Effect of in vitro exposure to Vibrio vulnificus on hydroelectrolytic transport and structural changes of sea bream (Sparus aurata L.) intestine

The everted gut sac technique has been used to investigate the effect of Vibrio vulnificus on water and electrolyte (Na⁺, K⁺, Cl⁻, HCO₃ ⁻) transport on the intestine of sea bream (Sparus aurata L.). Both the anterior and the posterior intestine were incubated in a medium containing 10⁸ V. vulnificus cells ml⁻¹ at 25°C for 2 h. The presence of V. vulnificus resulted in a significant reduction (P < 0.05) of water absorption in the anterior intestine, while sodium absorption in the anterior (P < 0.01) and posterior (P < 0.05) intestine was elevated. Chloride absorption was increased, but the changed was not significant, while potassium absorption decreased significantly (P < 0.05), but only in the posterior intestine. Incubation the sea bream intestine with V. vulnificus did not affect carbonate secretion in the anterior segment, whereas high secretion was stimulated in the posterior segment (P < 0.01). Histological evaluations demonstrated damage in the anterior intestine of sea bream that was characterized by the detachment of degenerative enterocytes, alterations in the microvilli, and the presence of a heterogenous cell population, indicating inflammation. Based on our results, we conclude that V. vulnificus caused cell damage to the intestine of sea bream and that the anterior intestine is more susceptible than the posterior part of the intestine. Several hypotheses are suggested to explain our observations, such as the presence of higher numbers of villosities in the anterior intestine than in the posterior one and/or the presence of endogenous bacteria in the posterior intestine which may have a protector role.     

大黄鱼选育群体与野生群体杂交 F1生长性状研究

利用大黄鱼野生群体与选育F1养殖群体杂交及群体内自繁,获得选育F1（♀）×野生（♂）、野生（♀）×选育F1（♂）、野生（♀）×野生（♂）和选育F1（♀）×选育F1（♂）4个组合的子代,对其卵径、油球径以及2～10月龄全长、体长和体质量进行分析比较。试验结果表明,选育F1（♀）×野生（♂）卵径最大,并与野生（♀）×野生（♂）之间存在显著性差异（P＜0．05）,4个群体油球径差异不显著（P＞0．05）;体质量是大黄鱼群体间杂交主要表现的生长性状,9月龄体质量双亲杂种优势最大为14．48％,野生（♀）×选育F1（♂）体质量杂种优势最大为25．68％;野生（♀）×选育F1（♂）的全长特定生长率为1．92％／d ,体质量为5．60％／d及选育F1（♀）×野生（♂）体长为1．99％／d ,是4个群体中最大特定生长率;拟合体长（L）与体质量（m）关系,选育F1（♀）×野生（♂）为 m＝0．0277L2．8045（r2＝0．9980）,野生（♀）×选育F1（♂）为 m＝0．0210 L2．9287（r2＝0．9993）,野生（♀）×野生（♂）为 m＝0．0236 L2．8592（r2＝0．9916）,选育F1（♀）×选育F1（♂）为 m＝0．0228 L2．8946（r2＝0．9984）。试验结果表明,通过野生群体与选育养殖群体的杂交能提高大黄鱼子代的经济性状。     

Pectin purified from pomelo (Citrus maxima) peel as a natural hatching agent for fish embryos

Pectin is a biodegradable polysaccharide, and it has been recently applied as a gene delivery, drug delivery, wound healing and tissue engineering agent. In this study, pectin was extracted from pomelo (Citrus maxima) peel and characterized. The extraction recovery of pectin form pomelo peel was 14.5%, and it had 72.56% degree of esterification, 1,245.56 equivalent weight, 7.82% methoxyl and 68.27% anhydrouronic acid contents. Use of pomelo pectin as a hatching enhancing agent for fish embryos and its effect on hatching enzyme 1 (ZHE1) was investigated. The pectin‐exposed zebrafish embryos (100 µg/ml) showed significantly (p < .05) higher hatching rate (96.6%) compared with untreated (control) embryos (66.6%) at 60 hpf. The mRNA expression of ZHE1 was also significantly (p < .05) elevated up to 55.6‐fold in pectin‐exposed embryos at 24 hpf. In situ hybridization results revealed remarkably strong expression of ZHE1 in pectin‐exposed embryos compared with the control group. In addition, considerably larger size of the hatching gland was observed in pectin‐exposed larvae than that of the unexposed larvae group. These results clearly indicate that pectin isolated from pomelo peel has an ability to enhance the hatching process of zebrafish embryos via upregulation of ZHE1.     

美洲黑石斑鱼的品种优势和养殖前景

美洲黑石斑鱼属于鮨科Serranidae,石斑鱼亚科Serraninae,俗名有翡翠斑、珍珠斑等美称,是美国近年成功开发的一个新养殖鱼种。它的养殖和市场潜力巨大,活鱼和加工产品极受美国和加拿大消费者的欢迎。我国从2003年引进,试养效果良好;2006年大规模生产苗种达100余万尾,为在我国推广养殖奠定了基础。本文重点介绍了该品种的生物学特性、养殖潜力、商业价值和在我国推广养殖的可行性,认为该品种很适合我国东部和东南沿海温带和亚热带水域开展深水网箱、工厂、池塘等模式的养殖,预测产品不仅可以内销而且有望远销欧美各国。     

Abnormalities in the juvenile stage of sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) reared at different temperatures: types, prevalence and effect on growth

Osteological malformations are always considered an important problem in intensive aquaculture. This work studies the effect of rearing temperature on malformations in sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax. To this end, two batches of the species were subjected to the following incubation/cultivation temperatures: 15 °C/natural and 19/19 °C, from fertilization until 190 days after hatching. The different malformations were studied in 1643 juveniles at 190 days and classified by categories. The Chi-square statistic was calculated to verify the relationship between the presence of anomalies and the application of different temperatures. The percentage of anomalies observed in individuals reared at a high temperature (19/19 °C) was 66.44%. In both temperature systems, opercular malformations were those which caused a greater delay in growth. The results found indicated that temperature played a very important role in the development of deformations, which may be of interest from the viewpoint of aquaculture.     

Isolation and characteristics of eight novel polymorphic microsatellite loci from the genome of garlic (Allium sativum L.)

Here we characterized eight novel polymorphic SSR markers, developed from an enriched genomic library of garlic (Allium sativum L.). These SSRs produced a total of 64 alleles across 90 garlic accessions, with an average of 8 alleles per locus. Values for observed (H_O) and expected (H_E) heterozygosity ranged from 0.16 to 0.77 (mean = 0.44) and from 0.22 to 0.86 (mean = 0.65), respectively. Six loci deviated significantly (P < 0.05) from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). The averages of gene diversity and PIC values were 0.65 and 0.62, respectively. The mean genetic similarity coefficient was 0.4380, indicating that among garlic accessions existed wide genetic variation. Based on 64 alleles obtained by 8 SSRs, a phenogram was constructed to understand the relationships among the 90 accessions. These newly developed SSRs should prove very useful tools for genotypes identification, assessment of genetic diversity and population structure in garlic.     

白菜亚硝酸还原酶基因BcNiR的克隆及表达分析

 以白菜品种‘苏州青’自交系叶片cDNA为模板, 采用RT-PCR、3′RACE和5′RACE技术, 获得了编码亚硝酸还原酶基因(NiR) 的cDNA全序列1 852 bp, 包含有1 749 bp的开放阅读框, 编码583个氨基酸, 命名为BcNiR。所推导的氨基酸序列与拟南芥NiR1、烟草nii2编码的氨基酸序列具有较高同源性, 分别为83%和76%。生物信息学分析表明, BcNiR具有完整的NiR蛋白结构, 含血红素蛋白β - 化合物区域, 一个明显的西罗血红素siroheme结合位点和4Fe-4S区域, 可以在SWiSS-MODEL数据库中搜索到与之相近的三维结构。RT-PCR结果显示, 该基因在叶片中的表达量远远高于根系, 在以0、10、20、30、40 mmol·L ^{- 1}硝态氮各分别处理0、2、4、6、8、12 h的试验中, 30 mmol·L ^-1处理4 h可使BcNiR的表达量达到最大; 5和10 mmol·L ^{- 1}铵态氮处理试验表明, 高浓度的铵抑制该基因的表达。     

Effect of maturity and storage temperature on the development of peteca in lemons (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. F.) cv. Eureka

To evaluate the effect of maturity and storage temperature on the development of the physiological disorder peteca, lemons cv. Eureka were harvested from a grove with northern exposure located in Mallarauco (33°45′ Latitude South) Metropolitan Region of Chile, at 2 levels of maturity (silver or yellow). After storage for 60 d at 3 or 7 °C, under 90% R.H., fruits were evaluated visually for incidence of epidermal and subepidermal peteca. At that time, the concentration of galacturonic acid and degree of methylation were measured in the albedo, and calcium, hydrogen peroxides and total oxalate concentrations, peroxidase and polyphenoloxidase (PPO) activities were determined in the juice and albedo. Yellow lemons at 3 °C developed more epidermal peteca than fruit stored at 7 °C, and that silver fruit stored at 3 and 7 °C, with these last lemons presenting a higher pectin quality than fruit stored at 3 °C. Maturity and temperature interacted significantly on the concentrations of peroxide and calcium in the albedo, which in average were much higher than in the juice, while for PPO and peroxidases, this interaction was highly significant both in juice and albedo, with higher activity in the albedo. These biochemical evaluations suggest that peteca is a result of some kind of stress on the fruit. It is concluded that yellow lemons are more prone to develop peteca than silver fruit. They will develop greater incidence of the disorder when stored at temperatures as low as 3 °C for 60 d, and that this condition affects the degree of methylation in the albedo, which would end up altering the quality of pectins.     

Identification of QTLs related to sugar and organic acid composition in melon using near-isogenic lines

The soluble sugar and organic acid composition of melon (Cucumis melo L.) fruit flesh has become a major focus of plant breeding worldwide in an attempt to improve taste. Thus, sugar and organic acid profiles were characterized using near-isogenic lines (NILs) derived from the Spanish cultivar Piel de Sapo (PS) and the exotic Korean accession Shongwan Charmi (PI 161375). Fruits were cultivated in only one environment. These data were used to map 60 quantitative trait loci (QTLs): 18 for individual sugars, eight for sucrose equivalents, five for the glucose-to-fructose ratio, seven for the total sugar content and 21 for organic acids. Within the QTLs that were associated with the sugar profile, 27 defined the sugar content: eight for fructose, six for glucose, four for sucrose, and nine for sucrose equivalents. Although increased sweetness of selected NILs compared with the parental PS was achieved by an increased glucose or fructose content, only glucose heritability was above 0.5. A total of 21 QTLs (two with positive effects and nineteen with detrimental effects compared with the PS levels) controlled the organic acid profile: l-glutamic, ascorbic and succinic acids (the principal ones) and fumaric, citric, oxalacetic, and isocitric acids. The levels of sugars imparted by the PI 161375 introgression frequently decreased the score grades given to NILs by consumers. Within the 32 QTLs mapped for sensory traits, 27 were associated with lower scores in taste (nine QTLs), sweetness (eight QTLs) or global quality appreciation (nine QTLs); two with increased fruit sourness or sweetness and three with increased fruit bitterness. The QTLs defined herein may assist breeders to understand the overall organoleptic balance (sweetness, sourness, and umami taste) in melon fruit, particularly those located within linkage groups III, V, VI, and VIII to XI.     

A SCAR marker linked to the N gene for resistance to root knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) in pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

The root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are important nematode pests and cause serious diseases in pepper in the world. No molecular markers linked to the nematodes resistance N gene have been reported. In this paper, ‘Carolina Wonder’ (Capsicum annuum L.), a sweet pepper line resistant to root-knot nematode with N gene, ‘20080-5-29’ (C. annuum L.), an inbred line susceptible to root-knot nematode with good horticultural characteristics, and their F₂ progeny with 320 individuals were used as materials. Evaluation of resistance and susceptibility of parental lines, F₁ and F₂ progeny inoculated with root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne incognita) were carried out. ‘Bulked segregant analysis’ method was used to search for polymorphic markers from 512 pairs of AFLP primers. Based on the assessment of resistance and susceptibility and polymorphism of the AFLP marker in F₂ population, the genetic linkage distance between the AFLP marker and the N gene was estimated. One AFLP marker E39/M41-339 was obtained and transferred to a SCAR marker amplifying a 315 bp DNA fragment linked to the N resistant allele and a 331 bp fragment linked to the N⁺ susceptible allele. The distance between the molecular marker and the nematodes resistance N gene is 6.3 cM. This research delivered a valuable tool for the marker assisted selection of nematodes resistance in pepper.