温度对尼罗罗非鱼无乳链球菌毒力的影响

为了解温度对鱼源无乳链球菌毒力的影响机制,本实验研究了温度对无乳链球菌毒力相关参数(生长、粘附、入侵、毒力基因表达以及对罗非鱼致死率)的影响。结果发现,不同培养温度下(25~40 ℃)无乳链球菌的生长速度不同,37 ℃为其最适生长温度,25 ℃时生长速度最慢;25~34 ℃内无乳链球菌粘附在惰性基质上的菌体对应的吸光值(OD_590nm)之间无显著差异(P>0.05),37 ℃时显著增加,40 ℃时又急剧下降;罗非鱼在人工感染无乳链球菌后各时间点(6、12、24和48 h),鱼体脑组织中菌量随注射菌体培养温度的增加呈先上升后下降的趋势,且与不同培养温度下的无乳链球菌对罗非鱼的致死率呈正相关;无乳链球菌毒力基因的表达也与培养温度相关,hly和cfb基因的表达量随菌体培养温度的升高先增加后降低,分别在34和37 ℃处达到峰值,不同培养温度下无乳链球菌sip基因表达的变化幅度较小,而scpB基因的表达则随培养温度增加而下降;无乳链球菌对罗非鱼的致死率随其培养温度的升高呈先升高后降低趋势,低温(25和28 ℃)培养条件下的菌体对罗非鱼致死率较低(<20%),37 ℃时致死率最高66.67%±6.67%。以上结果表明温度参与无乳链球菌生长、粘附、转移、入侵和部分毒力基因表达的调控,它们共同影响无乳链球菌对罗非鱼的毒力。     

罗非鱼源无乳链球菌cpsE基因的克隆和分子特性分析

利用特异性引物,采用PCR扩增出分离自患病罗非鱼无乳链球菌强毒株的cpsE基因,将其克隆到pMD19-T载体上,通过菌落PCR鉴定和利用限制性内切酶BamHⅠ和HindⅢ对重组质粒进行双酶切鉴定之后送测序公司测序,并利用生物信息学软件Clustal X 2.0、MEGA 4.1、Bioedit 7.0、TMHMM、NetPhos 2.0、NetNGlyc 1.0、SignalP 3.0 Server、PSIpred、SAM_T08以及CUSP等分析cpsE基因的分子特性。结果显示,罗非鱼源无乳链球菌cpsE编码氨基酸序列具有高度保守性,与人源、动物源无乳链球菌亲缘性达100%,具有1个参与催化糖基元转运的Glycosyltransferases超级家族结构域,具有与蛋白翻译后修饰功能相关的磷酸化位点3个,编码多肽链中亲水区大于疏水区,且存在跨膜区。密码子偏爱性分析表明,罗非鱼源无乳链球菌cpsE基因密码子使用频率差异较大,密码子偏爱性更接近真核生物。     

无乳链球菌GD201008-001二元调控系统RscSR的鉴定及其对细菌应激适应性和毒力特性的影响

为鉴定鱼源无乳链球菌GD201008-001二元调控系统(two-component system, TCS)RscSR并探究其功能,实验利用生物信息学方法预测到可能的RscSR,对其组成成分RscS和RscR的三维结构和保守结构域进行分析;构建基因缺失株ΔrscSR与互补株CΔrscSR,测定细菌的生长曲线,检测其耐酸应激、耐氧化应激、抗巨噬细胞吞噬和胞内存活能力,同时测定其对巨噬细胞的毒性和对小鼠的毒力。结果显示,RscSR具有典型的TCS结构特点,其中RscS具有组氨酸激酶结构域,RscR具有反应调节子结构;其编码基因缺失后,菌株耐酸、耐氧化、抗巨噬细胞吞噬和胞内存活能力及对巨噬细胞毒性均显著降低,而将该基因回补后各项能力均有所恢复;动物实验结果显示,野生株感染小鼠19 h内全部死亡,而ΔrscSR缺失株感染小鼠全部死亡时间为48 h。研究表明,RscSR在无乳链球菌应激适应性以及毒力方面发挥重要作用。     

赤眼鳟与草鱼TLR19结构及功能差异初探

为探索赤眼鳟TLR19(ScTLR19)与已报道草鱼TLR19(CiTLR19)的结构及功能差异，实验克隆了ScTLR19基因全长并分析其结构特点，利用实时荧光定量PCR(qPCR)分析其组织表达及草鱼呼肠孤病毒(GCRV)感染后的表达特征，同时采取过表达实验揭示其对TLR19信号通路下游功能基因的激活特性。结果显示，ScTLR19基因编码957个氨基酸，与CiTLR19氨基酸序列具有高度相似性(94.04%)；但ScTLR19胞外区由9个亮氨酸重复序列(LRR)组成，比CiTLR19在654~677氨基酸位点之间明显多1个LRR，且在三级结构上相应多2个α-螺旋和6个β-折叠。ScTLR19广泛表达于赤眼鳟各组织，GCRV攻毒后，其表达水平在免疫组织肾脏中显著上调。赤眼鳟鳍条细胞系过表达ScTLR19并接受GCRV攻毒后，干扰素调节因子IRF7在攻毒期间的表达水平与对照组无显著差异，而干扰素调节因子IRF3在攻毒12和24 h的表达水平显著上调，且衔接蛋白MyD88和TRIF的表达水平均显著上调。研究表明，与CiTLR19相比，ScTLR19同样只对IRF3而不对IRF7进行调控，但不同于CiTLR19单一调控TRIF的模式，其同时对MyD88和TRIF二者进行调控，可能介导更多样的抗病毒免疫反应。     

长牡蛎Htatip2的表达及其在不育三倍体雌性中的DNA甲基化

为探究DNA甲基化在长牡蛎性腺发育中的表观遗传调控机制，对长牡蛎Htatip2的同源性、系统进化、组织表达以及三倍体性腺可育型和不育型不同发育时期的基因表达和DNA甲基化谱进行了研究。结果显示，长牡蛎Htatip2的保守结构域与美洲牡蛎的Htatip2-like的保守结构域同源性最高。qPCR分析显示， Htatip2在各个组织中均有表达，其中在雌性性腺中的表达量最高。此外，该基因的表达量在可育型三倍体牡蛎性腺中随着性腺发育成熟而升高，在不育型三倍体牡蛎性腺中表达量变化不显著。BS-PCR分析显示，该基因的甲基化水平随着性腺发育成熟而降低，与基因表达水平成负相关性。双荧光素酶报告结果显示，甲基化的Htatip2启动子片段与未甲基化的片段相比，显著抑制了荧光素酶的活性。研究表明，长牡蛎Htatip2的DNA甲基化可能通过抑制基因表达参与了性腺成熟调控。本研究为表观遗传调控机制参与牡蛎性腺发育提供了重要参考依据。     

罗非鱼源无乳链球菌ZQ0910转录调控因子rovS基因的克隆及表达研究

为了对罗非鱼源无乳链球菌ZQ0910株毒力相关转录调控因子rovS进行克隆及表达研究,实验根据GenBank上登录的相关基因设计引物,采用PCR方法扩增该株细菌的rovS基因,然后将该基因定向克隆到原核表达载体pET-28a(+)中,在大肠杆菌Rosetta(DE3)中进行IPTG诱导表达.结果显示,该基因有849个碱基,编码282个氨基酸;同源基因序列比对显示,无乳链球菌ZQ0910株与无乳链球菌2603 V与ATCC13813的rovS基因的同源性最高;经IPTG诱导后表达的融合蛋白分子量为34 ku;用亲和层析后的融合蛋白免疫新西兰大白兔制备多克隆抗体,经ELISA检测效价达到1∶512000.研究结果表明,实验成功克隆与表达了rovS基因,为深入探讨RovS调节因子在调节细菌的代谢、生长和毒力等多种生命活动中的作用提供了理论依据.     

利用CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术敲除团头鲂socs1重复基因

以团头鲂细胞因子信号传导抑制蛋白1（SOCS1）基因socs1a和socs1b为编辑对象，在线分析并筛选出合适的靶点合成向导 RNA (guide RNA, gRNA)，然后对1~2细胞期的团头鲂胚胎进行gRNA和Cas9蛋白的混合注射。通过荧光定量PCR技术在转录水平检测socs1a和socs1b的表达，并通过测序平台在DNA水平鉴定基因序列的突变，成功建立了多种socs1的突变品系。与同期野生型(WT)相比，socs1a突变杂合体（SOCS1a^+/-）和socs1b 突变杂合体（SOCS1b^+/-）团头鲂生长性能增强、体质量显著增加，同时炎症因子基因中肿瘤坏死因子α基因(TNF-α)和白细胞介素6基因(IL-6)表达量显著增加，而白细胞介素1β基因(IL-1β)表达无明显变化。注射嗜水气单胞菌后，与野生型不同的是，IL-6和TNF-α在SOCS1a^+/-和SOCS1b^+/-团头鲂肝脏中的表达均有持续显著上升。本实验通过CRISPR/Cas9系统成功敲除了团头鲂socs1a和socs1b，为进一步探讨socs1的作用提供了一定的研究基础，同时为CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑技术在养殖鱼类中的合理应用提供了依据和借鉴。     

罗氏沼虾GLUT1基因克隆及其在血糖稳态调节中的功能

为了探究葡萄糖转运蛋白 1 (glucose transporter type 1, GLUT1)在罗氏沼虾(Macrobrachium rosenbergii)糖代谢调控中的作用, 本研究采用 cDNA 末端快速扩增技术(rapid amplification of cDNA ends, RACE)克隆获得罗氏沼虾 Mr-GLUT1 基因全长 cDNA 序列, 该基因全长 1929 bp, 开放阅读框(open reading frame, ORF) 1446 bp, 编码 481 个氨基酸, 分子量为 52035.73, 等电点为 6.76。多序列比对及系统进化树分析结果显示, 十足目 GLUT1 基因具有较高同源性, 均存在 12 个跨膜结构域, 罗氏沼虾 GLUT1 与对虾首先聚为一支, 表明亲缘关系最近。实时荧光定量 PCR 结果显示, Mr-GLUT1 在罗氏沼虾各组织均有表达, 肠道表达量最高。葡萄糖注射后, 罗氏沼虾血淋巴葡萄糖水平、肝糖原和肌糖原含量迅速升高, 肠道、肝胰腺和肌肉组织 Mr-GLUT1 基因表达显著上调, 但 Mr-GLUT1 基因表达变化时间延迟于葡萄糖含量的变化。RNA 干扰沉默罗氏沼虾体内 Mr-GLUT1 基因表达后, 血淋巴中葡萄糖和海藻糖含量显著上升。研究表明, Mr-GLUT1 基因可能参与罗氏沼虾血糖稳态调节, 在葡萄糖和海藻糖转运过程中发挥重要作用。     

蛋白核小球藻psbA基因的克隆及其在自养和异养培养的表达变化

psbA基因是高等植物和藻类中介导光合电子传递D1蛋白的编码基因,该基因受光照等因素的调控。以单细胞绿藻蛋白核小球藻为材料,克隆了psbA全编码序列并用荧光定量PCR的方法研究了自养和异养藻psbA基因转录水平的变化,以揭示不同培养方式下psbA基因表达变化规律。结果克隆到2 595 bp psbA序列,包括676 bp的 5′-非翻译区和857 bp的3′非翻译区。该psbA基因开放阅读框编码353个氨基酸,A+T百分含量为58.0%,其成熟的D1蛋白加工方式与高等植物高粱相似。荧光定量结果表明,自养藻在光周期内psbA基因表达量先升高后下降,而异养藻psbA表达变化不明显。从自养转为异养2 h 时psbA表达量略有升高,4 h后下降至转化前的0.41倍并缓慢下降,而从异养转为自养psbA表达量增加,4 h时增加至1.69倍,4 h后趋于稳定。不同浓度光合抑制剂DCMU降低自养小球藻psbA转录活性至未添加组的40%~59%,而不同程度地促进了异养藻psbA的转录表达。     

软骨藻酸对海湾扇贝(Argopecten irradians)血淋巴免疫力和抗氧化力的影响研究

软骨藻酸是一种神经性贝类毒素，大多数研究只报道了对陆生动物神经系统的毒性和在贝类组织内累计的软骨藻酸的浓度，而对软骨藻酸对贝类自身的免疫及抗氧化系统的毒性作用相关的研究不足。扇贝作为无脊椎动物，缺乏适应性免疫，主要依靠先天免疫系统进行防御。因此，本研究以海湾扇贝（Argopecten irradian）为研究对象，在0、10 ng/mL、50 ng/mL和100 ng/mL软骨藻酸浸泡6 h、12 h和24 h后通过测定扇贝血淋巴中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、溶菌酶（LZM）活性和谷胱甘肽（GSH）含量以及免疫、抗氧化相关基因（Cu/ZnSOD、MnSOD、GST和ACP）相对表达量来研究其对扇贝免疫力及抗氧化系统的影响。结果发现，LZM活性在10 ng/mL和50 ng/mL软骨藻酸处理后显著提高；ACP基因表达量在6 h和12 h内表达量受到上调，而在24 h表达量显著下调；10 ng/mL、50 ng/mL和100 ng/mL软骨藻酸浸泡扇贝6~24 h后SOD活性受到抑制，并且Cu/ZnSOD和MnSOD基因表达受到调控；GSH含量显著提高，并且GST基因表达量显著上调。以上结果表明软骨藻酸处理虽然会抑制抗氧化酶SOD活性，并且高浓度长时间处理会造成免疫疲劳现象，但机体可通过提高血淋巴GSH水平和GST基因的表达量来抵抗软骨藻酸的毒性。因此，本研究初步揭示了软骨藻酸对扇贝等双壳类免疫力、抗氧化力和解毒力的影响。     

Virulence regulation of cel‐EIIB protein mediated PTS system in Streptococcus agalactiae in Nile tilapia

Streptococcus agalactiae is a major pathogen of tilapia causing significant economic losses for the global aquatic industry yearly. To elucidate the role of cel‐EIIB protein‐mediated phosphotransferase systems (PTS) in the virulence regulation of S. agalactiae, cel‐EIIB gene deletion in a virulent strain THN0901 was achieved by homologous recombination. The cellobiose utilization of △cel‐EIIB strain was significantly decreased relative to S.a.THN0901 strain incubating in LB with 10 mg/ml cellobiose (p < 0.05). The biofilm formation ability of △cel‐EIIB strain was also significantly decreased when cultured in BHI medium (p < 0.05). Under a lower infection dose, the accumulative mortality of tilapia caused by △cel‐EIIB strain was dramatically decreased (20%), of which S.a.THN0901 strain and △cel‐EIIB::i strain were 53.33% and 50%, respectively. The competition experience using tilapia model indicated the invasion and colonization ability of △cel‐EIIB strain was significantly weaker than that of S.a.THN0901 strain (p < 0.05). Compared to △cel‐EIIB::i strain, the mRNA expression of csrS, csrR, rgfA, rgfC, bgrR and bgrS was significantly downregulated in △cel‐EIIB strain (p < 0.05). In conclusion, cel‐EIIB protein‐mediated cel‐PTS not only contributes to biofilm formation and virulence regulation, but also plays an important role in the invasion and colonization of S. agalactiae.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Streptococcus agalactiae</Emphasis> from tilapia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreochromis</Emphasis> sp.) transmitted to a new host,bighead carp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Aristichthys nobilis</Emphasis>), in China

Several outbreaks of Streptococcus agalactiae infection of bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) were observed in China. The molecular epidemiology and pathogenicity of S. agalactiae in bighead carp and tilapia (Oreochromis sp.) is poorly understood. In the present study, we identified S. agalactiae strains isolated from diseased bighead carp using the API 20 Strep kit and 16S rDNA sequencing and determined whether these strains came from tilapia. Of the 46 identified S. agalactiae strains, 24 strains were successfully isolated from diseased bighead carps, 20 S. agalactiae strains were isolated from tilapia, and two S. agalactiae strains were isolated from tiger frog (Hoplobatrachus chinensis). The results of molecular typing, including multilocus sequence typing, molecular serotyping, surface protein gene detection, and virulence-related gene detection showed that the 44 strains from bighead carp and tilapia were highly similar, whereas different from tiger frog GBS strains. Remarkably, the bighead carp strain Hn1404 showed high virulence in bighead carp and zebrafish. Moreover, this strain was pathogenic to Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). In addition, comparative genomic analysis showed that isolate Hn1404 had a close relationship with the bighead carp and tilapia S. agalactiae strains. All the analyses of the genetic characteristics of bighead carp and tilapia strains showed that tilapia S. agalactiae strains could be transmitted to other fish species such as bighead carp.     

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。     

怀头鲇体表溃烂症病原鉴定及致病性分析

为探讨黑龙江流域怀头鲇体表溃烂症的病因及防控措施,本研究采用常规方法从患病鱼的肝脏、脾脏和肾脏等部位分离病原菌,通过人工感染试验确定分离菌株的致病性,并对菌株的基本形态、理化特性、分子特征、毒力基因携带情况及耐药性等进行了系统研究。结果显示,从患病鱼体内分离得到3株病原菌,分别命名为NY-8、NY-9和NY-12;人工感染试验发现,NY-8和NY-9株对试验鱼有较强的致病力,NY-12株毒力较弱;3株细菌混合感染后,鱼体发病症状与临床自然发病症状一致,试验鱼死亡率高达到100%。综合理化特征和16S r RNA基因序列分析结果,确定NY-8、NY-9和NY-12株分别为气单胞菌属的维氏气单胞菌、杀鲑气单胞菌和嗜水气单胞菌。5种毒力基因在3株气单胞菌中的分布表现为两种基因型,h l y+/a e r+/a c t+/a l t+/G C A T+和h l y+/a e r-/act+/alt+/GCAT+,同时携带5种毒力基因的NY-8和NY-9分离株致病性显著高于NY-12株。3株细菌在耐药谱上有一定差异性,NY-8和NY-9株均对4种氟喹诺酮类药物敏感,对氨基糖苷类、呋喃类等药物耐药;NY-12株仅对左氧氟沙星和氟苯尼考等2种药物敏感。     

Development of attenuated erythromycin‐resistant Streptococcus agalactiae vaccine for tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) culture

Streptococcus agalactiae is an important pathogen in fish, causing great losses of intensive tilapia farming. To develop a potential live attenuated vaccine, a re‐attenuated S. agalactiae (named TFJ‐ery) was developed from a natural low‐virulence S. agalactiae strain TFJ0901 through selection of resistance to erythromycin. The biological characteristics, virulence, stability and the immunization protective efficacy to tilapia of TFJ‐ery were determined. The results indicated that TFJ‐ery grew at a slower rate than TFJ0901. The capsule thickness of TFJ‐ery was significantly less (p < 0.05) than TFJ0901. When Nile tilapia were intraperitoneally (IP) injected with TFJ‐ery, the mortality of fish was decreased than that injected with TFJ0901. The RPS of fish immunized with TFJ‐ery at a dose of 5.0 × 10⁷ CFU was 95.00%, 93.02% and 100.00% at 4, 8 and 16 weeks post‐vaccination, respectively. ELISA results showed that the vaccinated fish produced significantly higher (p < 0.05) antibody titres compared to those of control at 2 or 4 weeks post‐vaccination. Taken together, our results suggest that erythromycin could be used to attenuate S. agalactiae, and TFJ‐ery is a potent attenuated vaccine candidate to protect tilapia against S. agalactiae infections.     

Capsular polysaccharide of Streptococcus agalactiae is an essential virulence factor for infection in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus Linn.)

Streptococcus agalactiae (Group B Streptococcus, GBS) is associated with diverse diseases in aquatic animals. The capsule polysaccharide (CPS) encoded by the cps gene cluster is the major virulence factor of S. agalactiae; however, limited information is available regarding the pathogenic role of the CPS of serotype Ia piscine GBS strains in fish. Here, a non‐encapsulated mutant (Δcps) was constructed by insertional mutagenesis of the cps gene cluster. Mutant pathogenicity was evaluated in vitro based on the killing of whole blood from tilapia, in vivo infections, measuring mutant survival in tilapia spleen tissues and pathological analysis. Compared to wild‐type (WT) GBS strain, the Δcps mutant had lower resistance to fresh tilapia whole blood in vitro (p < 0.01), and more easily cleared in tilapia spleen tissue, and was highly attenuated in tilapia and zebrafish. Additionally, compared to the Δcps mutant, numerous GBS strains and severe tissue necrosis were observed in the tilapia spleen tissue infected with WT strains. These results indicated that the CPS is essential for GBS pathogenicity and may serve as a target for attenuation in vaccine development. Gaining a better understanding of the role, the GBS pathogenicity in fish will provide insight into related pathogenesis and host–pathogen interactions.     

广西卵形鲳鲹海豚链球菌基因分型、耐药谱型以及毒力基因检测

为了解近年来广西卵形鲳鲹海豚链球菌流行菌株的基因型信息以及菌株间的差异,对2015—2016年从广西地区7个养殖场的患病卵形鲳鲹体内分离得到的17株海豚链球菌菌株分别进行了基因型分析、耐药谱测定以及毒力基因检测。采用随机扩增多态性DNA标记技术(RAPD)和基因组重复序列PCR(rep-PCR)分析其基因型。结果显示,RAPD和rep-PCR指纹图谱结果一致,17株海豚链球菌可分为2种基因型。对海豚链球菌7种主要的毒力相关基因特异PCR检测,所有菌株均为sim A+scp I+pdi+sag A+cps D+pgm A+cfi+毒力基因型,表明这2种基因型的海豚链球菌似乎均为毒力较强的菌株。采用K-B法进行了20种抗生素敏感实验分析其耐药谱,结果表明归于基因1型的菌株耐药谱为AZT,基因2型菌株则出现3种相似的耐药谱,分别为SIZ/T/S/PEN/AZT/SPE/CAZ/PB、SIZ/T/S/PEN/AZT/SPE/CAZ/CRO和SIZ/T/S/PEN/AZT/SPE/CAZ/PB/RIF,证实基因型相同的菌株耐药谱型也相似,2种基因型的菌株耐药谱型差异显著,因此基因型和耐药谱型存在相关性。此结果为卵形鲳鲹海豚链球菌病流行病学研究、疫苗研制以及疫病监测提供理论依据。     

Isolation and molecular characterization of streptococcal species recovered from clinical infections in farmed Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in the Philippines

Streptococcosis cause severe losses for global tilapia farming, especially in developing countries. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize streptococci recovered from Nile tilapia farmed in the Philippines. Moribund and apparently healthy fish were sampled from grow-out cages, ponds and hatcheries. Clinical signs observed included exophthalmia, eye opacity, ascites, lethargy, erratic swimming and haemorrhages. Results showed that both Streptococcus iniae and Streptococcus agalactiae were associated with disease in these sites. Consistent with global reports, including those from South-East Asia, S. agalactiae was more widespread than S. iniae. Molecular serotyping of the S. agalactiae isolates identified the serotype Ia and serotype Ib. Histopathological findings were meningitis, meningoencephalitis and septicaemia. Identical virulence profiles were found for all strains of S. iniae, while S. agalactiae strains were separated into virulence profile I and profile II. All strains were susceptible to the tested antibiotics and resistant to oxolinic acid. Only S. agalactiae serotype Ib showed resistance to sulphamethoxazole–trimethoprim. This is the first study from the Philippines to characterize the streptococci involved in disease outbreaks in tilapia aquaculture. Outputs from this study will promote the development of efficacious disease control strategies in tilapia farming for the Philippines and South-East Asia.     

Phenotype of Aeromonas salmonicida sp. salmonicida cyclic adenosine 3′,5′‐monophosphate receptor protein (Crp) mutants and its virulence in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Precise deletion of genes related to virulence can be used as a strategy to produce attenuated bacterial vaccines. Here, we study the deletion of the cyclic‐3′,5′‐adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) receptor protein (Crp) in Aeromonas salmonicida, the aetiologic agent of furunculosis in marine and freshwater fish. The Crp protein is a conserved global regulator, controlling physiology processes, like sugar utilization. Deletion of the crp gene has been utilized in live attenuated vaccines for mammals, birds and warm water fish. Here, we characterized the crp gene and reported the effect of a crp deletion in A. salmonicida virulent and non‐virulent isolates. We found that A. salmonicida Δcrp was not able to utilize maltose and other sugars, and its generation time was similar to the wild type. A. salmonicida ?crp showed a higher ability of cell invasion compared to the wild type. Fish challenges showed that A. salmonicida ?crp is ~6 times attenuated in Oncorhynchus mykiss and conferred protective immunity against the intraperitoneal challenge with A. salmonicida wild type. We concluded that deletion of A. salmonicida crp influences sugar utilization, cell invasion and virulence. Deletion of crp in A. salmonicida could be considered as part of an effective strategy to develop immersion live attenuated vaccines against furunculosis.