Three ferritin subunits involved in immune defense from bay scallop Argopecten irradians

Ferritin is a ubiquitous protein that plays an important role in iron storage and iron-withholding strategy of innate immunity. In this study, three genes encoding different ferritin subunits were cloned from bay scallop Argopecten irradians (AiFer1, AiFer2 and AiFer3) by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) approaches based on the known ESTs. The open reading frames of the three ferritins are of 516 bp, 522 bp and 519 bp, encoding 171,173 and 172 amino acids, respectively. All the AiFers contain a putative Iron Regulatory Element (IRE) in their 5′-untranslated regions. The deduced amino acid sequences of AiFers possess both the ferroxidase center of mammalian H ferritin and the iron nucleation site of mammalian L ferritin. Gene structure study revealed two distinct structured genes encoding a ferritin subunit (AiFer3). Quantitative real-time PCR analysis indicated the significant up-regulation of AiFers in hemocytes after challenged with Listonella anguillarum, though the magnitudes of AiFer1 and AiFer2 were much higher than that of AiFer3. Taken together, these results suggest that AiFers are likely to play roles in both iron storage and innate immune defense against microbial infections.     

虾夷扇贝（Patinopecten yessoensis）5个群体的遗传多样性

虾夷扇贝为20世纪80年代初从日本引入我国并逐渐开展养殖的双壳贝类,目前已在我国北方地区大面积养殖。实验采用微卫星分子遗传标记技术对大连獐子岛底播增殖放流群体（CC）、黄海北部海区采集的野生群体（HQ）、日本青森养殖群体（JX）、俄罗斯远东日本海沿岸养殖群体（RX）及大连大长山岛养殖上壳白化群体（ZB）等5个虾夷扇贝群体的遗传多样性进行研究。其中HQ群体为本课题组2005年在黄海北部采集的野生群体,本研究筛选出一个该群体的特异性遗传标记。用8个微卫星位点进行扩增,共获得45个等位基因,每个位点的等位基因数处于3—9之间,大小为100—340bp,平均有效等位基因数为3．1535,基因型数为3—21个,PIC（PolymorphismInformationContent）值处于0．0322-0．5944之间。5个群体的平均观测杂合度分别为0．3292、0．3048、0．3167、0．2708、0．3042,平均期望杂合度分别为0．4595、0．4002、0．3838、0．3620、0．3885,群体间的多态性差异不显著。根据群体间遗传相似性系数、遗传距离及UPGMA聚类分析发现,CC和HQ群体亲缘关系最近,JX和RX群体的亲缘关系较近,ZB群体与JX和RX群体的亲缘关系较近。通过Hardy—Weinberg平衡及F-检验发现,5个群体都不同程度的偏离平衡,表明各群体基因频率和基因型频率的稳定性较低,且5个群体均处于不同程度的杂合子缺失状态,群体间的遗传分化程度较高,但遗传变异主要来自群体内的个体间。     

Calpain II-like proteinase of scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) striated adductor muscle.

1. A Ca(2+)-dependent cysteine proteinase was purified from scallop striated adductor muscle by ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatography on DEAE-cellulose and Sephacryl S-300. 2. The enzyme is of Mr approximately 200,000, composed of two Mr 100,000 subunits. 3. The enzyme is a cysteine proteinase with optimum activity at pH 6.8 and about 18 degrees C. In addition, it requires 1.7 mM Ca2+ for half-maximal activity and more than 10 mM Ca2+ for maximal activity. Thus the enzyme can be classified as calpain II.     

Substrate specificity of aminopeptidase from the mid-gut gland of the scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis)

An action for various peptides and a kinetic study for amino acid p-nitroanilides (pNAs) and 4-methylcoumaryl-7-amides (MCAs) were performed with purified aminopeptidase from the mid-gut of the scallop. The enzyme preferred dipeptides having Ala, Met, and Phe in the amino-terminal or the penultimate position from the amino-termini. The catalytic efficiencies, k(cat)/K(m) values for Ala-pNA and MCA were the highest in the tested substrates, and those for pNA and MCA substrates having Met or Phe were the next highest. The enzyme was found to be a new alanine-specific aminopeptidase.     

Monoclonal antibodies toward scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) testis and wheat germ calmodulins.

A monoclonal antibody (IM7) toward scallop testis calmodulin and another one (PBE2) toward wheat germ calmodulin were produced. Ca2+ was required for IM7 to react with scallop calmodulin. IM7 reacted with the C-terminal region (Asp78-Lys148) of the calmodulin. As observed on competitive ELISA, IM7 reacted with chicken calmodulin, but not with Euglena gracilis or wheat calmodulin, troponin C, myosin light chains, or parvalbumin. It is assumed that the cluster of Thr143, Thr146, and Ser147 in the C-terminal region acts as the antigenic site. IM7 (and Fab of IM7) inhibited the activities of myosin light chain kinase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase. PBE2 reacted with wheat germ calmodulin irrespective of the presence or absence of Ca2+, the antigenic site being in the N-terminal region (Ala1-Met37). It reacted with wheat and spinach calmodulins, but not with scallop, chicken, or Euglena calmodulin, troponin C, myosin light chains, or parvalbumin. PBE2 had no effect on the activities of myosin light chain kinase and cAMP-phosphodiesterase.     

虾夷扇贝的多态性微卫星座位

虾夷扇贝(Patinopectenyessoensis),为冷水性贝类,是世界最重要的养殖经济贝类之一。原产于俄罗斯千岛群岛的南部水域,日本北海道及本洲北部。中国80年代初从日本引种,并开始养殖,目前已经在黄海北部形成规模化和产业化养殖,其中以大连长海养殖规模最大,近10年来创造出了数十亿     

Characterization of novel microsatellite markers from the Yesso scallop Mizuhopecten yessoensis

Twelve polymorphic and informative microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized for the Yesso scallop, Mizuhopecten yessoensis. We characterized these loci by genotyping 48 individuals; the number of alleles ranged from two to eight, and the values of observed heterozygosity and expected heterozygosity varied from 0 to 0.8333 and from 0.2546 to 0.8231, respectively. No significant linkage disequilibrium between pairs of loci was found and three loci showed significant heterozygote deficiency from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These markers are potential for studies of the population structure, individual or hybrid identification of the species.     

Purification and properties of an aminopeptidase from the mid-gut gland of scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis)

An aminopeptidase was isolated from the mid-gut gland of Patinopecten yessoensis. The enzyme was purified from an acetone-dried preparation by extracting, ammonium sulfate precipitation, Hi-Load Q column chromatography, isoelectric focusing, and POROS HP2 and HQ column chromatography. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 61 kDa by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and 59 kDa by gel permeation chromatography. The isoelectric point of the enzyme was 5.2 and the optimum pH was 7.0 toward leucine p-nitroanilide (Leu-pNA). The enzyme was inhibited by o-phenanthroline. The activity of the enzyme treated with o-phenanthroline was completely recovered by adding excess Zn²⁺. Relative hydrolysis rates of amino acid-pNAs and amino acid-4-methylcoumaryl-7-amides (amino acid-MCAs) indicated that the enzyme preferred substrates having Ala or Met as an amino acid residue. The enzyme had a K_m of 32.2 μM and k_cat of 29.5 s⁻¹ with Ala-pNA and a K_m of 11.1 μM and k_cat of 9.49 s⁻¹ with Ala-MCA. The enzyme sequentially liberated amino acids from the amino-termini of Ala–Phe–Tyr–Glu.     

Involvement of prostaglandins in the spawning of the scallop,Patinopecten yessoensis

1. A high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using 9-anthryldiazomethane (ADAM) as a fluorescent reagent was employed to detemine the levels of endogenous prostaglandins (PGs) in the central nervous system, gonad, gill and hemolymph of the scallop, and the authors have also verified the involvement of PGs during spawning induced by u.v. ray-irradiated seawater.2. PGF_2α, PGE₂, PGD₂, 6-keto-PGF_1α. and TXB₂ were identified in all tissue and hemolymph, while no PGD₂ was found in the hemolymph by HPLC.3. PGF_2α, PGE₂ and PGD₂ levels in the ovary were about four times as much as those in the testis during the spawning season.4. PGF_2α, PGE₂ and PGD₂ levels in the ovary decreased during spawning, while, on the contrary, those in the testis increased during spawning. No changes of PGs levels were observed in the central nervous system.5. These results suggest the possibility that PGF_2α and PGE₂ are, especially, implicated in the spawning of the scallop; however, they also indicate that a difference between the functional mechanism of PGs in the ovary and that in the testis exists during spawning.     

Adenosine deaminase in the adductor muscle of the scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis

1. The scallop enzyme was separated by DE52 ion-exchange chromatography into two forms with the same mol. wt of 38,000 and similar characteristics. 2. The enzyme was inactivated in the absence of dithiothreitol and complete reactivation was achieved by adding the agent within a critical storage period. 3. The apparent values of pKm and Vmax sensitively increased as ionic strength was raised to 250 mM and phosphate and sodium ions elevated the former value with a further increase of the ionic strength. 4. The apparent activation energies for the alpha (Vmax/Km) and beta (Vmax) parameters of both the forms were approximately 5 and 8 kcal/mol, respectively. 5. The enzyme deaminated 2'-, 3'-deoxyadenosine and 2',3'-isopropylidene adenosine but did not deaminate 5'-deoxyadenosine, alpha-adenosine and adenine nucleotides. 6. The affinity for inosine was much lowered with a high Ki value. Adenine and purine riboside inhibited the enzyme completely, and coformycin was a tight, slow binding inhibitor.     

Effects of Pectenophilus ornatus (Copepoda) on the biomass of cultured Japanese scallop Patinopecten yessoensis.

There was a negative relationship between the number of parasitic copepods (Pectenophilus ornatus) and the dry weight condition index of the infected Japanese scallop (Patinopecten yessoensis) cultured in the Tsugaru Strait of northern Japan. The parasite is considered a serious pest of the commercial bivalve in cases of heavy infection.     

Assessment of biochemical composition and energy reserves in larvae of the scallop Patinopecten yessoensis

Larvae of Patinopecten yessoensis increased in dry weight from ≈ 150 to 1000 ng per larva during the larval development period of 28 days. Microanalytical procedures were developed to determine the lipid, protein, carbohydrate, and ash contents from which energy levels and condition indices were derived. Replicate analyses of two sizes of P. yessoensis larvae gave coefficients of variation at or <5% for the biochemical analyses. Lipid and protein were identified as major components, and carbohydrate as a minor component providing 56.6,37.6, and 5.8 %, respectively, of the calculated energy content. The energy content of the eggs of P. yessoensis was 2.4 and 3.1 times higher than the larvae of P. yessoensis and Crassostrea gigas, respectively, derived from 20.6% lipid, 54.6% protein, and 7.2% carbohydrate. The carbohydrate in the eggs was stored principally as a glucan, considered to be glycogen, which was absent in the developing larvae. Changes in biochemical composition of P. yessoensis larvae during development showed that lipid and protein reserves were lost for ≈ 20 days and then lipid accumulated as the larvae reached premetamorphic condition.     

Marine sterols. VI(1). Sterols of the scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis.

The sterols of the scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis Jay, was found to contain over 20 components. The major components were delta5-sterols, and lesser amount of ring-saturated sterols were also present. Biogenetically unusual C26 sterols (24-norcholesta-5,22-dien-3beta-ol and 24-norcholest-22-en-3beta-ol) and 24(28)-cis-24-propylidenecholest-5-en-3beta-ol (29-methylisofucosterol), 22-trans-27-nor-(24S)-24-methylcholesta-5,22-dien-3beta-ol (occelasterol), and a new sterol, 22-trans-27-nor-(24S)-24-methylcholest-22-en-3beta-ol (patinosterol), were isolated and their structures were confirmed. Occurrence of 22-trans-(24S)-24-methylcholesta-5,22-dien-3beta-ol (24-epibrassicasterol) was confirmed. 22-cis-Cholesta-5,22-dien-3beta-ol was not found.     

Serotonin-like immunoreactivity in the central nervous system and gonad of the scallop,Patinopecten yessoensis

Summary The localization of neurons containing serotonin in the central nervous system and the gonad of the scallop, Patinopecten yessoensis, was examined immunohistochemically. In the central nervous system a large number of immunoreactive perikarya were observed in the following regions: a part of the anterior lobe of the cerebral ganglion; the posterior lobe of the cerebral ganglion; the pedal ganglion; and the accessory ganglion. No immunoreactive perikarya were found in the visceral ganglion. Numerous immunoreactive fibers were revealed in the neuropil of all central ganglia. In the gonadal region immunoreactive fibers were distributed around the gonoduct and along the germinal epithelium.This work was supported by a grant from the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture, Japan