Shedding of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (Genotype IVb) by experimentally infected muskellunge (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Esox masquinongy</Emphasis>)

Previous experimental infection demonstrated that juvenile muskellunge (Esox masquinongy) can survive experimental infection of viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus, Genotype IVb (VHSV IVb) at a low concentration of exposure. Herein we report that survivors of experimental infection with VHSV IVb shed the virus into the surrounding environment for an extended period of time. When muskellunge were exposed to VHSV IVb by immersion at a concentration of 1,400 plaque forming units (PFU)/ml, VHSV IVb was detected in the water of surviving fish for up to 15 weeks postexposure (p.e.) with the highest levels of shedding occurring between weeks 1 and 5 p.e. We estimated that each juvenile muskellunge can shed upwards of 1.36×10(5) PFU/fish/h after initial exposure signifying the uptake and amplification of VHSV to several orders of magnitude above the original exposure concentration. Muskellunge surviving low concentration exposure were re-infected with VHSV IVb by immersion at week 22 p.e. at concentrations ranging from 0 to 10(6) PFU/ml. Viral shedding was detected in all re-exposed fish, including mock rechallenged controls up to 15 consecutive weeks. Rates of viral shedding were substantially higher following rechallenge in the first 5 weeks. The highest rate of viral shedding was approximately 4.6×10(6) PFU/fish/h and shedding did not necessarily correspond to the re-exposure VHSV concentration. The results of this study shed new light into the dynamics of VHSV IVb shedding in a highly susceptible host and provide useful insights to fishery managers to design effective control strategies to this deadly virus.     

Spring viremia of carp (SVC)

Spring viremia of carp (SVC) is an important disease affecting cyprinids, mainly common carp Cyprinus carpio. The disease is widespread in European carp culture, where it causes significant morbidity and mortality. Designated a notifiable disease by the Office International des Epizooties, SVC is caused by a rhabdovirus, spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV). Affected fish show destruction of tissues in the kidney, spleen and liver, leading to hemorrhage, loss of water-salt balance and impairment of immune response. High mortality occurs at water temperatures of 10 to 17 degrees C, typically in spring. At higher temperatures, infected carp develop humoral antibodies that can neutralize the spread of virus and such carp are protected against re-infection by solid immunity. The virus is shed mostly with the feces and urine of clinically infected fish and by carriers. Waterborne transmission is believed to be the primary route of infection, but bloodsucking parasites like leeches and the carp louse may serve as mechanical vectors of SVCV. The genome of SVCV is composed of a single molecule of linear, negative-sense, single-stranded RNA containing 5 genes in the order 3'-NPMGL-5' coding for the viral nucleoprotein, phosphoprotein, matrix protein, glycoprotein, and polymerase, respectively. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the viral proteins, and sequence homologies between the genes and gene junctions of SVCV and vesicular stomatitis viruses, have led to the placement of the virus as a tentative member of the genus Vesiculovirus in the family Rhabdoviridae. These methods also revealed that SVCV is not related to fish rhabdoviruses of the genus Novirhabdovirus. In vitro replication of SVCV takes place in the cytoplasm of cultured cells of fish, bird and mammalian origin at temperatures of 4 to 31 degrees C, with an optimum of about 20 degrees C. Spring viremia of carp can be diagnosed by clinical signs, isolation of virus in cell culture and molecular methods. Antibodies directed against SVCV react with the homologous virus in serum neutralization, immunofluorescence, immunoperoxidase, or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, but they cross-react to various degrees with the pike fry rhabdovirus (PFR), suggesting the 2 viruses are closely related. However, SVCV and PFR can be distinguished by certain serological tests and molecular methods such as the ribonuclease protection assay.     

Temperature affects physiological stress responses to acute confinement in sunshine bass (Morone chrysops x Morone saxatilis)

Sunshine bass (Morone chrysopsxMorone saxatilis) were subjected to a 15-min low-water confinement stressor at temperatures ranging from 5 to 30 degrees C. Physiological responses were evaluated by measuring hematocrit, and plasma chloride, glucose and cortisol. Fish acclimated to 30 degrees C had initial glucose concentrations of 3.13 mM (564 mg/L) which were significantly lower than in fish acclimated to 5 and 10 degrees C (4.32 and 4.82 mM or 779 and 868 mg/l, respectively). Fish survived the conditions imposed at every temperature except 30 degrees C, where 15 out of 42 fish died during the stress and recovery protocol. The general pattern was an initial increase in hematocrit, followed by a delayed decrease in hematocrit and chloride, and an increase in plasma glucose and cortisol. In general, fish stressed at temperatures below 20 degrees C had lower and more delayed changes in plasma glucose and cortisol than fish tested at 20, 25 and 30 degrees C. Initial cortisol concentrations were 65 ng/ml and increased to above 200 ng/ml in fish held at 20 degrees C and above. At the higher temperatures, glucose concentrations were twice the initial concentration after stress and cortisol changes were four to five times the initial concentration after the stress. Quantitative responses for glucose and cortisol were moderate and recovery rapid in fish stressed at 10 and 15 degrees C; therefore, this range of water temperature is recommended when handling sunshine bass.     

Biliary excretion of [14C]taurocholate by rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) is stimulated at warmer acclimation temperature

Sexually immature Shasta strain rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) of either sex were acclimated at 10, 14 or 18 degrees C for at least 4 weeks and plasma pharmacokinetics and biliary excretion of i.p. injected [14C]taurocholate (TC) examined in spinally transected or free-swimming fish, respectively. Plasma elimination half-lives but not absorption rate constants for [14C]TC (10 mumol/kg) were about two-fold reduced in 18 as compared to 10 or 14 degrees C acclimated fish. Distribution of [14C]TC to tissues other than plasma, liver, bile and small intestine was not different in 10, 14 or 18 degrees C acclimated free-swimming fish at 1 or 4 hr post-injection. Biliary excretion of [14C]TC (7.5-10 mumol/kg) at 1 hr post-injection was significantly higher in 14 and 18 as compared to 10 degrees C acclimated fish.     

五种主要上呼吸道病毒多重RT-PCR 检测方法的建立

目的:建立甲型、乙型流感病毒、呼吸道合胞病毒A型、B型(RSV-A、RSV-B)和腺病毒(ADV)五种主要上呼吸道病毒的多重RT-PCR检测方法。方法:利用Primer premier5.0分别针对甲型流感病毒的M基因、乙型流感病毒的PB1基因、RSV-A和RSV-B的F基因及ADV的hexon基因设计五对特异性引物,对Mg2+、dNTP、引物浓度及退火温度等进行优化,建立同时检测甲型、乙型流感病毒、RSV-A、RSV-B和ADV的多重RT-PCR方法,并验证该检测方法的灵敏性。结果:所建立的五种病毒的多重RT-PCR方法可以同时或者分别扩增甲型、乙型流感病毒、RSV-A、RSV-B及ADV的141bp、635bp、525bp、377b和283bp基因片段,敏感度分别达到770PFU/ml、800PFU/ml、680PFU/ml、970PFU/ml和850PFU/ml,且五种病毒间无交叉反应。结论:所建立的多重RT-PCR方法可以迅速准确地检测甲型、乙型流感病毒、RSV-A、RSV-B和ADV,为五种病毒的检测提供了一种方便易行的方法。     

Grape seed extract for control of human enteric viruses

Grape seed extract (GSE) is reported to have many pharmacological benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticarcinogenic, and antimicrobial properties. However, the effect of this inexpensive rich source of natural phenolic compounds on human enteric viruses has not been well documented. In the present study, the effect of commercial GSE, Gravinol-S, on the infectivity of human enteric virus surrogates (feline calicivirus, FCV-F9; murine norovirus, MNV-1; and bacteriophage MS2) and hepatitis A virus (HAV; strain HM175) was evaluated. GSE at concentrations of 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/ml was individually mixed with equal volumes of each virus at titers of ～7 log(10) PFU/ml or ～5 log(10) PFU/ml and incubated for 2 h at room temperature or 37°C. The infectivity of the recovered viruses after triplicate treatments was evaluated by standardized plaque assays. At high titers (～7 log(10) PFU/ml), FCV-F9 was significantly reduced by 3.64, 4.10, and 4.61 log(10) PFU/ml; MNV-1 by 0.82, 1.35, and 1.73 log(10) PFU/ml; MS2 by 1.13, 1.43, and 1.60 log(10) PFU/ml; and HAV by 1.81, 2.66, and 3.20 log(10) PFU/ml after treatment at 37°C with 0.25, 0.50, and 1 mg/ml GSE, respectively (P < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. GSE treatment of low titers (～5 log(10) PFU/ml) at 37°C also showed viral reductions. Room-temperature treatments with GSE caused significant reduction of the four viruses, with higher reduction for low-titer FCV-F9, MNV-1, and HAV compared to high titers. Our results indicate that GSE shows promise for application in the food industry as an inexpensive novel natural alternative to reduce viral contamination and enhance food safety.     

Inactivation of a norovirus by high-pressure processing

Murine norovirus (strain MNV-1), a propagable norovirus, was evaluated for susceptibility to high-pressure processing. Experiments with virus stocks in Dulbecco's modified Eagle medium demonstrated that at room temperature (20 degrees C) the virus was inactivated over a pressure range of 350 to 450 MPa, with a 5-min, 450-MPa treatment being sufficient to inactivate 6.85 log(10) PFU of MNV-1. The inactivation of MNV-1 was enhanced when pressure was applied at an initial temperature of 5 degrees C; a 5-min pressure treatment of 350 MPa at 30 degrees C inactivated 1.15 log(10) PFU of virus, while the same treatment at 5 degrees C resulted in a reduction of 5.56 log(10) PFU. Evaluation of virus inactivation as a function of treatment times ranging from 0 to 150 s and 0 to 900 s at 5 degrees C and 20 degrees C, respectively, indicated that a decreasing rate of inactivation with time was consistent with Weibull or log-logistic inactivation kinetics. The inactivation of MNV-1 directly within oyster tissues was demonstrated; a 5-min, 400-MPa treatment at 5 degrees C was sufficient to inactivate 4.05 log(10) PFU. This work is the first demonstration that norovirus can be inactivated by high pressure and suggests good prospects for inactivation of nonpropagable human norovirus strains in foods.     

Vector competence of selected South African Culicoides species for the Bryanston serotype of equine encephalosis virus

Equine encephalosis virus (EEV) was recognized and described in the Republic of South Africa in 1967 and subsequent serological studies have shown this orbivirus to be both widespread and prevalent in southern Africa. In the present study it was shown that wild-caught Culicoides (Avaritia) imicola Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) can become infected with and permit the replication of the Bryanston serotype of EEV following membrane-feeding on infective blood containing 5.0 log10 plaque-forming-units (PFU)/ml. The mean prevalence of Bryanston virus infection in C. imicola after 10 days extrinsic incubation at 23.5 degrees C was 22.3% (23/103). The mean infectivity of Bryanston virus in the infected C. imicola increased from 1.3 log10 PFU/midge, in insects assayed immediately after feeding on the blood-virus mixture, to 2.6 log10 PFU/midge in insects assayed after incubation. The virus concentration in individual C. imicola infected with the Bryanston serotype of EEV ranged from 0.7 to 3.6 log10 PFU/midge. Bryanston virus titres higher than 2.5 log10 TCID50, found in individual C. imicola, suggest that this species may be able to transmit this virus to susceptible hosts. Prevalence of virus infection in C. imicola was determined by PFU and microtitration assays on both BHK and Vero cells and confirmation of the Bryanston serotype of EEV was determined by plaque inhibition. No virus replication could be demonstrated in 102 C. nivosus tested after the incubation period, suggesting that not all Culicoides species are equally susceptible to Bryanston virus infection. Other Culicoides species that survived the incubation period and that were negative for the presence of Bryanston virus were C. pycnostictus (42), C. leucostictus (7), C. magnus (2), C. bolitinos (1) and C. bedfordi (1).     

斑马鱼ftr56基因克隆表达及功能研究

为进一步了解硬骨鱼类特有的finTRIM (Fish novel tripartite motif, ftr)在斑马鱼(Danio rerio)抗病毒天然免疫中的作用, 研究克隆了斑马鱼ftr56基因并分析了其对鲤春病毒血症病毒(Spring viremia of carp virus, SVCV)增殖的抑制作用。根据NCBI中斑马鱼ftr56序列设计引物, 采用PCR方法, 扩增ftr56 CDS区, 连接至真核表达载体pcDNA4.0-His, 构建真核表达质粒pcDNA4.0-ftr56-His, 进行生物信息学分析。采用实时荧光定量PCR (qRT-PCR)技术检测SVCV感染斑马鱼胚胎成纤维细胞(ZF4)后ftr56 mRNA的变化。系统进化树分析显示, 斑马鱼FTR56单独聚为一支。氨基酸多序列比对结果显示, 其与黑猩猩、牛、鼠的TRIM56相似度为22%—23%。FTR56二级结构具有1个RING指结构域, 1个B-box结构域, 1个卷曲螺旋结构域和1个B30.0结构域。qRT-PCR检测结果显示, ftr56在SVCV感染后24h表达量显著上升。在过表达ftr56后, SVCV的G蛋白mRNA水平和蛋白水平在12h和24h相比对照组明显减少, 培养基上清中SVCV滴度也明显降低, 表明FTR56抑制SVCV的增殖。实验为进一步揭示finTRIM在鱼类病毒性疾病中的免疫调节机制提供参考。     

Effect of cooling rate and partial removal of yolk on the chilling injury in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos

High chilling sensitivity is one of the main obstacles to successful cryopreservation of zebrafish embryos. So far the nature of the chilling injury in fish embryos has not been clear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of cooling rate and partial removal of yolk on chilling injury in zebrafish embryos. Zebrafish embryos at 64-cell, 50%-epiboly, 6-somite and prim-6 stages were cooled to either 0 degrees C or -5 degrees C at three different cooling rates: slow (0.3 degrees C/min or 1 degree C/min), moderate (30 degrees C/min), and rapid (approximately 300 degrees C/min). After chilling, embryos were warmed in a 26 degrees C water bath, followed by 3-day culturing in EM at 26 +/- 1 degrees C for survival assessment. When embryos were cooled to 0 degrees C for up to 30 min, 64-cell embryos had higher survival after rapid cooling than when they were cooled at a slower rate. When 64-cell embryos were held at -5 degrees C for 1 min, their survival decreased greatly after both slow and rapid cooling. The effect of cooling rate on the survival of 50%-epiboly and 6-somite embryos was not significant after 1 h exposure at 0 degrees C and 1 min exposure at -5 degrees C. However, rapid cooling resulted in significantly lower embryo survival than a cooling rate of 30 degrees C/min or 1 degree C/min after 1 h exposure to 0 degrees C for prim-6 stage or 1 h exposure to -5 degrees C for all stages. Chilling injury in 64-cell embryos appears to be a consequence of exposure time at low temperatures rather than a consequence of rapid cooling. Results also indicate that chilling injury in later stage embryos (50%-epiboly, 6-somite and prim-6) is a consequence of the combination of rapid cooling and exposure time at low temperatures. Dechorionated prim-6 embryos were punctured and about half of yolk was removed. After 24 h culture at 26 +/- 1 degrees C after removal of yolk, the yolk-reduced embryos showed higher embryo survival than did control embryos after rapid cooling to -5 degrees C for 10 to 60 min. Results suggest that cold shock injury after rapid cooling can be mitigated after partial removal of yolk at the prim-6 stage. These findings help us to understand the nature of chilling sensitivity of fish embryos and to develop protocols for their cryopreservation.     

Age- and weight-dependent susceptibility of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss to isolates of infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) of varying virulence

The virulence of 5 European and 1 North American isolate of infectious haematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) was compared by infecting female sibling rainbow trout ('Isle of Man' strain) of different weights and ages (2, 20 and 50 g). The fish were exposed to 10(4) TCID50 IHNV per ml of water by immersion, and the mortality was recorded for 28 d. Two new IHNV isolates from Germany were included in the investigation. One was isolated from European eels kept at 23 degrees C (+/- 2 degrees C) and the other was not detectable by immunofluorescence with commercially available monoclonal antibodies recognising the viral G protein. The results showed that IHNV isolates of high or low virulence persisted in rainbow trout of all ages/weights for 28 d, with the exception of fish over 15 g in the eel IHNV (DF [diagnostic fish] 13/98)-infected groups from which the virus could not be reisolated on Day 28. The smallest fish were most susceptible to an infection with any of the IHNV isolates. The lowest cumulative mortality (18%) was observed in fingerlings infected with the North American isolate HAG (obtained from Hagerman Valley), and the highest mortality (100%) in DF 04/99 infected fish. The DF 04/99 and O-13/95 viruses caused mortality in fish independent of their weight or age. The isolates FR-32/87 and I-4008 were virulent in fish up to a weight of 20 g and caused no mortality in larger fish. In the IHNV HAG- and DF 13/98 (eel)-infected rainbow trout, no signs of disease were observed in fish weighing between 15 and 50 g. An age/weight related susceptibility of rainbow trout was demonstrated under the defined conditions for all IHNV isolates tested.     

The physiological strain index applied to heat-stressed rats.

A physiological strain index (PSI) based on heart rate (HR) and rectal temperature (Tre) was recently suggested to evaluate exercise-heat stress in humans. The purpose of this study was to adjust PSI for rats and to evaluate this index at different levels of heat acclimation and training. The corrections of HR and Tre to modify the index for rats are as follows: PSI = 5 (Tre t - Tre 0). (41.5 - Tre 0)-1 + 5 (HRt - HR0). (550 - HR0)-1, where HRt and Tre t are simultaneous measurements taken at any time during the exposure and HR0 and Tre 0 are the initial measurements. The adjusted PSI was applied to five groups (n = 11-14 per group) of acclimated rats (control and 2, 5, 10, and 30 days) exposed for 70 min to a hot climate [40 degrees C, 20% relative humidity (RH)]. A separate database representing two groups of acclimated or trained rats was also used and involved 20 min of low-intensity exercise (O2 consumption approximately 50 ml. min-1. kg-1) at three different climates: normothermic (24 degrees C, 40% RH), hot-wet (35 degrees C, 70% RH), and hot-dry (40 degrees C, 20% RH). In normothermia, rats also performed moderate exercise (O2 consumption approximately 60 ml. min-1. kg-1). The adjusted PSI differentiated among acclimation levels and significantly discriminated among all exposures during low-intensity exercise (P < 0.05). Furthermore, this index was able to assess the individual roles played by heat acclimation and exercise training.     

Ventilation frequency compensation responses of three eurythermal estuarine fish exposed to moderate temperature increases

Ventilation frequency patterns of Trinectes maculatus, Morone americana and Leiostomus xanthurus were used to evaluate potential thermal stress after exposure to moderate temperature increases. Fish acclimated to 5°, 15° and 25° C were exposed to a 5°C T; fish acclimated to 30° C were exposed to a 2.5° C A T. Ventilation frequencies were measured at each acclimation temperature before the fishes were exposed over a 15-min period to the increased temperatures. Ventilation rates were then measured at the elevated temperatures for the next 24 h. Significant increases in rate frequency occurred after the temperature increases in T. maculatus and M. Americana acclimated to 5°, 15° and 25° C and in L. xanthurus acclimated to 15°, 25° and 30°C. In general, rate frequencies increased as the temperature increased. Ventilation rates stabilized quickly at the higher temperatures and remained relatively constant throughout the remaining exposure period. Acclimated rate-temperatures curves (R- T curves), acute R- T curves and Q10 temperature coefficients used to assess the significance of the changes in rate frequency and to compare the species in an ecologically meaningful way, showed that several adaptive types occurred among and between species. The Q,10's of the acute R- T curves, in most cases, were found to approximate those values derived for the acclimated R-T curve. This suggests that the temperature increases had a negligible effect, that is, little or no thermal stress occurred.     

H5N1禽流感病毒实验室检测方法灵敏性比较

目的比对实验室常用的H5N1禽流感病毒检测方法灵敏性。方法增殖H5N1病毒,蚀斑技术定量待检病毒,应用细胞接种、血凝实验、RT-PCR、Real-time RT-PCR等方法检测稀释的病毒悬液,比较检测的最低滴度。结果细胞接种、Real-time RT-PCR、RT-PCR及血凝实验能检测病毒的最低滴度为10 PFU/mL、10 PFU/mL、103 PFU/mL及3.52×105 PFU/mL。结论几种检测方法比较而言,细胞接种与Real-time RT-PCR检测灵敏性最高;血凝实验用时最短,但灵敏性低,结果需要进一步确认;RT-PCR用时较较短,检测灵敏性较高。     

Frameshift mutations induced by the acridine mustard ICR-191 in embryos and in the adult gill and hepatopancreas of rpsL transgenic zebrafish

To determine whether frameshift mutations can be detected in rpsL transgenic zebrafish (Brachydanio rerio), embryos, and adult fish were treated with 6-chloro-9-[3-(2-chloroethylamino)-propylamino]-2-methoxyacridine (ICR-191). Embryos exposed to 0, 10, or 20 microM ICR-191 in a water bath for 18 h exhibited induced mutant frequencies (MFs) of 14 x 10(-5), 16 x 10(-5), and 25 x 10(-5), respectively. Only embryos exposed to 20 microM ICR-191 showed a significant increase in MF. The mutational spectra differed between the control and ICR-191-treated groups and single G:C pair insertions, which are a marked characteristic of ICR-191 mutagenesis, were observed in both 10 and 20 microM-treated embryos. In adult fish treated with 1 microM ICR-191 in a water bath for 18 h, a significant increase in MFs was observed in both gill (12 x 10(-5) and 44 x 10(-5) in control and treated fish, respectively), and hepatopancreas (5 x 10(-5) and 29 x 10(-5), respectively) 2 weeks after exposure. Sequence analysis showed that 58% of mutations in gill and 94% of mutations in hepatopancreas were single G:C pair insertions, which is typical of mutations induced by ICR-191. Additionally, these mutations occurred predominantly at a single site (CC sequence at bps 140-141) in the rpsL gene. Three weeks after exposure, however, the increased MFs and prominent mutational spectra of ICR-treated fish were undetectable. These findings suggest that using our protocols the rpsL transgenic zebrafish mutation assay is more effective for adult fish than for embryos, but that frameshift mutations can be detected in both embryos and adults at appropriate sampling times after treatment with ICR-191.     

The effects of an acute temperature change on the metabolic recovery from exhaustive exercise in luvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

This research examined the influence of acute changes of water temperature on the recovery processes following exhaustive exercise in juvenile Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). White muscle phosphocreatine (PCr), ATP, lactate, glycogen, glucose, pyruvate, plasma lactate, and plasma osmolality were measured during rest and at 0, 1, 2, and 4 h following exhaustive exercise in fish acclimated and exercised at 12 degrees C and acutely exposed to either 6 degrees C or 18 degrees C water during recovery. An acute exposure to 6 degrees C water during the recovery period resulted in a severe reduction of metabolic recovery in salmon. However, metabolites such as muscle PCr and ATP and plasma lactate recovered very quickly (2-4 h) in fish acutely exposed to 18 degrees C during recovery. Overall, differences exist when postexercise metabolite levels are compared between acclimated fish and those fish acutely exposed to different water temperatures (either higher or lower). Taken together, the findings of the acute experiments suggest that at some point following exercise fish may seek warmer environments to speed the recovery process. However, the relationship between behavioural thermoregulation and recovery following exhaustive exercise in fish is not well understood.     

Pathogenesis of Mycobacterium spp. in zebrafish (Danio rerio) from research facilities

One of the most common diseases that we have diagnosed in zebrafish is mycobacteriosis, caused by several Mycobacterium spp. The severity of the disease ranged from severe outbreaks to incidental infections. We conducted an in vivo study to evaluate the pathogenesis of six isolates of Mycobacterium from zebrafish with mycobacteriosis from four research facilities and one wholesale supplier of zebrafish in the United States: Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium peregrinum, Mycobacterium chelonae (2 isolates), and Mycobacterium marinum. We also included two isolates of M. marinum from other fishes. Fish were exposed by intraperitoneal injection at a target does of 5 x 10(4) bacteria/fish, and were held in static aquaria at 28 degrees C for 8 weeks. Fish were examined by histology and culture, and mortalities were recorded. The M. marinum isolates caused 100% infection and mortality between 30% and 100%. None of the other Mycobacterium species caused significant mortalities, but several of these fish had granulomatous lesions in visceral organs. Mycobacteria were consistently recovered in culture from fish exposed to M. marinum, and from only 9% of fish exposed to the other species. This study suggests that, of the isolates tested, only M. marinum is highly pathogenic and virulent to healthy zebrafish.     

MNNG-induced mutations in the adult gill and hepatopancreas and in embryos of rpsL transgenic zebrafish

To evaluate the feasibility of a mutagenicity assay using adult rpsL transgenic zebrafish, 4- to 8-month-old females were exposed to N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) (0, 15 or 30 mg/L in a water bath for 2 h). At 2 weeks after exposure, MNNG showed a concentration-dependent significant increase in mutant frequency (MF) of 8 x 10(-5), 18 x 10(-5), and 51 x 10(-5), respectively, in the gill. DNA sequencing revealed that 60-74% of the induced mutations were G:C to A:T transitions, consistent with the known mutagenic effects of MNNG. A marginal but significant increase in MF was observed in the hepatopancreas only in the group exposed to 30 mg/L, with the induction of some G:C to A:T transitions. A time-course of the appearance of mutations was determined in fish treated with 15 mg/L MNNG. In both, the gill and hepatopancreas, a higher MF was observed at 3 weeks than at 2 weeks, suggesting that an expression time of at least 3 weeks is preferable for the assay. When embryos (29 h post-fertilization) were exposed to MNNG (0, 50, and 150 mg/L) for 1 h, MFs increased significantly with an increase in the concentration of MNNG (5 x 10(-5), 40 x 10(-5), and 144 x 10(-5), respectively) at 3 days after exposure. G:C to A:T transitions were the predominant mutations, and these occurred at the same sites in the rpsL gene as in adult tissues. Thus, MNNG induces typical mutations in the gill and hepatopancreas of adult fish, and in embryos, suggesting that the rpsL zebrafish is a useful tool for monitoring genotoxicity caused by water-borne mutagens.