高温应激下无乳链球菌感染对尼罗罗非鱼血清生化指标和组织病理的影响

为探究高水温对尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌病暴发的影响,以体质量为(62.0±3.33)g的尼罗罗非鱼为研究对象,设置生长最适宜组(29°C)和高温应激组(33°C)2个处理水平,暂养7 d后分别进行人工感染实验统计累计死亡率,并于攻毒后0、12、24、48、96和120 h采集血液和组织样本,开展高温应激下无乳链球菌感染对尼罗罗非鱼血清生化指标和组织病理影响的研究。结果显示,水温33°C高温应激组尼罗罗非鱼累计死亡率显著高于29°C组;谷丙转氨酶(ALT)活性在感染96 h之后33°C组的值显著高于29°C组;谷草转氨酶(AST)活性在感染48 h之后33°C组的值显著高于29°C组;钾(K+)和钠(Na+)含量感染120 h时29°C组的值和攻毒前都没有显著性差异,而33°C组分别显著高于和低于攻毒前;肌酐(CREA)含量在感染12 h以后33°C组的值都显著高于29°C组;白蛋白/球蛋白(A/G)的值在120 h时33°C组的值显著低于29°C组;血清碱性磷酸酶(AKP)活性29°C组随时间延长而升高,33°C组则先升高后降低,但33°C组的达峰时间更短;超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)活性的变化趋势都是先升高后降低再升高;组织病理学观察显示高温应激使肝细胞排列紊乱,索状结构不清,脾脏和肾脏轻微充血;感染12 h后脾脏均严重充血,感染24 h后脾脏结构均被破坏,呈淀粉样变性,坏死;感染48 h后肾小球均发生萎缩,肾小管上皮细胞变性、坏死;33°C组鱼的肝脏感染96 h后严重脂肪变性和细胞内玻璃样变性,而29°C组鱼的肝脏在感染120 h后才发生相似的病理变化。研究表明高温应激抑制了鱼体免疫系统,降低了尼罗罗非鱼对无乳链球菌的抵抗力,脾脏对无乳链球菌感染响应最快,高温应激使病原菌感染对肝脏损伤更为迅速,感染后期受损更严重。     

BALB/c小鼠用于评价尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌毒力的研究

实验采用BALB/c小鼠作为实验动物,旨在建立尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌毒力测定的BALB/c小鼠模型。BALB/c小鼠经腹腔注射尼罗罗非鱼源无乳链球菌建立感染模型,比较了尼罗罗非鱼源无乳链球菌分别感染尼罗罗非鱼和小鼠的LD_(50)差异,分别测定了不同毒力尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌对尼罗罗非鱼和小鼠的毒力。结果显示,小鼠经腹腔注射无乳链球菌,在24 h内出现死亡现象,且对小鼠脑、肝脏、脾脏、肾脏等组织造成损伤。3次测定尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌TFJ0901对尼罗罗非鱼和小鼠LD_(50)分别为7.7×10~7、2.2×10~8、3.5×10~9 CFU/mL和405、361、419 CFU/只。将无乳链球菌TFJ0901和THN0901感染尼罗罗非鱼(1.0×10~7 CFU/mL)和小鼠(100 CFU/只),尼罗罗非鱼和小鼠存活率分别为100%、6.7%±5.8%和100%、0,其存活率都具有显著性差异。将无乳链球菌TFJ0901和TFJ-F感染尼罗罗非鱼(3.0×10~8 CFU/mL)和小鼠(2 500 CFU/只),尼罗罗非鱼的存活率分别为73.3%±11.5%和80.0%±10.0%,存活率差异不显著,小鼠存活率分别为13.3%±11.5%和100.0%,存活率具有显著性差异。研究表明,本实验成功建立了BALB/c小鼠作为尼罗罗非鱼源无乳链球菌毒力测定的稳定模型,测定不同毒力的尼罗罗非鱼源无乳链球菌对小鼠毒力与对尼罗罗非鱼毒力一致,且该模型能够区分尼罗罗非鱼模型难以区分的毒力相近的无乳链球菌。     

尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌病的病理学研究

为了解尼罗罗非鱼感染无乳链球菌后各组织的病理变化,运用革兰氏染色和电镜负染技术对一株从自然发病的尼罗罗非鱼上分离的无乳链球菌进行形态观察,采用组织切片和超薄切片电镜技术对患病尼罗罗非鱼的肝脏、脾脏、肾脏、脑、心肌、骨骼肌、肠、鳃等8种组织进行病理学研究,探讨该病的致病机理。结果显示,革兰氏染色呈阳性,负染后透射电镜观察多数细菌呈链状排列;组织病理学变化主要是各内脏器官的广泛充血、水肿、变性和炎性细胞浸润,严重的细胞坏死;超微病理显示,大量球菌侵染脾脏等内脏组织,破坏细胞结构和各种细胞器;细胞界限模糊,细胞核畸形,线粒体肿大,嵴断裂,溶解;粗面内质网肿大、核糖体脱落;细胞质空泡化严重;心肌和骨骼肌纤维断裂、紊乱、肌节长短不一;肠微绒毛排列不整齐、长短不一;眼中有纤维性沉积。研究表明,无乳链球菌能造成尼罗罗非鱼全身性组织器官损害和炎症反应,尤其是肝脏、脾脏、肾脏和脑等重要器官功能障碍和衰竭,最后导致鱼体死亡。     

自然感染无乳链球菌罗非鱼的比较病理学及毒力基因谱分析

在自然感染无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)的罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)成鱼、稚鱼和自然携带无乳链球菌的罗非鱼体内分别获得14株、4株和2株无乳链球菌。临床和组织病理学分析显示,罗非鱼成鱼出现无规则游动,脑、眼眶、鳃和鳍条充血,眼球突出、白浊,内脏器官肿大、充血,以肾小管玻璃样变性、脑膜炎和心外膜炎等组织病理学变化为特征;罗非鱼稚鱼体表无明显症状,但部分内脏器官呈现肿大、充血现象,以脾脏血管区出血、肾小管上皮细胞变性、脑组织炎症反应较轻为其主要组织病理学特征。此外,罗非鱼胃固有层内及稚鱼肝脏组织中有大量的嗜酸性粒细胞浸润,可观察到无乳链球菌在成鱼的脑、心脏以及稚鱼肝脏中增殖;自然携带无乳链球菌的罗非鱼临床症状和组织学病变均不明显。PCR检测发现,各无乳链球菌毒力基因谱相同,但自然感染无乳链球菌的罗非鱼成鱼、稚鱼和自然携带无乳链球菌的罗非鱼的病理学损伤差异显著。     

尼罗罗非鱼p38MAPK基因克隆与表达分析

为了探究p38MAPK与尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)免疫功能的相关性,本实验运用cDNA末端快速扩增技术(rapid amplification of cDNA ends,RACE)获得尼罗罗非鱼埃及品系ntp38MAPK的cDNA全长序列,结果显示,该序列全长1789 bp,开放阅读框(Open Reading Frame,ORF)长1086 bp,5′非编码区(Untranslated Region,UTR)长342 bp,3′UTR为361 bp。ORF编码361个氨基酸,预测分子量为41.598 kD,理论等电点为5.10。序列含有p38家族典型保守的Thr-Gly-Tyr(TGY)双磷酸化位点以及紧密相连的底物结合位点Ala-Thr-Arg-Trp(ATRW)。同源性以及系统进化树分析结果显示,尼罗罗非鱼的p38MAPK与大黄鱼(Larimichthys crocea)和鲈(Dicentrarchus labrax)的相似性最高。采用qRT-PCR的方法研究了ntp38MAPK在各组织以及无乳链球菌感染过程中的表达差异情况,结果显示,ntp38MAPK在各组织均有表达,其中在肌肉的表达量最高,心脏、肝脏、脾脏次之,头肾中的表达量最低。无乳链球菌感染过程中,脾脏、头肾中ntp38MAPK的表达量在2 h开始上调,肝脏中4 h开始上调,8 h后肝脏、脾脏和头肾中的表达量都有所下降,24~72 h趋于平稳,表明ntp38MAPK在尼罗罗非鱼抵抗链球菌侵染过程中发挥重要作用。     

吉富罗非鱼感染无乳链球菌后肝脏组织在不同时期蛋白质组的表达差异

为研究罗非鱼感染无乳链球菌前后肝脏组织蛋白质的表达变化。本研究以吉富罗非鱼为材料,采用双向电泳技术分析其在无乳链球菌感染胁迫下24 h、48-144 h、12 d与对照组（未感染）肝脏组织蛋白质组的变化,对差异表达蛋白进行质谱分析鉴定。结果显示：吉富罗非鱼在无乳链球菌胁迫下,3个实验组的蛋白质图谱与对照组相比存在显著差异,共有30个蛋白点发生显著改变,其中13个表达上调,17个下调,2个下调蛋白点在感染12 d组消失。通过MALDI-TOF-MS MS/MS质谱分析和数据库检索对这些蛋白质进行了功能分类,发现它们涉及到能量代谢、细胞防御与应激、消化免疫、抗氧化与排毒等许多方面。推测这些蛋白可能在吉富罗非鱼对无乳链球菌胁迫的抗性反应中发挥了重要作用。研究结果为无乳链球菌疫苗的研制及吉富罗非鱼抗病品种选育奠定了基础。     

尼罗罗非鱼补体C9基因的克隆和组织表达分析

为了探究补体C9在尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)免疫中发挥的作用,本研究克隆并分析了尼罗罗非鱼补体C9基因(OnC9)。结果显示:OnC9的cDNA序列全长2 502 bp,包含1 761 bp的开放阅读框(ORF),编码586个氨基酸。氨基酸序列同源性分析表明,OnC9与牙鲆(Paralichthys olivaceus)补体C9氨基酸相似性最高,达73.0%,与其他鱼类补体C9的相似性介于49.3%~71.4%之间。实时荧光定量PCR检测结果表明,OnC9基因在所检测的各个组织或器官中表达水平有明显差异,在肝脏中表达量最高,其次是肠道、后肾、皮肤、肌肉、鳃,在脑、脾脏、心脏、头肾、胸腺和血液中表达量最低。在无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)感染鱼体后,肝脏、后肾等组织中OnC9表达量表现为在感染12 h、48 h(或36 h)、120 h先后出现三个峰值的波动表达的规律。说明OnC9在无乳链球菌感染尼罗罗非鱼后的免疫应答中发挥作用。     

无乳链球菌不同途径感染吉富罗非鱼后病原菌在体内的分布规律研究

为探讨无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)感染罗非鱼(Oreochromis spp)的致病途径。采用腹腔注射、灌胃和浸泡三种方式对吉富罗非鱼进行无乳链球菌(HN016菌株)胁迫感染,利用平板活菌计数法统计三种方式感染后病原菌在体内组织的分布。注射和灌胃两种方式感染后均出现典型的链球菌感染发病症状,其中注射组在感染24 h后出现死亡高峰,死亡率为92.5%;灌胃组感染48 h后出现死亡高峰,死亡率为90%;而浸泡组,感染后均没有出现明显的发病症状,也没有出现死鱼。注射组和灌胃组在感染后2 h,其脾脏、肝脏、前肾、胃、腮、皮肤和肌肉组织中均可分离出病原菌,5 h后在脑组织中均可分离出病原菌,8 h后各组织分离出的病原菌数达到峰值;而浸泡组在感染8 h后才从各组织中分离出病原菌,且它们的数量均低于同时期的注射组和灌胃组。注射和灌胃两种方式可使吉富罗非鱼快速感染无乳链球菌而发病,而浸泡方式感染后病原菌虽可以侵入机体,但不表现出症状。由此,我们推测在自然条件下养殖的罗非鱼是通过口腔采食携带无乳,链球菌的食物而被感染。     

尼罗罗非鱼铁调素调节蛋白在宿主抵御病原菌侵染和调节铁稳态中的功能

为了研究铁调素调节蛋白(hemojuvelin,HJV)在硬骨鱼中抵御病原菌感染和维持自身铁稳态过程中的作用,实验扩增了尼罗罗非鱼铁调素调节蛋白基因(Onhjv)的开放阅读框(ORF),分析其在健康尼罗罗非鱼各组织中的分布模式及在抵御病原菌感染和调节铁稳态中的相关作用。结果显示,Onhjv的ORF全长由1 248个碱基组成,编码415个氨基酸,在不同物种之间具有一定的保守性。实时荧光定量PCR(qRT-PCR)结果显示,Onhjv在尼罗罗非鱼各组织中广泛分布,并在肝脏中的表达量最高。在无乳链球菌或嗜水气单胞菌感染后,Onhjv在肝脏、脾脏、肠和鳃中的表达量均显著上调。体外头肾单核/巨噬细胞和肝细胞中Onhjv表达量在受到这2种病原菌应激下也显著上调。此外,在1和10μmol/L FeCl_3溶液刺激后,Onhjv表达量在肝脏、脾脏、肠和鳃等组织,以及头肾单核/巨噬细胞和肝细胞中的表达量也呈显著上调。受重组罗非鱼IL-6蛋白[(r)OnIL-6]刺激后,头肾单核/巨噬细胞中Onhjv表达量显著上调,表明炎症因子可以促进Onhjv表达。研究表明,尼罗罗非鱼铁调素调节蛋白在宿主抵御病原菌感染和维持铁稳态的过程中发挥作用。本实验为探究HJV在硬骨鱼中的生物学功能提供了参考,同时为进一步研究铁代谢在宿主防御病原菌感染过程中的重要作用提供理论指导。     

尼罗罗非鱼γ-干扰素基因的克隆、结构分析及组织表达

γ-干扰素(interferon,IFN)是调控天然免疫与细胞免疫的一种重要细胞因子,在抵抗病毒入侵和细菌感染中发挥重要作用。该研究从尼罗罗非鱼(Oreochromis niloticus)脾脏组织中扩增到γ-干扰素基因的c DNA,大小为621 bp,编码206个氨基酸。生物信息学分析表明,尼罗罗非鱼γ-干扰素分子(On IFNγ)具有信号肽、IFN特征序列及核定位信号。预测的三级结构与人类IFNγ晶体结构最相似。q PCR检测显示,IFNγ在正常鱼体内的脾脏中表达量最高,其次是肠、鳃和肾脏。感染无乳链球菌(Streptococcus agalactiae)后,On IFNγ在脾脏、肾和鳃中的表达均显著上调(P0.05)。On IFNγ在相关免疫器官中的高表达、受感染后的表达上调,说明其在罗非鱼免疫防御中可能具有重要作用。该研究为进一步开展On IFNγ基因的功能研究、探讨其在抗病转基因及抗病选育中的开发应用奠定了基础。     

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).