Purification, characterization and molecular cloning of tyrosinase from the cephalopod mollusk, Illex argentinus.

Tyrosinase (monophenol, L-DOPA:oxygen oxidoreductase) was isolated from the ink of the squid, Illex argentinus. Squid tyrosinase, termed ST94, was found to occur as a covalently linked homodimeric protein with a molecular mass of 140.2 kDa containing two copper atoms per a subunit. The tyrosinase activity of ST94 was enhanced by proteolysis with trypsin to form a protein, termed ST94t, with a molecular mass of 127.6 kDa. The amino acid sequence of the subunit was deduced from N-terminal amino acid sequencing and cDNA cloning, indicating that the subunit of ST94 is synthesized as a premature protein with 625 amino acid residues and an 18-residue signal sequence region is eliminated to form the mature subunit comprised of 607 amino acid residues with a deduced molecular mass of 68,993 Da. ST94 was revealed to contain two putative copper-binding sites per a subunit, that showed sequence similarities with those of hemocyanins from mollusks, tyrosinases from microorganisms and vertebrates and the hypothetical tyrosinase-related protein of Caenorhabditis elegans. The squid tyrosinase was shown to catalyze the oxidation of monophenols as well as o-diphenols and to exhibit temperature-dependency of o-diphenolase activity like a psychrophilic enzyme.     

西南大西洋阿根廷滑柔鱼的资源丰度及其与主要生态因子的关系

利用2000-2008年中国鱿钓船在西南大西洋阿根廷滑柔鱼(Illex argentinus)的生产数据与海洋卫星反演资料,分析了近9年西南大西洋阿根廷滑柔鱼资源丰度的变化及其与主要的生态因子(海表温度和叶绿素a)的关系.结果表明:该鱼种的年平均资源丰度在近9年出现了较大变化,以2004年为转折点,之前呈下降的趋势,至2004年降至最低,2005年后逐年上升;在该时期,这两个生态因子与该鱼种资源丰度的变动存在一定的关系:2000-2003年该海域年均海表温度波动较大,但资源丰度较平稳,两者的变动之间未发现存在明显的关系,2004-2008年年均海表温度和资源丰度的变动表现为显著的负相关;2000-2004年年均叶绿素a与资源丰度的变动之间未呈现明显的相关性,2005-2008年年均叶绿素a与资源丰度表现为较强的正相关.     

Primary structure of the basic nuclear protein from spermatozoa of the mollusk Illex argentinus and its comparison with the structure of sperm proteins in other animals

The spermatic protein of chromatin I2 of squid Illex argentinus was separated by HPLC into two components I2-1 and I2-2. Amino acid sequences of the major portion of protein I2-1 (52 residues) and the N-terminal sequence of protein I2-2 (21 residues) were determined. Arginines in protein I2-1 are arranged in clusters typical of protamines; the first cluster is in the N-terminus, the longest heterogeneous basic cluster is in the central part of the protein chain, the C-terminal part of the molecule contains two clusters of three hydroxyamino acids each. The N-terminal sequences of illexins I2-1 and I2-2 (1-14 residues) are highly homologous. Homologous regions were found in illexin I2-1, tunnin of tuna fish and avian gallin thus defining the notion of proteins of an intermediate type from mollusc spermatozoa chromatin exemplified by the squid protamine-like protein.     

Seasonal maturity development of Baltic cod in different spawning areas: importance of the Arkona Sea for the summer spawning stock

We investigated the seasonal maturity development of cod in four areas of the Baltic Sea. Two different spawning peaks were identified and found to be consistent over the period 1992–2005. In the Kiel Bight and Mecklenburg Bight (ICES SD 22) a spawning peak was observed from March to April (spring spawning). In the areas of the Arkona Sea (ICES SD 24) and Bornholm Sea (ICES SD 25) the spawning peak occurred during summer. In the Bornholm Sea, the main spawning activities began in June and ended in September, with a spawning peak in June–August (summer spawning). In the Arkona Sea, which is a transition area between the Mecklenburg Bight and the central Baltic Sea, spawning began in March and lasted until July, with a spawning peak in June–July (summer spawning). Seasonal maturity development and proportions of spawning cod in June in the Arkona Sea were similar to that of the Bornholm Sea. In addition, the proportion of spawning cod in the Arkona Sea was positively correlated with the size of the spawning stock in the Bornholm Sea. Our results provide evidence of a spatial expansion of spawning activities of the summer spawning stock from the eastern Baltic Sea into the Arkona Sea. Therefore, the Arkona Sea should be considered as one of the spawning habitats of the summer spawning stock of Baltic cod.     

Temporal settlement patterns of larvae of the broadcast spawning reef coral Favites chinensis and the broadcast spawning and brooding reef coral Goniastrea aspera from Okinawa, Japan

The faviid corals, Favites chinensis and Goniastrea aspera are widely distributed in the Indo-Pacific region. Both corals are hermaphroditic broadcast spawners, but G. aspera is also known to brood planula larvae in Okinawa. This study investigated the temporal settlement patterns of planula larvae of the scleractinian corals F. chinensis and G. aspera that developed from spawned gametes, and planula release and settlement of brooded larvae of G. aspera from Okinawa, Japan. Some of the broadcast-spawned larvae of F. chinensis and G. aspera had very short pre-competency periods of 1–2 and 2–3 days after spawning, and relatively long maximum settlement-competency periods of 56–63 and 63–70 days after spawning, respectively. These pre-competency periods are among the shortest reported for larvae of broadcast spawning coral species, and appear to be negatively correlated with seawater temperature. F. chinensis larvae tended to settle rapidly with 34–39% of larvae settling in the first week after spawning, while broadcast-spawned G. aspera larvae had a slower settlement pattern with 11–15% of larvae settling in the first week after spawning. Brooded larvae of G. aspera settled more rapidly, with settlement rates of 27–31% within the first 24 h and 45–65% within the first week after the start of the experiment. The production of planula larvae with rapid settlement capabilities may enable F. chinensis and G. aspera to establish and maintain populations in shallow reef sites at Okinawa. The release of the brooded planulae for up to 2 months may explain why G. aspera is locally more dominant on shallow reefs in Okinawa than F. chinensis. On a broader scale, the longer settlement competency periods of some of the broadcast-spawned larvae of these species increase their potential for longer-distance dispersal and may partly explain the wide biogeographic distribution of these species in the Indo-Pacific region.     

Description and forecast of summer climate in physiologically significant terms

The Discomfort Index (DI) was found to be an accurate expression of the atmospheric evaporative (cooling) power, and hence the heat load. It conveys the relevant climatic conditions in summer in physiologically significant terms. From 22–24 units a slight heat load exists, from 24.1–28 the heat load is moderate and above 28.1 a severe heat load exists. The heat load during the month of August was analyzed for 2 towns in Israel: Tel-Aviv (in the coastal plain) and Beer-Sheba (in the northern part of the desert). On the basis of this example a method is suggested to express summer climate as daily hours of heat load. Information about heat stress can be conveyed in terms which are sïgnificant physiologically and meaningful to the public.     

Dispersion and mortality of yolk-sac herring (Clupea harengus L.) larvae from a spawning ground to the west of the Outer Hebrides

A patch of herring larvae located within 24 h of hatching froma spawning bed on the shelf west of the Outer Hebrides, wasfollowed for 7 days. Dispersion of the larvae was modelled usingsimple turbulent diffusion theory. The mortality rate, estimatedfrom the rate of decrease in the total population size, was–2% day^–1 over the tracking period which is verymuch less than rates calculated for herring larvae in otherareas by previous investigators. Successive observations ofthe length, weight, and the incidence of food in the intestinesof larvae, indicated that feeding commenced 5 days after hatchingand that the growth rate was 0.17 mm day^–1.     

Description of growth by simple versus complex models for Baltic Sea spring spawning herring

The objective was to find a length–growth model to help differentiate between herring stocks (Clupea harengus l.) when their length–growth shows systematically different patterns. The most essential model restriction was that it should react robustly against variations in the underlying age range which varies not only over time but also between the different herring stocks. Because of the limited age range, significance tests as well as confidence intervals of the model parameters should allow a small sample restriction. Thus, parameter estimation should be of an analytical rather than asymptotic nature and the model should contain a minimum set of parameters. The article studies the comparative characteristics of a simple non‐asymptotic two‐parameter growth model (allometric length–growth function, abbreviated as ALG model) in contrast to higher parametric and more complex growth models (logistic and von‐Bertalanffy growth functions, abbreviated as LGF and VBG models). An advantage of the ALG model is that it can be easily linearized and the growth coefficients can be directly derived as regression parameters. The intrinsic ALG model linearity makes it easy to test restrictions (normality, homoscedasticity and serial uncorrelation of the error term) and to formulate analytic confidence intervals. The ALG model features were exemplified and validated by a 1995 Baltic spring spawning herring (BSSH) data set that included a 12‐year age range. The model performance was compared with that of the logistic and the von‐Bertalanffy length–growth curves for different age ranges and by means of various parameter estimation techniques. In all cases the ALG model performed better and all ALG model restrictions (no autocorrelation, homoscedasticity, and normality of the error term) were fulfilled. Furthermore, all findings seemed to indicate a pseudo‐asymptotic growth for BSSH. The proposed model was explicitly derived for of herring length‐growth; the results thus should not be generalized interspecifically without additional proof.     

Genetic corroboration of Engraulis mordax larvae in the upper Gulf of California,a previously undescribed spawning habitat

Ichthyological Research - Larvae of the Californian anchovy (Engraulis mordax) in the upper Gulf of California were identified. The finding was achieved with partial sequences of 16S rRNA...     

Effects of summer drawdown on cyprinid fish larvae in Lake Biwa, Japan

The effects of artificial water-level manipulations in Lake Biwa, initiated in 1992 to prevent flooding, on cyprinid fish larvae were assessed by measuring and estimating the topographic change in the reed zones. The shallow, litter-accumulated water in those zones was inhabited by larvae of two species, Carassius spp. and Cyprinus carpio. More than 70% (by volume) of these shallow areas in Lake Biwa was estimated to be lost when the water level was artificially lowered by 30cm from June to October 1997. During the low water level period, significantly fewer eggs of these cyprinid fishes were collected in a reed zone than in April and May of the same year, a comparison with a previous study suggesting that spawning of the fishes was inhibited during the period of low water level. The artificial reductions in water level probably resulted in a significant decrease in the volume of shallow water in the lake and may be linked to the drastic decline in these cyprinid fishes.     

Summer spawning of Porites lutea from north-western Australia

Most coral species off Australia??s west coast spawn in the austral autumn (March?CApril), with a few species also spawning in the southern spring or early summer (November?CDecember). This is the reverse timing to spawning recorded off Australia??s east coast. Porites lutea, a gonochoric broadcast spawner that is common on Australia??s west coast, is shown here to spawn in the months of November or December, as it does on Australia??s east coast. Spawning occurred between 2 and 5 nights after full moon, with the majority of spawning activity on night 3. Gametes developed over three to four months with rapid development in the last two weeks before spawning. Zooxanthellae were typically observed in mature oocytes, only a week before spawning so their presence may provide a useful indicator of imminent spawning.     

Laboratory spawning and development of the Bahama lancelet, Asymmetron lucayanum (cephalochordata): fertilization through feeding larvae

Here we report on spawning and development of the Bahama lancelet, Asymmetron lucayanum. Ripe adults collected in Bimini spawned the same evening when placed in the dark for 90 minutes. The developmental morphology is described from whole mounts and histological sections. A comparison between development in Asymmetron and the better known cephalochordate genus Branchiostoma reveals similarities during the early embryonic stages but deviations by the late embryonic and early larval stages. Thus, the initial positions of the mouth, first gill slit, and anus differ between the two genera. Even more strikingly, Hatschek's right and left diverticula, which arise by enterocoely at the anterior end of the pharynx in Branchiostoma, never form during Asymmetron development. In Branchiostoma, these diverticula become the rostral coelom and preoral pit. In Asymmetron, by contrast, homologs of the rostral coelom and preoral pit form by schizocoely within an anterior cell cluster of unproven (but likely endodermal) origin. Proposing evolutionary scenarios to account for developmental differences between Asymmetron and Branchiostoma is currently hampered by uncertainty over which genus is basal in the cephalochordates. A better understanding of developmental diversity within the cephalochordates will require phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear genes and the genome sequence of an Asymmetron species.     

Genetic identification of larvae and juveniles reveals the difference in the spawning site among Cyprininae fish species/subspecies in Lake Biwa

To understand the differences in the spawning sites among Cyprininae fishes in Lake Biwa, we conducted periodic sampling of larvae and juveniles at three sites (irrigation ditch, St. 1; river, St. 2; and satellite lake, St. 3). On the basis of species/subspecies identification by using RAPD analysis, we examined the species composition of the larvae and juveniles at these three sampling sites. The number of specimens was 616, 68, and 117 at St. 1, St. 2, and St. 3, respectively. Based on morphological and genetic identification, the specimens were found to include nine fish species/subspecies, namely, Carassius auratus grandoculis, Carassius cuvieri, Carassius auratus langsdorfii, Cyprinus carpio, Sarcocheilichthys sp., Silurus asotus, Oryzias latipes, Odontobutis obscura obscura, and Rhinogobius sp. The species composition at the three sites also differed. Among the Cyprininae fishes, C. auratus grandoculis, C. auratus langsdorfii, and Cyprinus carpio were found in abundance at St. 1; C. cuvieri was not collected from St. 1 but was found at the other two sites, particularly St. 3. Among the other fishes, Rhinogobius sp. was collected at St. 1 and St. 3, whereas the other four occurred only at St. 1. These results suggest that the selection of spawning sites by C. cuvieri differs to a certain extent from that of the other Cyprininae fishes, and the irrigation ditch in the lake is an important habitat for the larvae and juveniles of native fish species.     

Description and ecology of larvae and juveniles of three native cypriniforms of coastal southern California

Larval series of the Santa Ana sucker, Catostomus santaanae (Federally Threatened), arroyo chub, Gila orcutti (California Species of Special Concern), and Santa Ana speckled dace, Rhinichthys osculus (California Species of Special Concern) are described from wild-caught specimens from the Los Angeles and Santa Ana river drainages. Santa Ana sucker larvae are elongate, having 41–46 myomeres and a distinctive paired-triangle patch of melanophores over the midbrain. Melanophores present on the snout, dorsal body, lateral midline, dorsal gut, postanal ventral body, and caudal fin. Preanal length 74–79% in body length (BL), typical of catostomids. Arroyo chub larvae relatively deep-bodied, 36–39 myomeres, and a heart-shaped patch of melanophores over the midbrain with a line of melanophores trailing posteriorly. Heavy pigment present on the snout, lower jaw, dorsal body, lateral midline, gill arches, dorsal gut, postanal ventral body, and caudal fin; short preanal length of 65–72% BL, typical of native North American cyprinids. Santa Ana speckled dace are similar to arroyo chub except for having less pigment on the ventral gut, large distinct melanophores on the ventrolateral caudal peduncle, a wedge-shaped patch of midbrain melanophores with no distinct line trailing posteriorly, and lateral midline melanophores that do not extend anteriorly. These three species often occur together and with nonnative cyprinids. Characters distinguishing them from other local larvae, including southern fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas confertus and red shiner, Cyprinella lutrensis, are discussed with their habitat preferences.     

稀碱法提取食用蝇蛆蛋白

对蝇蛆粉充分脱脂后采用稀碱法提取蝇蛆蛋白。结果表明,液料比、浸提温度、碱浓度对提取得率有显著影响(P<0.01),提取时间对提取得率影响差异不显著。蛋白提取的最佳条件为:液料比20mL/g,浸提温度80℃,浸提时间2h,碱浓度1%(w/v)。在此条件下,所得蝇蛆蛋白粉蛋白氮含量为11.14%,蛋白得率为57.53%,提取效率为69.84%。对最优条件下得到的蝇蛆蛋白粉进行理化指标检测,并与速溶豆粉的企业标准以及脱脂乳粉的国家标准进行比较。结果表明,水分、灰分、脂肪、蛋白含量均已达到可食用级别的要求,重金属铅、汞、砷含量均低于限量要求,微生物检测不含致病菌和大肠杆菌,在最优提取条件下所得蝇蛆蛋白粉,综合指标已达可食用标准。