Molecular cloning and characterization of alpha-class glutathione S-transferase gene from the liver of silver carp, bighead carp, and other major Chinese freshwater fishes

Two full-length cDNAs encoding glutathione S-transferase (GST) were cloned and sequenced from the hepatopancreas of planktivorous silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis). The silver carp and bighead carp GST cDNA were 920 and 978 bp in length, respectively, and both contained an open reading frame that encoding 223 amino acids. Partial GST cDNA sequences were also obtained from the liver of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), crucian carp (Carassius auratu), mud carp (Cirrhinus molitorella), and tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica). All these GSTs could be classified as alpha-class GSTs on the basis of their amino acid sequence identity with other species. The three-dimensional structure of the silver carp GST was predicted using a computer program, and was found to fit the classical two-domain GST structure. Using the genome walker method, a 875-bp 5'-flanking region of the silver carp GST gene was obtained, and several lipopolysaccharide (LPS) response elements were identified in the promoter region of the phytoplanktivorous fish GST gene, indicating that the GST gene expression of this fish might be regulated by LPS, released from the toxic blue-green algae producing microcystins. To compare the constitutive expression level of the liver GST gene among the six freshwater fishes with completely different tolerance to microcystins, beta-actin was used as control and the ratio GST/beta-actin mRNA (%) was determined as 130.7 +/- 6.6 (grass carp), 103.1 +/- 8.9 (bighead carp), 92.6 +/- 15.0 (crucian carp), 72.3 +/- 7.8 (mud carp), 58.8 +/- 11.5 (silver carp), and 33.6 +/- 13.7 (tilapia). The constitutive expression level of the liver GST gene clearly shows that all the six freshwater fishes had a negative relationship with their tolerance to microcystins: high-resistant fishes (phytoplanktivorous silver carp and tilapia) had the lowest tolerance to microcystins and the high-sensitive fish (herbivorous grass carp) had the highest tolerance to microcystins. Taken together with the reciprocal relationship of constitutive and inducible liver GST expression level in some of the tested fish species to microcystin exposure, a molecular mechanism for different microcystin detoxification abilities of the warm freshwater fishes was discussed.     

Predator-induced morphology enhances escape locomotion in crucian carp

Fishes show a remarkable diversity of shapes which have been associated with their swimming abilities and anti-predator adaptations. The crucian carp (Carassius carassius) provides an extreme example of phenotypic plasticity in body shape which makes it a unique model organism for evaluating the relationship between body form and function in fishes. In crucian carp, a deep body is induced by the presence of pike (Esox lucius), and this results in lower vulnerability to gape-limited predators, such as pike itself. Here, we demonstrate that deep-bodied crucian carp attain higher speed, acceleration and turning rate during anti-predator responses than shallow-bodied crucian carp. Therefore, a predator-induced morphology in crucian carp enhances their escape locomotor performance. The deep-bodied carp also show higher percentage of muscle mass. Therefore, their superior performance in escape swimming may be due to a combination of higher muscle power and higher thrust.     

Formation of structuro-functional units of the microcirculatory bed of muscles in the postnatal period of the ontogenesis of the white rat

By means of biomicroscopy, histological methods and scanning electron microscopy topological relationships between the white rat m. cremaster microvessels and changes of their spatial organization have been studied in the postnatal development beginning from the 3d to the 14th week. In the terminal link of the microcirculatory bed zonal functional complexes of microvessels--myoangions are revealed. They represent rather autonomic and regularly repeating constructions of microvessels, having spatial regularity in respect to muscle fibers. With age the myoangion increases its stretchness from 303 +/- 14 in 3-week-old up to (70 +/- 3) X 10 mcm in 14-week-old animals. Capillary density in the m. cremaster during the development decreases from 354 +/- 12 up to 210 +/- 4 mcm, respectively. Distance between the longitudinal capillaries increases from 16.1 +/- 1.3 up to 31.2 +/- 1.8 mcm. Increase of transversal connections takes place in the capillary network, increasing number of the branching knots; this demonstrates certain complication of the nutritive link of the muscle microcirculatory bed. By the time of sexual maturation (6 weeks) there is a sharp decrease of the inflow and outflow coefficients. Higher meanings of the coefficient (0.70-0.74) are noted before sexual maturation period in comparison to that in mature animals (0.53-0.55).     

两种发育型鱼类卵母细胞成熟过程中促精核发育现象的研究

采用实验细胞学技术,比较研究了红鲤精核在雌核发育鱼类(银鲫)和两性融合发育鱼类(红鲤、彩鲫)卵母细胞成熟各阶段中的发育状况,结果表明:在两性融合发育鱼类中,当卵母细胞发育到胚泡破裂期吋,精核开始解凝发育,及至第一次成熟分裂中期后阶段,高度解凝的精核才开始原核化,相应地,在雌核发育银鲫中,精核也只有在与胚泡物质接触后,才能开始解凝,并且在三极纺锤体形成后期初步原核化,但与两性融合发育鱼类相比,精核的原核化程度明显降低。这些实验结果初步揭示,在两性融合和雌核发育鱼类卵中均可产生促精核解凝和原核化的两类因子(SNDFs和SPDFs),其中SNDFs的活性表达起始于卵母细胞胚泡破裂时期,而SPDFs活性则产生于第一次成熟分裂中期后或三极纺锤体形成后阶段,并且两性融合发育鱼类卵中的SPDFs活性远远高于雌核发育鱼类卵母细胞。     

Comparative studies on histological and ultra-structure of the pituitary of different ploidy level fishes

The histological and ultra-structure of the pituitary in diploid red crucian carp (Carassius auratus red var.), triploid crucian carp and allotetraploid hybrids within and after the breeding season were comparatively studied. The result showed that there were six endocrine cell types in the pituitary of these three kinds of fishes, and there was an obvious difference in cell size among different ploidy level fishes. As for the same type of pituitary cells, the cell size was increased gradually with the increasing ploidy level. In the breeding season, the allotetraploid hybrids had higher proportion of gonadotropin cells (GTH) than triploids, and the trploids had higher proportion of GTH than diploids. The results were related to the earlier sexual maturity of allotetraploid hybrids and sterility of triploid crucian carp. On the other hand, among the three kinds of fishes, the proportion of somatotropin (STH) cells in triploids crucian carp was the highest, whereas that in allotetraploid hybrids was the lowest. The results might be connected with the faster growth rate of triploids and slower growth rate of allotetraploid hybrids. In addition, in GTH cells of meso-adenohypophysis after the breeding season, there were many endocrine particles in triploids, while those endocrine particles were released from the cells in allotetraploids and diploids. This result showed that the sterility of triploid crucian carp might be related to the hormone which was not released from the GTH cells. In a word, the present study indicated that the differences in the structure of pituitary among different ploidy level fishes contributed to their difference in the growth rate and gonadal development.     

Comparative studies on histological and ultra-structure of the pituitary of different ploidy level fishes

The histological and ultra-structure of the pituitary in diploid red crucian carp(Carassius auratus red var.),triploid crucian carp and allotetraploid hybrids within and after the breeding season were comparatively studied.The result showed that there were six endocrine cell types in the pituitary of these three kinds of fishes,and there was an obvious difference in cell size among different ploidy level fishes.As for the same type of pituitary cells,the cell size was increased gradually with the in- creasing ploidy level.In the breeding season,the allotetraploid hybrids had higher proportion of go- nadotropin cells(GTH)than triploids,and the triploids had higher proportion of GTH than diploids.The results were related to the earlier sexual maturity of allotetraploid hybrids and sterility of triploid cru- cian carp.On the other hand,among the three kinds of fishes,the proportion of somatotropin(STH) cells in triploids crucian carp was the highest,whereas that in allotetraploid hybrids was the lowest. The results might be connected with the faster growth rate of triploids and slower growth rate of al- lotetraploid hybrids.In addition,in GTH cells of meso-adenohypophysis after the breeding season, there were many endocrine particles in triploids,while those endocrine particles were released from the cells in allotetraploids and diploids.This result showed that the sterility of triploid crucian carp might be related to the hormone which was not released from the GTH cells.In a word,the present study indicated that the differences in the structure of pituitary among different ploidy level fishes contributed to their difference in the growth rate and gonadal development.     

The effects of geomagnetic storms on proteinase and glycosidase activities in fish intestinal mucosa

It has been demonstrated that the glycosidase activity of cyprinoid fishes (carp and crucian carp) exposed to a geomagnetic storm for up to 20 h considerably decreases; however, the proteinase activity is weakly altered (a statistically significant decrease in the enzyme activity has been observed only in fasting fish). An in vitro study of the effects of individual half hour intervals of the geomagnetic storm that correspond to the main and recovery phases on the same enzyme activities demonstrates the opposite trend. Independently of the experimental conditions, geomagnetic storms have been shown to influence the enzyme system of fasting fish negatively.     

洞庭湖渔业资源现状及其变化

1990－1999年资源监测表明,洞庭湖鱼的种类与70年代基本相同,但其组成结构发生较大变化,明显以鲤,鲫,鲶,黄颡鱼等湖泊定居性鱼类为主,最高达86．1％,“四大家鱼”在渔获物中所占比较不足10％,刀鲚等洄游性鱼类已极为罕见;90年代渔获量平均为3．97万t,渔业产量增加,但多以1－2龄鱼为主,补充群体严重不足,水利工程的兴建,泥沙淤积,围垦,污染加剧以及过度捕捞是造成洞庭湖渔业资源衰退的主要原因。     

Dramatic increase of nitrite levels in hearts of anoxia-exposed crucian carp supporting a role in cardioprotection

Nitrite (NO(2)(-)) functions as an important nitric oxide (NO) donor under hypoxic conditions. Both nitrite and NO have been found to protect the mammalian heart and other tissues against ischemia (anoxia)-reoxygenation injury by interacting with mitochondrial electron transport complexes and limiting the generation of reactive oxygen species upon reoxygenation. The crucian carp naturally survives extended periods without oxygen in an active state, which has made it a model for studying how evolution has solved the problems of anoxic survival. We investigated the role of nitrite and NO in the anoxia tolerance of this fish by measuring NO metabolites in normoxic, anoxic, and reoxygenated crucian carp. We also cloned and sequenced crucian carp NO synthase variants and quantified their mRNA levels in several tissues in normoxia and anoxia. Despite falling levels of blood plasma nitrite, the crucian carp showed massive increases in nitrite, S-nitrosothiols (SNO), and iron-nitrosyl (FeNO) compounds in anoxic heart tissue. NO(2)(-) levels were maintained in anoxic brain, liver, and gill tissues, whereas SNO and FeNO increased in a tissue-specific manner. Reoxygenation reestablished normoxic values. We conclude that NO(2)(-) is shifted into the tissues where it acts as NO donor during anoxia, inducing cytoprotection under anoxia/reoxygenation. This can be especially important in the crucian carp heart, which maintains output in anoxia. NO(2)(-) is currently tested as a therapeutic drug against reperfusion damage of ischemic hearts, and the present study provides evolutionary precedent for such an approach.     

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.     

雌核发育银鲫和两性生殖彩鲫精子蛋白组份的比较研究

对雌核发育银鲫和两性融合彩鲫精子蛋白组份进行了比较分析。通过分级抽提得到精子的不同组份精浆、精头的膜、鞭毛和脱膜精头等,然后经不同的凝胶电泳系统,比较分析了银鲫精子和其两性亲缘种彩鲫精子相应组份可溶性蛋白成份的差异。研究表明,经分级抽提的银鲫精子和彩鲫精子的各个组份都含有其特定的蛋白谱带。精浆蛋白在两种鱼之间和两种鱼的不同个体之间都存在一定差异。精头膜、鞭毛和脱膜精头的可溶性蛋白在同种鱼不同个体间高度一致,但在两种鱼之间表现出差异。两种鱼精头膜的可溶性蛋白在SDS－PAGE电泳图谱上基本一致,而在非变性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳图谱上则具有各自的特征性谱带。鞭毛可溶性蛋白的SDS－PAGE分析在雌核发育银鲫中揭示出一条特异的蛋白带。脱膜精头的可溶性蛋白在SDS－PAGE电泳图谱上差异明显,存在几条特征性蛋白带,并经Acid-Urea PAGE系统分析,证实这些特征性蛋白为碱性蛋白。这些发现为进一步鉴定雌核发育银鲫雄鱼精子的特异性蛋白和揭示其分子机制打下了基础。     

三种鲫鱼品系同工酶比较研究

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶垂直板电泳技术,对彭泽鲫、银鲫D系以及野鲫三种鲫鱼品系的心、肝和肾脏组织的乳酸脱氢酶(LDH)、苹果酸脱氢酶(MDH)、苹果酸酶(ME)、酯酶(EST)和超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)同工酶表型进行了比较研究.结果表明彭泽鲫乳酸脱氢酶同工酶比银鲫D系在肝组织多出二条酶带(LDH7'和LDH8');超氧化物歧化酶在心和肾组织中分别多出一条酶带(SOD12'),表明彭泽鲫和银鲫已在生化水平产生明显的分化,推测它们可能起源于不同的地区,由不同的祖先,独立演化而形成.此外,彭泽鲫和银鲫D系的同工酶电泳图谱都包含野鲫的基本酶带,而彭泽鲫和野鲫的酯酶同工酶电泳图谱尤为相似,推测彭泽鲫和银鲫可能起源于野鲫,而彭泽鲫和野鲫的关系较近,银鲫和野鲫的关系较远.     

Reflexotherapeutic effects on biologically active points of the concha auriculae

By means of histochemical method, for revealing cholinergic nervous structures, and electron microscopy, innervation of biologically active points (BAP) and that of neutral areas of the rabbit ear skin has been studied, normal and after acu-, electro- and electroacupuncture. The BAP have more intensive vascularization and innervation, their specific feature is presence of well pronounced nervous fasciculi. The latter are formed by 6-10 fibers 1-6 mcm in diameter. The diameter of the fasciculi is within the limits 25-30 mcm up to 40-45 mcm. Under the electron microscopic investigation myelin and amyelin fibers are revealed in the nervous fasciculi. In the area of the epidermal basal layer and in the epidermis itself, single nerve terminals are found; they are considered as the point pain receptors. After acu-, electro- and electroacupuncture, intensity of the nervous fibers staining increases, thus demonstrating an increment of acetylcholine esterase activity. After insertion of acupuncture needles and after electrical irritation, the changes in the nervous and cellular elements in the BAP areas are studied electron microscopically. After the effects mentioned, mast cells situating in the BAP area become, as a rule, degranulated. After repeated electroacupuncture irritation of the BAP, an inflammatory focus appears with peculiarities specific for the given process. The reflexotherapeutic effect is supposed to be transferred via the nervous system. The mechanical irritation of the nerve fasciculi and the accompanying traumatization of the surrounding cellular elements initiate the mechanism of reflexotherapy.     

Ecological and genetic mechanisms of the dynamics of population abundance in silver crucian carp (Carassius auratus gibelio (Bloch, 1782)) from the Tsimlyansk Reservoir

Silver crucian carp is the dominant commercial fish of the Tsimlyansk Reservoir (the Don River). A retrospective analysis of the ecological and genetic factors determining the dynamics of the silver crucian carp population at different stages of reservoir functioning was performed. At the most recent stage, the lake-swamp environmental conditions suitable for crucian carp and a lack of any dependence on other cyprinid fishes during the reproduction of this species determine its domination in the reservoir??s fish community. The size, sex, and genetic structures of the crucian carp population, characterized by numerous age groups and low linear and weight growth rates, are presented.     

异源精子在银鲫雌核发育子代中的生物学效应

黑龙江省方正县双凤水库的两性型银鲫群体是三倍体雌核发育种群。异源精子不仅能刺激银鲫卵雌核发育,而且还能影响雌核发育子代的某些性状,如对于子代的生长、性比、体色和肝脏LDH同工酶等都产生了影响。为区别于原有术语“雌核发育gynogenesis”,我们把这种表现了异源精子生物学效应的雌核发育称之为“异精雌核发育allogynogenesis”,发育的子代称之为“异育银鲫”。异育银鲫已以其明显的生长优势在生产上显示了优良的经济性状。       

Characteristics of the lymphoid cells of rabbits]

By means of scanning electron microscopy it has been stated that the thymus gland, spleen, paratracheal lymph node, Peyer's patches and appendix in an intact rabbit of "Shinshilla" strain have T- and B-lymphocytes in different proportion. T-lymphocytes are seen as spherical cells with rough surface, with a few microprocesses, have 3.0 +/- 0.1 mcm--4.7 +/- 0.2 mcm in diameter depending on their location. B-lymphocytes are seen as spherical cells with a considerable amount of microvilli on their surface, have 2.9 +/- 0.1 mcm--4.4 +/- 0.1 mcm in diameter depending also on their location. In the thymus gland, cells with rough surface, a few microprocesses and crater-like hollows prevail. In the spleen and lymph node, most of the cells are of similar diameter and have microvilli on the surface. Lymphoid population in the Peyer's patch and appendix is represented by large cells with microprocesses.     

Clinostomum complanatum (Trematoda: Clinostomatidae) in five new fish hosts in Japan.

Metacercariae of Clinostomum complanatum were found in six species of natural freshwater fishes collected at Koyama Pond in Tottori City of Tottori Prefecture, Japan. Five of these fish species are reported here as new records for second intermediate hosts of C. complanatum in Japan: the silver crucian carp (Carassius gibelio langsdorfi), the deepbodied crucian carp (Carassius cuvieri), the carp (Cyprinus carpio), the topmouth gudgeon (Pseudorasbora parva) and the rose bitterling (Rhodeus ocelatus).     

银鲫与彩鲫卵母细胞cDNA文库构建及周期蛋白A1的cDNA克隆

分别取行天然雌核发育繁殖的银鲫和两性生殖的彩鲫的卵母细胞为材料,提取总RNA,分离mRNA,进而反转录合成cDNA并定向插入λgtll Sfi-Not克隆载体,经体外包装构建了银鲫与彩鲫卵母细胞的表达型cDNA文库。测试结果表明库容量分别达到3.1×106(银鲫)和1.6×106(彩鲫)。进一步人工合成Cyclin A1保守引物,采用PCR扩增文库的方法,克隆了银鲫(1616bp)与彩鲫(1626bp)的Cyclin A1全长cDNA。序列分析结果表明:两种鱼编码区长度均为1173bp,起始于一个包含在脊椎动物起始密码子ANNATG基元内ATG的单一开放读码框,编码391个氨基酸;5'-端非编码区长度也同为70bp,3-'端非编码区长度略有不同,银鲫为373bp,而彩鲫则为383bp;二者3'-端均带有AATAAA的Poly(A)加尾信号以及24bp(银鲫)和27bp(彩鲫)的Poly(A)尾巴。比较银鲫、彩鲫和金鱼与人、爪蟾Cyclin A1氨基酸序列同源性的结果表明,Cyclin A1在人、爪蟾与鱼类之间具有较高同源性;而在银鲫、彩鲫和金鱼之间,Cyclin A1仅在周期蛋白框外存在5个氨基酸的差异,且这些差异均是由个别碱基的变异造成的。       

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.