异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和它们父母本线粒体DNA 12S rRNA基因遗传变异的分析

采用质粒克隆测序方法,获得了异源四倍体鲫鲤5个个体、异源四倍体鲫鲤雌核发育二倍体后代2个个体、三倍体湘云鲫2个个体及红鲫、湘江野鲤和日本白鲫各1个个体的线粒体DNA 12S rRNA基因的全序列。经对比发现,异源四倍体5个个体共享2种单元型,异源四倍体鲫鲤雌核发育二倍体后代2个个体、三倍体湘云鲫2个个体以及红鲫、湘江野鲤和日本白鲫各1个个体分别共享1种单元型。用MEGA 1.0 软件分析了它们的碱基组成和核苷酸序列差异,用邻接法构建系统进化树。它们间的序列同源性在95%~99%之间,异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和它们母本（分别为红鲫和日本白鲫）之间的序列同源性大于异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和它们父本（分别为湘江野鲤和异源四倍体鲫鲤）之间的序列同源性,结果表明：异源四倍体鲫鲤和三倍体湘云鲫在线粒体DNA 12S rRNA基因上具有母性遗传特征。本研究另一值得注意地方的是异源四倍体鲫鲤经过9代(F3-F11)繁殖后,在5个个体中发现了2种单元型,说明在四倍体基因库中存在遗传多样性,为四倍体基因库的繁殖、保护和种群复壮提供了一些有价值的信息。     

从ATPase8-6基因研究杂交多倍体鱼线粒体母性遗传

异源四倍体鲫鲤是世界上首例人工培育的两性可育并形成群体的且能自然繁殖的四倍体鱼。本文采用质粒克隆测序法测定了红鲫、异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和三倍体湘云鲤的ATPase8和ATPase6基因全序列 ,结合鲤鱼、日本白鲫和斑马鱼的同源序列 ,对不同倍性水平鲤科鱼类的ATPase8和ATPase6基因进行了比较 ,分析了碱基组成、变异情况以及核苷酸和氨基酸序列差异。红鲫、鲤鱼、异源四倍体鲫鲤、日本白鲫、三倍体湘云鲫和三倍体湘云鲤之间的序列差异为 0 0 % - 1 3 4 % ,它们与外群斑马鱼之间的序列差异为 2 7 9% -31 0 %。用MEGA软件中的MP法、ME法、NJ法和UPGMA法构建分子系统树 ,得到了相似的拓扑结构。结果分析表明 ,人工杂交多倍体异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和三倍体湘云鲤在线粒体ATPase8和ATPase6基因上具有严格的母性遗传特征。值得注意的是 ,异源四倍体鲫鲤经过 1 1代的繁育后 ,与其原始母本红鲫仍然保持了非常高的同源性 ,说明了新的异源四倍体基因库在线粒体ATPase8和ATPase6基因上拥有稳定的遗传特性。对不同倍性鲤科鱼类线粒体ATPase8和ATPase6基因的研究表明 ,ATPase8和ATPase6基因是杂交鱼后代遗传变异研究的一个很好的分子标记     

Massive production of all-female diploids and triploids in the crucian carp

In many species of aquaculture importance, all-female and sterile populations possess superior productivity due to faster growth and a relatively homogenous size of individuals. However, the production of all-female and sterile fish in a large scale for aquaculture is a challenge in practice, because treatments necessary for gynogenesis induction usually cause massive embryonic and larval mortality, and the number of induced gynogens is too small for their direct use in aquaculture. Here we report the massive production of all-female triploid crucian carp by combining artificial gynogenesis, sex reversal and diploid-tetraploid hybridization. Previously, we have obtained an allotetraploid carp population (4n = 200) by hybridization between red crucian carp (Carassius auratus red var; ♀) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio; ♂). We induced all-female diploid gynogens of the Japanese crucian carp (Carassius cuvieri; 2n = 100). We also generated male diploid gynogens of the same species treated gynogenetic fry with 17-α-methyltestosterone, leading to the production of sex-revered gynogenetic males. Finally, these males were used to cross with the female diploid Japanese crucian carp gynogens and the allotetraploid females, resulting in the production of fertile all-female diploid Japanese crucian carp (2n=100) and sterile all-female triploid hybrids (3n = 150), respectively. Therefore, diploid crucian carp gynogenetic females and sex-reversed male together with an allotetraploid line provide an opportunity to produce all-female triploid populations in a large scale to meet demands in aquaculture industry.     

Comparative and Evolutionary Analysis of the Cytochrome b Sequences in Cyprinids with Different Ploidy Levels Derived from Crosses

The mitochondrial cyt b genes in the allotetraploid and triploid crucian carp as well as triploid common carp were isolated and completely sequenced. Their DNA sequences were compared with those derived from the cyt b genes of the red crucian carp, Japanese crucian carp, and common carp with MEGA 1.0 software. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the sister relationships between allotetraploid and diploid red crucian carp, between the triploid crucian carp and diploid Japanese crucian carp, and between triploid common carp and diploid common carp. Our results indicated the cyt b genes in the allotetraploid, triploid crucian carp, and triploid common carp were maternally inherited. Through maternal inheritance, the cyt b gene in the F11 tetraploid displayed extremely high similarity to that in the female parent red crucian carp after 11 generations (from F1 to F11 hybrids). Since the establishment of the new tetraploid stocks has great significance in analyzing evolutionary theory of vertebrate and in improving aquaculture industry, analysis of the cyt b gene and the elucidation of the variation of the cyt b gene DNA in different cyprinids prove that cyt b is a useful genetic marker to monitor the variations in the progeny of the crosses.     

Evidence for the Formation of the Male Gynogenetic Fish

The females and unexpected males of gynogenetic red crucian carps (GRCC) with the 1:1 sex ratio were found in the progeny of the distant crossing of red crucian carp (RCC; ♀, 2n?=?100) × blunt snout bream (BSB; ♂, 2n?=?48). The females and males of GRCC were fertile, and they mated each other to generate the red crucian carps (GRCC₁) and another variational gray crucian carps (GGCC). The GRCC and their offspring were proved to be diploids (2n?=?100) with one to three microchromosomes by examining the chromosomal metaphases. The evidences for the male’s genetic effect in GRCC were provided by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization, Sox-HMG DNA markers, and microsatellite DNA markers. The genotypic variances of GRCC resulted in their phenotypic variances which were quite different from their maternal parent. It was concluded that the formation of the male gynogenetic fish in GRCC resulted from the genetic leakage of the paternal fish in the form of the microchromosomes including the paternal male-determining gene. After being activated by the sperm of BSB, which was inactivated and finally degraded but left the microchromosomes, the egg of RCC, in which the 50 chromosomes were spontaneously doubled to 100 chromosomes, developed into the diploid male gynogenetic fish. The formation of the bisexual GRCC and their progeny indicated that the distant hybridization could generate the bisexual diploid gynogenetic fish with genetic variation derived from the paternal fish, which is of great significance in both fish genetic breeding and evolutionary biology.     

四类不同倍性鲫鱼在胚胎发育期间同工酶基因表达的比较分析

用聚丙烯酰胺梯度凝胶电泳比较分析了单倍体、二倍体、三倍体和复合四倍体4类不同倍性鲫鱼以及单倍体和二倍体鲤鱼在胚胎发育时期4种同工酶(EST,LDH,MDH,SOD)酶谱。结果表明,单倍体鲫鱼和单倍体鲤鱼胚胎与各自的二倍体胚胎相比,同工酶酶谱看不出差异;天然三倍体银鲫胚胎的MDH和SOD同工酶酶谱与二倍体鲫相似,但EST和LDH同工酶比二倍体增多了酶带,有的酶带如EST5和EST6还可在鲤鱼胚胎中找到相应的表达产物,提供了天然雌核发育三倍体银鲫杂交起源的证据;复合四倍体由于含有鲤鱼的一个外来基因组,其胚胎的基因表达有些与杂种类似,在所分析的4种同工酶酶谱中,都可观察到来自鲤鱼基因的影响。此外,在由源于不同复合四倍体个体的卵子发育形成的胚胎间,还观察到同工酶基因表达的异质性。     

四类不同倍性鲫鱼在胚胎发育期间同工酶基因表达的比较分析

Isozyme zymograms of esterase (EST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were analysed by polyacrylamide gradient gel electrophoresis at different developmental stages of embryogenesis in 4 types of various ploidy crucian carp embryos, including haploids, diploids, natural triploids, and multiple tetraploids, and 2 types of haploid and diploid common carp embryos. Haploid embryos of crucian carp (Carassius auratus) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) were produced by treating eggs with UV-irradiated milt from blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Natural triploid embryos were obtained from the eggs of gynogenetic silver crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio) inseminated with milt from red common carp. Multiple tetraploid embryos were also produced by gynogenesis from eggs of the newly discovered multiple tetraploid females inseminated with milt from red common carp. Gradient gel electrophoresis indicated that the band types and staining intensity of 4 isozymes expressed in haploid embryos of crucian carp and red common carp were similar to that in the correlative diploid embryos. In natural triploid silver crucian carp embryos, the zymograms of MDH and SOD isozymes were identical with that of diploid crucian carp embryos, but the EST and LDH isozymes manifested more new enzyme bands in comparison with diploid embryos. The corresponding expressed products of some bands in the triploid embryos, such as EST5 and EST6, could be observed also in red common carp embryos, which provided evidence for hybrid origin about the gynogenetic fish. The multiple tetraploids incorporated one foreign genome of red common carp, therefore, the effects of genes from the foreign genome could be observed in the multiple tetraploid embryos. Gene expression of the isozymes in the tetraploid embryos was somewhat similar to that in hybrids. Owing to interaction of triploid silver crucian carp genomes and common carp haploid genome, some isozyme bands, such as EST5 and EST6, changed in quantity, and some bands increased, such as s-SOD1, s-SOD2, s-SOD3 and s-SOD4 in the tetraploid embryos. Moreover, the heterogeneity was revealed among embryos developed from gynogenetic eggs of 3 different multiple tetraploid individuals.     

Formation and biological characterization of three new types of improved crucian carp

The improved tetraploids (G1×AT) were obtained by distant crossing and gynogenesis and the high-body individuals accounted for 2% among G1×AT. After mating with each other, the high-body in- dividuals produced three kinds of bisexual fertile diploid fishes: high-body red crucian carp, high-body fork-like-tails goldfish and gray common carp. The high-body red crucian carp mating with each other formed three types of improved crucian carp (ICC) including improved red crucian carp (IRCC), im- proved color crucian carp (ICCC) and improved gray crucian carp (IGCC). The phenotypes, chromo- some numbers, gonadal structure and fertility of the three kinds of ICC and their offspring were observed. All the three kinds of ICC possessed some improved phenotypes such as higher body, smaller head and shorter tail. The ratios of the body height to body length of IRCC, ICCC and IGCC were 0.54, 0.51 and 0.54, respectively. All of them were obviously higher than that of red crucian carp 0.41 (P<0.01). Three kinds of ICC had the same chromosome number as red crucian carp with 100 chromosomes. All the ICC possessed normal gonads producing mature eggs or sperm, which was important for the production of an improved diploid population. Compared with red crucian carp, all the ICC had stronger fertility such as higher gametes production, higher fertilization rate and higher hatchery rate. Three types of improved diploid fish population were generated from the three kinds of ICC by self-crossing, respectively. The ICC can serve as ornamental fish and edible fish. They are also ideal parents to produce triploids by mating with tetraploids. The new ICC plays an important role in biological evolution and fish genetic breeding.     

鲤鲫人工多倍体谱系中同工酶和蛋白的基因表达

通过对红鲤、红鲫、镜鲤、鲤鲫杂种二倍体一代,二代,鲤鲫杂种三倍体,鲤鲫复合三倍体,鲤鲫杂种四倍体一代,二代的同工酶及蛋白电泳谱型和扫描数据分析表明,在鲤鲫人工多倍体谱系中,亲代的等位基因在杂交子代中共有四种表达模式;（1）两亲本基因在子代中共同表达,即共显表达;（2）父本的基因表达受到部分或完全的抑制,即母本的基因优先得到表达;（3）母本的基因表达受到抑制,父本的基因得到表达;（4）双亲本的基因表达均受到一定程度的抑制或都不表达。其中第一种表达模式是主要的模式。根据以上基因在杂交子代中的表达特点,可用同工酶和蛋白电泳图谱将鲤鲫人工多倍体谱系的各种生物型逐一加以区分。     

Organization and variation analysis of 5S rDNA in different ploidy-level hybrids of red crucian carp × topmouth culter

Through distant crossing, diploid, triploid and tetraploid hybrids of red crucian carp (Carassius auratus red var., RCC♀, Cyprininae, 2n = 100) × topmouth culter (Erythroculter ilishaeformis Bleeker, TC♂, Cultrinae, 2n = 48) were successfully produced. Diploid hybrids possessed 74 chromosomes with one set from RCC and one set from TC; triploid hybrids harbored 124 chromosomes with two sets from RCC and one set from TC; tetraploid hybrids had 148 chromosomes with two sets from RCC and two sets from TC. The 5S rDNA of the three different ploidy-level hybrids and their parents were sequenced and analyzed. There were three monomeric 5S rDNA classes (designated class I: 203 bp; class II: 340 bp; and class III: 477 bp) in RCC and two monomeric 5S rDNA classes (designated class IV: 188 bp, and class V: 286 bp) in TC. In the hybrid offspring, diploid hybrids inherited three 5S rDNA classes from their female parent (RCC) and only class IV from their male parent (TC). Triploid hybrids inherited class II and class III from their female parent (RCC) and class IV from their male parent (TC). Tetraploid hybrids gained class II and class III from their female parent (RCC), and generated a new 5S rDNA sequence (designated class I-N). The specific paternal 5S rDNA sequence of class V was not found in the hybrid offspring. Sequence analysis of 5S rDNA revealed the influence of hybridization and polyploidization on the organization and variation of 5S rDNA in fish. This is the first report on the coexistence in vertebrates of viable diploid, triploid and tetraploid hybrids produced by crossing parents with different chromosome numbers, and these new hybrids are novel specimens for studying the genomic variation in the first generation of interspecific hybrids, which has significance for evolution and fish genetics.     

蛋白磷酸酶-2Ac在不同倍性鱼6种组织中的分化表达模式

蛋白磷酸酶-2A是最重要的丝氨酸/苏氨酸蛋白磷酸酶之一,对于调控多细胞的生命活动起着非常重要的作用.以异源四倍体鲫鲤及其二倍体父/母本(湘江野鲤/红鲫)和子代三倍体湘云鲫等为实验材料,运用Westernblot技术及荧光免疫组织化学技术等实验手段,得到了Protein PJhosphatase-2A(PP2A)的催化亚基在上述不同倍性鱼体内6种不同组织的表达模式:Protein Phosphatase-2Ac(PP2Ac)在异源四倍体鲫鲤及其二倍体父/母本及子代三倍体湘云鲫不同组织中蛋白水平均有表达,而且出现了明显的种属特异性和组织特异性,如在大脑、肌肉、肝脏三组织中,三倍体湘云鲫中PP2Ae的表达相对最高.而在肾脏组织中,PP2Ac在异源四倍体鲫鲤中的表达水平最高,父本与三倍体湘云鲫中的表达比较相近,且最低;而在性腺组织中则是父本精巢中的表达最高;在心脏组织中,PP2Ae在母本红鲫中的表达相对较高.这种明显的种属之间组织特异性可能说明了子代与父母本之间的变异性.荧光免疫组化实验结果显示,从整体水平来看,4种不同鱼的同一组织中,PP2Ac的相对定位是非常相似的,这可能说明了异源四倍体鲫鲤与其二倍体父/母本及子代三倍体湘云鲫之间的遗传相似性.研究结果为进一步探索PP2Ac在脊椎动物不同组织中的功能提供了实验依据.     

四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫染色体减数分裂观察

用精巢细胞直接制片法观察了异源四倍体鲫鲤、三倍体湘云鲫和二倍体红鲫、湘江野鲤精母细胞染色体第一次减数分裂中期配对情况 ;作为对照 ,观察了上述四种鱼肾细胞的有丝分裂中期染色体。在精母细胞第一次减数分裂中 ,异源四倍体鲫鲤同源染色体两两配对 ,形成 10 0个二价体 ,没有观察到单价体、三价体和四价体 ;三倍体湘云鲫精母细胞形成 5 0个二价体和 5 0个单价体 ;红鲫和湘江野鲤精母细胞分别形成 5 0个二价体。肾细胞检测表明异源四倍体的染色体数目为 4n =2 0 0 ;湘云鲫为 3n =15 0 ;红鲫和湘江野鲤分别为 2n =10 0。减数分裂时染色体分布情况与肾细胞染色体检测结果相吻合。具有四套染色体的异源四倍体鲫鲤在减数分裂中只形成 10 0个二价体 ,而不形成 2 5个四价体或其它形式 ,为产生稳定一致的二倍体配子提供了重要的遗传保障 ,也为人工培育的异源四倍体鲫鲤群体能够世世代代自身繁衍下去提供了重要的遗传学证据。三倍体湘云鲫在减数分裂过程中出现二价体、单价体共存 ,同源染色体在配对和分离中出现紊乱 ,导致非整倍体生殖细胞的产生 ,为湘云鲫的不育性提供了染色体水平上的证据     

Differential expression of activin βA and βB genes in female allotriploid and diploid red crucian carp Carassius auratus red var

activin β_A and β_B from diploid and allotriploid crucian carp were cloned.The differential expression of activin β_A and β_B genes in female allotriploid and diploid red crucian carp Carassius auratus red var. were studied and found to be expressed in all the tested tissues; particularly, the expression of activin β_A and β_B was elevated in the ovaries of allotriploids and differential expression in pituitaries during the non-breeding season and the breeding season period. The immunohistochemistry indicated that the abnormal triploid ovaries were dominated by small oogonium-like cells with dense signals and that the elevated expression of activin β_A and β_B in the ovaries of allotriploids may be related to allotriploid sterility.     

不同倍性鱼的血细胞和精子DNA含量比较

我们以前的研究表明, 以红鲫 (2n=100) 为母本及湘江野鲤 (2n=100) 为父本的杂交后代的F1-F2 为二倍体 (2n= 100)。在二倍体 F2 个体中, 存在能分别产生二倍体卵子和二倍体精子的雌、雄个体, 二倍体卵子和二倍体精子结合, 形成了两性可育的四倍体鱼 (F3)。目前四倍体鲫鲤已连续繁殖了 12 代 (F3-F14), 形成了一个遗传性状稳定的四倍体鱼群体 (4n= 200) (Liu et al.,2001; 孙远东等, 2003)。雌性四倍体鲫鲤产生的二倍体卵子经紫外线照射的散鳞镜鲤精子激活后,无须染色体加倍处理, 可发育为全雌性二倍体雌核发育后代 (G1) (2n=10…     

Establishment of the diploid gynogenetic hybrid clonal line of red crucian carp × common carp

This study investigated the gynogenetic cytobiological behavior of the third gynogenetic generation (G3), which was generated from the diploid eggs produced by the second gynogenetic generation (G2)of red crucian carp × common carp, and determined the chromosomal numbers of G3, G2×scatter scale carp and G2×allotetraploid hybrids of red crucian carp × common carp. The results showed that the diploid eggs of G2 with 100 chromosomes, activated by UV-irradiated sperm from scatter scale carp and without the treatment for doubling the chromosomes, could develop into G3 with 100 chromosomes.Similar to the first and second gynogenetic generations (G1 and G2), G3 was also diploid (2n=100) and presented the hybrid traits. The triploids (3n=150) and tetraploids (4n=200) were produced by crossing G2 with scatter scale carp, and crossing G2 with allotetraploids, respectively. The extrusion of the second polar body in the eggs of G2 ruled out the possibility that the retention of the second polar body led to the formation of the diploid eggs. In addition, we discussed the mechanism of the formation of the diploid eggs generated by G2. The establishment of the diploid gynogenesis clonal line (G1, G2 and G3) provided the evidence that the diploid eggs were able to develop into a new diploid hybrid clonal line by gynogenesis. By producing the diploid eggs as a unique reproductive way, the diploid gynogenetic progeny of allotetrapioid hybrids of red crucian carp × common carp had important significances in both biological evolution and production application.     

远缘杂交形成的二倍体鱼和多倍体鱼生殖细胞染色体研究

本文采用性腺染色体制片及组织学切片方法,系统地研究了不同发育时期的鲫鲤杂交第二代(F2) (2n=100)、异源四倍体鲫鲤(4n=200)、三倍体鲫鱼(3n=150))、雌核发育二倍体鲫鲤第二代(G2)(2n=100)及鲤鱼(Cypninus carpio L)(2n=100)(对照组)生殖细胞的染色体特征.研究结果表明,对照组中鲤鱼精原细胞染色体数与体细胞染色体数一致,为二倍体精原细胞(2n=100),而远缘杂交形成的二倍体鱼和多倍体鱼的生殖细胞中则观察到明显的染色体数加倍现象,其中,鲫鲤杂交第二代(F2)精巢生殖细胞染色体数加倍现象特别丰富,占检测的染色体分裂相的21.6%,为其产生不减半的二倍体配子提供了直接的细胞学证据,同时也说明远缘杂交是导致生殖细胞染色体数加倍的一个重要因素.该研究在探讨多倍体鱼的发生及鱼类遗传育种方面具有重要意义.     

Biological characteristics of an improved triploid crucian carp

An improved triploid crucian carp (ITCC) was produced by crossing improved tetraploids (G1×AT, ) with improved red crucian carp (IRCC, ), which were obtained by distant crossing and gynogenesis. The biological characteristics of ITCC, including the number and karyotype of chromosomes, gonadad and pituitary structures, phenotype, and growth rate are reported. ITCC possessed 150 chromosomes with the karyotype 33m+51sm+33st+33t. In the breeding season, both ovary-like and testis-like gonads of ITCC were unable to produce normal mature gametes. The ultrastructure of the pituitary of ITCC showed that most of the endocrine granules in gonadotrophic hormone (GTH) cells had not been re-leased, providing endocrinological evidence for the sterility of ITCC. Compared with triploid crucian carp (TCC) produced by mating Japanese crucian carp with allotetraploid hybrids, ITCC not only re-tained the excellent traits of fast growth rate and sterility, but also acquired improved morphological characteristics, including higher body, shorter tail and smaller head.     

The cloning of Dmc1 cDNAs and a comparative study of its expression in different ploidy cyprinid fishes

Dmc1 (disrupted meiotic cDNA) is a functionally specific gene, which was firstly discovered in yeast and then found to encode a protein required for homologous chromosome synapsis during the process of meiosis. In this investigation, we cloned the partial cDNAs of Dmc1 of diploid red crucian carp, Japanese crucian carp, common carp, triploid crucian carp and allotetraploid hybrids by using a pair of degenerate primers based on the conservative sequence of amino acids of the DMC1 protein in yeast, mouse and human. The full length cDNAs were then obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Our data showed that the full length cDNAs of Dmc1 in the three diploid fishes are all 1375 bp long, while it is 1383 bp long in triploids and 1379 bp long in allotetraploids. And despite of the variation in length, all the cDNAs encode a protein of 342 amino acids. A high homology of 97.3% of the DMC1 protein can be drawn by comparing the amino acid sequences in the three diploids, which is also of 86%, 86% and 95% similarity to human, mouse and zebrafish, respectively. A comparative study of the expression pattern of Dmc1 was carried out by RT-PCR using specific primers against the same sequences of coding regions in different ploidy cyprinid fishes, from which it was showed that Dmc1 was expressed only in gonads of these five kinds of fishes. The expression pattern of Dmc1 in both ovaries and testes from different ploidy fishes within breeding season was also studied by Real-time PCR, and the results showed that the expression of this gene was greatly different among the three different ploidy fishes, which was the highest of triploid and lowest of allotetraploids. The histological sections data showed matured gonads of both diploid red crucian carp and allotetraploids in breeding season, although the latter demonstrated a higher maturation, and no gonadal maturation could be observed in triploids. In conclusion, we suggest that Dmc1 is specifically expressed in the period of meiosis in all the ploidy cyprinid fishes and directly related with the development of gonad in a manner of ploidy-independent way. And further, the high expression of Dmc1 in female triploids might be associated with abnormal meiosis and sterility.     

Coexistence of diploid, triploid and tetraploid crucian carp (Carassius auratus) in natural waters

Background

Crucian carp (abbreviated CC) belongs to the genus of Carassius within the family of Cyprinidae. It has been one of the most important freshwater species for Chinese aquaculture and is especially abundant in the Dongting water system of Hunan province. CC used to be considered as all diploid forms. However, coexistence of diploid (abbreviated 2nCC), triploid (abbreviated 3nCC) and tetraploid crucian carp (abbreviated 4nCC) population of the Dongting water system was first found by our recently researches.

Results

We examined the ploidy level and compared biological characteristics in different ploidy CC. In reproductive mode, 2nCC was bisexual generative and 4nCC generated all-female offspring by gynogenesis. However, 3nCC generated progenies in two different ways. 3nCC produced bisexual triploid offspring fertilized with 3nCC spermatozoa, while it produced all-female triploid offspring by gynogenesis when its ova were activated by heterogenous spermatozoa. The complete mitochondrial DNA of three different ploidy fishes was sequenced and analyzed, suggesting no significant differences. Interestingly, microchromosomes were found only in 3nCC, which were concluded to be the result of hybridization. Allogenetic DNA fragments of Sox genes were obtained in 3nCC and 4nCC, which were absent in 2nCC. Phylogenetics analysis based on Sox4 gene indicated 3nCC and 4nCC formed a separate group from 2nCC.

Conclusions

In summary, this is the first report of the co-existence of three types of different ploidy crucian carps in natural waters in China. It was proved that the coexistence of different ploidy CC was reproductively maintained. We further hypothesized that 3nCC and 4nCC were allopolyploids that resulted from hybridization. The different ploidy CC population we obtained in this study possesses great significance for the study of polyploidization and the evolution of vertebrates.