Seasonal growth and diet of juvenile chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in demonstration channels and the main channel of the Waitaki River, New Zealand, 1982–1983

Abstract– Juvenile chinook salmon in the Waitaki River, New Zealand and demonstration channels, living at about 16°C, increased in length by 0.32 mm day⁻¹ between 4 November and 4 March. They gained weight quickly, accumulated large visceral fat deposits and had high conditions factors. At 1600 h, stomachs averaged half full. The number of prey tended to decline as the fish grew and consumed larger items. Initially the diet was based mainly on chironomid larvae, but by December it included a diversity of prey in more equal proportions. These included Deleatidium in the Waitaki; amphipods in the demonstration channels; various trichopterans, hemipterans, elmid beetles, zooplankton. terrestrial dipterans and a variety of other prey. There were significant differences between sites in numbers of prey consumed and these probably reflected differences in the benthos. Diets in the Waitaki differ from those in the Rakaia River and the food of juvenile salmon appears closely linked to the availability of a diverse range of possible prey.     

Effects of predator-induced visual and olfactory cues on 0+ perch (Perca fluviatilis L.) foraging behaviour

Abstract –  Foraging juvenile fish with relatively high food demands are usually vulnerable to various aquatic and avian predators. To compromise between foraging and antipredator activity, they need exact and reliable information about current predation risk. Among direct predator-induced cues, visual and olfactory signals are considered to be most important. Food intake rates and prey-size selectivity of laboratory-reared, naive young-of-the-year (YOY) perch, Perca fluviatilis , were studied in experiments with Daphnia magna of two size classes: 2.8 and 1.3 mm as prey and northern pike, Esox lucius , as predator. Neither total intake rate nor prey-size selectivity was modified by predator kairomones alone (water from an aquarium with a pike was pumped into the test aquaria) under daylight conditions. Visual presentation of pike reduced total food intake by perch. This effect was significantly more pronounced (synergistic) when visual and olfactory cues were presented simultaneously to foraging perch. Moreover, the combination of cues caused a significant shift in prey-size selection, expressed as a reduced proportion of large prey in the diet. Our observations demonstrate that predator-induced olfactory cues alone are less important modifiers of the feeding behaviour of naive YOY perch than visual cues under daylight conditions. However, pike odour acts as a modulatory stimulus enhancing the effects of visual cues, which trigger an innate response in perch.     

Decreased transport of orally administered protein into the blood circulation of developing juveniles of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica

ABSTRACT: To clarify the quantitative changes in the transport of orally intubated protein into the blood circulation as macromolecules in development, immunoglobulin Y (IgY) extracted from chicken eggs was administered orally to juvenile Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica . For the first experiment, which was performed before the commencement of artificial feeding, the oral delivery of 2.0 μg/0.1 g bodyweight of IgY resulted in a rapid increase in plasma IgY to a maximum of 2.30 μg/mL. However, the transport of IgY into the blood decreased significantly in the experiments that followed, which were performed after 12, 25 and 42 days. During this period, bodyweight increased approximately by a factor of eight, and rapid growth of the stomach was observed histologically. Possible contributions for the development of the alimentary canal to the diminishment of intestinal protein assimilation are discussed.     

Expression of a recombinant crustacean hyperglycemic hormone of the kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus in methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris

ABSTRACT:   Until now, six crustacean hyperglycemic hormones (CHH) designated Pej-SGP-I, -II, -III, -V, -VI and -VII have been characterized in the kuruma prawn Penaeus japonicus . All CHH consist of 72 amino acid residues and have an amidated carboxyl (C)-terminus. In the present study, we expressed Pej-SGP-III in methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris in order to obtain a large quantity of recombinant CHH possessing biological activity. A cDNA encoding Pej-SGP-III that had been previously cloned was processed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the resulting product was ligated into an expression vector. Pichia pastoris was transformed with this vector after which a recombinant Pej-SGP-III was expressed having an additional amino acid residue (glycine) at the C-terminus (rPej-SGP-III-Gly), a form considered to be a putative precursor of this hormone. rPej-SGP-III-Gly secreted into the culture medium was purified by reversed-phase HPLC, and amidated using a peptidylglycine alpha-amidating enzyme. The amidated rPej-SGP-III (rPej-SGP-III) showed hyperglycemic activity in in vivo bioassay almost comparable to that of the natural Pej-SGP-III. rPej-SGP-III thus obtained will be a useful tool not only for its physiological study but also for the determination of its 3-D structure.     

番茄单性结实研究进展

对番茄单性结实资源、评价鉴定方法、子房内源激素水平、分子机制及新品种选育等的研究现状进行了综述,尤其对近几年分子水平的最新研究进行了评述,对今后这一领域的研究做了展望。     

Effects of astragaloside on the levels of sex hormone and oxidative stress injury in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome

AIM To investigate the effects of astragaloside on the levels of sex hormone and oxidative stress in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS）. METHODS Female SD rats （n=60） were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, Diane-35 （0.339 2 mg/kg） group, low dose astragaloside （12.5 mg/kg） group and high dose astragaloside （50 mg/kg） group, with 12 rats in each group. The PCOS model was induced by letrozole （1 mg/kg）, which was administered by gavage once a day for 3 weeks. After administration, the estrus cycle of the rats was observed by vaginal smear, and the ovarian index was calculated. HE staining was used to observe the histopathological changes of the ovaries. Serum levels of the sex hormones testosterone （T）, estradiol （E₂）, luteinizing hormone （LH） and follicle-stimulating hormone （FSH） were measured by ELISA. The levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）, malondialdehyde （MDA） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in serum and ovarian tissue were detected by colorimetry, and the protein levels of steroidogenetic acute regulatory protein （StAR） and apoptosis-related proteins cleaved caspase-3, Bax and Bcl-2 in ovarian tissue were detected by Western blot. RESULT Compared with control group, the oestrous cycle of the rats in model group was disorder, and the ovarian index was increased, ovary was polycystic. The serum levels of T, LH and MDAwere significantly increased （P<0.05）, while the contents of E2, FSH and the activities of GSH-Px and SOD were significantly decreased （P<0.05）. The levels of MDA, StAR, cleaved caspase-3 and Bax proteins in ovarian tissue were significantly up-regulated （P<0.05）. GSH-Px and SOD activities and Bcl-2 protein levels were significantly down-regulated （P<0.05）. CONCLUSION Astragalosideeffectively balances the levels of sex hormone in PCOS rats and relieves the oxidative stress injury, the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of StAR expression.     

生长激素释放肽及其生物学效应

生长激素释放肽(Ghrelin)是一种在动物体内广泛存在的生长激素促分泌素受体(GHSR)的内源性配体, Ghrelin与位于下丘脑的GHSR结合后,具有促进生长激素释放、增加食欲、调节消化系统功能及能量代谢等作用。文章就Ghrelin的结构、分布、生物学效应及在畜牧业上的应用前景等方面进行综述,以期促进Ghrelin的进一步深入研究。     

激素与营养液配施对平菇产量及品质的影响

植物激素与营养液配合施用可促进平菇菌丝生长和子实体发育，提高产量，改善商品性状，但却不能增加干物质的积累。对营养成分含量的影响随激素与营养液配方的不同而异。     

Optimal dietary taurine level for growth of juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus

The requirement for taurine in juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus was determined by feeding diets containing various levels of taurine and cystine. Test diets supplemented with 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of taurine or with 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of L -cystine were prepared. The basal diet contained 55% protein from white fish meal. These diets were fed to juvenile Japanese flounder with an initial mean bodyweight of 0.9 g (total length (TL) 48 mm) for 5 weeks. Approximately 1.4% taurine content in the diet was required for optimum growth of juvenile flounder. A positive linear relationship was noted between the content of taurine accumulated in the muscle, liver and brain and the level of taurine in the diet. However, there was no increased taurine content in tissues of fish fed the cystine-supplemented diet. In contrast, the fish fed control and cystine-supplemented diets showed higher contents of cystathionine in the tissues. The concentration of cystathionine in tissues rapidly decreased with an increase of taurine in the diet. It was also observed that for each of the dietary groups, a trace amount of taurine was excreted. These results suggest that the taurine content in the diet affects the sulfur amino acid metabolism of juvenile Japanese flounder, and indicate that juvenile flounder are unable to biosynthesize taurine from cystine.     

Thyroid hormones modulate the hypothalamo–hypophyseal–gonadal axis in teleosts: Molecular insights

Reproduction in fishes is influenced by thyroid hormones at various levels of gonadal cell differentiation and steroidogenesis. Thyroid hormones have recently also emerged as an important modulator of season- and photoperiod-dependent variations in the reproductive cycle with a possible effect on the hypothalamo–hypophyseal axis and pineal interactions. This review describes the current status of thyroid hormone research in relation to reproduction, with special emphasis on contributions to this field by Indian researchers including our laboratory. Evidence is provided for the multifocal action of thyroid hormones at various levels of the hypothalamo–hypophyseal–gonadal axis affecting reproduction. The underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms pertaining to thyroid hormone modulation of reproduction, such as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) synthesis and release, androgen and gonadotropin receptor expression, gonadotropin (GTH) expression, and tissue sensitivity to GTHs are highlighted with relevant discussions of the current technical limitations, applications, and future perspectives of research in this field.