虾夷马粪海胆溶菌酶基因全长cDNA的克隆与表达分析

本实验采用RT-PCR和cDNA末端快速扩增(RACE)技术克隆得到了虾夷马粪海胆(Strongylocentrotus intermedius)溶菌酶(LYZ)基因的全长cDNA序列。结果表明, 虾夷马粪海胆LYZ基因全长为912 bp, 含有1个480 bp的开放阅读框(ORF), 编码159个氨基酸, 其中第1−20个氨基酸为信号肽, 蛋白计算分子量为17.69 kD, 等电点为7.75。氨基酸比对分析表明, 虾夷马粪海胆LYZ基因与紫球海胆(Strongylocentrotus purpuratus)和刺参(Apostichopus japonicus)的i型LYZ基因相似百分比分别为91.4%和59.3%, 并且含有i型LYZ基因的保守序列DVGSLSCGP (Y)Y(F)QIK, 所以推断本实验克隆的溶菌酶为i型。采用实时定量PCR方法, 以β-actin为内标, 对其在虾夷马粪海胆各组织中的表达进行研究, 发现LYZ基因在围口膜中表达量最高, 其次是齿间肌、管足、肠、体腔液、雄性性腺和雌性性腺。利用脂多糖(LPS)刺激虾夷马粪海胆, 取刺激后不同时间的海胆体腔液, 对该基因的表达差异进行分析。结果表明, 虾夷马粪海胆的LYZ基因在LPS刺激后8 h时表达量最高, 12 h时开始逐步回落, 至36 h时回落至对照组相近水平。本结果可为虾夷马粪海胆免疫学研究及抗病相关分子标记的开发提供参考依据。

     

不同技术处理的钝齿短浆蟹淋巴液中和麻痹性贝毒毒性的效果

钝齿短浆蟹(Thalamita crenata)淋巴液可以中和麻痹性贝毒(PSP)的毒性, 这个信息为PSP的降毒研究提供重要依据, 但是淋巴液处理方法是否对其毒性中和效果有影响尚不清楚。本研究采用小鼠腹腔注射法, 以淋巴液的PSP毒性中和效果为指标, 探讨抗凝剂、提取方法和冻存条件等淋巴液处理方法对其PSP毒性中和效果的影响, 为蟹淋巴液的制备提供科学依据。分析结果显示, 不同抗凝剂对淋巴液的PSP毒性中和效果有不同程度的影响, 其中EDTA抗凝剂对淋巴液的PSP毒性中和效果最好, 相对于对照组(小鼠致死时间在5 min左右), PSP-EDTA-淋巴液组的小鼠均存活。低浓度EDTA (5 mmol/L)即可起到抗凝作用并保持淋巴液较好的PSP毒性中和效果, EDTA浓度过高反而对PSP毒性中和效果产生抑制作用。在低浓度EDTA条件下, 针头抽取淋巴液的PSP毒性中和效果明显优于组织破碎法。EDTA浓度为5 mmol/L时, 在针头抽取淋巴液组中, 67%的小鼠致死时间超过30 min。相比之下, 组织破碎提取的淋巴液组的小鼠致死时间均分布在8.1~24 min。另外, 蔗糖对淋巴液的冻存起到较好的抗冷冻保护作用。以上结果表明淋巴液处理方法对其麻痹性贝毒毒性中和效果有较大影响。

     

南极大西洋扇区南极磷虾渔获率序列的振荡模态分析

为了解释南极大西洋扇区的48区南极磷虾(Euphausia superba)资源的多尺度振荡模态特征及其与环境振荡之间的响应关系, 采用经验模态分解方法, 对1982-2011年间的南极磷虾月均渔获率进行了分析。结果表明, 其振荡表现出了0.5 a、1 a、1.5 a、2.5 a、7 a和11 a等多个周期, 其中高频振荡对南极磷虾资源变动影响较大, 低频振荡影响较小; 3个亚区渔获率都为冬高夏低季节性振荡, 48.1~48.3亚区最高值依次出现在5月、 6月和9月, 渔获率的最低值出现在1月; 所有振荡周期中以1 a为最主要振荡周期(方差解释率为46.7%), 南极磷虾年补充规模对其渔获率最为重要; 其2.5 a振荡和海冰面积3.0 a;振荡有关; 渔获率低频振荡周期与气候-海流系统振荡周期有关。海冰面积和渔获率有较好的正相关关系(相关系数为0.44, 位相差10个月)。海冰面积异常振荡会在8~11个月之后对渔获率和渔获率异常产生的正相关影响。磷虾资源的振荡是环境振荡和磷虾生物周期综合作用的反映。

     

牙鲆连续三代抗鳗弧菌病家系的筛选与分析

为了培育牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)抗鳗弧菌(Vibrio anguillarum)病的品系或品种, 2009和2012年利用中国牙鲆抗病群体、从日本和韩国引进的牙鲆群体以及2007年和2009年从大量牙鲆家系中选留的优良家系为亲本, 通过巢式杂交、三元杂交及雌核发育等方法, 分别于2009年和2012年建成牙鲆家系43个和65个, 选取2009年的33个家系和2012年的43个家系进行鳗弧菌感染实验, 共筛选出13个抗病家系, 其中3个家系的存活率极显著高于对照组(P<0.01), 另外10个家系的存活率显著高于对照组(P<0.05), 这13个家系包含F3家系、雌核发育一代和二代家系各1个, F2家系3个, 在以上6个家系中,除了1个F2家系, 其他家系的亲本均来自于抗病家系且鳗弧菌感染存活率的变异系数都低于10%。对连续三代抗病家系进行分析, 发现在上述13个抗病家系和2007年筛选出的3个抗病家系共16个抗病家系中有13个家系来自于中国牙鲆抗病群体相关, 结果表明, 部分F1、F2、F3和雌核发育家系较好地遗传了其亲本的抗病性能, 抗病性能稳定, 为培育抗鳗弧菌病的牙鲆品系或品种奠定了基础。

     

饲料中添加浒苔对黄斑蓝子鱼生长性能与生理生化指标的影响

试验用黄斑蓝子鱼(Siganus canaliculatus)幼鱼捕自汕头大学南澳临海试验站附近海域, 在海上网箱中暂养半个月后将其转入室内水族缸(容积200 L)中驯养2周, 饵料为自制配合饲料。新鲜浒苔(Enteromorpha prolifera)从汕头市南澳县盐田采得, 用水清洗后晒干, 经小型粉碎机粉碎, 过60目筛, 制成海藻干粉。选取体质量约23 g黄斑蓝子鱼进行试验。在蛋白水平32%、脂肪水平8%的情况下, 配制6种配合饲料, 其中3种饲料分别添加5%、10%和15%的浒苔干粉, 另2种添加10%、15% 浒苔的饲料中还添加0.2%非淀粉多糖酶(NSP酶), 对照组饲料不添加浒苔。养殖试验周期为8周。结果显示: 与对照组相比, 5%浒苔组鱼的生长性能不受影响(P>0.05), 但10%和15％浒苔组鱼的生长性能显著降低(P<0.05); 然而, 在添加0.2% NSP酶的情况下, 10％和15%浒苔组鱼的生长性能与对照组相比无显著差异(P>0.05)。各饲料组鱼的成活率及全鱼的水分、蛋白、脂肪、灰分含量无显著差异(P>0.05)。与对照组鱼相比, 浒苔饲料组鱼肝和肌肉中的过氧化氢酶及谷胱甘肽过氧物酶的活性增高, 丙二醛含量降低。结果表明, 黄斑蓝子鱼配合饲料中浒苔的添加比例可达5%; 在加入一定量NSP酶的情况下, 其添加比例可达10%～15%。饲料中添加适当比例的浒苔可提高鱼体的抗氧化能力。本研究旨在探讨浒苔作为黄斑蓝子鱼配合饲料原料加以利用的可行性, 为浒苔资源开辟一条有效的利用途径, 并为研发高效、低成本蓝子鱼配合饲料提供指导和依据。

     

三角帆蚌内脏团不同部位插核育珠对珍珠囊形成的影响

对三角帆蚌(Hyriopsis comingii)内脏团不同部位进行插核, 研究各组珍珠囊形成、结构以及珍珠质沉积的差异, 从而确定出有利于珍珠形成的插核核位。实验选取内脏团5个部位(I: 斧足内脏团前端; II: 斧足内脏团中部; III: 近生殖腺部; IV: 近胃部; V: 近肾部)进行插核, 并分别在插核后第20、50、90、150 天(thd)采集内脏团插核部位进行组织固定, 利用石蜡切片、HE染色研究不同插核部位珍珠囊结构及珍珠质沉积情况。结果表明: (1) 插核施术后20 d, II组插核位点最早形成单层低柱状上皮细胞, 为次生珍珠囊; (2) 插核施术后50 d, I、II、III组均形成了珍珠囊上皮细胞, 而IV、V组插核位点未出现类似的柱状细胞。其中II、III组珍珠囊上皮细胞前端含有大量体积较大的颗粒物; (3) 插核施术后90 d, I、III组珍珠囊细胞间出现大量细胞间隙, I、II组珍珠囊表皮细胞具有多核现象的细胞数量增多, 且II、III组上皮细胞中颗粒物数量增多, 而IV、V组插核位点形成了复层扁平上皮细胞; (4) 插核施术后150 d, I、III组珍珠囊内表皮细胞间隙变少。II组珍珠囊上皮细胞游离端存在大量的微绒毛, 其与III组相似, 珍珠囊上皮细胞细胞核明显增多, 颗粒物减少。该时期, IV组在插核位点上形成了不连续的低柱细胞、V组插核位点仍未出现珍珠囊细胞。(5) 三角帆蚌在插核术后养殖150 d后, I、II、III组珠核表面出现明显的珍珠质沉积, II、III组珍珠质沉积均匀, I组不均匀, 并且II组沉积的珍珠层厚度(0.85 mm±0.06 mm)显著大于I、III组(P<0.05; 0.62 mm±0.07 mm, 0.56 mm±0.03 mm), 而IV、V组珠核表面没有珍珠质沉积。研究结果表明, 三角帆蚌内脏团不同插核部位珍珠囊上皮细胞的形成存在明显差异, 斧足–内脏团前端、斧足–内脏团中部以及近生殖腺部插核能形成完整的珍珠囊结构并沉积珍珠质, 其中斧足–内脏团中部插核更有利于珍珠的生长。本研究旨为淡水珍珠贝的内脏团育珠研究工作提供实践基础和理论依据。

     

匀斑裸胸鳝消化道的显微与超微结构分析

裸胸鳝(Gymnothorax)是珊瑚礁生态系统的重要鱼类。本研究采用光学显微镜与扫描电镜技术对匀斑裸胸鳝(G. reevesii)消化道组织结构进行了系统的研究。结果表明, 匀斑裸胸鳝口咽腔黏膜上皮为复层鳞状上皮, 内含杯状细胞和味蕾, 表层细胞表面具有微脊; 食道上皮形成黏膜皱褶, 黏膜上皮部分区域衬着有单层柱状上皮, 且含有丰富的杯状黏液细胞; 胃呈“┫”形, 可分为贲门部、盲囊部和幽门部, 贲门部与盲囊部含有丰富的胃腺, 扫描电镜结果显示胃表面具有丰富的胃小凹; 肠道较短, 肠道系数为0.33, 黏液细胞数量从前肠往后肠逐渐增多, 肠道微绒毛和纤毛的数量从前肠往后肠逐渐减少。匀斑裸胸鳝的齿、食道、肠道系数、胃肠结构等特征均表明匀斑裸胸鳝是一种典型的肉食性鱼类。

     

坛紫菜“申福2号”的SSR分子标记

利用微卫星(SSR)分子标记技术, 对坛紫菜(Porphyra haitanensis)优良品系“申福2号”的丝状体和叶状体分别进行了特异性分子标记鉴定, 结果发现: 用9^#引物(序列为F: TCACAATGGGTGATATGGC; R: CCACAT TTAAGTCCGACTCTG) 对“申福2号”丝状体的DNA进行扩增, 出现了能区别于其他14个品系(6个优良品系, 3个杂交品系, 5个野生品系)的特异性条带。用该引物对室内培养的“申福2号”叶状体的DNA进行扩增, 也均获得了与丝状体相同的特异性条带。此外, 用该引物分别对栽培在不同海区和不同时期采收的“申福2号”叶状体进行验证, 结果均出现了与丝状体相同的特异性条带。该特异性条带的DNA测序结果证实, 9^#引物产生的SSR标记反映了微卫星DNA重复序列的变化。通过SSR Hunter软件搜索到了设计引物时的核心序列, 所得产物大小在预期长度范围内, 是特异性扩增。通过BLAST比对得知, 该序列在核酸数据库中没有同源序列, 是一个新序列。通过DNAMAN软件分析得知, “申福2号”、“申福1号”之间序列差异较小, 与坛紫菜霞浦野生种差异较大。这证实该标记反映的是种内品系间的差异, 可以用于种内品系鉴定。上述结果表明, 由9^#引物扩增出的这一特异性条带可以认为是“申福2号”丝状体和叶状体的特异性标记, 可用于该品系的种质鉴定。

     

大眼鳜与翘嘴鳜正反交及其正交子代自交的胚胎发育观察

对大眼鳜(Siniperca kneri)(♀)×翘嘴鳜(Siniperca chuatsi)(♂)正交F1(DQ)、翘嘴鳜(♀)×大眼鳜(♂)反交F1(QD)、大眼鳜(♀)×翘嘴鳜(♂)正交F1的自交F2(F2)的胚胎发育进行观察, 详细记录了受精卵、分裂期、囊胚期、原肠胚期、胚体形成期、破膜期6个胚胎发育时期的卵径、孵化破膜时间、初孵仔鱼大小以及胚胎发育特征。大眼鳜受精卵卵径为(1.231±0.057) mm, 翘嘴鳜卵径为(1.197±0.052) mm, 显著大于正交F1雌鱼的卵径(1.723±0.0519) mm(P<0.05)。DQ受精卵在水温25.5~27.7℃经过37 h孵化破膜, QD受精卵在水温27.5~28.7℃经过30 h孵化破膜, F2受精卵在21.6~24.1℃经过40 h 57 min孵化破膜。DQ、QD、F2初孵仔鱼大小分别为(4.1±0.4) mm、(4.0±0.2) mm、(3.5±0.2) mm。鳜属鱼类中翘嘴鳜与大眼鳜胚胎发育各时期特征基本一致, 3种杂交鳜胚胎发育特征与其父母本也基本一致。经过比较发现, 其色素的形成与运动有鳜属的特异性: 在胚孔封闭后, 黑色素开始形成并逐渐扩散覆盖整个卵黄囊, 中期黑色素呈现星芒状, 并在油球处有集中现象, 后期色素则逐渐出现在眼和头部。水温21.6~28.7℃时3种杂交鳜的胚胎发育时间都偏向与翘嘴鳜的胚胎发育时间一致, 在水温23~26.5℃时DQ、F2与大眼鳜的胚胎发育时间有较大差别。

     

β-葡聚糖与硒、维生素E联合添加对凡纳滨对虾生长、血清免疫和抗氧化指标及抗病力的影响

选取800尾初始体质量为(0.83±0.02) g的凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei), 随机分成5组, 分别投喂添加β-葡聚糖(βG)、硒(Se)和维生素E(VE)的饲料, 其组合和添加量分别为: 0、300 mg/kg βG、300 mg/kg βG+0.2 mg/kg Se、300 mg/kg βG+100 mg/kg VE、300 mg/kg βG+0.2 mg/kg Se+100 mg/kg VE, 记为G0、G1、G2、G3和G4, 养殖35 d, 养殖结束后, 采用肌肉注射法对凡纳滨对虾进行白斑综合征病毒(WSSV)感染。结果显示, 养殖结束时G2组对虾增重率最高, 比G1组提高6.4%; 饵料系数比G1组降低6.3%, 显著低于G1组(P<0.05); G3组对虾存活率显著低于G0和G1组(P<0.05)。与G0组相比, G4组对虾血细胞总数和血清酚氧化酶活性显著升高(P<0.05); 与G1组相比, G2−G4组血细胞总数和酚氧化酶活性差异不显著(P>0.05), 但溶菌酶活性显著升高(P<0.05)。G3组酸性磷酸酶活性显著低于G4组(P<0.05); G2组碱性磷酸酶活性显著高于其他各添加组(P<0.05), 而与G0组差异不显著(P>0.05)。G4组谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶活性显著高于其他4组(P<0.05); 谷胱甘肽转移酶活性在各组间差异不显著(P>0.05)。G1组过氧化氢酶活性显著高于G2和G4组(P<0.05)。超氧化物歧化酶活性以G2组最高, 显著高于其他各组(P<0.05); G1和G3组次之, 分别显著高于G0和G4组(P<0.05)。G1、G2和G4组血清丙二醛含量较低, 分别显著低于G0和G3组(P<0.05); 抗超氧阴离子活性较高, 分别显著高于G3组(P<0.05)。与G1组相比, G3组总抗氧化能力显著升高(P<0.05)。注射WSSV粗提液72 h时, 对虾的累积死亡率以G0组最高, G1−G4的累积死亡率呈现降低的趋势, 其中G2和G4组显著降低(P<0.05), 其相对保护率分别为30.8%和26.9%。结果表明, βG与Se联合添加能一定程度提高凡纳滨对虾生长性能, 降低饵料系数; 与单独添加βG相比较, βG与Se联合添加或βG与Se、VE三者联合添加均能显著提高凡纳滨对虾的非特异性免疫、抗氧化能力和抗病力。

     

Association between the interannual variation in the oceanic environment and catch rates of bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) in the Atlantic Ocean

The environmental processes associated with variability in the catch rates of bigeye tuna in the Atlantic Ocean are largely unexplored. This study used generalized additive models (GAMs) fitted to Taiwanese longline fishery data from 1990 to 2009 and investigated the association between environmental variables and catch rates to identify the processes influencing bigeye tuna distribution in the Atlantic Ocean. The present findings reveal that the year (temporal factor), latitude and longitude (spatial factors), and major regular longline target species of albacore catches are significant for the standardization of bigeye tuna catch rates in the Atlantic Ocean. The standardized catch rates and distribution of bigeye tuna were found to be related to environmental and climatic variation. The model selection processes showed that the selected GAMs explained 70% of the cumulative deviance in the entire Atlantic Ocean. Regarding environmental factors, the depth of the 20 degree isotherm (D20) substantially contributed to the explained deviance; other important factors were sea surface temperature (SST) and sea surface height deviation (SSHD). The potential fishing grounds were observed with SSTs of 22–28°C, a D20 shallower than 150 m and negative SSHDs in the Atlantic Ocean. The higher predicted catch rates were increased in the positive northern tropical Atlantic and negative North Atlantic Oscillation events with a higher SST and shallow D20, suggesting that climatic oscillations affect the population abundance and distribution of bigeye tuna.     

Rare serotype occurrence and PFGE genotypic diversity of Streptococcus agalactiae isolated from tilapia in China

Previously, we reported 10 PEGE types of 85 tilapia Streptococcus agalactiae(GBS), which shifted from Streptococcus iniae in China, by using PEGE method. Presently, larger and more representative tilapia GBS were isolated, for the ?rst time in China, to characterize their serotypes and genetic diversities more precisely than had done before. 168 GBS strains were distributed in ?ve provinces of China, in which Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan were the major ones, holding36.9%(62/168), 37.5%(63/168) and 19.6%(33/168), respectively. Serotypes, Ia, Ib and III, were observed in these strains and the most predominant one was Ia(95.2%), which mainly distributed in Guangdong, Guangxi and Hainan. Ia initially occurred in 2009, it shoot up to 32.1% in 2010,but decreased to 16.1% in 2011 before went up to 45.2% in 2012. Ib sporadically occurred during2007–2011, III onlyoccurred in 2012. 14 different PFGE types, including 4 new types(N, O,P and Q), were observed, in which B, D, F and G were the predominant types, holding 83.9%(141/168) of the total GBS strains. Ia corresponded to 11 PFGE types(A–H, N–P), in which type D predominated(51%). Ib represented 3 genotypes(I, J and Q) and III harbored only 2genotypes(N and F). Type N and Fsynchronously presented in Ia and III. In summary, the genetic diversity of tilapia GBS varied by serotypes and changed with geographical locations and years.Although Iastillpredominated, new rareserotypeIII alreadyoccurred in China.     

Growth performance,digestive enzyme activity and immune response of Japanese sea bass,Lateolabrax japonicus fed with fructooligosaccharide

In this experiment, a feeding trial was performed to determine the effects of fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activity and immune response of Japanese sea bass, Lateolabrax japonicus juveniles (initial weight 38.3 ± 0.5 g), and the fish were examined following feeding with six levels of FOS (0, 0.5, 1, 2, 4 and 6 g/kg) for 28 days. Significant enhancement of weight gain (WG) and specific growth rate (SGR) was found in fish fed 1 g/kg FOS incorporated diets (p < .05), while the feed conversion ratio (FCR) in the 1, 2 g/kg FOS groups reduced significantly compared with the control (p < .05). Besides, the crude lipid in the 4, 6 g/kg FOS groups increased significantly compared with the control (p < .05). On the other hand, the erepsin and lipase activities significantly elevated in intestine of fish fed 2 g/kg FOS (p < .05) and the lysozyme activity in serum of fish fed 2 g/kg FOS were significantly higher than that in the control (p < .05). Moreover, the alkaline phosphatase activities in serum of fish fed 0.5, 1, 2 g/kg FOS were significantly higher than in control (p < .05). Regression analysis showed that the relationships between dietary FOS levels and either SGR, FCR, erepsin or lysozyme activities were best expressed by regression equations, and the optimal inclusion levels are 1.37, 1.80, 3.06, 3.11, 1.93 and 1.80 g/kg for SGR, FCR, erepsin, lipase, lysozyme and total superoxide dismutase activities, respectively. Overall, this study revealed that FOS incorporated diets could beneficial for L. japonicus culture in terms of increasing the growth, digestion and immune activities. Under the present experimental condition, the optimal supplementary level of FOS in the diet of L. japonicus is 1–3 g/kg.     

Evaluation of a Fast Method Based on the Presence of Two Restriction Sites in the Mitochondrial ND5 (mt ND5) Gene for the Identification of Scomber Species

The purpose of this work was to evaluate the suitability of a method based on the presence of two restriction sites (for Hae III and Hindf I) in the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 5 (mt ND5) gene to identify Scomber species. The evaluation was performed on 144 reference and market samples by sequencing of the entire 505-bp fragment of the mt ND5 gene and of a 464-bp fragment of the Kocher fragment of the cytochrome b gene (mt Cytb). Sequence analysis of any of the two fragments allows the identification of each of the four Scomber species, but S. japonicus and S. colias had the same restriction sites at the ND5 amplicon and would not have been differentiated by this analysis. Similarly, loss of the Hae III site in some S. scombrus individuals would have misidentified them as not being Scomber. All the market products were correctly labeled except one acquired in Spain labeled as originating in the Atlantic and containing S. japonicus.     

Growth hormone (GH) and reproduction: a review

Interaction between growth and reproduction occurs in many vertebrates and is particularly obvious at certain stages of the life cycle in fish. Endocrine interactions between the gonadotropic axis and the somatotropic axis are described, the potential role of GH being emphasised. A comparative analysis of these phenomena in mammals, amphibians and fish, suggests a specific role of GH in the physiology of puberty, gametogenesis and fertility. It also shows the original contribution made by studies on the fish model in this field of investigations.     

Purification and partial characterization of GtHs (cfLH and cfFSH) from Indian walking catfish (Clarias batrachus) (L.) and development of a homologous ELISA for cfLH

Two gonadotropins (GtH; Qa and Qb) were purified by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography from the pituitaries of Indian walking catfish (Clarias batrachus). The presence of GtH during purification was assessed by in vitro oocyte maturation and in vivo steroidogenic activity, and their identities were determined by elution profiles, molecular weight, biological activities and yield. The molecular weights of Qa and Qb were 37 and 42 kDa, respectively, and composed of distinct subunits (Qa: 20 and 14 kDa and Qb: 26 and 18 kDa). Polyclonal antibodies raised against Qa immunostained Qa, Qb and pituitary GtH cells. A competitive Qa‐ELISA was developed whose sensitivity was 6.25 ng mL^?1 (1.25 ng well^?1) with intra‐ (3.5%) and inter‐ (12.4%) assay coefficients of variation. Displacement curves parallel to the standard were obtained with plasma and pituitary extracts of catfish, Qb and carp GtHII. The assay was validated by measuring the plasma Qa levels after LHRH treatment and in relation to ovarian growth in the female catfish during different reproductive phases. Based on the results, Qa and Qb corresponded to fish LH and FSH respectively. The findings will increase the knowledge of the mechanisms controlling fish reproduction and identification of sensitive phases in fish in captivity for hormonal manipulation.     

Controlled infection of Poecilia reticulata Peters (guppy) with Tetrahymena by immersion and intraperitoneal injection

Tetrahymena is a protozoan parasite, which infects guppy, Poecilia reticulata Peters, and causes substantial economical losses in commercial farms worldwide. Studies of guppy infected by Tetrahymena require standardized infection protocols. The LD50 for Tetrahymena infection of guppies by intraperitoneal (IP) injection was calibrated, and the level obtained was 946 parasites per fish. Guppy infection with Tetrahymena by immersion, imitating the natural route of infection via the integument, was studied under normal or stress conditions. Exposure to cold and netting (CNI) and to cold only (CI) followed by immersion exposure to 10 000 Tetrahymena per mL resulted in 22.5% and 19.2% mortality, respectively, as compared to 14.2% and 10% in groups that were netted only (NI) or non‐stressed (I). Histopathology revealed that immersion infection resulted in a systemic infection. Lysozyme levels, measured 3 weeks after infection, were significantly higher in the CNI group (288 μg per mg protein) compared with CI‐, NI‐ and I‐treated groups (94.5, 64 and 62.3 μg mg^?1, respectively). There was no evident parasite immobilization activity in body homogenates, suggesting no development of acquired immunity. Re‐infection by IP injection revealed no increase in protection in any of the treatment groups, mortality range of 56.3–75%, higher than in the non‐exposed control (40.6% mortality).