Shanghai is a Chinese megacity in the Yangtze River Delta area, one of the most polluted coastal areas in China. The inhabitants of Shanghai have very high aquatic product consumption rates. A risk-benefit assessment of the co-ingestion of fish nutrients and contaminants has not previously been performed for Shanghai residents. Samples of five farmed fish species (marine and freshwater) with different feeding habits were collected from Shanghai markets in winter and summer. Fatty acids, protein, mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, polychlorinated biphenyls, hexachlorocyclohexanes, and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes were measured in liver, abdominal fat, and dorsal, abdominal, and tail muscles from fish. Tolerable daily intakes and benefit-risk quotients were calculated to allow the benefits and risks of co-ingesting n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and contaminants to be assessed according to the cancer slope factors and reference doses of selected pollutants. All of the contaminant concentrations in the muscle tissues were much lower than the national maximum limits, but the livers generally contained high Hg concentrations, exceeding the regulatory limit. The organic pollutant and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations correlated with the lipid contents of the fish tissues, and were higher in carnivorous marine fish than in omnivorous and herbivorous freshwater fish. The tolerable daily intakes, risk-benefit quotients, and current daily aquatic product intakes for residents of large Chinese cities indicated that the muscle tissues of most of the fish analyzed can be consumed regularly without significant contaminant-related risks to health. However, attention should be paid to the potential risks posed by dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane in large yellow croaker and Hg in tilapia. Based on the results of this study, we encourage people to consume equal portions of marine and freshwater fish. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights

  10. Molecular exploration of hidden diversity in the Indo-West Pacific sciaenid clade

    PubMed Central

    Lo, Pei-Chun; Liu, Shu-Hui; Nor, Siti Azizah Mohd

    2017-01-01

    The family Sciaenidae, known as croakers or drums, is one of the largest perciform fish families. A recent multi-gene based study investigating the phylogeny and biogeography of global sciaenids revealed that the origin and early diversification of this family occurred in tropical America during the Late Oligocene—Early Miocene before undergoing range expansions to other seas including the Indo-West Pacific, where high species richness is observed. Despite this clarification of the overall evolutionary history of the family, knowledge of the taxonomy and phylogeny of sciaenid genera endemic to the Indo-West Pacific is still limited due to lack of a thorough survey of all taxa. In this study, we used DNA-based approaches to investigate the evolutionary relationships, to explore the species diversity, and to elucidate the taxonomic status of sciaenid species/genera within the Indo-West Pacific clade. Three datasets were herein built for the above objectives: the combined dataset (248 samples from 45 currently recognized species) from one nuclear gene (RAG1) and one mitochondrial gene (COI); the dataset with only RAG1 gene sequences (245 samples from 44 currently recognized species); and the dataset with only COI gene sequences (308 samples from 51 currently recognized species). The latter was primarily used for our biodiversity exploration with two different species delimitation methods (Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery, ABGD and Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent, GMYC). The results were further evaluated with help of four supplementary criteria for species delimitation (genetic similarity, monophyly inferred from individual gene and combined data trees, geographic distribution, and morphology). Our final results confirmed the validity of 32 currently recognized species and identified several potential new species waiting for formal descriptions. We also reexamined the taxonomic status of the genera, Larimichthys, Nibea, Protonibea and Megalonibea, and suggested a

  11. Molecular exploration of hidden diversity in the Indo-West Pacific sciaenid clade.

    PubMed

    Lo, Pei-Chun; Liu, Shu-Hui; Nor, Siti Azizah Mohd; Chen, Wei-Jen

    2017-01-01

    The family Sciaenidae, known as croakers or drums, is one of the largest perciform fish families. A recent multi-gene based study investigating the phylogeny and biogeography of global sciaenids revealed that the origin and early diversification of this family occurred in tropical America during the Late Oligocene-Early Miocene before undergoing range expansions to other seas including the Indo-West Pacific, where high species richness is observed. Despite this clarification of the overall evolutionary history of the family, knowledge of the taxonomy and phylogeny of sciaenid genera endemic to the Indo-West Pacific is still limited due to lack of a thorough survey of all taxa. In this study, we used DNA-based approaches to investigate the evolutionary relationships, to explore the species diversity, and to elucidate the taxonomic status of sciaenid species/genera within the Indo-West Pacific clade. Three datasets were herein built for the above objectives: the combined dataset (248 samples from 45 currently recognized species) from one nuclear gene (RAG1) and one mitochondrial gene (COI); the dataset with only RAG1 gene sequences (245 samples from 44 currently recognized species); and the dataset with only COI gene sequences (308 samples from 51 currently recognized species). The latter was primarily used for our biodiversity exploration with two different species delimitation methods (Automatic Barcode Gap Discovery, ABGD and Generalized Mixed Yule Coalescent, GMYC). The results were further evaluated with help of four supplementary criteria for species delimitation (genetic similarity, monophyly inferred from individual gene and combined data trees, geographic distribution, and morphology). Our final results confirmed the validity of 32 currently recognized species and identified several potential new species waiting for formal descriptions. We also reexamined the taxonomic status of the genera, Larimichthys, Nibea, Protonibea and Megalonibea, and suggested a

  12. Investigation into the cytotoxicity and mutagenicity of the Marajó Archipelago waters using Plagioscion squamosissimus (Perciformes: Sciaenidae) as a bioindicator.

    PubMed

    Rocha, Carlos Alberto Machado da; Pessoa, Carla Mariana Ferreira; Rodrigues, Claudia Antonia Campos; Pinheiro, Raul Henrique da Silva; Costa, Edmar Tavares da; Guimarães, Adriana Costa; Burbano, Rommel Rodríguez

    2016-10-01

    Maintaining water quality within tolerable limits is a basic need of the riverside communities in the Amazon. Using endemic aquatic organisms as biological models is useful for monitoring the environment. In this study, potential cytotoxic and genotoxic damages in Plagioscion squamosissimus (commonly known as silver croaker) from the Marajó Archipelago were evaluated using a flow cytometry assay and a survey of micronuclei (MN) frequency as well as other nuclear abnormalities (NA). P. squamosissimus specimens were collected at four locations in the Marajó Archipelago. Blood samples from these fish were used in the flow cytometry assay and piscine micronucleus test, and the resulting data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). We did not observe a difference in the erythrocyte cell cycle distribution among the samples (P=0.9992), which suggests the absence of cytotoxic agent-induced apoptosis. The piscine micronucleus test exhibited differences in the samples from São Sebastião da Boa Vista (SSBV), and those from Anajás produced the highest mutagenicity indices. The MN frequencies were low for all groups, but the groups exhibited significantly different frequencies (P=0.0033). Reniform nuclei, nuclei with extensions, and lobed nuclei were combined and considered NA. The frequency differences for these NA were significant among sampling sites (P <0.0001). This report is the first to use flow cytometry in fish to evaluate cytotoxic agent-induced apoptosis. The micronucleus test results indicate the presence of pollutants that can change the genetic material of the fish studied. We also demonstrate that the Amazonian fish P. squamosissimus is important not only as a comestible species but also as an adequate model for biomonitoring in aquatic environments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. Saccular Transcriptome Profiles of the Seasonal Breeding Plainfin Midshipman Fish (Porichthys notatus), a Teleost with Divergent Sexual Phenotypes.

    PubMed

    Faber-Hammond, Joshua; Samanta, Manoj P; Whitchurch, Elizabeth A; Manning, Dustin; Sisneros, Joseph A; Coffin, Allison B

    2015-01-01

    Acoustic communication is essential for the reproductive success of the plainfin midshipman fish (Porichthys notatus). During the breeding season, type I males use acoustic cues to advertise nest location to potential mates, creating an audible signal that attracts reproductive females. Type II (sneaker) males also likely use this social acoustic signal to find breeding pairs from which to steal fertilizations. Estrogen-induced changes in the auditory system of breeding females are thought to enhance neural encoding of the advertisement call, and recent anatomical data suggest the saccule (the main auditory end organ) as one possible target for this seasonal modulation. Here we describe saccular transcriptomes from all three sexual phenotypes (females, type I and II males) collected during the breeding season as a first step in understanding the mechanisms underlying sexual phenotype-specific and seasonal differences in auditory function. We used RNA-Seq on the Ion Torrent platform to create a combined transcriptome dataset containing over 79,000 assembled transcripts representing almost 9,000 unique annotated genes. These identified genes include several with known inner ear function and multiple steroid hormone receptors. Transcripts most closely matched to published genomes of nile tilapia and large yellow croaker, inconsistent with the phylogenetic relationship between these species but consistent with the importance of acoustic communication in their life-history strategies. We then compared the RNA-Seq results from the saccules of reproductive females with a separate transcriptome from the non-reproductive female phenotype and found over 700 differentially expressed transcripts, including members of the Wnt and Notch signaling pathways that mediate cell proliferation and hair cell addition in the inner ear. These data constitute a valuable resource for furthering our understanding of the molecular basis for peripheral auditory function as well as a range of

  14. Genomic prediction using an iterative conditional expectation algorithm for a fast BayesC-like model.

    PubMed

    Dong, Linsong; Wang, Zhiyong

    2018-06-11

    Genomic prediction is feasible for estimating genomic breeding values because of dense genome-wide markers and credible statistical methods, such as Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (GBLUP) and various Bayesian methods. Compared with GBLUP, Bayesian methods propose more flexible assumptions for the distributions of SNP effects. However, most Bayesian methods are performed based on Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithms, leading to computational efficiency challenges. Hence, some fast Bayesian approaches, such as fast BayesB (fBayesB), were proposed to speed up the calculation. This study proposed another fast Bayesian method termed fast BayesC (fBayesC). The prior distribution of fBayesC assumes that a SNP with probability γ has a non-zero effect which comes from a normal density with a common variance. The simulated data from QTLMAS XII workshop and actual data on large yellow croaker were used to compare the predictive results of fBayesB, fBayesC and (MCMC-based) BayesC. The results showed that when γ was set as a small value, such as 0.01 in the simulated data or 0.001 in the actual data, fBayesB and fBayesC yielded lower prediction accuracies (abilities) than BayesC. In the actual data, fBayesC could yield very similar predictive abilities as BayesC when γ ≥ 0.01. When γ = 0.01, fBayesB could also yield similar results as fBayesC and BayesC. However, fBayesB could not yield an explicit result when γ ≥ 0.1, but a similar situation was not observed for fBayesC. Moreover, the computational speed of fBayesC was significantly faster than that of BayesC, making fBayesC a promising method for genomic prediction.

  15. Seasonal and spatial distribution patterns of finfish and selected invertebrates in coastal lagoons of northeastern Florida, 2002-2004

    USGS Publications Warehouse

    Turtora, Michael; Schotman, Elizabeth M.

    2010-01-01

    The U.S. Geological Survey conducted a survey of juvenile fisheries resources, in cooperation with the St. Johns River Water Management District and Volusia County, to establish baseline data on spatial and temporal distribution patterns of estuarine fish. The survey was conducted from November 2001 to March 2005 and the baseline data established for the survey in the Northern Coastal Basins were collected from January 2002 to December 2004. The study area included the bar-built estuaries ranging from just north of St. Augustine, Florida, south to Ponce de Leon Inlet. Sampling protocols developed by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Research Institute for their statewide Fisheries Independent Monitoring (FIM) program were replicated to allow for comparability with FIM program results. Samples were collected monthly from randomly selected stations based on a geographically stratified design. Finfish and selected invertebrates were collected using a 21.3-meter center-bag seine with a 3-millimeter mesh, and a 6.1-meter otter trawl with a 3-millimeter mesh liner. Total estimated fish and selected invertebrate densities were similar to estimates from FIM projects in adjacent areas and were characterized by similar dominant species. Preliminary analysis indicates that observed species distribution patterns were mainly a function of proximity to the three inlets within the study area. The two regions encompassing the northern Tolomato River and the Tomoka River and Basin are farthest from inlets and appear to function as oligohaline nursery areas. Those two areas had the greatest estimated densities of shellfish and juvenile sciaenid (drum) species associated with oligohaline waters (for example, Micropogonias undulatus, Sciaenops ocellatus and Cynoscion nebulosus). Samples near inlets, and between the two northern inlets, had greater estimated densities of species limited to euhaline waters, including juvenile clupeids collected at relatively high abundance and species of

  16. Mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls in Asian market fish: a response to results from mercury biomonitoring in New York City.

    PubMed

    McKelvey, Wendy; Chang, Moses; Arnason, John; Jeffery, Nancy; Kricheff, Judith; Kass, Daniel

    2010-10-01

    In 2004, the New York City (NYC) Health and Nutrition Examination Survey measured the highest blood mercury levels in Asian and foreign-born Chinese demographic groups. Fish consumption was the strongest predictor of exposure. The survey did not inquire about consumption of individual species, and subsequent visits to fish markets serving the Asian community suggested that many popular species lack contaminant data. Our objective was to supplement existing information on contaminants in commercial fish by collecting data on species present in markets serving the Asian community. We measured total mercury and the sum of 101 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners in 282 individual specimens of 19 species or products from retail fish markets in Chinese neighborhoods in NYC. Species were selected based on their volume in the market, and an absence or insufficiency of national data on mercury levels. PCBs were measured because they are also contaminants of concern. All measurements were made on a wet weight basis on whole fillets (with skin) or products (drained of liquid). Mean mercury levels ranged from below the limit of detection (0.004microg/g) in tilapia to 0.229microg/g in tilefish. The highest mercury level (1.150microg/g) was measured in a tilefish specimen, and mercury levels in tilefish increased with the specimen size. Mean PCB levels ranged from 1ng/g in red snapper to 98ng/g in buffalo carp. The highest PCB levels were measured in a buffalo carp (469ng/g) and a yellow croaker (495ng/g). Species-specific differences in PCB levels accounted for only 6.3% of total variability, in contrast with 39.2% for mercury. Although we did not measure high mean mercury levels in the species we sampled, frequent consumption of fish with low to moderate levels can also elevate blood mercury. The data we collected can be used to guide fish consumption in Asian communities. However, risk-benefit trade-offs also need to be considered. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights

  17. Improvement of gel strength and melting point of fish gelatin by addition of coenhancers using response surface methodology.

    PubMed

    Koli, Jayappa M; Basu, Subrata; Nayak, Binay B; Kannuchamy, Nagalakshmi; Gudipati, Venkateshwarlu

    2011-08-01

    Fish gelatin is a potential alternative to mammalian gelatin. However, poor gel strength and low melting point limit its applications. The study was aimed at improving these properties by adding coenhancers in the range obtained from response surface methodology (RSM) by using Box-Behnken design. Three different coenhancers, MgSO₄, sucrose, and transglutaminase were used as the independent variables for improving the gel strength and melting point of gelatin extracted from Tiger-toothed croaker (Otolithes ruber). Addition of coenhancers at different combinations resulted gel strength and melting point in the range of 150.5 to 240.5 g and 19.5 to 22.5 °C, respectively. The optimal concentrations of coenhancers for predicted maximum gel strength (242.8 g) obtained by RSM were 0.23 M MgSO₄, 12.60% sucrose (w/v), and 5.92 mg/g transglutaminase and for predicted maximum melting point (22.57 °C), the values were 0.24 M MgSO₄, 10.44% sucrose (w/v), and 5.72 mg/g transglutaminase. By addition of coenhancers at these optimal concentrations in verification experiments, the gel strength and melting point were improved from 170 to 240.89 g and 20.3 to 22.7 °C, respectively. These experimental values agreed well with the predicted values demonstrating the fitness of the models. Results from the present study clearly revealed that the addition of coenhancers at a particular combination can improve the gel strength and melting point of fish gelatin to enhance its range of applications. There is a growing interest in the use of fish gelatin as an alternative to mammalian gelatin. However, poor gel strength and low melting point of fish gelatin have limited its commercial applications. The gel strength and melting point of fish gelatin can be increased by incorporation of coenhancers such as magnesium sulphate, sucrose, and transglutaminase. Results of this work help to produce the fish gelatin suitable for wide range of applications in the food industry. © 2011 Institute

  18. G-protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) inhibits final oocyte maturation in common carp, Cyprinus carpio.

    PubMed

    Majumder, Suravi; Das, Sumana; Moulik, Sujata Roy; Mallick, Buddhadev; Pal, Puja; Mukherjee, Dilip

    2015-01-15

    GPR-30, now named as GPER (G protein-coupled estrogen receptor) was first identified as an orphan receptor and subsequently shown to be required for estrogen-mediated signaling in certain cancer cells. Later studies demonstrated that GPER has the characteristics of a high affinity estrogen membrane receptor on Atlantic croaker and zebra fish oocytes and mediates estrogen inhibition of oocyte maturation in these two distantly related teleost. To determine the broad application of these findings to other teleost, expression of GPER mRNA and its involvement in 17β-estradiol mediated inhibition of oocyte maturation in other cyprinid, Cyprinus carpio was investigated. Carp oocytes at pre-vitellogenic, late-vitellogenic and post-vitellogenic stages of development contained GPER mRNA and its transcribed protein with a maximum at late-vitellogenic oocytes. Ovarian follicular cells did not express GPER mRNA. Carp oocytes GPER mRNA was essentially identical to that found in other perciformes and cyprinid fish oocytes. Both spontaneous and 17,20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20β-P)-induced oocyte maturation in carp was significantly decreased when they were incubated with either E2, or GPER agonist G-1. On the other hand spontaneous oocyte maturation was significantly increased when carp ovarian follicles were incubated with an aromatase inhibitor, fadrozole, GPER antagonist, G-15 and enzymatic removal of the ovarian follicle cell layers. This increase in oocyte maturation was partially reversed by co-treatment with E2. Consistent with previous findings with human and fish GPR30, E2 treatment in carp oocytes caused increase in cAMP production and simultaneously decrease in oocyte maturation, which was inhibited by the addition of 17,20β-P. The results suggest that E2 and GPER play a critical role in regulating re-entry in to meiotic cell cycle in carp oocytes. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  19. Research advances on animal genetics in China in 2015.

    PubMed

    Zhang, Bo; Chen, Xiao-fang; Huang, Xun; Yang, Xiao

    2016-06-20

    Chinese scientists have made significant achievements in the field of animal genetics in 2015. Incomplete statistics show that among all the publications of 2015 involving nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans), fly (Drosophila melanogaster), zebrafish (Danio rerio), African clawed frog (Xenopus) or mice (Mus musculus), about 1/5 publications are from China. Many innovative studies were published in high-impact international academic journals by Chinese scientists, including the identification of a putative magnetic receptor MagR, the genetic basis for the regulation of wing polyphenism in the insect brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens), DNA N 6 -methyladenine (6mA) modification in the Drosophila genome, a novel molecular mechanism regarding the dendritic spine pruning and maturation in the mammals, the mechanism for the CREB coactivator CRTC2 in the regulation of hepatic lipid metabolism, the control of systemic inflammation by neurotransmitter dopamine, the role of Gasdermin protein family in triggering pyroptosis, a parvalbumin-positive excitatory visual pathway to trigger fear responses in mice, etc. Chinese scientists have also made important contributions in genome editing via TALEN or CRISPR/Cas system. According to incomplete statistics, more than 1/5 of the publications related to genome editing in 2015 are from China, where a variety of animals with different approaches were targeted, ranging from the worm to primates. Particularly, CRISPR/Cas9-mediated gene editing in human tripronuclear zygotes was successfully achieved for the first time. China has been one of the leading countries in genome sequencing in recent years, and Chinese scientists reported the sequence and annotation of the genomes of several important animal species in 2015, including goose (Anser cygnoides), Schlegel's Japanese Gecko (Gekko japonicus), grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) and pig (Sus scrofa). They further analyzed the genome

  20. RING domain is essential for the antiviral activity of TRIM25 from orange spotted grouper.

    PubMed

    Yang, Ying; Huang, Youhua; Yu, Yepin; Yang, Min; Zhou, Sheng; Qin, Qiwei; Huang, Xiaohong

    2016-08-01

    Tripartite motif-containing 25 (TRIM25) has been demonstrated to exert crucial roles in the regulation of innate immune signaling. However, the roles of fish TRIM25 in antiviral immune response still remained uncertain. Here, a novel fish TRIM25 gene from orange spotted grouper (EcTRIM25) was cloned and its roles in grouper virus infection were elucidated. EcTRIM25 encoded a 734-aa protein which shared 68% identity to large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea). Amino acid alignment showed that EcTRIM25 contained three conserved domains, including a RING-finger domain, a B box/coiled-coil domain and a SPRY domain. In healthy grouper, the transcript of EcTRIM25 was predominantly detected in skin, spleen and intestine. After stimulation with Singapore grouper iridovirus (SGIV) or poly I:C, the relative expression of EcTRIM25 in grouper spleen was significantly increased at the early stage of injection. Subcellular localization analysis showed that EcTRIM25 distributed throughout the cytoplasm in grouper cells. Notably, the deletion RING domain affected its accurate localization and displayed microtubule like structures or bright aggregates in GS cells. After incubation with SGIV or red spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV), overexpression of full length of EcTRIM25 in vitro significantly decreased the viral gene transcription of SGIV and RGNNV. Consistently, the deletion of RING domain obviously affected the inhibitory effect of EcTRIM25. Furthermore, overexpression of EcTRIM25 significantly increased the expression level of interferon related signaling molecules, including interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 3, interferon-induced 35-kDa protein (IFP35), MXI, IRF7 and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), suggesting that the positive regulation of interferon immune response by EcTRIM25 might affected RGNNV replication directly. Meanwhile, the expression levels of pro-inflammation cytokines were differently regulated by the ectopic expression of EcTRIM25

  1. Developmental expression of the G protein-coupled receptor 54 and three GnRH mRNAs in the teleost fish cobia.

    PubMed

    Mohamed, J Shaik; Benninghoff, Abby D; Holt, G Joan; Khan, Izhar A

    2007-02-01

    The cDNAs of the G protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54) and three prepro-gonadotropin-releasing hormones, GnRH-I (seabream GnRH), GnRH-II (chicken GnRH-II), and GnRH-III (salmon GnRH) were isolated and cloned from the brain of the teleost fish cobia, Rachycentron canadum. The cobia GPR54 cDNA was 95 and 51-56% identical to those of tilapia and mammalian models respectively. The GnRH cDNA sequences of cobia showed strong identities to those of tilapia, Atlantic croaker, red drum, and the seabass and seabream species. The real-time quantitative RT-PCR methods allowed detection of all three GnRH mRNAs on the first day after hatching (DAH). The GnRH-I mRNA levels, which were the lowest among the three GnRHs, increased gradually with two distinct peaks in larvae at 3 and 4 DAH. On the other hand, GnRH-II and GnRH-III mRNAs were significantly higher in larvae at 2 and 6 DAH compared with those on the preceding days. In addition, significant peaks of all the three GnRH mRNAs were observed in the brains of 26-day-old fish. The finding of higher GnRH-I and GnRH-II mRNAs in males than females at 153 DAH may be related to early puberty observed during the first year in laboratory-reared male cobia. Moreover, this study demonstrates for the first time the expression of GPR54 mRNA during larval development in a vertebrate species. The concomitant expression patterns of GPR54 and GnRH mRNAs during different stages of larval and juvenile developments, and during early puberty in male cobia suggest a potential relationship between GPR54 and multiple GnRHs during these stages of development consistent with the role of GPR54 in controlling GnRH release in mammals. The increase in GPR54 and GnRH mRNAs observed during early puberty in cobia is consistent with a similar change reported in pubertal rats. This finding together with the localization of GPR54 mRNAs on GnRH neurons in fish and mammals suggests that the GPR54-GnRH interactions may be conserved in different vertebrate groups.

  2. The conserved Phe GH5 of importance for hemoglobin intersubunit contact is mutated in gadoid fish

    PubMed Central

    2014-01-01

    Background Functionality of the tetrameric hemoglobin molecule seems to be determined by a few amino acids located in key positions. Oxygen binding encompasses structural changes at the interfaces between the α1β2 and α2β1 dimers, but also subunit interactions are important for the oxygen binding affinity and stability. The latter packing contacts include the conserved Arg B12 interacting with Phe GH5, which is replaced by Leu and Tyr in the αA and αD chains, respectively, of birds and reptiles. Results Searching all known hemoglobins from a variety of gnathostome species (jawed vertebrates) revealed the almost invariant Arg B12 coded by the AGG triplet positioned at an exon-intron boundary. Rare substitutions of Arg B12 in the gnathostome β globins were found in pig, tree shrew and scaled reptiles. Phe GH5 is also highly conserved in the β globins, except for the Leu replacement in the β1 globin of five marine gadoid species, gilthead seabream and the Comoran coelacanth, while Cys and Ile were found in burbot and yellow croaker, respectively. Atlantic cod β1 globin showed a Leu/Met polymorphism at position GH5 dominated by the Met variant in northwest-Atlantic populations that was rarely found in northeast-Atlantic cod. Site-specific analyses identified six consensus codons under positive selection, including 122β(GH5), indicating that the amino acid changes identified at this position may offer an adaptive advantage. In fact, computational mutation analysis showed that the replacement of Phe GH5 with Leu or Cys decreased the number of van der Waals contacts essentially in the deoxy form that probably causes a slight increase in the oxygen binding affinity. Conclusions The almost invariant Arg B12 and the AGG codon seem to be important for the packing contacts and pre-mRNA processing, respectively, but the rare mutations identified might be beneficial. The Leu122β1(GH5)Met and Met55β1(D6)Val polymorphisms in Atlantic cod hemoglobin modify the

  3. Marine species distribution shifts on the U.S. Northeast Continental Shelf under continued ocean warming

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Kleisner, Kristin M.; Fogarty, Michael J.; McGee, Sally; Hare, Jonathan A.; Moret, Skye; Perretti, Charles T.; Saba, Vincent S.

    2017-04-01

    The U.S. Northeast Continental Shelf marine ecosystem has warmed much faster than the global ocean and it is expected that this enhanced warming will continue through this century. Complex bathymetry and ocean circulation in this region have contributed to biases in global climate model simulations of the Shelf waters. Increasing the resolution of these models results in reductions in the bias of future climate change projections and indicates greater warming than suggested by coarse resolution climate projections. Here, we used a high-resolution global climate model and historical observations of species distributions from a trawl survey to examine changes in the future distribution of suitable thermal habitat for various demersal and pelagic species on the Shelf. Along the southern portion of the shelf (Mid-Atlantic Bight and Georges Bank), a projected 4.1 °C (surface) to 5.0 °C (bottom) warming of ocean temperature from current conditions results in a northward shift of the thermal habitat for the majority of species. While some southern species like butterfish and black sea bass are projected to have moderate losses in suitable thermal habitat, there are potentially significant increases for many species including summer flounder, striped bass, and Atlantic croaker. In the north, in the Gulf of Maine, a projected 3.7 °C (surface) to 3.9 °C (bottom) warming from current conditions results in substantial reductions in suitable thermal habitat such that species currently inhabiting this region may not remain in these waters under continued warming. We project a loss in suitable thermal habitat for key northern species including Acadian redfish, American plaice, Atlantic cod, haddock, and thorney skate, but potential gains for some species including spiny dogfish and American lobster. We illustrate how changes in suitable thermal habitat of important commercially fished species may impact local fishing communities and potentially impact major fishing ports

  4. Mercury contamination in freshwater, estuarine, and marine fishes in relation to small-scale gold mining in Suriname, South America.

    PubMed

    Mol, J H; Ramlal, J S; Lietar, C; Verloo, M

    2001-06-01

    The extent of mercury contamination in Surinamese food fishes due to small-scale gold mining was investigated by determination of the total mercury concentration in 318 freshwater fishes, 109 estuarine fishes, and 110 fishes from the Atlantic Ocean. High background levels were found in the piranha Serrasalmus rhombeus (0.35 microg Hg x g(-1) muscle tissue, wet mass basis) and the peacock cichlid Cichla ocellaris (0.39 microg x g(-1)) from the Central Suriname Nature Reserve. Average mercury levels in freshwater fishes were higher in piscivorous species than in nonpiscivorous species, both in potentially contaminated water bodies (0.71 and 0.19 microg x g(-1), respectively) and in the control site (0.25 and 0.04 microg x g(-1), respectively). Mercury concentrations in piscivorous freshwater fishes were significantly higher in rivers potentially affected by gold mining than in the control site. In 57% of 269 piscivorous freshwater fishes from potentially contaminated sites, mercury levels exceeded the maximum permissible concentration of 0.5 microg Hg x g(-1). The highest mercury concentrations (3.13 and 4.26 microg x g(-1)) were found in two piranhas S. rhombeus from the hydroelectric reservoir Lake Brokopondo. The high mercury levels in fishes from Lake Brokopondo were to some extent related to gold mining because fishes collected at eastern sites (i.e., close to the gold fields) showed significantly higher mercury concentrations than fishes from western localities. In the estuaries, mercury levels in ariid catfish (0.22 microg x g(-1)) and croakers (0.04-0.33 microg x g(-1)) were distinctly lower than those in piscivorous fishes from contaminated freshwater sites. In the isolated Bigi Pan Lagoon, the piscivores snook Centropomus undecimalis (0.04 microg x g(-1)) and tarpon Megalops atlanticus (0.03 microg x g(-1)) showed low mercury levels. Mercury levels were significantly higher in marine fishes than in estuarine fishes, even with the Bigi Pan fishes excluded

  5. Brominated and chlorinated flame retardants in San Francisco Bay sediments and wildlife.

    PubMed

    Klosterhaus, Susan L; Stapleton, Heather M; La Guardia, Mark J; Greig, Denise J

    2012-10-15

    Restrictions on the use of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have resulted in the use of alternative flame retardants in consumer products to comply with flammability standards. In contrast to PBDEs, information on the occurrence and fate of these alternative compounds in the environment is limited, particularly in the United States. In this study, a survey of flame retardants in San Francisco Bay was conducted to evaluate whether PBDE replacement chemicals and other current use flame retardants were accumulating in the Bay food web. In addition to PBDEs, brominated and chlorinated flame retardants (hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) and Dechlorane Plus (DP)) were detected in Bay sediments and wildlife. Median concentrations of PBDEs, HBCD, and DP, respectively, were 4.3, 0.3, and 0.2 ng g⁻¹ dry weight (dw) in sediments; 1670, <6.0, and 0.5 ng g⁻¹ lipid weight (lw) in white croaker (Genyonemus lineatus); 1860, 6.5, and 1.3 ng g⁻¹ lw in shiner surfperch (Cymatogaster aggregata); 5500, 37.4, and 0.9 ng g⁻¹ lw in eggs of double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus); 770, 7.1, and 0.9 ng g⁻¹ lw in harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) adults; and 330, 3.5, and <0.1 ng g⁻¹ lw in harbor seal (P. vitulina) pups. Two additional flame retardants, pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB) and 1,2-bis(2,4,6 tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE) were detected in sediments but with less frequency and at lower concentrations (median concentrations of 0.01 and 0.02 ng g⁻¹ dw, respectively) compared to the other flame retardants. PBEB was also detected in each of the adult harbor seals and in 83% of the pups (median concentrations 0.2 and 0.07 ng g⁻¹ lw, respectively). The flame retardants hexabromobenzene (HBB), decabromodiphenyl ethane (DBDPE), bis(2-ethylhexyl) tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), and 2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), were not detected in sediments and BTBPE, HBB and TBB were not detected in wildlife samples. Elevated concentrations of some flame retardants

  6. Fish availability in supermarkets and fish markets in New Jersey.

    PubMed

    Burger, Joanna; Stern, Alan H; Dixon, Carline; Jeitner, Christopher; Shukla, Sheila; Burke, Sean; Gochfeld, Michael

    2004-10-15

    There is considerable interest in fish consumption, contaminant loads in edible fish, and the risk from consuming fish. Both the benefits and the risks from eating fish are publicized. Most of this attention has focused on recreational anglers and self-caught fish, although the vast majority of fish that people eat are purchased from commercial sources: fish markets and supermarkets. We examined the availability of fish in supermarkets and specialty fish markets in New Jersey, including three regions of the state in communities with high and low per capita incomes (upscale vs. downscale neighborhoods). We were particularly interested in examining whether consumers could determine what type of fish they were buying and whether it was farm-raised or wild. Flounder and salmon were the most commonly available fish, followed by bluefish and tilapia. There were few significant differences in the availability of fish as a function of region. Fish were equally available in fish markets and supermarkets, although snappers were more available in fish markets. The most common fish (found in over 60% of stores) were equally available in upscale and downscale neighborhood stores. However, there were some significant differences in less common fish; butterfish, croaker, monkfish, porgy, and whiting were more available in downscale markets, and halibut, sole, and swordfish were more available in upscale markets. Information available to consumers on labels varied markedly: (1) most labels were generic but some indicated species (e.g., Spanish vs. Boston mackerel, Chilean vs. Black sea bass, mako vs. black-tip shark, rainbow vs. steelhead trout); (2) in many cases, labels indicated whether catfish or salmon were farmed or wild, but usually that information was lacking; (3) sometimes, the labels indicated the location where fish were caught (salmon); and (4) sometimes, there was information on both species and type (e.g., farm/wild for salmon). In most cases, labels gave only a

  7. An overview of physical and ecological processes in the Rio de la Plata Estuary

    NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

    Marcelo Acha, E.; Mianzan, Hermes; Guerrero, Raúl; Carreto, José; Giberto, Diego; Montoya, Norma; Carignan, Mario

    2008-07-01

    The Rio de la Plata is a large-scale estuary located at 35°S on the Atlantic coast of South America. This system is one of the most important estuarine environments in the continent, being a highly productive area that sustains valuable artisanal and coastal fisheries in Uruguay and Argentina. The main goals of this paper are to summarize recent knowledge on this estuary, integrating physical, chemical and biological studies, and to explore the sources and ecological meaning of estuarine variability associated to the stratification/mixing alternateness in the estuary. We summarized unpublished data and information from several bibliographic sources. From study cases representing different stratification conditions, we draw a holistic view of physical patterns and ecological processes of the stratification/mixing alternateness. This estuary is characterized by strong vertical salinity stratification most of the time (the salt-wedge condition). The head of the estuary is characterized by a well-developed turbidity front. High turbidity constrains their photosynthesis. Immediately offshore the turbidity front, water becomes less turbid and phytoplankton peaks. As a consequence, trophic web in the estuary could be based on two sources of organic matter: phytoplankton and plant detritus. Dense plankton aggregations occur below the halocline and at the tip of the salt wedge. The mysid Neomysis americana, a key prey for juvenile fishes, occurs all along the turbidity front. A similar spatial pattern is shown by one of the most abundant benthic species, the clam Mactra isabelleana. These species could be taken advantage of the particulate organic matter and/or phytoplankton concentrated near the front. Nekton is represented by a rich fish community, with several fishes breeding inside the estuary. The most important species in terms of biomass is Micropogonias furnieri, the main target for the coastal fisheries of Argentina and Uruguay. Two processes have been identified