Genetic diversity status of Pacific white shrimp (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Litopenaeus vannamei</Emphasis>) using SSR markers in Iran

Genetic diversity is vital for the maintenance of genetic pool in cultured shrimps. In order to estimate the current status of genetic diversity in Litopenaeus vannamei shrimp in Iran, as an exotic species, a total of 45 individuals from Amiri and Gorgeaj farms in Jask port of Hormozgan province and one hatchery in Gomishan city of Golestan province, were detected using four microsatellite loci. The number of alleles per locus was 5–10, and the mean effective number of alleles (N _e) across populations and loci ranged from 4.834 to 5.148. The overall mean observed heterozygosity (H _o) ranged from 0.450 to 0.479, which was lower than the expected one (0.789–0.794). There was nothing remarkable about any of the allele frequencies across populations or loci. The mean inbreeding coefficient (F _IS) and pairwise genetic differentiation (F _ST) among populations were 41.6 % and 0.133, respectively. The three studied populations departed from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Analysis of molecular variance revealed 14 % variability among and 86 % within populations. However, considering departing from HWE and the high F _IS and F, the moderate pairwise F _ST values, importance of introducing genetically diverse broodstock and monitoring to control inbreeding is discussed.     

Phylogenetic relationships of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Scomberomorus commerson</Emphasis> using sequence analysis of the mtDNA D-loop region in the Persian Gulf,Oman Sea and Arabian Sea

Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus commerson, is an epipelagic and migratory species of family Scombridae which have a significant role in terms of ecology and fishery. 100 samples were collected from the Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and Arabian Sea. Part of their dorsal fins was snipped and transferred to micro-tubes containing ethanol; then, DNAs were extracted and HRM-Real Time PCR was performed to designate representative specimens for sequencing. Phylogenetic relationships of S. commerson from Persian Gulf, Oman Sea and Arabian Sea were investigated using sequence data of mitochondrial DNA D-loop region. None clustered Neighbor Joining tree indicated the proximity amid S. commerson in four sites. As numbers demonstrated in sequence analyses of mitochondrial DNA D-Loop region a sublimely high degree of genetic similarity among S. commerson from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea were perceived, thereafter, having one stock structure of S. commerson in four regions were proved, and this approximation can be merely justified by their migration process along the coasts of Oman Sea and Persian Gulf. Therefore, the assessment of distribution patterns of 20 haplotypes in the constructed phylogenetic tree using mtDNA D-Loop sequences ascertained that no significant clustering according to the sampling sites was concluded.     

Beneficial effects of Oral Allspice,Pimenta dioica powder supplementation on the hemato‐immunological and serum biochemical responses of Oreochromis mossambicus

The present study investigated the effects of dietary allspice powder supplementation on welfare status of Tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus assessed by hemato‐immunological and serum biochemical parameters. Five diets were formulated to contain 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 or 20 g of allspice kg^?1 of fish feed. Fish were fed experimental diets for 60 days. Supplementation of allspice powder at 10 g kg^?1 positively influenced the serum glucose, plasma lysozyme activity and myeloperoxidase activity. Dietary allspice powder at 15 g kg^?1 also positively influenced the serum biochemical parameters (total protein, albumin and globulin) and plasma lysozyme activity. However, 20 g kg^?1 allspice powder group had significantly lower values of respiratory burst activity and red blood cell count than other experimental groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that supplementation of allspice powder at 10 or 15 g kg^?1 for 60 days, had beneficial effects on improvement of some immunological and serum biochemical status of O. mossambicus. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation of allspice powder might further improve the resistance to fish pathogens.     

Trypsin from the viscera of Bogue (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Boops boops</Emphasis>): isolation and characterisation

Trypsin from the viscera of Bogue (Boops boops) was purified to homogeneity by precipitation with ammonium sulphate, Sephadex G-100 gel filtration and Mono Q-Sepharose anion exchange chromatography, with an 8.5-fold increase in specific activity and 36% recovery. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 23 kDa by SDS–PAGE and size exclusion chromatography. The purified trypsin appeared as a single band on native-PAGE and zymography staining. The purified enzyme showed esterase-specific activity on N-α-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester (BAEE) and amidase activity on N-α-benzoyl-dl-arginine-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA). The optimum pH and temperature for the enzyme activity, after 10 min incubation, were pH 9.0 and 55°C, respectively, using BAPNA as a substrate. The trypsin kinetic constants K _m and k _cat on BAPNA were 0.13 mM and 1.56 s⁻¹, respectively, while the catalytic efficiency k _cat /K _m was 12 s⁻¹ mM⁻¹. Biochemical characterisation of B. boops trypsin showed that this enzyme can be used as a possible biotechnological tool in the fish processing and food industries.     

Nutrient and amino acid profiles of egg and larvae of Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch)

Fertilized eggs and developing larvae of hatchery reared Asian seabass, Lates calcarifer (Bloch), were analyzed to determine the changes occurring in their proximate and amino acid (AA) composition. The fertilized dry egg weighed 31 μg and contained 13.71 μg (44%) protein, 8.48 μg (27%) lipid and 0.657 J of gross energy. Dry weight decreased by 39% during hatching. The protein, lipid and carbohydrate nutrients decreased by 4.86, 4.15 and 0.09 μg, respectively from egg to 2-days post hatching (dph) larvae (pre-feeding). The protein content of the spawned eggs and larvae were hydrolysed to AA in the laboratory. The fertilized eggs had a total AA content of 42% of their dry weight. The egg contained 1.287 μg, 1.132 μg, 0.964 μg, 0.942 μg, 0.787 μg and 0.713 μg of leucine, lysine, arginine, valine, threonine and phenylalanine, respectively and these six indispensable amino acids (IAA) constituted approximately 78% of the total IAA. In the early feeding stages of L. calcarifer larvae, the ratio of IAA/DAA increased from 0.797 in the pre-feeding stage to 1.632 after 2 days of feeding. During larval growth of L. calcarifer, the percentage contribution of isoleucine and leucine to total IAA contents increased, while it decreased for lysine, phenyl alanine and arginine. L. calcarifer larvae were found to have proteins, which are rich in glutamic acid, leucine and lysine, and poor in threonine and histidine, suggesting high dietary leucine and lysine IAA requirement. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

The Effects of Sex and Seasonality on the Metal Levels of Warty Crab (Eriphia verrucosa) in the Black Sea

The present paper examines the impacts of gender and season variables on the nutritional composition and metal levels of warty crab caught in the central Black Sea region (Ordu). Crab samples were caught over four seasons, using gillnets, trammel net, and SCUBA diving. Results of chemical analysis showed that protein, lipid, moisture, and total mineral substance level ranges of male crabs were 20.45–22.64%, 0.95–1.27%, 75.44–77.09%, and 1.63–2.08%, while these ranges in female individuals were determined as 19.45–21.46%, 0.63–0.92%, 75.44–77.44%, and 2.08–3.28%, respectively. Macro and trace element levels in crab muscle tissue were determined as K > P > Na > Ca > Mg and Zn > Fe > Cu > Mn > Se > Ni > Mo > Co, respectively. Cd and Pb levels in crab muscle tissue were determined to be lower than the limit values given in codices independent of the seasonal variables. However, as the levels were found to be above the limit values, metal concentrations in crabs were also evaluated based on provisional tolerable daily intake and provisional tolerable weekly intake limits.     

Effects of dietary Biogen and sodium butyrate on hematological parameters,immune response,and histological characteristics of Nile tilapia (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Oreochromis niloticus</Emphasis>) fingerlings

The present study was carried out to evaluate the use of Biogen and sodium butyrate (SB) as feed additives in the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) fingerlings, in two parallel experiments. Biogen was incorporated in isonitrogenous (35% crude protein) and isocaloric (19 MJ kg^?1) diets at four levels (0.0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0%), while SB was included at five levels (0.0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 2.0, or 3.0%). The diets were fed to fingerling Nile tilapia (10.5 ± 0.5 g) at a daily rate of 4% of their body weight, three times a day, for 60 days. Except the lymphocytes and monocyte numbers in fish fed SB, hematological parameters, including red blood cell (RBC) hematocrit (Ht), hemoglobin (Hb), and white blood cells (WBC) were not significantly (P > 0.05) affected by dietary Biogen and SB. The lymphocytes number in Nile tilapia fed on SB increased with increasing SB up to 2% level, and decreased afterwards. Monocyte numbers showed irregular patterns. The activities of serum enzymes alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) of fish fed diets containing Biogen or SB were not significantly affected by dietary treatments (P > 0.05). No structural differences of tilapia liver were detected between all Biogen treatments and sodium butyrate concentrations up to 1% with control. At concentrations of 2 and 3% sodium butyrate, liver steatosis increased leading to shrinked acentric nuclei. At a concentration of 2% Biogen, some glomerulus cells had fading cytoplasm. Concerning fish fed SB diets, the structure of kidney was the same as in control except at concentration of 3% SB, where the septum between cells disappeared. No changes in gill structure were noticed at all concentrations of Biogen and SB.