Review of the biogeography of the genus Artemia (Crustacea, Anostraca)

In this study, we report on the known Artemia habitats worldwide. Recent literature information is incorporated about the taxonomic status of the various populations studied. The genus is composed of di-, tri-, tetra- and pentaploid parthenogenetic populations and of the following bisexual species: A. franciscana franciscana , A. franciscana monica , A. franciscana sp., A. persimilis , A. salina , A. urmiana , A. sinica and A. sp. from Kazakhstan. The problems of characterizing new brine shrimp populations are discussed. In view of the great importance of Artemia as part of the live food chain for the culture of fish and shellfish larvae and the present cyst shortage from the market, the need for commercial exploitation and development of new Artemia sources is now, more than ever, necessary.     

Infection of Artemia salina by Haliphthoros milfordensis: A scanning and transmission electron microscope study

The fungus Haliphthoros milfordensis is a known pathogen of cultured lobster (W. S. Fisher, E. H. Nilson, and R. S. Schleser, 1975, J. Invertebr. Pathol., 26, 41–45) and has been isolated also from gills of the white shrimp (T. P. Tharp and C. E. Bland, 1977, Canad. J. Bot.55, 2936–2944). Because of the potential impact of this fungus on culture of commercially important marine crustacea, a model laboratory system involving Artemia salina has been devised to study aspects of its biology. This report describes light and electron microscope observations of the infection process and the internal relationship between host and parasite. Following encystment of zoospores on the exoskeleton of larvae, infection occurs via germination of the spore and penetration of the exoskeleton and epidermis by vegetative hyphae. Growth of the fungus destroys first fat and body muscles and ultimately the gut. Electron-dense material at the host-parasite interface is likely a response of the shrimp to invading fungal hyphae. Histolytic activity by the fungus is evident by the dissolution of host cytoplasm along the growing hyphal tips. Following utilization of all host tissues, hyphae grow to the exterior and the process of sporulation is initiated.     

Ontogeny of low molecular weight stress protein p26 during early development of the brine shrimp, Artemia franciscana

Embryogenesis in the brine shrimp, Artemia sp., occurs by one of two pathways: (i) the direct, uninterrupted development of nauplius larvae within the female or (ii) the production of embryos that arrest development at the gastrula stage and enter diapause. Diapause embryos are released from females into the aqueous environment where they remain in diapause until activated by appropriate environmental cues and resume development. These encysted embryos possess at least one low molecular weight stress protein, which we refer to as p26 and which has been implicated previously in the stress response of activated embryos. We investigated the appearance of p26 in developing diapause embryos in utero and looked for its presence in embryos developing directly into nauplii. We found p26 to be specific to diapause-destined embryos; it was not detected in direct-developing embryos. We conclude that p26 is not required for the basic developmental program that produces the nauplius. In diapause-destined embryos, p26 was first detectable after 3 days of development, at which time the embryos were late gastrulae. This protein continues to increase in amount until the encysted embryos are released, approximately 5 days after fertilization. At the time of release almost all p26 is located in the low speed supernatant fraction, but as released embryos continue diapause, p26 transfers to the pelleted nuclear fraction in increasing amounts. Our working hypothesis views p26 as a molecular chaperone preventing protein denaturation and aggregation under conditions associated with metabolic arrest and other stressful states, which these encysted embryos encounter.     

Cytogenetic study of Artemia from Urmiah, Maharloo and Incheborun Lakes

Three populations of Artemia from Urmiah (West-Azarbaijan Province), Maharloo (Fars Province) and Incheborun (Golestan Province) Lakes in Iran were cytogenetically analyzed. In order to study the reproduction mode in Artemia populations, cyst samples reared for three successive generations (F₁--F₃). The results obtained from rearing until maturation indicated that, there are two subpopulations of Artemia in Urmiah lake (bisexual and parthenogenetic). These two subpopulations have the same diploid chromosome number (2 n =42). The results obtained from rearing and cytogenetic analysis of Artemia from Maharloo and Incheborun Lakes showed that these two populations are parthenogenetic and their chromosome number is also 2 n=42. So far, no cytogenetic differences in ploidy level have been detected among the populations investigated in this study. Very small chromosomes with metacentric, submetacentric and telocentric morphology were observed in mitotic prometaphase cells, implying that chromosomes of Artemia may be monocentric.     

Isoforms of Na,K-ATPase inArtemia saline: I. Detection by FITC binding and time course

Summary Partially purified Na,K-ATPase from whole nauplii at various stages of development, analyzed by SDS-PAGE, reveals a polydisperse and two subunits (denoted 1 and 2). In the absence of Ca²⁺, ATP-inhibitable fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) labeling is restricted to the subunit of this enzyme, even in crude naupliar homogenates. The intensity of the -specific fluorescent signal (i.e., the sum of the yield from both isoforms) is proportional to Na,K-ATPase activity during development. FITC-labeled subunits were detected at 8 hr of development prior to the detection of measurable Na,K-ATPase activity. The 2/1 ratio changed from an initial value of 1.25 to a peak of 1.75 at 32 hr of development, then reverted to a ratio of 1.25 by 42 hr, and remained constant thereafter. Pulse chase studies with³⁵S-methionine indicated that the developmental increase in enzyme activity is coincident with amino acid incorporation into the subunits, implying that enzyme synthesis is active during enzyme accumulation.During the tenure of an Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates Visiting Associate Professorship.     

光周期对卤虫繁殖的影响

卤虫是大多数水产动物苗种生产中必不可少的优质活饵料,又是一种很好的实验生物,被广泛用于有关生理、生化及细胞发育生物学研究.盐度、饵料、饵料中的叶绿素、间歇性的低溶氧和培养液中铁离子的浓度等对卤虫繁殖的影响已见报道[1-2].而光照对卤虫的影响,前人的研究侧重于光照对卤虫卵滞育终止的影响及光照对卤虫卵孵化的影响[3-4].本研究将探讨不同的光周期对卤虫繁殖的影响,以期为更好地开展卤虫的增养殖和卤虫卵的加工提供理论基础.     

Development of paratransgenic Artemia as a platform for control of infectious diseases in shrimp mariculture

Aim: To study the accumulation and retention of recombinant proteins in Artemia gut for optimizing paratransgenic disease control in shrimp aquaculture. Methods and Results: Transgenic Escherichia coli expressing fluorescent marker proteins and the transgenic cyanobacterium Synechococcus bacillarus expressing a functional murine single chain antibody, DB3, were fed to Artemia franciscana. Stable expression and retention of several marker molecules (e.g. GFP, DS Red and DB3) up to 10 h after of feeding with E. coli were evident within the gut of Artemia. Engineered strains of S. bacillarus expressing DB3 accumulated within the gut of Artemia with detectable antibody activity for 8–10 h of feeding via ELISA, coincident with the time period of the highest density of transgenic S. bacillarus in the Artemia gut. Conclusions: Artemia fed transgenic bacteria or algae accumulated recombinant proteins for up to 10 h that retained biological activity. Co‐delivery of multiple recombinant proteins simultaneously in the gut of Artemia was also demonstrated. Significance and Impact of the Study: Expression of molecules that target infectious agents of mariculture in shrimp via commonly deployed feed organisms such as Artemia could potentially offer powerful new tools in the ongoing global effort to increase food supply.     

Streptomyces sp. 173, an insecticidal micro-organism from marine

AIMS: To find new insecticidal antibiotics from marine micro-organisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: Strains isolated from seawater and sea sediments from Beidiahe and Dagang of the east coast of China were screened for their insecticidal qualities. The screening was carried out using bioassay of brine shrimp and the insect pest Helicoverpa armigera. The fermentation, preliminary extraction and isolation of Streptomyces sp.173 were carried out. CONCLUSIONS: In total 331 isolates were examined through bioassay of brine shrimp and 40 isolates (12.08%) showed potential insecticidal activities. Of the 40 isolates, one isolate, designated Streptomyces sp.173, was found to have strong insecticidal activity against both brine shrimp and H. armigera, similar to that of avermectin B1. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The isolated Streptomyces sp.173 has great insecticidal potency. This work indicated that marine micro-organisms could be an important source of insecticidal antibiotics and the improved anti-brine shrimp bioassay is suitable for primary screening.     

Immunological relationships between Artemia RNA polymerases and between RNA polymerases II from different eukaryotic organisms

Summary Rabbit antibodies against Artemia RNA polymerase II have been raised and utilized to study the immunological relationships between the subunits from RNA polymerases I, II and III from this organism and RNA polymerase II from other eukaryotes. We describe here for the first time the subunit structure of Artemia RNA polymerases I and III. These enzymes have 9 and 13 subunits respectively. The anti-RNA polymerase II antibodies recognize two subunits of 19.4 and 18 kDa common to the three enzymes, and another subunit of 25.6 kDa common to RNA polymerases II and III. The antibodies against Artemia RNA polymerase II also react with the subunits of high molecular weight and with subunits of around 25 and 33 kDa of RNA polymerase II from other eukaryotes (Drosophila melanogaster, Chironomus thummi, triticum (wheat) and Rattus (rat)). This interspecies relatedness is a common feature of eukaryotic RNA polymerases.Abbreviations RNAp RNA polymerase - DPT diazophenylthioether - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate     

A note on the genus Artemia in Algeria

Five new locality records for Artemia in Algeria are given. Some physical and chemical characteristics of their environment are recorded. Predation on Artemia by the fish Aphanius fasciatus occurs where the river Khrouf debouches in Chott Merouan but not elsewhere.     

温度和盐度对卤虫生物学特性的影响

本实验以产自美国旧金山湾,我国山西运城盐湖,河北张北,新疆阿勒泰的两性生死卤虫,及产于天津塘沽、新疆艾比湖的孤雌生殖卤虫,计３种６个品系卤虫为实验材料,分别测量它们在不同温度下的孵化率、生长、发育及生殖的情况,并比较了各品系卤虫以坑盐的耐受性。通过全长的测量,得出了各品系卤虫在不同温度及协度下的生长方程。除了旧金山卤虫为耐低温高盐的种外,张北卤虫也具此特性。在生殖特征方面,我斩５个地理品系卤虫之间