Spawning and hatching performance of the silvery black porgy Sparidentex hasta under hypersaline conditions

Abu Al Abyad island is characterized by harsh environmental conditions. A preliminary trial conducted at the island to investigate the spawning and hatching performance of the blue finned sea bream Sparidentex hasta indicated that the fish can be successfully bred at high salinity levels exceeding 50 ppt.

Effect of dietary supplementation of vitamins A, D-3, E, and C on yearling rice field eel, Monopterus albus: Serum indices, gonad development, and metabolism of calcium and phosphorus

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of dietary vitamins A, D-3, E, and C on the gonad development, lipid peroxidation, and immune response of yearling rice field eel, Monopterus albus. A 6-wk feeding trial was designed according to an L-16(4(5)) orthogonal design, in which four vitamins, each at four supplementation levels, were arranged. Sixteen diets were mixed with the different vitamin levels and randomly assigned to 16 groups of fish. Increasing dietary vitamin E supplementation level significantly (P <= 0.05) increased the gonadosomatic index and lowered the serum content of malondialdehyde of rice field eel. Increasing dietary vitamin A and C levels also showed similar effect, but the differences were not statistically significant. Serum immunoglobulin M content increased significantly (P <= 0.01) as dietary vitamin C supplementation levels increased. The concentrations of calcium in bones showed significant (P <= 0.05) trend with vitamin D-3 and A supplementation levels, but the bone phosphorus content was not affected by the dietary vitamin levels.

Molecular identification and expression analysis of natural resistance associated macrophage protein (Nramp) cDNA from Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

Natural resistance associated macrophage protein (Nramp) controls partially innate resistance to intracellular parasites. Its function is to enhance the ability of macrophages to kill pathogens. However, little is known about the structure and function of Nramp in lower vertebrates such as teleosts. We have recently isolated a cDNA encoding Nramp from Japanese flounder (Paratichthys olivaceus). The full-length cDNA of the Nramp is 3066 bp in length, including 224 bp 5' terminal UTR, 1662 bp encoding region and 1180 bp 3' terminal UTR. The 1662-nt open reading frame was found to code for a protein with 554 amino acid residues. Comparison of amino acid sequence indicated that Japanese flounder Nramp consists of 12 transmembrane (TM) domains. A consensus transport motif (CTM) containing 20 residues was observed between transmembrane domains 8 and 9. The deduced amino acid sequence of Japanese flounder had 77.30%, 82.71%, 82.67%, 79.64%, 80.72%, 90.97%, 91.16%, 60.14%, 71.48%, 61.69%, 72.37% identity with that of rainbow trout Nramp alpha and beta, channel catfish Nramp, fathead minnow Nramp, common carp Nramp, striped sea bass Nramp, red sea bream Nramp, mouse Nramp 1 and 2, human Nramp 1 and 2, respectively. RT-PCR indicated that Nramp transcripts were highly abundant in spleen, head kidney, abundant in intestine, liver and gill, and less abundant in heart. The level of Nramp mRNA in embryos gradually increases during embryogenesis from 4 h (8 cell stage) to 80 h (hatched stage) after fertilization. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of muscle-regulatory gene, MyoD, from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and analysis of its expression patterns during embryogenesis

Specification and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells are driven by the activity of genes encoding members of the myogenic regulatory factors (MRFs). In vertebrates, the MRF family includes MyoD, Myf5, myogenin, and MRF4. The MRFs are capable of converting a variety of nonmuscle cells into myoblasts and myotubes. To better understand their roles in fish muscle development, we isolated the MyoD gene from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) and analyzed its structure and patterns of expression. Sequence analysis showed that flounder MyoD shared a structure similar to that of vertebrate MRFs with three exons and two introns, and its protein contained a highly conserved basic helix-loop-helix domain (bHLH). Comparison of sequences revealed that flounder MyoD was highly conserved with other fish MyoD genes. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that flounder MyoD, seabream (Sparus aurata) MyoD1, takifugu (Takifugu rubripes) MyoD, and tilapia (Oreochromis aureus) MyoD were more likely to be homologous genes. Flounder MyoD expression was first detected as two rows of presomitic cells in the segmental plate. From somitogenesis, MyoD transcripts were present in the adaxial cells that give rise to slow muscles and the lateral somitic cells that give rise to fast muscles. After 30 somites formed, MyoD expression decreased in the somites except the caudal somites, coincident with somite maturation. In the hatching stage, MyoD was expressed in other muscle cells and caudal somites. It was detected only in muscle in the growing fish.

鲑鱼生长激素基因及其工程菌表达产物对真鲷的促生长效应

将鲑鱼生长激素基因转入真鲷受精卵，研究其对真鲷生长的影响。用鲑鱼生长激素基因的表达产物浸泡两月龄的真鲷鱼苗，研究其对真鲷生长的影响。提取含“全鱼”生长因素基因元件的重组质粒pAFPcnGH，用电脉冲法将其导入真鲷受精卵。从包含体中提取GH基因表达产物，用它浸泡两月龄的真鲷鱼苗，实验组比对照组体长分别增加8.0％，9.8％，17.5％；体重分别增加21.1％，32.0％，36.0％。

真鲷(Pagrosomus major)胚胎冷冻保存损伤机理及冷冻精子遗传物质稳定性研究

本文对真鲷心跳期胚胎对5种常用渗透性抗冻剂（DMSO、甘油、甲醇、丙二醇、乙二醇）和3种非渗透性抗冻剂（PVP、PEG-8000、蔗糖）的耐受性进行了研究。渗透性抗冻剂分6个浓度梯度（5%；10%；15%；20%；25%；30%）和3个时间组（10min；30min；1h）。非渗透性抗冻剂中，PVP、PEG-8000分3个浓度梯度（5%、10%、15%）和2个时间组（10min、30min），蔗糖为4个浓度梯度（5%、10%、15%、20%）和2个时间组（10min、30min）。实验结果表明，在渗透性抗冻剂组中，浓度为5%的处理组的孵化率（>90%）与对照组差异均不显著，随着抗冻剂浓度增大及处理时间的延长，真鲷心跳期胚胎的孵化率显著下降（P<0.05），在最高浓度的最长处理时间中胚胎孵化率均降到了0。总体上，真鲷心跳期胚胎对五种渗透性抗冻剂的耐受性从小到大依次为：甲醇 < 甘油 < 乙二醇 < DMSO < 丙二醇。对影响胚胎孵化率的三个因素（抗冻剂、浓度、时间）进行的因素效应分析结果表明，三种因素对孵化率的影响显著（P<0.05），并且浓度效应 > 时间效应 > 抗冻剂效应。在非渗透性抗冻剂组中，蔗糖组胚胎孵化率未呈显著变化；PVP组随着浓度及时间的增大，孵化率显著下降（P<0.05）；PEG-8000组随着浓度增大孵化率显著下降（P<0.05），但在两个时间组间差异不显著。相同处理情况下PEG-8000对真鲷心跳期胚胎的毒性要小于PVP。因素效应分析比较结果表明仅时间效应不显著，且抗冻剂效应 > 浓度效应 > 时间效应。 对所用各种抗冻剂进行了渗透压测量，实验中使用的渗透性抗冻剂（5%-30%）的渗透压值在959-7980mOsm/kg之间，均高于使用海水的渗透压值（919mOsm/kg）；使用的非渗透性抗冻剂的渗透压值在316-1040mOsm/kg之间，除20%蔗糖渗透压值（1040mOsm/kg）高于海水外，其他非渗透性抗冻剂的渗透压值均要低于海水。对孵化率与相应的溶液渗透压值进行相关回归分析结果表明，渗透性抗冻剂的渗透压与孵化率呈显著的负相关（P<0.05），而非渗透性抗冻剂的渗透压与孵化率相关不显著。渗透性抗冻剂组的回归分析结果表明，二次方程的曲线拟合度最高，得到的回归方程分别为：Y10min = -2×10-8X2 10min - 6×10-5 X 10min + 1.5635 （R2 = 0.713），Y30min= 5×10-8X2 30min－0.0007 X 30min + 2.097（R2 = 0.681），Y1h = 7×10-8X2 1h－0.0008 X 1h+ 2.0397（R2= 0.725）。 在真鲷胚胎对抗冻剂耐受性实验的基础上，挑选五种抗冻剂--10%DMSO、5%甘油、10%甲醇、20%丙二醇、10%乙二醇，浸泡真鲷心跳期胚胎30min后，分别以超速（130℃/min）、快速（20℃/min）、慢速（3℃/min）的速度降温并使用低温显微镜进行观察，依次记录Toif（油球结冰）、Teif（胚胎外部结冰）、Tiif（胚胎内部结冰）等结冰点，Toif值在-9~-23℃之间；Teif值在-21~-35℃之间；Tiif值在-21~-52℃之间。结冰顺序为先油球结冰，然后胚胎外部结冰随之内部马上瞬间变黑形成内部冰晶。随着降温速度的提高，各结冰温度值显著下降。各抗冻剂之间的Teif及Tiif值不同，Toif值之间没有显著差异。对两种玻璃化冷冻方法进行模拟观察，发现胚胎冰晶形成的顺序与非玻璃化过程不同--先内部结冰然后逐渐蔓延至外部形成外部冰晶，而且模拟玻璃化的内部结冰温度Tiif值（-52.56℃）显著（P<0.05）低于使用低浓度的同种抗冻剂超速降温组的Tiif值（-40.11℃）。在快速及慢速降温组中，20%丙二醇组的Tiif要显著的低于其他组（P<0.05）；在超速降温中，甲醇组的Tiif值要显著的低于其他组（P<0.05）。在Tiif小于30℃的实验组中获得形态完整胚胎的比例平均仅有30.77%；在Tiif大于30℃的实验组中获得形态完整胚胎的平均比例高达70.37%，模拟玻璃化组达到100%。各抗冻剂之间，复温后胚胎形态完整率10%甲醇组最高（77.78%）；其次依次为10%乙二醇（66.67%）、20%丙二醇（55.56%）和10%DMSO（55.56%）；5%甘油组最低（11.11%）；推测甲醇的对胚胎的渗透效果要好于其他组。综上推测：使用丙二醇、甲醇作为抗冻剂以及玻璃化冷冻保存方法对真鲷心跳期胚胎超低温保存也许较为合适。 我们对低温保存的真鲷精子核DNA损伤进行了研究以期为下一步胚胎遗传物质稳定性研究提供参考依据。研究方法为单细胞凝胶电泳（SCGE），针对研究对象，在实验过程中对传统的碱性单细胞凝胶电泳在铺胶方法、电泳条件等进行了改进。对精子细胞进行预处理，在碱性电泳液中使核DNA双链解链变性后电泳，EB染色lOmin后，在荧光显微镜下观察，每次随机观察50个左右的核DNA。结果表明，对荧光显微镜下观察到的精子核按彗尾长度及荧光强度划分等级，出现损伤的精子核DNA的损伤程度主要为轻度损伤和中度损伤，很少见有完全损伤的真鲷精子核。经5%、10%、18%、20%、25%、30%DMSO冷冻保存后的精子彗星率分别为33.47％ ± 8.95％; 35.91％ ± 19.44％; 48.95％ ± 8.90％; 43.33％ ± 11.19％; 55.80％ ± 38.94％。鲜精彗星率为31.43 ％ ± 2.68％。对比真鲷冷冻精液与新鲜精液的精子DNA的损伤状况，表明仅用30％ DMSO冷冻精子DNA损伤状况与鲜精差异显著(P<0.05)。 综上所述，渗透性抗冻剂对胚胎的毒性与其渗透压值呈显著的负相关关系。丙二醇对真鲷心跳期胚胎毒性最小，甲醇较其他抗冻剂能更好的渗透入胚胎；玻璃化方法能显著降低Tiif值并能更好的保持超低温保存后胚胎的形态完整性，因此，使用丙二醇、甲醇作为抗冻剂以及玻璃化冷冻保存方法对真鲷心跳期胚胎超低温保存也许较为合适。常规使用的用于超低温保存真鲷精子的DMSO（浓度<15%）不会对精子核物质稳定性造成明显影响。由于胚胎较精子结构要复杂许多，对于真鲷胚胎损伤机理的研究还有大量工作可以开展。

Notes and memoranda

Callionymus maculatus. Phrynorhombus unimaculatus. Motella cimbria. Sepia elegans. Mysis longicornis. Mysidopsis angusta. Malformation of the mouth in the common sea-bream.

Efeito da proteína anticongelante tipo I (AFP I) na criopreservação de embriões e blastómeros de teleósteos

Dissertação de mest., Biologia Marinha, Faculdade de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Universidade do Algarve, 2007

Role of insulin and insulin-like peptides in bone formation: identification of bone-specific target genes and regulatory mechanisms, and characterization of the insulin-mimetic effect of vanadium

Tese de Doutoramento em Biologia, Especialidade em Biologia Molecular, Universidade do Algarve, 2008

Potential of fisheries restocking off the Algarve coast using aquaculture produced marine fish

Tese de dout., Ciências do Mar, da Terra e do Ambiente (Ecologia Marinha), Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Univ. do Algarve, 2012

Detection of mineralized structures in very early stages of development of Marine Teleostei using a modified Alcian blue-Alizarin red double staining technique for bone and cartilage

We have developed a procedure for staining cartilage and bone in fish larvae as small as 2 mm (notochord length), for which standard alcian blue/alizarin red procedures did not give positive and/or consistent results. Small calcified structures only 100-200 pm in length can be clearly visualized. The method is suitable for both ontogenic studies during early stages of skeletal development in most marine fishes (e.g., Sparus aurata L., Solea senegalensis Kaup), whose larvae at hatching are often only a few millimeters long and for detecting skeletal abnormalities in small larvae. This procedure can also be used for specimens that have been preserved in 1000/0 ethanol for up to two years.

Screening for biological activities with application in aquaculture in halophytes from the Algarve coastline

Infectious diseases often hamper the production of aquatic organisms in aquaculture systems, causing economical losses, environmental problems and consumer safety issues. The conventional way aquaculture producers had to control pathogens was by means of synthetic antibiotics and chemicals. This procedure had consequences in the emergence of more resilient pathogens, drug contamination of seafood products and local ecosystems. To avoid the repercussions of antibiotic use, vaccination has greatly replaced human drugs in western fish farms. However there is still massive unregulated antibiotic use in third world fish farms, so less expensive therapeutic alternatives for drugs are desperately needed. An alternative way to achieve disease control in aquaculture is by using natural bioactive organic compounds with antibiotic, antioxidant and/or immunostimulant properties. Such diverse biomolecules occur in bacteria, algae, fungi, higher plants and other organisms. Fatty acids, nucleotides, monosaccharides, polysaccharides, peptides, polyphenols and terpenoids, are examples of these substances. One promising source of bioactive compounds are salt tolerant plants. Halophytes have more molecular resources and defence mechanisms, when compared with other tracheophytes, to deal with the oxidative stresses of their habitat. Many halophytes have been used as a traditional food and medical supply, especially by African and Asian cultures. This scientific work evaluated the antibiotic, antioxidant, immunostimulant and metal chelating properties of Atriplex halimus L., Arthrocnemum macrostachyum Moric., Carpobrotus edulis L., Juncus acutus L. and Plantago coronopus L., from the Algarve coast. The antibiotic properties were tested against Listonella anguillarum, Photobacterium damselae piscicida and Vibrio fischeri. The immunostimulant properties were tested with cytochrome c and Griess assays on Sparus aurata head-kidney phagocytes. J. acutus ether extract inhibited the growth of P. damselae piscicida. A. macrostachyum, A. halimus, C. edulis, Juncus acutus and P. coronopus displayed antioxidant, copper chelating and iron chelating properties. These plants show potential as sources of bioactive compounds with application in aquaculture and in other fields.

Testes com novos fármacos no tratamento do parasita de peixes Amyloodinium ocellatum

O Amyloodinium ocellatum é um parasita dinoflagelado que aparece em aquaculturas por todo o mundo, infectando as brânquias e o tegumento dos peixes. Esta parasita é particularmente relevante na aquacultura mediterrânica onde os surtos causam perdas consideráveis. Apesar de já terem sido experimentados vários tratamentos, nenhum deles se revelou efectivo na erradicação do parasita e ainda alguns dos químicos utilizados podem ter importantes efeitos nocivos sobre o ambiente. Deste modo, o objectivo deste estudo foi testar novos fármacos para impedir o desenvolvimento e/ou eliminar o parasita em peixes já infectados. Os fármacos utilizados neste estudo foram endoperóxidos, uma recente classe de antimaláricos. Na primeira parte deste estudo realizaram-se ensaios in vitro onde se testaram os efeitos de diferentes concentrações (0,1mM; 1 mM; 2mM e 2,5mM) dos fármacos NAD17, NAD19, LCD93 e LCD67A sobre a divisão dos tomontes. Às 24 e 48 horas de exposição a 0,1mM NAD19 e 1mM LCD93, os tomontes observados não tinham entrado em divisão. Na segunda parte realizou-se um ensaio in vivo no qual os fármacos foram administrados a juvenis de dourada (Sparus aurata) a uma concentração de 10μmol/kg através de tratamento oral. No ensaio in vivo avaliou-se o possível efeito profiláctico dos fármacos na infecção através da análise da abundância e prevalência do parasita, da eficácia dos fármacos e dos efeitos do parasita e do tratamento na fisiologia e no eixo do stress dos animais infectados através de análises enzimáticas e de parâmetros bioquímicos do sangue. As medições realizadas ao plasma sanguíneo e às brânquias de douradas com diferentes níveis de infecção de A. ocellatum revelaram que não existe diferença significativa entre os controlos e os endoperóxidos para a dose testada. Será necessário realizar mais ensaios para obter conclusões sobre o efeito dos endoperóxidos no controlo do parasita de peixes A. ocellatum.

Produção integrada em tanques de terra: "estudo comparativo da produção integrada de cinco espécies de Sparideos em sistema de policultivo simples e em sistema integrado com ostras e holotúrias" e "abordagem teórica de um estudo económico para IMTA"

O presente trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar a produção de peixes em dois diferentes sistemas de cultivo, policultivo e aquacultura multi-trófica integrada, tomando como referência o crescimento das espécies, o estudo patológico das brânquias e análise de conteúdo estomacal das espécies envolvidas no ensaio (Sparus aurata, Diplodus cervinus, D. puntazzo, D. sargus e D. vulgaris), e por fim foi feita uma abordagem teórica para identificar os custos envolvidos no sistema. Para realização do ensaio foram usados seis tanques, sendo dois tratamentos, em regime triplicado. Os resultados indicam uma boa adaptação dos peixes em ambos os sistemas. A biomassa inicial foi de 0,12 Kg.mˉ3, sendo formada por: 12% Sparus aurata (119,5g), 33% Diplodus puntazzo (134,7g), 45% D. sargus (90,3g), 3% D. cervinus (37,6g) e 7% D. vulgaris (93,1g) e em três tanques também com 42 Kg de Holoturia tubulosa, pepinos do mar, e 75 Kg de Crassostrea angulata, ostras. D. cervinus, D. vulgaris e D. sargus apresentaram baixa taxa de crescimento, ≤ 0,7g/dia, ambas as espécies, e Diplodus cervinus apresentou baixa taxa de sobrevivência em ambos os sistemas (57,8% poli cultivo e 73,3% IMTA). Diplodus puntazzo foi a espécie que melhor se adaptou ao sistema de policultivo simples. Sparus aurata foi a espécie que apresentou melhor taxa de crescimento e melhor taxa de sobrevivência nos dois sistemas. Os conteúdos alimentares apresentaram semelhança entre Diplodus cervinus, D. vulgaris e Sparus aurata, semelhantes também foram os itens alimentares identificados em D. sargus e D. puntazzo, entretanto a preferência alimentar das últimas espécies citadas são opostas as das três primeiras. S. aurata e D. puntazzo que apresentaram maior peso médio foram preferencialmente infestadas por Lamellodiscus spp.. Nas espécies com pesos médios inferiores, como D. cervinus, D. sargus e D. vulgaris foram maiores as infestações por Microcotyle spp.

Identification of novel molecular determinants of tissue mineralization in fish

The identification of genes involved in signaling and regulatory pathways, and matrix formation is paramount to the better understanding of the complex mechanisms of bone formation and mineralization, and critical to the successful development of therapies for human skeletal disorders. To achieve this objective, in vitro cell systems derived from skeletal tissues and able to mineralize their extracellular matrix have been used to identify genes differentially expressed during mineralization and possibly new markers of bone and cartilage homeostasis. Using cell systems of fish origin and techniques such as suppression subtractive hybridization and microarray hybridization, three genes never associated with mechanisms of calcification were identified: the calcium binding protein S100-like, the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase sdr-like and the betaine homocysteine S-methyltransferase bhmt3. Analysis of the spatial-temporal expression of these 3 genes by qPCR and in situ hybridization revealed: (1) the up-regulation of sdr-like transcript during in vitro mineralization of gilthead seabream cell lines and its specificity for calcified tissues and differentiating osteoblasts; (2) the up-regulation of S100-like and the down-regulation of bhmt3 during in vitro mineralization and the central role of both genes in cartilaginous tissues undergoing endo/perichondral mineralization in juvenile fish. While expression of S100-like and bhmt3 was restricted to calcified tissues, sdr-like transcript was also detected in soft tissues, in particular in tissues of the gastrointestinal tract. Functional analysis of gene promoters revealed the transcriptional regulation of the 3 genes by known regulators of osteoblast and chondrocyte differentiation/mineralization: RUNX2 and RAR (sdr-like), ETS1 (s100-like; bhmt3), SP1 and MEF2c (bhmt3). The evolutionary relationship of the different orthologs and paralogs identified within the scope of this work was also inferred from taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses and revealed novel protein subfamilies (S100-like and Sdr-like) and the explosive diversity of Bhmt family in particular fish groups (Neoteleostei). Altogether our results contribute with new data on SDR, S100 and BHMT proteins, evidencing for the first time the role for these three proteins in mechanisms of mineralization in fish and emphasized their potential as markers of mineralizing cartilage and bone in developing fish.