Substrate concentration affects the in vitro metabolism of 17-hydroxyprogesterone by ovaries of the carp,Cyprinus carpio

Carp ovarian tissue was incubated with ³H-17-hydroxyprogesterone in the presence of 0, 0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg ml⁻¹ unlabeled 17-hydroxyprogesterone. The pattern of metabolites formed showed a marked variation with substrate concentration. Formation of glucuronide and sulphate conjugates was important only at low substrate concentration. At high substrate concentration (10 and 100 μg ml⁻¹) 17,20α-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one was the major metabolite, but at intermediate concentrations polar 7α-hydroxypregnanetetrols predominated. The results support the hypothesis that at low substrate concentrations conjugating, 5α-reducing and 7α-hydroxylating enzymes, of high activity but low capacity, act as scavengers to deactivate any steroids formed during the relatively low pituitary gonadotrophin secretions which are necessary for oocyte development, but that during the prespawning gonadotrophin surge when high levels of substrate are present these enzymes are saturated and 17,20α-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20αP) becomes the major ovarian steroid. The possible role of 17,20αP during oocyte final maturation requires further examination.     

苦草对NH_4~＋的吸收动力学

以苦草为试验材料,研究了3种光照、3种pH和3种温度条件下苦草对NH4＋的吸收动力学以及苦草根叶的吸收差异。结果表明：弱酸性组（pH5.5）最大吸收速率和亲和力显著高于中性组（pH7.0）和弱碱性组（pH8.5）;亲和力随照度增大而增大,但中等光强组的最大吸收速率显著高于其他2组;温度试验中,最大吸收速率和亲和力先随着...     

中国明对虾MKK4基因克隆及其在氨氮胁迫下的表达分析

为初步研究中国明对虾MKK4的生物学功能,采用RACE技术克隆获得中国明对虾MKK4基因全长cDNA序列,并对该序列进行分析。结果显示,中国明对虾MKK4基因全长为2 064 bp,开放阅读框长1 221 bp,5'非编码区长214 bp,3'非翻译区长629 bp。将该基因命名为FcMKK4。推测该基因编码406个氨基酸,预测分子量为45.94 ku,理论等电点为8.50。同源性和系统进化分析发现FcMKK4与肩突硬蜱和印度跳蚁的同源性分别为80%和78%,与其他节肢动物MKK4聚为一支。荧光定量RT-PCR结果表明,FcMKK4基因在肌肉中的相对表达量最高,其次为肝胰腺。氨氮胁迫后该基因在中国明对虾肌肉、肝胰腺、血细胞、鳃、心脏、肠和胃中的表达量均显著增加,并有不同的时空表达谱式,表明FcMKK4可能参与中国明对虾非生物胁迫的应答反应。     

竹子填料海水曝气生物滤器除氮性能

生物滤器是循环水养殖系统的关键水处理单元,主要用于去除水体中水溶性的氮化物.采用人工模拟海水养殖废水,在系统运行的水力停留时间HRT为1h,水温为18～25 ℃,气水比为3∶1,初始C/N＝3∶1,pH为8.05～8.53条件下,对竹子填料浸没式生物滤器的挂膜过程和稳定运行阶段系统去除氨氮的运行特性,以及挂膜过程中的硝化细菌群落变化进行了实验研究.结果表明,在较低的NH+4-N浓度条件下,采用竹子填料的生物滤器有较快的挂膜速度,挂膜成功后滤料表面上生长的氨氧化细菌和亚硝酸氧化细菌的数量分别为4.5×105、1.5×105(光面)和1.1×106 CFU/ml(粗面).具有较高且稳定的氨氮去除效果,氨氮去除效率达到80%,出水浓度小于0.06 mg/L,满足海水循环养殖系统中的应用要求.     

Paralytic shellfish poisoning toxin analysis of the genus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alexandrium</Emphasis> (Dinophyceae) occurring in Korean coastal waters

ABSTRACT:   Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins produced by Alexandrium isolates from Korea were analyzed by high-pressure liquid chromography. Species designation of the regional isolates was determined by morphological criteria and ribotyping inferred from sequences of the 28S rDNA D1-D2 region. Toxin analysis performed at the exponential growth phase, revealed that the two strains of A. fraterculus were non-toxic, while the strains of A. tamarense and A. catenella were toxic. Toxic isolates DPC7 and DPC8 of A. catenella produced GTX1, 2, 3, 4, 5, dcGTX2, 3, C1, 2, neoSTX and STX with trace or non-detectable levels of C3 and C4, while isolates UL7, KDW981, SJW97043, SJW97046, KJC97111 and KJC97112 of A. tamarense produced GTX1, 2, 3, 4, dcGTX3, C1, 2, neoSTX with trace or non-detectable levels of C3, 4, dcSTX and STX, and no GTX5 and dcGTX2. The major toxins produced by A. catenella were C1 +2, and those of A. tamarense were C1 +2 and GTX4 in most of the isolates. A. tamarense strains other than SJW97046 produced a relatively high proportion of carbamate toxins, reflecting the high toxicity scores of shellfish intoxication in sampled coastal areas. Two representative toxic isolates, A. tamarense SJW97043 and A. catenella DPC7, were cultured for 30 days in batch mode and subjected to toxin analysis at 5-day intervals. Comparison of toxin productivity in terms of total toxin content, toxin components, and their variations with culture age revealed marked differences between the two strains.     

硫酸氘制剂对淡水浮游藻类生物量影响的研究

以多种淡水浮游绿藻的混合藻种为培养对象,在人工培养液中添加不同含量的硫酸氘(D2SO4)制剂进行培养,通过测定藻液光密度(OD)值研究了不同浓度D2SO4制剂对淡水浮游藻类生物量影响的效果。结果显示:(D2SO4)制剂在9~20℃温度条件下能促进淡水浮游藻类生物量的增加。在重氢OPAL723TM试验中,浓度0.2‰组藻类增加最多,其结果与对照有显著差异(P(0.05),与0.05‰组和0.001‰组差异不显著(P>0.05);在重氢511T试验中,浓度1‰组藻类增加最多,其他组随浓度降低藻类增加量相应减少。     

低温驯化下斑马鱼LINE1的表达检测

长散布核元件-1(Long spread nuclear element-1,LINE1)是跳跃基因。前期比较基因组研究发现,南极鱼经历漫长的低温适应进化后,与南极圈外的同亚目鱼类相比较,在基因水平上LINE1的扩增效率高达8~300倍,但LINE1的扩增与鱼类抵御寒冷之间的关系尚未明了。本实验对斑马鱼(Danio rerio)胚胎成纤维细胞ZF4进行了不同时间梯度的低温处理(18℃、5 d和18℃、30 d),同时对斑马鱼成鱼也进行了不同时间的低温处理(10℃,3 h、6 h、1 d、3 d、5 d)。采用RT-qPCR检测了LINE1的mRNA水平,并克隆了斑马鱼LINE1基因启动子区,利用Luciferase双荧光报告系统,在ZF4细胞中验证LINE15’UTR在低温压力下的生物活性。结果显示,短时间低温处理下,ZF4细胞中LINE1 mRNA水平有所降低,而在长时间低温处理中,LINE1的mRNA水平显著升高。在成鱼中,短时间低温处理下,LINE1 mRNA水平降低;长期低温处理下,LINE1 mRNA水平显著升高。在ZF4细胞中发现,LINE15’UTR具有生物活性。在低温处理(18℃,3 d)下,报告基因信号减弱,间接表明LINE1启动子活性减弱。研究结果表明,低温压力会影响LINE1在鱼类中的表达。本研究为进一步探究LINE1在鱼类适应低温环境中的作用机制奠定了基础。     

Effect of cortisol on the metabolism of 17-hydroxyprogesterone by Arctic charr and rainbow trout embryos

The effect of cortisol on the in vitro metabolism of [³H]17-hydroxyprogesterone ([³H]17OHP) was studied during embryonic development of Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). In the absence of cortisol, rainbow trout embryos metabolized [³H]17OHP largely to androstenedione (A₄) and androstenetrione (11-KA) with a minor conversion to 17,20ß-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20P). In the presence of cortisol, this biosynthesis was inhibited. On the other hand, cortisol had no apparent inhibitory effect on the nature of metabolism of [³H]17OHP by Arctic charr embryos. In these embryos [³H]17OHP was metabolized mainly to 17,20P with a minor conversion to A₄ and without the formation of 11-KA that was seen in rainbow trout.When incubated in the presence of [³H]cortisol both Arctic charr and rainbow trout embryos produced 11ß-hydroxyandrostenedione (11ß-OHA) as the major metabolite, with a minor conversion to an unknown steroid. The catabolism of the cortisol by salmonid embryos may reflect the ability of the embryo to inactivate or detoxify cortisol to protect itself from the adverse effects of this biologically potent steroid hormone The study indicates the existence of species-specific differences in the nature of metabolism of [³H]17OHP and the inhibitory effect of cortisol on this metabolism.     

Effects of aromatase inhibitors on reproduction in male three-spined sticklebacks, Gasterosteus aculeatus, exposed to long and short photoperiods

Three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus, males were implanted with Silastic capsules filled with different aromatase inhibitors; 1,4,6-androstatriene-3,17-dione or the non-steroidal CGS16949 A, 4-(5,6,7,8-tetrahydrimidazol [1,5-a]pyridin-5-yl) benzonitrile monohydrochloride or empty capsules. The fish were then exposed to long or short photoperiod. Under the long photoperiod most fish in all treatments displayed a hypertrophied kidney (a secondary sexual character in sticklebacks) and completed, quiescent spermatogenesis, similar as in the natural spawning period. Under the short photoperiod the controls had unstimulated kidneys and an active spermatogenesis, whereas the males implanted with both aromatase inhibitors had stimulated kidneys, though not to the extent as in the long photoperiod, and completed, quiescent spermatogenesis. These findings suggest that aromatization is of importance for the inhibitory effects of short photoperiod on reproduction in the stickleback. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

In vitro synthesis of 20α-reduced and of 11- and 21-oxygenated steroids and their sulfates by testes of the goldfish (Carassius auratus): Testicular synthesis of corticosteroids

Testes from spermiating goldfish were incubated with [³H]17-hydroxyprogesterone. The major products in the unconjugated fraction were identified as androstenedione, androstenetrione, 11-β-hydroxyandrostenedione, 11-ketotestosterone, 17,20α-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20αP) and 11-deoxycortisol. Testosterone was present predominantly in the glucuronide fraction, but yields were low (1–3%). The major components of the sulfate fraction were 17,20αP and 11-deoxycortisol. The identification of cortisone in low yield (< 2.5010) in both the free and sulfate fractions is the first report of corticosteroid biosynthesis by a teleost testis. The high yields of 17,20αP and 11-deoxycortisol and their sulphates suggests that their possible role in spermiation of the goldfish should be further investigated.