Het effect van verhoogde ammonia concentratie in het water op fysiologie, groei en voeropname van Afrikaanse meerval (Clarias gariepinus)

IMARES onderzocht het effect van de ammoniaconcentratie in het kweekwater op groei, voeropname en fysiologie van Afrikaanse meerval (Clarias gariepinus). Het doel van dit onderzoek was het vaststellen van de maximale ammoniaconcentratie (grenswaarde) waarbij geen negatieve effecten op welzijn van de vis en de productie waar te nemen zijn

Wat de vis eet, zal hij zaaien : Zaadverspreiding van water- en oeverplanten door vis

Het is essentieel voor planten om hun zaden te verspreiden over groteafstanden. Daarvoor maken ze gebruik van diverse vectoren zoals water,wind en dieren. Recent onderzoek laat zien dat ook vissen hierbij eenbelangrijke rol spelen

Novel Protocol for the Chemical Synthesis of Crustacean Hyperglycemic Hormone Analogues — An Efficient Experimental Tool for Studying Their Functions

The crustacean Hyperglycemic Hormone (cHH) is present in many decapods in different isoforms, whose specific biological functions are still poorly understood. Here we report on the first chemical synthesis of three distinct isoforms of the cHH of Astacus leptodactylus carried out by solid phase peptide synthesis coupled to native chemical ligation. The synthetic 72 amino acid long peptide amides, containing L- or D-Phe3 and (Glp1, D-Phe3) were tested for their biological activity by means of homologous in vivo bioassays. The hyperglycemic activity of the D-isoforms was significantly higher than that of the L-isoform, while the presence of the N-terminal Glp residue had no influence on the peptide activity. The results show that the presence of D-Phe3 modifies the cHH functionality, contributing to the diversification of the hormone pool

Pituitary hormone mRNA expression in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax in seawater and following acclimation to fresh water

Contains fulltext : 35512.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)The mRNA expression of pituitary prolactin (prl), growth hormone (gh), somatolactin (sl), proopiomelanocortin (pomc), and gonadotropins (gthI and gthII) was quantified by real-time PCR, in sea bass, Dicentrarchus labrax, adapted for 1 month to seawater (SW) or freshwater (FW). In addition, IGF-I (igfI) mRNA expression in liver and branchial Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase activity were determined. L17 ribosomal protein (rpL17) and elongation factor 1alpha (ef1alpha) were validated as reference genes in real-time PCR in the experimental context. The real-time PCR assays were validated for the different hormone genes considered. Expression of pituitary pomc, gthI, gthII, gh, and liver igfI was not significantly different between FW and SW fish. Pituitary prlwas 4.5-foldhigher in FWthan in SW, whereas pituitary sl was 1.8-fold higher in SW- compared with FW-adapted fish. Gill Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase specific activity was 2.3-fold higher in FW sea bass compared with SW fish. Plasma cortisol levels were 6.5-fold lower in SW- than in FW-adapted specimens. The results are discussed in relation to the osmoregulatory strategy of this euryhaline SW species, which displays features that do not fit present models based on salmonids and FWeuryhaline teleosts

Differential expression of pthrp and its receptor in pituitary gland and gills in estradiol-treated gilthead sea bream (sparus auratus, l.)

Contains fulltext : 91715.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)6 p

Effects of acetylsalicylic acid treatment on thyroid hormones, prolactins, and the stress response of tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

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Effects of density, PVC-tubes and feeding time on growth, stress and aggression in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus)

Successive exposure to aquaculture-related stressors may compromise the allostatic capacity of African catfish and lead to allostatic overload and poor welfare. Therefore, we tested the effect of (i) feeding during the light or dark phase, (ii) density (51 fish per 140 L versus 51 fish per 43 L) and (iii) altered available resting space/shelter on stress handling were studied in African catfish (Clarias gariepinus). Available resting space/shelter was manipulated by providing PVC-tubes in the tanks. Growth, baseline stress load (cortisol and osmolality), metabolism (glucose, lactate and non-esterified fatty acids) and aggression (measured by skin scar incidence) were assessed. Upon completion of the experimental period, we determined the adaptive capacity of the fish by the response to air exposure. We show that night-feeding enhances growth and lowers feed conversion ratio compared to day-feeding. No effects of density were found for baseline stress hormones, basal metabolism or aggression. Low density seems to stimulate aggressive behaviour after air exposure. Unexpectedly, providing PVC-tubes under high-density conditions increased aggression, raised baseline cortisol levels and decreased basal metabolism as well as growth; also the endocrine response to air exposure was stronger. We argue that these effects relate to a reduction in available space, i.e. a further increase in density, or to an increased competition for shelter. Overall, our data suggest that night-feeding optimizes growth and that care should be taken in using objects as shelter/enrichment for African catfish

PTHrP potentiating estradiol-induced vitellogenesis in sea bream (Sparus auratus, L.)

n fish, vitellogenin is an important nutritional precursor protein produced solely in the liver and released into the blood where it binds calcium. In the gilthead sea bream (Sparus auratus) 17beta-Estradiol (E2) plays an important role in the synthesis of vitellogenin, but also the pituitary hormones prolactin (PRL) and growth hormone (GH) can stimulate vitellogenin induction in fish. Considering the emerging involvement of PTHrP in fish calcium metabolism and the importance of calcium regulation in reproduction, we investigated the possible role of PTHrP in vitellogenesis. E2-naïve and E2-primed sea bream hepatocytes were used in an in vitro primary hepatocyte culture and stimulated with a recombinant sea bream PTHrP (sbPTHrP) to establish the contribution of sbPTHrP alone or in combination with E2 to the regulation of hepatic vitellogenin synthesis. Hepatocytes stimulated solely with sbPTHrP were not affected in their vitellogenesis. However, in hepatocytes stimulated with E2 in combination with sbPTHrP a higher vitellogenin production was seen than with E2 alone. It is concluded that sbPTHrP has a potentiating effect on estradiol stimulation of vitellogenin production by sea bream hepatocytes. The sea bream provides a unique model where vitellogenesis regulation can be studied on E2-naïve liver cells, both in vivo and in vitro

Recovery from transportation by road of farmed European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

Contains fulltext : 144520.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access

Recovery from transportation by road of farmed European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of transportation of marketable eel (0.15 kg) in the Netherlands with respect to welfare. Eels (Anguilla anguilla) were obtained from a commercial farm and acclimatized for 7 weeks at the laboratory. Fish were transported according to regular commercial procedures. The animals were placed in water-filled transport tanks on the trailer. Fish density increased from 72 kg m-3 (husbandry) to 206 kg m-3 (fasting) and was further increased to 270–290 kg m-3 during transport. Fish transport lasted 3 h after which the eels were returned to laboratory recirculation systems to measure parameters indicative of stress load, i.e. mortality, plasma cortisol, lactate and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) as well as gill morphology. Samples were taken at 0, 6, 24, 48 and 72 h after transport in transported fish and non-transported counterparts (controls). Transportation affected water quality within known tolerable limits. No mortality during or after transport was observed. After 6 h, plasma cortisol levels had returned to baseline. However, energy metabolism had increased suggesting that transportation of eels resulted in an increased energy demand that lasted for at least 72 h in the fasted animals. Thus, it is conceivable that exposure to adverse conditions, prior to stunning/killing, in a slaughterhouse may result in allostatic overload in eel