Extensive hybridization reveals multiple coloration genes underlying a complex plumage phenotype

Coloration is an important target of both natural and sexual selection. Discovering the genetic basis of colour differences can help us to understand how this visually striking phenotype evolves. Hybridizing taxa with both clear colour differences and shallow genomic divergences are unusually tractable for associating coloration phenotypes with their causal genotypes. Here, we leverage the extensive admixture between two common North American woodpeckers—yellow-shafted and red-shafted flickers—to identify the genomic bases of six distinct plumage patches involving both melanin and carotenoid pigments. Comparisons between flickers across approximately 7.25 million genome-wide SNPs show that these two forms differ at only a small proportion of the genome (mean F_ST = 0.008). Within the few highly differentiated genomic regions, we identify 368 SNPs significantly associated with four of the six plumage patches. These SNPs are linked to multiple genes known to be involved in melanin and carotenoid pigmentation. For example, a gene (CYP2J19) known to cause yellow to red colour transitions in other birds is strongly associated with the yellow versus red differences in the wing and tail feathers of these flickers. Additionally, our analyses suggest novel links between known melanin genes and carotenoid coloration. Our finding of patch-specific control of plumage coloration adds to the growing body of literature suggesting colour diversity in animals could be created through selection acting on novel combinations of coloration genes.     

A population of red‐transparent, triploid Carassius auratus

A red‐transparent population, distributed in Pingxiang of Jiangxi Province, was identified to be triploid Carassius auratus by DNA content measurement and chromosome analysis. Artificial propagation experiments indicated that the red‐transparent triploid Carassius auratus could reproduce by gynogenesis.     

Studies on fish scale formation and resorption

Summary Electron microscopic investigation of scales of the goldfish Carassius auratus revealed that the lamellae of fibrillary plates contain sheet-like structures composed of vertically oriented collagen fibers embedded in an organic matrix. The fibers (TC fibers) are smaller in diameter (35–45 nm) than those of the lamellae and the matrix is stained intensely with lead citrate.The sheet-like structures as well as the lamellae are formed by fibroblasts located beneath the lamellae. The orientation of the collagen fibers of the sheets and the lamellae seems to be controlled by the orientation of the ridges and invaginations of the surface of the fibroblasts.The fibrillary plate of C. auratus was found to be partially calcified. Calcification was initiated by the deposition of needle-like or flaky crystals of hydroxyapatite in the organic matrix of the sheet-like structure and proceeded into the TC fibers and the matrix region of the lamellae. The potassium pyroantimonate-osmium tetroxide method showed a heavy concentration of calcium in the osteoblasts, fibroblasts, and in the matrix regions of the fibrillary plate. Calcium-containing precipitates were also present in the hole zone of the collagen fibers in the lamellae, but the significance of this location in calcification remains to be elucidated.Contribution No. 285, Belle W. Baruch Institute for Marine Biology and Coastal Research, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, 29208, USA     

水体pH胁迫对异育银鲫皮质醇激素和非特异性免疫的影响

实验比较了不同pH胁迫对异育银鲫(Carassius auratus gibelio)皮质醇激素和非特异性免疫的影响。3个实验组水质的pH分别为6.0、8.5、9.5,对照组是pH为7.4的曝气自来水。分别在实验的第0、14和30天采血,血浆用于测定皮质醇含量和溶菌酶活性;分离的白细胞,采用流式细胞术测定吞噬活性和呼吸暴发。在实验的第4天多取1次血样,用于皮质醇含量测定。在实验的第31天,测量鱼的体重,并用柱状黄杆菌(Flavobacterium columnare)浸泡攻毒,7d后统计死亡情况。结果显示:在pH 6.0的胁迫下,白细胞的吞噬活性在第14、30天显著降低,而呼吸暴发和皮质醇含量没有显著变化,溶菌酶活性和生长与对照组没有显著差异,用黄杆菌攻毒也没有出现死亡。而在pH 8.5和9.5的胁迫下,皮质醇含量在第14、30天显著升高,白细胞的吞噬活性、呼吸暴发显著降低;在pH 9.5胁迫下的溶菌酶活性显著降低,用柱状黄杆菌攻毒两组都出现死亡。实验表明pH为8.5和9.5的胁迫严重影响了异育银鲫的非特异性免疫功能,流式细胞术能较客观测定白细胞的吞噬活性和呼吸暴发,可用于评价胁迫对鱼类健康的影响。     

河南永城煤矿塌陷区水质对鲫鱼形态性状指标和脏器系数的影响

选择鲫鱼Carassius auratus为研究对象,以相对无煤矿污染的商丘市天沐湖为对照,以煤矿污染较严重的永城煤矿塌陷积水区为研究样地,主要研究了永城煤矿塌陷区水质对鲫鱼形态性状指标和脏器系数的影响.结果 表明,与对照天沐湖相比,永城煤矿塌陷区鲫鱼体重/全长显著减小(P＜0.05),但鲫鱼头长/全长、体长/全长、尾长/全长、体高/全长差异不显著(P＞0.05);脾脏系数显著减小(P＜0.01),头肾系数显著增大(P＜0.01),肝胰脏系数、肾脏系数、生殖腺系数差异不显著(P＞0.05).表明永城煤矿塌陷积水区长期低浓度煤矿污染对鲫鱼形态及其重要内脏器官可能造成了一定的影响.     

Regulatory peptides in the pancreas of two species of elasmobranchs and in the Brockmann bodies of four teleost species

Summary Immunohistochemistry was used to localize regulatory peptides in endocrine cells and nerve fibres in the pancreas of two species of elasmobranchs (starry ray,Raja radiata and spiny dogfish,Squalus acanthias), and in the Brockmann bodies of four teleost species (goldfish,Carassius auratus, brown troutSalmo trutta, rainbow trout,Oncorhynchus mykiss and cod,Gadus morhua). In the elasmobranchs, the classical pancreatic hormones somatostatin, glucagon and insulin were present in endocrine cells of the islets. In addition, endocrine cells were labelled with antisera to enkephalins, FMRF-amide, gastrin/cholecystokinin-(CCK)/caerulein, neurotensin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), and peptide YY (PYY). Nerve fibres were demonstrated with antisera against bombesin, galanin and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP). These nerve fibres innervated the walls of blood vessels, in the exocrine as well as the endocrine tissue. In the four teleost species immunoreactivity to somatostatin, insulin and glucagon was intense in the Brockmann bodies. Cells were labelled with antisera to enkephalin, neurotensin, FMRFamide, gastrin/CCK/ caerulein, NPY, PYY and VIP. Only a few nerve fibres were found with antisera against dopamine--hydroxylase (DBH, cod), enkephalin (met-enkephalin-Arg-Phe, cod), bombesin (cod), gastrin/CCK/caerulein (cod) and VIP. Galanin-like-immunoreactive fibres were numerous in the Brockmann bodies of all teleosts examined. Immunoreactivity to calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), and phenyl-N-methyl transferase (PNMT) could not be found in any of the species studied.     

Microsatellites for diversity studies in the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus)

Ten polymorphic microsatellites were developed for the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), a widely used model organism in biological and medical researches. All loci were used to analyse the microsatellite variability in wild golden hamsters from Syria and in a sample of domestic animals comprising different strains. Average mean expected heterozygosity (H_E) and mean allele number (A) of domestic hamsters measured 0.279 ± 0.058 and 2.6 ± 0.306, respectively, compared to 0.809 ± 0.019 and 8.3 ± 1.075 found for wild hamsters. Cross‐species application in other Mesocricetus species proved conservation of most loci throughout the genus.     

正常与感染粘孢子虫鲫鱼主要组织可溶性蛋白质电泳比较

采用SDS-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳技术,对正常和感染粘孢子虫的鲫鱼动脉球、肝脏、鳃、脑、肠、肌肉、眼、鳍8种组织可溶性蛋白质进行分析比较。结果表明：病鱼的动脉球、肝脏、鳃、脑、肠5种组织的蛋白质电泳谱带与正常鱼相比有较大变化,动脉球缺失1条谱带同时又诱导出1条新谱带;肝脏有9条谱带缺失;鳃有2条谱带缺失的同时诱导出3条新谱带;脑中新增3条谱带;肠中有5条谱带缺失同时产生3条新谱带。这些变化可作为辅助疾病诊断的生化指标,为从生化水平上揭示该病的致病机理及开展有效的早期防治研究奠定基础。     

A molecular approach to detect hybridisation between crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and non-indigenous carp species (Carassius spp. and Cyprinus carpio)

1. Releases of non‐native fish into the wild is an increasing problem posing considerable ecological and genetic threats through direct competition and hybridisation. 2. We employed six microsatellite markers to identify first generation hybrids and backcrosses between native crucian carp (Carassius carassius) and introduced goldfish (C. auratus) and common carp (Cyprinus carpio) in the U.K. We also investigated the genetic characteristics of the taxonomically controversial gibel carp (Carassius spp.) from sites across Europe. 3. Natural hybridisation between goldfish and crucian carp occurs frequently, although hybrids between all other species pairs were observed. Only 62% of British crucian carp populations (n = 21) consisted exclusively of pure crucian carp. In some populations hybrids were so frequent, that no pure crucian carp were caught, indicating a high competitive ability of hybrids. 4. Most hybrids belonged to the F1 generation but backcrossing was evident at a low frequency in goldfish × crucian carp hybrids and goldfish × common carp hybrids. Furthermore, some local populations had high frequencies of backcrosses, raising the opportunity for introgression. 5. Gibel carp from Germany and Italy belonged to two triploid clonal lineages that were genetically closely related to goldfish, whereas all individuals identified from British populations proved to be crucian carp × goldfish hybrids. 6. Our study suggests that the release of closely related exotic cyprinids not only poses a threat to the genetic integrity and associated local adaptations of native species, but may also contribute to shifts in community structure through competitive interactions.