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Results for “Fish Physiology and Biochemistry”

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USGS1997

Proximate composition and energy density of some North Pacific forage fishes

Mature pelagic forage fish species (capelin, sand lance, squid) had greater lipid concentrations than juvenile age-classes of large demersal and pelagic fish species (walleye pollock, Pacific cod, Atka mackerel, greenling, prowfish, rockfish, sablefish). Myctophids preyed on by puffins have at least twice as much lipid per gram compared to mature capelin, sand lance and squid, and an order of magnitude greater lipid concentrations than juvenile forage fish. Energy density of forage fishes was positively correlated with lipid content, and negatively correlated with water, ash-free lean dry mass (mostly protein), and ash contents.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: M↗

USGS1993

Elemental composition of a migratory and a land-locked strain of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar

1. The growth and elemental composition of an anadromous strain and a land-locked strain of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) were compared. 2. All fish were raised from the egg stage under identical conditions. 3. The land-locked strain was significantly higher in lipids than the anadromous strain throughout the study. 4. Results of exposure to seawater at 2-week intervals between days 431 and 512 of the study indicated that neither strain produced smolts. 5. Strains could not be separated by discriminant analysis into separate groups, based on concentrations of the six most abundant elements or all ten elements sampled during the expected period of smolting (days 440–550). 6. The laboratory fish differed significantly in composition from those collected in the Merrimack River. 7. The log e of the whole-body element content increased significantly with log e of wet body wt in both strains.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: P↗

USGS1976

Influence of water temperature on gill sodium, potassium-stimulated ATPase activity in juvenile coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch)

1. Gill sodium, potassium-stimulated ATPase activity was determined from December to July in gills of yearling coho salmon ( Oncorhynchus kisutch ) maintained at four temperatures, 6, 10, 15 and 20°C. 2. Compared to fish held at 6°C, elevation in ATPase activity and the associated parr-smolt transformation were accelerated in fish at 10 and 15°C whereas animals at 20°C experienced at best only a transitory elevation in activity. 3. Fish transferred from one temperature to another developed ATPase activities characteristic of fish residing at temperatures to which they were transferred. 4. Cold water (6°C) tended to preserve the elevated ATPase activity while higher temperatures (10 and 15°C) caused decreases after an initial accelerated increase.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: P↗

USGS1994

A review of lead poisoning in swans

Nearly 10,000 swans of six species or subspecies from 14 countries have died from poisoning caused by lead that originated from ingestion of fishing weights, shotgun pellets (shot), or contaminated vegetation or sediments associated with mining and smelting wastes. Lead contamination in mute swans in England caused local population declines during the late 1970s and 1980s. More tundra swans died from lead poisoning than any other species. The extreme record involved an estimated 7200 tundra swans that died over five winters at one locality in North Carolina. The recent legislation to ban lead fishing weights in most of England and Wales and recent replacement of lead shot with steel shot for waterfowl hunting in the United States and a few areas of Europe, including Denmark, are expected to reduce the incidence of lead poisoning in swans.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C: P↗

USGS2022

Metabolic costs associated with seawater acclimation in a euryhaline teleost, the fourspine stickleback (Apeltes quadracus)

The cost of osmoregulation in teleosts has been debated for decades, with estimates ranging from one to 30 % of routine metabolic rate. The variation in the energy budget appears to be greater for euryhaline fish due to their ability to withstand dynamic salinity levels. In this study, a time course of metabolic and physiological responses of the euryhaline fourspine stickleback ( Apeltes quadracus ) acclimated to freshwater (FW) and then exposed to seawater (SW) was examined. There was 18% mortality in the first 3 days following exposure to SW, with no mortalities in the FW control group. Gill Na + /K + -ATPase (NKA) activity, an index of osmoregulatory capacity, increased 2.6-fold in SW fish peaking on days 7 and 14. Gill citrate synthase activity, an index of aerobic capacity, was 50–62% greater in SW than FW fish and peaked on day 7. Tissue water content was significantly lower in the SW fish on day 1 only, returning to FW levels by day 3. Routine metabolic rate was decreased within 24 h of SW exposure and was maintained slightly (8–22%) but significantly lower in SW compared to FW water controls throughout the 2-week experiment. These results indicate that elevated salinity resulted in increased SW osmoregulatory and aerobic capacity in the gill, but with a reduced whole animal metabolic rate to this euryhaline species.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Bi↗

USGS1969

Stress-induced ascorbic acid depletion and cortisol production in two salmonid fishes

Interrenal ascorbic acid and serum cortisol were measured in non-specificity stressed yearling coho salmon and rainbow trout. Interrenal ascorbate was markedly decreased during stress but increased to normal if adaptation occurred. Serum cortisol was elevated by non-specific stress and remained high after interrenal ascorbate had returned to initial levels.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: M↗

USGS2007

Gene expression in the liver of rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss , during the stress response

To better appreciate the mechanisms underlying the physiology of the stress response, an oligonucleotide microarray and real-time RT-PCR (QRT-PCR) were used to study gene expression in the livers of rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ). For increased confidence in the discovery of candidate genes responding to stress, we conducted two separate experiments using fish from different year classes. In both experiments, fish exposed to a 3 h stressor were compared to control (unstressed) fish. In the second experiment some additional fish were exposed to only 0.5 h of stress and others were sampled 21 h after experiencing a 3 h stressor. This 21 h post-stress treatment was a means to study gene expression during recovery from stress. The genes we report as differentially expressed are those that responded similarly in both experiments, suggesting that they are robust indicators of stress. Those genes are a major histocompatibility complex class 1 molecule ( MHC1 ), JunB , glucose 6-phosphatase ( G6Pase ), and nuclear protein 1 ( Nupr1 ). Interestingly, Nupr1 gene expression was still elevated 21 h after stress, which indicates that recovery was incomplete at that time.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part D: G↗

USGS2016

Salinity effects on plasma ion levels, cortisol, and osmolality in Chinook salmon following lethal sampling

Studies on hydromineral balance in fishes frequently employ measurements of electrolytes following euthanasia. We tested the effects of fresh- or salt-water euthanasia baths of tricaine mesylate (MS-222) on plasma magnesium (Mg 2+ ) and sodium (Na + ) ions, cortisoland osmolality in fish exposed to saltwater challenges, and the ion and steroid hormone fluctuations over time following euthanasia in juvenile spring Chinook salmon ( Oncorhynchus tshawytscha ). Salinity of the euthanasia bath affected plasma Mg 2+ and Na + concentrations as well as osmolality, with higher concentrations in fish euthanized in saltwater. Time spent in the bath positively affected plasma Mg 2+ and osmolality, negatively affected cortisol, and had no effect on Na + concentrations. The difference of temporal trends in plasma Mg 2+ and Na + suggests that Mg 2+ may be more sensitive to physiological changes and responds more rapidly than Na + . When electrolytes and cortisol are measured as endpoints after euthanasia, care needs to be taken relative to time after death and the salinity of the euthanasia bath.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: M↗

USGS1995

Protein retention and liver aminotransferase activities in Atlantic salmon fed diets containing different energy sources

Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar ) fingerlings (14.4 g) were fed diets containing either glucose, dextrin, raw corn starch and lipid, or a high protein U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service open-formula diet (ASD2-30) for 12 weeks. Significant differences in weight gain and feed: gain ratio were not observed among salmon fed the diets containing glucose, dextrin or ASD2-30. Diets containing dextrin and glucose supported greater protein retention and reduction in alanine aminotransferase activity than the other diets. Activity of aspartate aminotransferase was not affected by the dietary treatment. Protein retention correlated highly with alanine aminotransferase activity.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part A: P↗

USGS2005

Responses of hybrid striped bass to waterborne and dietary copper in freshwater and saltwater

Mechanisms of copper toxicity and consequences of exposure vary due to uptake route and ionoregulatory status. The goal of this research was to develop a model fish system to assess the influence of different Cu exposure routes (waterborne or dietary) on bioavailability, uptake, and effects in hybrid striped bass ( Morone chrysops × Morone saxatilis ) acclimated to fresh- or saltwater. Initially, hybrid striped bass were exposed to dietary Cu concentrations of 571, 785, and 1013 μg Cu/g, along with a control (∼ 5 μg Cu/g), for 14 days in saltwater. Intestinal and liver Cu accumulated in a dose-dependent manner in fish exposed to increasing levels of dietary Cu. Chronic (42 days) experiments were then conducted to determine sub-lethal effects of aqueous, dietary, and combined aqueous and dietary Cu exposures to both freshwater- and saltwater-acclimated hybrid striped bass. Growth and Cu accumulation in the gill, intestine, and liver were measured. Although no significant effects were observed in fish exposed to waterborne Cu, those exposed through the diet accumulated significant liver and intestinal Cu but showed no significant change in growth. Overall, these results suggest that at the levels tested, exposure to elevated waterborne Cu did not cause significant long-term tissue Cu accumulation, whereas dietary Cu exposure caused significant liver and intestinal Cu accumulation in hybrid striped bass which was comparable in both freshwater and saltwater (15 g/L).

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C: T↗

USGS2003

Lateral line pore diameters correlate with the development of gas bubble trauma signs in several Columbia River fishes

Gas bubble trauma (GBT) caused by gas supersaturation of river water continues to be a problem in the Columbia River Basin. A common indicator of GBT is the percent of the lateral line occluded with gas bubbles; however, this effect has never been examined in relation to lateral line morphology. The effects of 115, 125 and 130% total dissolved gas levels were evaluated on five fish species common to the upper Columbia River. Trunk lateral line pore diameters differed significantly ( P <0.0001) among species (longnose sucker>largescale sucker>northern pikeminnow≥chinook salmon≥redside shiner). At all supersaturation levels evaluated, percent of lateral line occlusion exhibited an inverse correlation to pore size but was not generally related to total dissolved gas level or time of exposure. This study suggests that the differences in lateral line pore diameters between species should be considered when using lateral line occlusion as an indicator of gas bubble trauma.

Coumbia river basin↗

USGS2006

Conservation of Toll-like receptor signaling pathways in teleost fish

In mammals, toll-like receptors (TLR) recognize ligands, including pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), and respond with ligand-specific induction of genes. In this study, we establish evolutionary conservation in teleost fish of key components of the TLR-signaling pathway that act as switches for differential gene induction, including MYD88, TIRAP, TRIF, TRAF6, IRF3, and IRF7. We further explore this conservation with a molecular phylogenetic analysis of MYD88. To the extent that current genomic analysis can establish, each vertebrate has one ortholog to each of these genes. For molecular tree construction and phylogeny inference, we demonstrate a methodology for including genes with only partial primary sequences without disrupting the topology provided by the high-confidence full-length sequences. Conservation of the TLR-signaling molecules suggests that the basic program of gene regulation by the TLR-signaling pathway is conserved across vertebrates. To test this hypothesis, leukocytes from a model fish, rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), were stimulated with known mammalian TLR agonists including: diacylated and triacylated forms of lipoprotein, flagellin, two forms of LPS, synthetic double-stranded RNA, and two imidazoquinoline compounds (loxoribine and R848). Trout leukocytes responded in vitro to a number of these agonists with distinct patterns of cytokine expression that correspond to mammalian responses. Our results support the key prediction from our phylogenetic analyses that strong selective pressure of pathogenic microbes has preserved both TLR recognition and signaling functions during vertebrate evolution.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part D: G↗

USGS2024

Dopaminergic and anti-estrogenic responses in juvenile steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) exposed to bifenthrin

The frequency of detection and concentrations of bifenthrin, a pyrethroid insecticide, in the waterways inhabited by the endangered species, steelhead trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss ), has become a significant concern for regulatory agencies. Endocrine disruption has been observed with estrogenic and anti-estrogenic responses in fish species at different life stages. Since several studies have indicated alterations in dopaminergic signaling associated with endocrine responses, juvenile steelhead were exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of 60 or 120 ng/L bifenthrin for two weeks. Fish brains were assessed for dopamine levels and the expression of genes involved in dopaminergic and estrogenic processes, such as catechol- o -methyltransferase ( comt ) and monoamine oxidase ( mao ). Vitellogenin ( vtg ) and estrogenic receptors ( ERα1 , ERβ1 , and ERβ2 ) were also evaluated in livers of the animals. Dopamine concentrations were significantly higher in fish brains following bifenthrin exposure. Consistent with a reduction in dopamine clearance, there was a significant decrease in the mRNA expression of comt with increased bifenthrin concentration. Hepatic expression of ERα1 and ERβ2 mRNA was significantly decreased with increased bifenthrin concentration. These data support the possible mechanism of bifenthrin altering the dopaminergic pathway at low ng/L concentrations, in juvenile steelhead, which could interfere with endocrine feedback loops. These findings support the need for and importance of identifying species and life stage differences in pesticide modes of action to reduce uncertainties in risk assessments.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part C: To↗

USGS2004

Intra-strain dioxin sensitivity and morphometric effects in swim-up rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchus mykiss )

Inter and intra-specific differences in sensitivity of early life stage salmonids to 2,3,7,8-TCDD exposure have been reported, but intra-strain differences have not been found in the literature. Our results indicate that intra-strain variability in terms of embryo mortality (LD50) is small in Eagle Lake strain of rainbow trout, LD50 values ranging from 285 to 457 pg TCDD egg g −1 . These results confirm Eagle Lake as a less sensitive strain within rainbow trout, and do not indicate overlap with reported LD50 values for brook or lake trout. Our results also demonstrate that although generalized edema in regions including the yolk-sac are frequently associated with mortality following dioxin exposure, not all edematous fish die. We detected dose-dependent decreases in cranial length, eye diameter, mass, and total length ( P <0.05) in viable swim-up rainbow trout. These effects are presumed to indicate more subtle dose-dependent disruptions of the viteline vein vasculature and, therefore, in access to energy sources. A tendency for dose-dependent decrease in liver glycogen reserves concurred with previous results on salmonids and with the well described TCDD-induced alterations in intermediate metabolism of rats and chicken embryos (wasting syndrome). This syndrome could be contributing to the reduced growth that we observed.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C: T↗

USGS1970

The effect of anesthetization and urinary bladder catheterization on renal function of rainbow trout

1. Rainbow trout were anesthetized with MS-222 (Sandoz) or methylpentynol and catheterized. Urine was collected at selected intervals up to 48 hr. 2. Effects of MS-222 anesthesia on urine flow and composition were isolated from the stress of catheterization by re-anesthetizing the fish 18 to 20 hr post catheterization. 3. Urine output patterns were similar following MS-222 or methylpentynol anesthesia and catheterization. Highest urine flows were measured 4 to 8 hr post treatment. The highest urine output after re-anesthetization with MS-222 was observed 2 to 4 hr post-anesthesia. 4. Highest concentrations of Na 2+ , K + , Ca 2+ , Cl - and inorganic PO 4 in the urine were measured in the first 2 hr after anesthesia and catheterization. 5. Flow rates and chemical composition of urine indicate that "normal" renal function is re-established 12 to 24 hr post-treatment.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology↗

USGS2012

The challenges of implementing pathogen control strategies for fishes used in biomedical research

Over the past several decades, a number of fish species, including the zebrafish, medaka, and platyfish/swordtail, have become important models for human health and disease. Despite the increasing prevalence of these and other fish species in research, methods for health maintenance and the management of diseases in laboratory populations of these animals are underdeveloped. There is a growing realization that this trend must change, especially as the use of these species expands beyond developmental biology and more towards experimental applications where the presence of underlying disease may affect the physiology animals used in experiments and potentially compromise research results. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop, improve, and implement strategies for managing health and disease in aquatic research facilities. The purpose of this review is to report the proceedings of a workshop entitled “Animal Health and Disease Management in Research Animals” that was recently held at the 5th Aquatic Animal Models for Human Disease in September 2010 at Corvallis, Oregon to discuss the challenges involved with moving the field forward on this front.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C: T↗

USGS2016

Transcriptome discovery in non-model wild fish species for the development of quantitative transcript abundance assays

Environmental studies increasingly identify the presence of both contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) and legacy contaminants in aquatic environments; however, the biological effects of these compounds on resident fishes remain largely unknown. High throughput methodologies were employed to establish partial transcriptomes for three wild-caught, non-model fish species; smallmouth bass ( Micropterus dolomieu ), white sucker ( Catostomus commersonii ) and brown bullhead ( Ameiurus nebulosus ). Sequences from these transcriptome databases were utilized in the development of a custom nCounter CodeSet that allowed for direct multiplexed measurement of 50 transcript abundance endpoints in liver tissue. Sequence information was also utilized in the development of quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) primers. Cross-species hybridization allowed the smallmouth bass nCounter CodeSet to be used for quantitative transcript abundance analysis of an additional non-model species, largemouth bass ( Micropterus salmoides ). We validated the nCounter analysis data system with qPCR for a subset of genes and confirmed concordant results. Changes in transcript abundance biomarkers between sexes and seasons were evaluated to provide baseline data on transcript modulation for each species of interest.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part D: G↗

USGS2005

Distinct effects of 4-nonylphenol and estrogen-17β on expression of estrogen receptor α gene in smolting sockeye salmon

Xenoestrogens such as 4-nonylphenol (4-NP) have been shown to affect the parr–smolt transformation, but their mechanisms of action are not known. We therefore examined effects of 4-NP and estradiol-17β (E2) on expression of estrogen receptor (ER) α gene in the liver, gill, pituitary and brain of sockeye salmon to elucidate molecular mechanisms of 4-NP and E2 and developmental differences in response during smolting. Fish were treated twice within a week with 4-NP (15 and 150 mg/kg BW), E2 (2 mg/kg BW) or only vehicle at three stages of smolting, pre-smolting in March, early smolting in April and late smolting in May. The absolute amounts of ERα mRNA were determined by real-time PCR. The basal amounts of ERα mRNA peaked in April in the liver, gill and pituitary. In March, E2 extensively increased the amounts in the liver, while 4-NP had no effects at this stage. In contrast, 4-NP (but not E2) decreased liver ERα mRNA in April. 4-NP also decreased the amount of ERα mRNA in the gill in April. In the pituitary, 4-NP increased ERα mRNA in March but decreased it in May. There were no significant effects in the brain. Changes in basal ERα mRNA observed in this study indicate that estrogen responsiveness of tissues may change during salmon smolting. Furthermore, 4-NP and E2 have different effects on expression of ERα gene in the liver and gill during smolting, and the response is dependent on smolt stage.

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, Part C: T↗