Corals have already evolved the vertebrate-type hormone system in the sexual reproduction |
| |
| Authors: | Wen-Hung Twan Hua-Fang Wu Jiang-Shiou Hwang Yan-Horn Lee Ching-Fong Chang |
| |
| Institution: | (1) National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung, 944, Taiwan;(2) Department of Aquaculture, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 202, Taiwan;(3) Institute of Marine Biology, National Taiwan Ocean University, Keelung, 202, Taiwan |
| |
| Abstract: | Most broadcast spawning scleractinian corals synchronously release gametes during a brief annual spawning period. In southern
Taiwan, the mass spawning of scleractinians occurs in lunar mid-March. Endocrine system has been proposed to play important
roles in this annual phenomenon. A scleractinian coral, Euphyllia ancora has been selected as a model for the hormones and reproduction studies. We detected the presence of estradiol (E2), testosterone
(T), glucuronided E2, glucuronided T, aromatase, immunoreactive (ir)GnRH in coral polyps E. ancora. Annual profiles of sex steroids, aromatase, and irGnRH have also been characterized. We found the parallel increases in
irGnRH concentrations, aromatase activity and free E2 and glucuronided E2 concentrations at the time of coral mass spawning.
The stimulation of mammalian (m)GnRH agonist in the increased aromatase activity and sex steroid concentrations was also observed
in corals. Coral extracts (irGnRH) and mGnRH agonist had a similar dose-dependent effect on luteinizing hormone release in
black porgy fish pituitary cells (in vitro). In conclusion, our data suggest that irGnRH and glucuronided E2 may play important
roles in the control of reproduction and mass spawning in corals. Corals already evolved the vertebrate-type hormone system
in the sexual reproduction. |
| |
| Keywords: | Aromatase Coral Estradiol GnRH Mass spawning Reproduction Sex steroids Testosterone |
| 本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录！ |
|
