Effects of Dietary Cholesterol Levels on the Growth, Molt Performance, and Immunity of Juvenile Swimming Crab, Portunus trituberculatus

The effects of dietary cholesterol levels on growth, molt performance, and immunity of juvenile swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus, were investigated at four cholesterol levels (0.2%-1.4%) of purified diets. Each diet was fed in triplicate to 18 crabs per replicate for 50 days. Crabs fed the diet with 1.0% cholesterol showed significantly higher (P<0.05) specific growth rate (SGR) than the other groups, who suffered from relatively lower molt death syndrome (MDS). Cholesterol content in the serum, whole body, and hepatopancreas increased in relation to dietary cholesterol. Muscle lipid content was significantly higher (P<0.05) in crabs fed the diet with 0.2% cholesterol compared to the other treatments. Crabs fed moderate dietary cholesterol levels showed higher alkaline phosphatase (AKP) or acid phosphatase (ACP) levels than those fed 0.2% or 1.4% cholesterol diets. The present study also showed that dietary cholesterol supplementation generally increased serum superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Overall, moderate dietary cholesterol (1.0 %) enhanced the performance of growth, survival, molting, and immunity of juvenile swimming crab P. trituberculatus

The complete plastid genome of a marine microalgae Cryptophyceae sp. CCMP2293 (Cryptophyta)

In this study, we present the complete plastid genome of Cryptophyceae sp. CCMP2293. The circular genome is 139,208 bp in length and contains 142 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes, 6 ribosome RNA (rRNA) genes, and 1 transfer-messenger RNA (tmRNA) gene. The overall nucleotide composition is: 33.6% A, 32.5% T, 16.8% C, and 17.1% G with a total A + T content of 66.1%. The phylogenetic tree was constructed to explore the taxonomic status of Cryptophyceae sp. CCMP2293, which is closely related to G. theta and R. salina

A fas apoptotic inhibitory molecule from Ruditapes philippinarum: Investigation on molecular characterization and functional analysis

In the present study, a fas apoptotic inhibitory molecule (FAIM) was identified from Ruditapes philippinarum (designated as RpFAIM). Multiple alignments and phylogenetic analysis strongly suggested that RpFAIM was a new member of the FAIMs family. The RpFAIM transcripts were constitutively expressed in a wide range of tissues, and dominantly expressed in hemocytes. After V. anguillarum or M. luteus challenge, the expression level of RpFAIM transcripts was significantly induced and reached the maximum level at 6 h and 24 h, respectively. Knockdown of RpFAIM down-regulated the transcript levels of NF-kappa B signaling genes (e.g. RpIKK, RpI kappa B, RpNF-kappa B). The results were roughly similar to those under bacterial stimulation. Moreover, RpFAIM primarily localized in the cell cytoplasm, and its over-expression inhibited the apoptosis of HeLa cells. These results revealed that RpFAIM perhaps regulated the NF-kappa B signaling pathways positively, which provided a better understanding of RpFAIM in innate immunity

Percent inhibition of rETR acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ with the addition of AZ, EZ and DIDS within a PAR range of 0 to 1315 μmol photon m^-2 s^-1, “—” represents no inhibition of rETR. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 3).

<p>Percent inhibition of rETR acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ with the addition of AZ, EZ and DIDS within a PAR range of 0 to 1315 μmol photon m^-2 s^-1, “—” represents no inhibition of rETR. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 3).</p

Net photosynthetic oxygen evolution (A), gross photosynthetic oxygen evolution (B), dark respiration (C) and Rubisco activity (D) of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 9).

<p>Net photosynthetic oxygen evolution (A), gross photosynthetic oxygen evolution (B), dark respiration (C) and Rubisco activity (D) of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 9).</p

Parameters of the seawater carbonate chemistry system at different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels prior and after the dilution. The dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration, pH_NBS, temperature and salinity were used to compute other parameters with a CO₂ system analyzing software (CO₂SYS). Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 9). Different letters represent significant difference between variables (P < 0.05).

<p>Parameters of the seawater carbonate chemistry system at different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels prior and after the dilution. The dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentration, pH_NBS, temperature and salinity were used to compute other parameters with a CO₂ system analyzing software (CO₂SYS). Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 9). Different letters represent significant difference between variables (P < 0.05).</p

Total, external and internal carbonic anhydrase activity of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 3).

<p>Total, external and internal carbonic anhydrase activity of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 3).</p

Effective quantum yield (Yield) of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels at an actinic irradiance 80, 276 and 897 photon m^-2 s^-1. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 3).

<p>Effective quantum yield (Yield) of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels at an actinic irradiance 80, 276 and 897 photon m^-2 s^-1. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 3).</p

Chlorophyll <i>a</i> content of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 9).

<p>Chlorophyll <i>a</i> content of <i>K</i>. <i>mikimotoi</i> acclimated to different <i>p</i>CO₂ levels. Data are shown as the mean ± SE (n = 9).</p